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Aviation Safety Challenges in Africa

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Running head: AVIATION SAFETY CHALLENGES IN AFRICA 1

Abstract

This paper involved a discussion of the literature that was associated with the safety challenges of aviation in Africa. This entailed focusing on the safety records that had been provided by some of the major commercial aviation centres in Africa. Aviation security is a dimension that has been growing rapidly and, in that cases, it possess as a challenge to the entire African continent. Even though this is true, there was a need to realise the fact that the number of fatal accidents had reduced drastically over the few years, thanks to the new aviation laws that the African countries had started adopting. However, issues of safety were not distributed evenly in the continent. Most African countries are still in the development stage and this poses as one of the fact that makes them lag behind in terms of aviation safety. They are facing the challenge of identifying terrorists, providing safety to luggage as well as conducting prior technical checks of the aircrafts. As a result, the African countries tended to have poorer safety tracks as compared to developed nations. There was also a challenge of lack of operates data with respect to all the fatal accidents that have been experienced. This made it difficult to calculate the reliability of all the initiatives that were put in place. Therefore, this paper addresses some of the aviation challenges that are imminent in Africa. Also, there is a discussion of the mitigation measures that could be implemented to deal with the situation.

Keywords: Aviation terrorism, Aviation safety, Aviation security.

Aviation Safety Challenges in Africa

Aviation safety in Africa has been lagging when it comes to the accomplishment goals that are set. The industry is facing downward development as most of the rules and regulations that they put in place have not been implemented appropriately. Some operators use older airplanes, and the maintenance is not up to global standards. The environment can be problematic, and some airports on the continent lack proper infrastructure. These elements in combination result in a higher accident rate than in other parts of the world. Despite these challenges, aviation safety in Africa has improved over the years (Aviation Safety Implementation Assistance Partnership (ASIAP) (n.d). The improvements are facilitated by some dedicated professionals. Overall, aviation in Africa is improving, but significant challenges remain. High-quality operators and regulators working together can make a big difference. In that case, there is a need to focus on the challenges of African Aviation Industry and provide a remedy to areas that can be improved.

Challenges of African Aviation Industry

The aviation industry in Africa does not have the necessary amount of resources that can boost its status. For instance, the kind of aircraft that are being used are old, and they have not undergone any form of technical corrections. The Airports also have runways that need reconstruction, but the government has not put aside funds for that. This increases the chances of aircraft accidents which the passengers nor the pilots can correct. Many officials have the role of ensuring that aviation safety is maintained. The problem is that they are never in contact with the stakeholders or even the customers who have identified fallacies in the way they are controlling events (Aviation Safety Implementation Assistance Partnership (ASIAP). (n.d). Therefore, a wide gap still exists, and it needs to be sorted out before everything gets out a hand.

The aviation industry in Africa is snowballing, but the management is concerned with issues that have to do with safety. The industry is not in the position to provide funds to construct more infrastructure as it is needed when looked from an expound aspect. The officials who are supposed to deal with matters of safety and security in the aviation sector are not well connected and this sums, up as one of the problems that they have to deal with when looked from a profound aspect.

The aviation industry in African has been characterized by several accidents. The most recent accident took place in Ethiopia 6 minutes after the plane had taken off heading to Kenya (Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria, 2019). This acts as an example of the fact that the safety of the aviation industry in Kenya is wanting. The accidents imply that there is something that needs to be done to have complete safety for the people who are using the airplanes. Some people have also opted not to use flights due to the many events of accidents that are reported each year. The worst thing is that only a few people survive the airplane crushes when they occur. The accidents that occur within that African aviation industry can be controlled, but it remains a challenge as the leaders have not positioned themselves to identity ways of mitigating the situations. Accidents are detrimental, and that means the aviation industry should strive in ensuring that they have been reduced.

There have been events of explosions, and most of them are as a result of poor communication between the personnel who are in charge of the control rooms. The explosions occur due to the storage issues that are imminent (Hooper & O'Hare, 2013). The storage, in this case, is based on the fuel and other oil products that are needed by the aircraft. Poor storage of the oil and gases leads to explosions, and the impact is always adverse Many employees have lost their lives while operating the storage facilities, and no form of competitions has been given to them (Hooper & O'Hare, 2013). The protection gears that the employees have are also not effective because they are not in line with the kind of environment in which they are working. The explosions also come from the aircraft when the engines are not functioning well. The old aircraft are still in use, and this poses a detrimental impact to those around the area.

The aviation sector has also been characterized with terrorist attacks, and this is because they have not adopted the latest technology that would help in identifying the lawbreakers. Countries such as Kenya, Somalia, and Sudan have had many events of terrorist attacks around the entry points (Munene, 2016). The airports are some of the entry points that need to be protected from terrorists. The African aviation industries have not yet adopted technological means of identifying terrorists and ensuring that they are going on with the missions that they put in place. Terrorists have the intention of causing detrimental impacts to a large number of people and the place to get them is around the airports. Security measures that are in the aviation centers in Africa have not been beefed up to deal with the latest terrorist deterrence tactics (Munene, 2016). Attacks also occur online, but the eventual outcome is seen physically. Confidential data has been lost and accessed through cyber-attacks, and this renders the aviation centers vulnerable to physical attacks.

There have been events of poor communication among the officials and also between the flight attendants and control rooms. The moment an error has been detected while on a flight, it always advisable to communicate the same information to the control centers for action to be taken (Stolzer, 2008). Lack of communication between the two ends leads to problems that are not easy to control. Many aircraft crashes occur due to poor communication. There are instances when the flights take off without communication with the technicians to get assurance that everything is ready (Munene, 2016). As a result, the safety of the passengers is put at stake having that there is nothing they can do. There are also signs to show that the planes have been tested and approved for any flights. This is information that the passengers on board should know so that they cannot put their lives at risk.

The systems that the airports have software that is not up to date and that means they are vulnerable to attacks. The systems are not well protected with firewalls and encryption systems that prevent unauthorized persons from accessing confidential information (Oster Jr, Strong & Zorn, 2013). This information contains details with regards to the security measures that have been put in place as well as the mitigation steps that need to be undertaken. Anyone who gets access to such kind of information can use it to attack the airports at any time. This, therefore, poses as a security challenge to the aviation industry in Africa when looked from an expound aspect. The systems need to be updated so that they can be in line with the needs that arise daily in terms of safety. Also, outdated systems are always vulnerable to virus attacks that render them useless or less functional.

The aircraft that are used at the African airports are also complex, and that means the users have to undergo training on how to operate them. Most African airports use aircraft that have been imported from overseas. On the same note, the kind of training that the pilots get is not in line with the foreign standards that have been used to come up with the aircraft. A lot of training needs to be offered to the pilots, but they are not in a position where they can get them (Oster Jr, Strong & Zorn, 2013). The result is that the pilots who handle such aircraft are likely to cause an accident if not trained well. This poses a challenge having in mind that most of the African countries are not in a position where they can design their aircraft. The aspect of importing new ones remains trouble to them when looked from all aspects.

According to Hooper & O'Hare (2013), most aircrafts crash because they have not been designed in accordance with the set legitimate standards. The moment one chooses to use the aircraft, a lot of caution has to be undertaken. This issue that needs to be done especially when one is piloting for the first time. Prior knowledge of how the aircraft operate is key, and this is something that the African nations should embrace at all times (Rinefort & Petrick, 2012). There is no unity among the African nations with regards to the right standards that need to be applied to ensure that everything is done right. At the moment, some African nations have opted to get help from American and Asian nations on how to reduce the safety challenges that they face daily. These are challenges that can be remedied if the managements of the airports take charge immediately.

Lack of Regulation and Poor Government Actions

The other major challenge that the African aviation industry is facing with regards to safety is that the leaders do not find any importance attached to the industry. The leaders in Africa are not aware of the fact that they get a lot of revenue from the aviation industry and that is the reason why they do not set aside funds to improve its safety (Rinefort & Petrick, 2012). Even though this is true, the aviation industry in Africa is also rigidly protected in such a way they do not allow foreign investors to get to their skies. This acts as a barrier to the growth of development as they are supposed to get ideas from foreign airlines.

Aviation safety in Africa is also not doing well because leaders are dictators and support many events of bureaucracy. The current leaders have been in reign for many years, and that means they are not willing to provide some room for improvements and innovation (International Civil Aviation Organization, 2008). Many young individuals are innovative, but they have not been given a chance to show their skills due to dictatorship. For instance in Uganda, the president has been in leadership for over fifteen years (Stolzer, 2008). This means that the aviation industry cannot be improved as he will keep on applying the same old techniques. The amount of money and time that is spent on aviation is so little that it cannot help in doing away with the safety issues that it is facing currently.

Giving out Flights to other Nations

Aviation safety in Africa is dwindling because most of the countries are giving out their airlines to be managed by foreigners. This happens because they do not have the resources and funds to maintain their airlines as it is needed. The results are that the foreigners fail to adhere to the safety standards of the host nations as they aim to benefit their home countries through repatriation of profits (Munene, 2016). The foreigners are aware of the fact that the aviation industry in Africa is not doing well, but they have the chances of getting cheap labor from the same. Therefore, they choose to develop only the areas that they feel are crucial and those that will be provided with more profits in the long run. There is a need to do some assessment to get an idea of what needs to be done to ensure that the capitalist aspect is not evident in the aviation industry.

The airline laws in Africa are not as strict as those that are seen in America and other foreign countries. The people who have been given the role of controlling the airlines are always lenient in that they do not punish those who break them. For instance, laws on checking of luggage and ensuring that they do not have any weapons are not fully implemented in the African airlines (Oster Jr, Strong & Zorn, 2013). This has led to several aircraft being hijacked and people killed in the process. This is a safety issue that has been reported for many years, but no change or improvement has been put in place to control the same. African society is aware of the fact that the aviation industry is not doing well, but they lack the necessary resources to remedy the situation. This calls for the outsourcing of consultants who might also not provide the expected tangible results when looked from an expound aspect.

Lack of Training

Most fresh students from the university are not provided with the right orientation with regards to the importance of safety and some of the ways it can be maintained. Most of the students are only rooted in making a living for themselves having that they are new in the industry. This is something common as most air crashes are conducted by the fresh graduates. The African airline is full of graduates, and most of them are not guided on the best ways to pilot and the kind of rules that they are supposed to follow at all times (Oster Jr, Strong & Zorn, 2013). The airlines have regulations that are not strict when it comes to training and handling of the new employees. The kind of experience that the fresh graduates have is not at the right level, and this contributes to the safety challenges in the African aviation industry.

There is a need to conduct an assessment test to check and ensure that all the staff in charge of safety in the African aviation industry are well conversant with what is expected of them. Training helps in instilling the right information and to the staff. For instance, the airlines in the United States have been structured in such a way that fresh graduates fly the planes alongside qualified and experienced personnel. The African aviation industry should adopt the same if at it all has the mission of improving aviation safety when looked from a profound aspect (Oster Jr, Strong & Zorn, 2013). Even though some of the airlines in Africa offer training to the employees and personnel, they fail to touch on safety. The staff is only trained on how to fly the planes as well as how to handle the passengers who are on board. The training that they offer is not one that can be reliable as still many planes crash in the process.

The other aviation safety challenge that needs to be controlled and considered in this case is based on the uncertified aviation training centers. There are several aviation centers in Africa that are offering substandard training and education (Stolzer, 2008). All these centers need to be assessed to ensure that they are offering whatever is expected of them. The aviation centers have not been provided with the certification to offer training, and that means they are producing quack pilots. The result is that safety in the aviation industry is breached with more losses of lives and property.

Uncontrolled Environment

Most of the aircraft are designed to be propelled by burning some amount of fuel. The aircraft in the African aviation industry has not been in the position to conduct the process completely. Most of the explosions that occur are because combustion has not taken place completely (Wiegmann & Shappell, 2001). This is something that is supposed to be checked and corrected before any flight takes off. The negligence that is seen among the airline controllers makes the aircraft to explode in a manner that would have been easily managed. The aircraft also emit carbon which possesses as a safety issue in the aviation industry.

There are several environment protection measures, but the aviation industry in Africa is not in the position to adopt them. Most leaders are never willing to ensure that the environment is well protected (Stolzer, 2008). The environment protection measures that they put in place have not been implemented as the aircraft are still emitting harmful gases to the environment. This possesses as a hazard that that if not controlled with lead to adverse outcomes with regards to the climate. There is poor control when it comes to the carbon offset segment that is used in African aviation. The residents are still suffering from the negative impacts that are caused by the carbon emissions from aircraft that are not undergoing a complete combustion process.

The kind of interaction that the people have with the environment is one that is based on conservation. This is evident from countries such as Rwanda who have adopted the Kyoto Protocols to ensure that environmental conservation is a part of the people. This means that the airlines should also be part of these project, but they have not signed on the same. The airplanes burn fuel that when emitted to the environment affects it drastically. Air pollution is an issue that is affecting people to a great extent, and it can only be solved by ensuring the kind of fuel that the airplanes are using is clean (Wiegmann & Shappell, 2001). The African nations are suffering from air pollution, and this is evident from the respiratory infections that some of them are developing. This is a safety challenge as it is affecting their health in a way that they cannot control.

Having an uncontrolled environment is something that can be sorted out if the right policies are put in place. The environment is supposed to be protected so that the people who will be using it in future can also gain positive aspects from it. This will be a way of practicing intergenerational equity when looked from a profound aspect. The airlines are useful as they help in the generation of foreign exchange but still have a negative impact on the environment when allowed to burn the wrong fuel (Stolzer, 2008). Most of the aviation industries in Africa are not keen on the kind of fuel that is burned by the aircraft. Also, they have not put in place measures to ensure that the gas it completely burned before being released to the atmosphere. Some people have had to learn to tolerate the situation as it cannot be solved single handily. Therefore this remains a challenge that needs to be solved immediately.

Mitigation of Aviation Safety Challenges in Africa

The aviation safety issues in Africa need to be mitigated before they get to levels where they cannot be controlled easily. For the safety challenges to be mitigated in the African aviation industry, the first thing is to allow the African Union to take over (Stolzer, 2008). The African Union is a body that is made up of representatives from all the African countries. They will help in coming up with new laws to facilitate the provision of safety within the aviation industry. The other thing is that the International Air Transport Association should chip in to ensure that all aviation safety plans are implemented in the right manner. The aviation system needs to be rejuvenated since it has already deteriorated.

All African countries should also go ahead and adopt the aviation standards of safety. These standards are accepted globally, and that means that the African should be part and parcel of the same. This will also see some of the foreign investors coming up with ideas that will ensure that the safety of those who are using the African airlines is maintained (Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria, 2014). All the countries that have airports and airstrips should also come up with some laws that will be followed strictly to ensure the safety of the Africans is maintained when looked from the perspective of aviation.

The African Union should also appoint leaders who will exclusively be in charge of aviation safety. These leaders will also have their helpers to ensure that any nation that has gone against the standards is barred from getting to other airlines. Such strict rules will help in ensuring that all the nations are on the right track and that they are well conversant with the fact that safety is key. Technology has helped in solving many problems, and in this case, it is also of much essence (Wiegmann & Shappell, 2001). For instance, the use of surveillance cameras is the best way to ensure that all those who have malicious intents are identified and apprehended in time. Tracing them is also easy as they will not engage in further attacks before being controlled. This is an indication that technology is essential and it should be embraced to deal with the aviation safety challenges that are affecting the aviation industry in Africa (Stolzer, 2008).

Most of the aircraft in the African aviation industry crash out of engine failure. The engines are not designed to take flights for long without undergoing any servicing. The best way to ensure that the crashes have reduced and that safety is restored is by assessing them before each flight. The flight attendants should also have the ability to detect an engine failure is about to occur so that landing can be done early before a crash. Many people have died due to negligence that is seen among the officials in the aviation industry (Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria, 2014). There is a need to train them and ensure that they are aware of the right measure's to take when a malicious intent has been detected from the other colleagues. This means that ethical considerations will also have to be utilized in all the aviation industries for the safety challenges to be eliminated.

Recommendations on reducing Aviation Safety Challenges in Africa.

The aviation industry is structured in such a way that it not only controls the aircraft but also ensures that the equipment and resources used around the place are in the right condition. The best thing is always to ensure that there is a checklist that will facilitate an effective way of dealing with cases of insecurity when they arise. The checklist also acts as a mitigation document to facilitate a better way of dealing with the safety issues that are affecting the aviation industry when looked from an expound aspect (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2009). There is always a need to ensure that the society is in line with the regulations that have initiated by the aviation industry as this is a step of ensuring that safety is maintained at all times,

One of the most common ways to ensure that the aviation safety challenges in Africa are mitigated is by being in line with the needs of IATA. The IATA should take charge of the African airlines because it is commonly known when it comes to the incorporation of technology to deal with the way Airlines are controlled. This body has all the resources that can be used to do research that will provide the right data and information with regards to aviation safety (Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria, 2014). For instance, it will provide some of the regulations that will ensure that all the languages are well secured and that there is no aspect of theft coming into play. There is a need to realize the fact that there are instances when the regulations are broken. The IATA will also provide some of the measures that will be taken against those who are not willing to comply with the policies.

The world is currently global, and that means data and information can be shared from one nation to the other. Technology has made everything to be much easier, and in that case, there is a need to ensure that it is put in place in the African aviation industry. Most African nations are laggards, and this has made them take a lot of time before they adopt the right and advanced technological process. The technologies are promising, but they have not yet been adopted. The African airlines should make an initiative f assessing the effectiveness of the technologies before they think about adopting them (Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria, 2014). The airlines should employ personnel and consultants who will help in adopting new ways of doing things. For instance, they will be in a position to identify all the areas of weakness and correct them as early as possible. This is most common in instances when an airline is under attack. The technology will facilitate a faster response, and the employees will not be in any danger.

Some African nations have been engaging in political and social conflicts for an extended period. These are events that need to be controlled for the aviation safety challenges to be mitigated. For instance countries such as Somalia, Uganda and Sudan have been engaging in war. In such countries, aviation safety can only be put in place if there are systems to provide the right time to fly (Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria, 2014). Some airplanes have been bombed while in the air while others have passengers hi-jacked. These are all events that can be controlled if the control room provides the pilots with the right time to fly. The right time to fly is when there are no conflicts or animosities among the people. Landing the planes on land that is characterized by war is always risky (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2009). This means that it is essential to have effective communication and coordination between the pilots and the people who are helping in the controlling of the plane. All departments in the aviation industry should also work together and share information concerning what they have in mind.

The leadership in Africa should also be changed by focusing on the needs of the people when looked from an expound aspect. Most of the leaders have been in the position for my years, and that means there are no changes in aviation policies (Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria, 2014). The Africans should amend their constitution and develop some strictness among those who do not show any signs of responding to the safety issues. Corruption is the order of the day in African, and that means the all the funds that are set aside for safety are not used appropriately. For this to come to an end restore safety at the airports, new leaders have to be appointed or put into office. The money brings in new ideologies the more the situation gets streamlines.

It is all about doing an assessment and identifying the gaps that need to be filled before heading to the next step. Any new idea should be recorded and implemented in the future. Aviation is an essential sector in the economy, and the government should realize this and apply it in the right way. Any changes or updates that have been set forth should be considered as some of them will be life-changing. For instance, benchmarking other counties aviation safety measures will be a good idea. American airlines are always perfect, and Africans should also learn to adopt the same to a great extent.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the aviation safety challenges in Africa are many, and they can be solved or handled when the right measures are put in place. Some of the aviation safety challenges that the Africans are facing include many high instances of corruption, insecurity, poor leadership, as well as lack of funds to handle the needs of the airline users. All these challenges have been accrued for an extended period, and there is a need to ensure that they have been mitigated. The people in Africa are always willing to comply with the aviation rules, but the problem comes during implementation as well as the kind of leadership that is subjected to them.

For the aviation challenges to be solved completely, the government should come in and collaborate with the aviation companies. The government has all that it takes when it comes to funds as well as resources that are needed to provide safety to the people. The government needs to help in the adoption of new technologies so that will support the aviation industry. For instance, it can appoint officials to oversee that the aviation industry is operating well and it is respecting the needs of the people. This will revolve around the way the people associate with each other as well as the way they are engaging the airlines when looked from an expound aspect.

A pilot survey will have to be conducted to get an idea of the areas that need to be sorted out. The survey will take a short while with interviews, observations, and questions being issued out to deal with the matter at a higher level (Stolzer, 2008). All the issues that are identified will need to be corrected before they get out of hand. If safety issues are imminent in the luggage and passenger protection area, then I will have to be corrected before any business is conducted. The safety of passengers is essential, and that means the airlines are supposed to focus on them before undertaking any other initiative. The aviation safety challenges in Africa are temporary, and solutions will be devised by sorting out help from third parties and organizations that are well conversant with the way the aviation industries are supposed to operate.

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