EASA Annual Safety Conference – technology and human factors

13 November 2024: The EASA Annual Safety Conference, hosted this year at the Hungarian Central Bank, featured high-level speakers from across the aviation industry discussing how technological innovations can enhance safety while underscoring the essential role of human factors in aviation operations.

The two-day event began with opening remarks from EASA Executive Director Florian Guillermet; János Kerékgyártó, Hungary’s Deputy State Secretary for Transport and Yannick Malinge, Senior Vice President at Airbus, who provided an overview of current challenges and future opportunities in aviation safety.

Day one centered on technology’s role in enhancing aviation safety. Panels explored how cutting-edge innovations and AI-supported model-based systems are transforming and streamlining safety processes, identification of safety risks and trend monitoring.  Experts examined the integration of advanced systems, their safety implications, and topics like enhanced minimum crew operations (eMCO). A panel dedicated to GNSS interference and spoofing – a subject closely followed by the ERA Operations and Safety Group – explored solutions to improve system resilience against disruptions through short-, mid-, and long-term strategies, as well as technological advancements for interference-resistant navigation systems.

Day two shifted focus to the societal and human factors influencing aviation. Maria Rueda, EASA’s Strategy and Safety Management Director, moderated a session on how public demand for sustainability, safety and convenience is driving innovation in aviation technology, with further discussions on how the industry is adapting to meet evolving societal expectations, exploring the socioeconomic impacts of AI and automation on aviation jobs, and discussing how these advancements can transform roles, enhance skills and improve workforce dynamics while retaining the human element.

The final session addressed human factors in runway incursions, a significant safety issue. The panel examined psychological, cognitive and organisational contributors to these incidents and shared strategies for mitigating risks, improving training and enhancing situational awareness.

Recordings of all sessions are available on the EASA website and EASA YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTfS24aKkJn50A1-zyWqczr0k0V2723fW

Topics such as GNSS RFI and runway safety that were discussed during the conference will also be covered during the upcoming ERA Operations and Safety Group to be held at EASA on 3–4 December.