Why NCAA Should Reinforce Strict Professional Codes of Ethics ...

Tag : air tools & instrument
Why NCAA Should Reinforce Strict Professional Codes of Ethics[opinion]

Capt Daniel Omale
Released : Friday, August 29, 2008 7:32 AM
Aug 29, 2008 (Leadership/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX NewsNetwork) -- The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), under thecurrent leadership of Dr. Demuren, has attained an unprecedentedlevel of safety, standardisation and some sanity in the aviationsector. His unrelenting quest for excellence has brought disciplinewithin the system, although, naturally, there would always be someself- acclaimed captains, experts and consultants in the aviationbusiness. These people, without any authentic pedigree, are thenoisiest empty drums on the block.
They see no-good in any person appointed in the system and so theycriticise any rational decision that could improve commercialaviation in Nigeria. Their lack of knowledge, and dire desire forrecognition in sensitive government quarters, override commonjudgement. We applaud the director-general of NCAA for his vision,resilience and determination to change our aviation industry forthe good of all stakeholders. We are not ignorant of the battle hehas to overcome, and the rising negative tides at every checkpointof his voyage, but he must clean up the system with ethical rulesthat would check-mate imposters and fraudsters who ordainthemselves with all forms of aviation titles.
The few grey areas that need vigilance and legislation areprofessional ethics and code of conduct for those in the industry.Most codes of ethics are often promulgated by the governmentalagency responsible for licencing a profession. Violations of thesecodes may be subject to administrative (e.g. loss of license),civil or penal remedies. Other codes can be enforced by thepromulgating organisation alone; violations of these codes areusually limited to loss of membership in the organisation. Othercodes are merely advisory and there are no prescribed remedies forviolations, or even procedures for determining whether a violationeven occurred. Professional ethics concerns the moral issues thatarise because of the specialist knowledge that professionalsattain, and how the use of this knowledge should be governed whenproviding a service to the public
A code of conduct is a set of rules outlining the responsibilitiesof or proper practices for an individual or organisation.. In its2007 International Good Practice Guidance, Defining and Developingan Effective Code of Conduct for Organisations, the followingworking definition provides the heart and soul of code ofconduct:"Principals, values, standards, or rules of behaviour thatguide the decisions, procedures and systems of an organisation in away that (a) contributes to the welfare of its key stakeholders,and (b) respects the rights of all constituents affected by itsoperations."
The Air Transport Association of America (ATA), the tradeassociation of the principal U.S. passenger and cargo airlines, wasfounded in 1936 by fledgling U.S. airlines for two fundamentalreasons: to improve and promote safety within the industry, and toadvocate for a legal and regulatory environment that would allowthe U.S. commercial airlines industry to grow and prosper. ATA hasnot just lived up to its fundamental reasons, it has become thepillar of aviation development in America. By working with aircraftmanaufacturers, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and theNational Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the core principle ofair transportation, which is safety, has improved to record levelin the United States with global impact. This would not have beenpossible if those controlling the affairs of ATA are persons withlittle or no professional knowledge of commercial aviation industry- a highly dynamic and technically demanding. ATA's website is oneof the most informative sites on the Internet. The organisation'sanalysis of safety standards and requirements bestowed on itsmembers, current fuel price upsurge and operational cost reductionthrough the experiemental Performance -Based Navigation andRequired Navigation Performance (RNP) and Green House Emissionprogramme, do not just indicate professionalism, but show thein-depth knowledge of the leadership of ATA. The use of technologyas tools to enhance awareness of aviation knowledge has propelledATA as the leader of commercial aviation industry all over theworld. This is what we must strive to attain in Nigeria.
Looking at the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), a counterpartassociation of ATA, one wonders whether there is any relationshipbetween the two organisations. While the AON has become aninstrument of comfrontation, blackmail, victimisation , senselessremarks and terrorising members, its counterparts all over theworld are genuinely proposing industry development initiatives.
AON has been hijacked by just one person, who has very littletechnical knowledge of commercial aviation and its impact on thecountry's economy. It has become a tool of oppression andrepression with stakeholders walking far away from being affiliatedwith the association. AON, today, lacks unity, cohesion and anyform of vision for its existence. Without such unity and vision,how can there be collaboration between AON and government agenciessuch as the NCAA, NAMA and AIB to foster safety, innovations andoperational enhancement that would enable the industry growproperly?
It is, I believe, the responsibility of the NCAA , as part of itsindustry oversight functions, to see that those elected to the postof secretary of AON are qualified persons with strong aviationbackground. These persons must be of traceable pedigree that wouldwork, not just for safety, but for the growth of commercialaviation in Nigeria. Yes, AON is an association of airlineoperators and, therefore, should be allowed to elect their ownleadership. But what is the overall effect of such leadership ifthe organisation cannot professionally protect its members, improvecommercial aviation and support safety initiatives? If thesecretary general of AON is only interested in creating confusionin the industry just to make undeserved money for his own survivalthrough threats and intimidation of stakeholders, how does thatelevate our vision to move the industry and the country further?
Again, yes, some airline owners are not educated enough tounderstand the complexity of airline business, but what of theirchief pilots, engineers and directors of flight operations, who aretechnically sound to work with all the agencies to bring aboutpositive development and bridge unity of all the members of theassociation.
Just recently, I was reading the maiden magazine of the NationalAssociation of Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) of Nigeria. Thisimpressive magazine elaborated many facets of aviation in Nigeriaand, also, encouraged pilots and engineers to show professionalismin all their actions. This is a far cry from what had beenhappening in the past and we applaud this noble effort of NAAPE.
Once there is an aircraft accident in Nigeria, an airline operator,a member of AON, would find avenues to castigate the affectedcompany without knowing the probable cause of such incident oraccident. There is gross disunity among AON members and is as aresult of the leadership that is porous, selfish and unenlightened.
For commercial aviation in Nigeria to continue on its current pathof development, the NCAA must weed all the fake "airline captains,"who pose as consultants, and who are occupying sensitivegovernment, private and organisational positions. These elementscannot see any good in anyone, any regulation and any genuineinnovation. The NCAA has the know- how to identify these people andexpunge them through strict professional ethics and code ofconduct.
National Association of Airline Pilots And Engineers ProfessionalResponsibility
The professional carries additional moral responsibilities to thoseheld by the population in general. This is because professionalsare capable of making and acting on an informed decision insituations that the general public cannot, because they have notreceived the relevant training. For example, a layman member of thepublic could not be held responsible for failing to act to save acar crash victim because they could not give an emergencytracheotomy. This is because they do not have the relevantknowledge. In contrast, a fully trained doctor (with the correctequipment) would be capable of making the correct diagnosis andcarrying out the procedure and we would think it wrong if theystand by and fail to help in this situation. You cannot be heldaccountable for failing to do something that you do not have theability to do.
This additional knowledge also comes with authority and power. Theclient places trust in the professional on the basis that theservice provided will be of benefit to them. It would be quitepossible for the professional to use his authority to exploit theclient.
Codes Of Practice
Questions arise as to the ethical limits of the professional'sresponsibility and how power and authority should be used inservice to the client and society. Most professions have internallyenforced codes of practice that members of the profession mustfollow, to prevent exploitation of the client and preserve theintegrity of the profession. This is not only to the benefit of theclient, but to the benefit of those belonging to the profession.
Copyright Leadership. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media(allAfrica.com).
Provider:
Comtex News Network / AllAfrica.com English
Keywords:
Aerospace & Defense , Air Safety , Airport Security , Air Transportation , Business News , Aerospace , North American Aerospace & Defense , Aerospace & Defense Regulatory , U.S. Aerospace Regulatory , Top World News , Africa , West Africa , Transportation , Nigeria , Live Entertainment , Middle Eastern & African Business News , Middle Eastern & African , MSNBC Business Video News , North American Transportation , Government , Regulatory , Entertainment , Economics & Trade , Transportation Regulatory , U.S. Aerospace & Defense ,