Helios to support UKRI in developing a Total Aviation Safety Case Framework for the Future Flight Challenge

Helios (an Egis company) and its partner the University of York, will support UK Research and Innovation’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund’s Future Flight Challenge in developing a ‘Total Aviation Safety Case’ framework, which will not only guide the Future Flight Challenge but also become a reference point for future aviation safety and investment in aviation within the UK.

The ‘Total Aviation Safety Case Framework’ will provide a comprehensive view of aviation safety driven by best practice, current knowledge and a strong understanding of the future. The framework will be informed by a broad cross-section of the aviation industry and will look at the future aviation landscape, operational scenarios for introduction of novel forms of transport (for example drone delivery) and system risk factors and requirements (for example automated deconfliction systems).

The results of the research will provide a holistic framework to identify, understand and assess the risks to safety and thus build confidence in the safety of the future aviation system. It will also help to identify where future activities are required to help in ensuring that there are no gaps and in the identification of leading safety indicators.

The framework is envisaged to become a significant element of the evidence that the UK can use to demonstrate global thought leadership on aviation safety. It is expected that the framework developed would be capable of being adopted globally to ensure a harmonised approach to future aviation safety.

Gary Cutts, Future Flight Challenge Director said “This is a critical piece of work for the next revolution in aviation. The Future Flight Challenge offers an exciting new world of green aviation for people and goods using novel air vehicles. Working with Helios we are determined to maintain the aviation industry’s exceptional safety record as we create this world”.