Many of us still remember the dramatic mid-air collision that occurred between two small planes in Loches, France, in 2018. This month, the French Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) issued its final report, sharing its conclusions and the lessons learned to prevent future accidents.
General conclusions on the accident.
The investigation revealed that the accident was caused by a lack of visual contact and situational awareness between the pilots who saw each other too late to avoid a collision. Neither aircraft was equipped with a proximity detection or warning system for other aircraft.
Lessons learned.
The report stresses the importance of electronic conspicuity, which refers to the use of electronic devices to make aircraft visible to each other and thus improve traffic awareness. It recommends the acceptance of such electronic visibility systems and interoperability to improve eConspicuity and reduce the risk of mid-air collisions, as also advocated by EASA.
What we also know about mid-air collisions (Source: Aviation Safety).
The majority of mid-air collisions happen in these 3 areas and conditions:
At low altitude, below 2,000ft
When approaching an airfield
When overflying touristic area
What does this mean for you, pilots?
The BEA report suggests that you use interoperable electronic visible systems to help increase your eConspicuity and prevent accidents. It highlights our SafeSky application as a potential solution.
SafeSky's capability to significantly enhance eConspicuity, particularly in high-risk areas like low-altitude regions, airport approaches, and tourist spots, as well as its unique interoperability with most existing systems, make it an ideal tool to meet the recommendations of BEA and EASA. These are indeed exactly the conditions in which SafeSky performs exceptionally well.
In order words, SafeSky is the right tool for the right job being the most affordable, complete and interoperable inflight traffic awareness system. More information can be found on the BEA site in the Safety Investigation section.