GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA (11 November 2019) – An exceptional seminar organized by Mr. Alejandro Vargas, who gathered safety experts from Central America that presented interesting topics in regards to safety.
This beautiful, yet tiny country in Central America is home to volcanoes, rainforests and ancient Mayan sites and also to a noteworthy aviation community that certainly is making an effort to improve aviation in the whole region.
Mister Alejandro Vargas, lively and ever-present host who made sure that everything goes professionally had invited several guests to perform speeches including: Enrique Martin, Mathias Rehe, Victor Manuel del Castillo, Andree Oliva and Marko Rados.
First on stage was Mr. Enrique Martin from Venezuela (SAR Galileo) who was talking about ICAO Annex 19 and it’s content about Safety Management System. Let us remind you, that ICAO Annex 19 comprises two phases, the first of which consolidates all of ICAO’s safety management provisions into the new annex and phase 2, which has broader implications for civil aviation, provides for the development of enhanced safety management regulations and becomes applicable to ICAO’s 192 member states (countries) in November 2019.
Enrique Martin
In an entertaining way, Enrique explained to the audience the importance of SMS and the purpose of the standards and recommended methods (SARPS) of Annex 19 which is to help states to manage risks of operational safety of the aviation. He mentioned that the annex serves as a support for the continuous evolution of a preventive strategy that allows to improve safety operational performance.
After Mr. Martin, the next on stage was Marko Rados from Inxelo Technologies who showcased why it is useful to have a software system in place to manage your safety management system. The audience engaged with it’s feedback and confirmed that digital system is a correct way to build on your aviation safety foundation.
Marko Rados
In between the presentations, we had a special guest in the name of Mathias Rehe. This 2 meter 7 centimeter tall giant from Germany has achieved incredible feet. As he had a fear from height when younger, he decided to grab by the neck this fear and became a private pilot. However, he has not stopped there but decided to go a step further. It was to fly from Guatemala to his native country, Germany, alone in a Cessna. Mathias shared his marvelous trip of a lifetime to the audience and deserved a big applause.
After Mathias, the stage was taken over by young and inspiring safety expert of Guatemala’s civil aviation authority (DGAC). Andree Oliva had a topic about SSP or State Safety Program. SSP is an integrated set of regulations and activities aimed at improving safety. Andree explained to the audience what is SSP and what is made of – SA (Safety Assurance) and SRM (Safety Risk Management) and how DGAC is trying to achieve the safety through the next three-year plan.
The end of the seminar was reserved for arguably the main presenter of the seminar, Mr. Victor Manuel del Castillo from Mexico. Victor produced once again a memorable Safety Master Class dissecting each part of the SMS system and how to manage risks. He certainly pulled off the best part of the seminar as there was a lot of discussions and interesting topics among the audience.
Victor Manuel del Castillo
Overall, the seminar has been a huge success and we look forward to the next event in Guatemala.
Once more, we would like to send our regards to the host, Alejandro Vargas, and also to other co-hosts in Volaris, DGAC, Aeroclub Guatemala and Helicopteros de Guatemala.
See you soon!
Alejandro Vargas
