The Nimrod Review - Official Documents

The Nimrod Review
20.24
20.25
492
Safety and Airworthiness ultimately depends on People. Whatever elaborate Processes and Paper requirements
are in place, it is People who ultimately have to ensure they take care, pay attention, think things through and
carry out the right tasks and procedures at the right time and exercise caution where necessary.
As has been pointed out:
“Safety is delivered by people, not paper” (Commodore Andrew McFarlane, Defence Nuclear Safety
Regulator, 2008)
✓ Simplicity
“It is important to value the individual and ensure that they are familiar with the aircraft and the
process” (Garry Copeland, Director of Engineering, British Airways, 2008).
20.26 Principle of Simplicity: Regulatory structures, processes and rules must be as simple and straightforward
as possible so that everyone can understand them.
20.27 As explained in Chapters 12 and 19, the Byzantine complexity of the MOD Airworthiness system, the
fragmentation of Airworthiness duties and responsibilities, and the prolixity and obscurity of much of the
regulations is a major source of concern.
20.28
20.29
Conclusion
20.30
Complexity is normally the enemy of Safety and the friend of Danger. A safe system is generally a simple
system.
As has been pointed out:
“There is false comfort in complexity”. (Darren Beck, Secretary to the Nimrod Review, 2008).
“We believe hugely in simplicity and stability”. (Garry Copeland, Director of Engineering, British Airways,
2008)
“NASA was so complex it could not describe itself to others.” (Martin Anderson, HSE, 2008).
These are the four Principles that have most informed the Recommendations that I have made in following
Chapters regarding a New Airworthiness Management System (Chapter 21) and a New Safety Case Regime
(Chapter 22).