Background

Two government reports on aviation safety provided the framework for the formation of CAST. The White House Commission on Aviation Safety and Security report released in February 1997 challenged the government and industry to reduce the accident rate 80 percent over ten years. The National Civil Aviation Review Commission report followed up in December with a recommendation that the FAA and industry work together to develop a comprehensive integrated safety plan to implement many existing safety recommendations and develop performance measures and milestones to assess progress in meeting safety goals. The Commission also recognized that the global nature of aviation demanded that aviation safety needed to be addressed worldwide, not just in the United States. The FAA and the industry determined that their safety advocacy work was complimentary and CAST was formed in 1997.

CAST was established with two goals: to reduce the U.S. commercial aviation fatal accident rate by 80 percent over a 10-year period ending in 2007 and to work with airlines and international aviation organisations to reduce the worldwide commercial aviation fatal accident rate.

The work of CAST, along with new aircraft, regulations, and other activities, reduced the fatality risk for commercial aviation in the United States by 83 percent from 1998 to 2008 (FAA, 2016).

Looking ahead

CAST has evolved and the group is moving beyond the historic approach of examining past accident data towards a more proactive approach focusing on detecting risk and implementing mitigation strategies before accidents or serious incidents occur. It aims to transition to prognostic safety analysis, and to reduce U.S. commercial fatality risk by a further 50 percent from 2010 to 2025. For further information see the "Fact Sheet - Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST)", published by the FAA in April 2016.

CAST Participants

Representatives of the following government organizations, industry associations, and individual aerospace companies comprise CAST currently:

US and Canadian Government

• FAA
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• Transport Canada Civil; Aviation
• U.S. Department of Defense

US Employee Group CAST Members

• Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA)
• Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations
• National Air Traffic Controllers Association

Industry

• Aerospace Industries Association
• Airbus
• Airports Council International
• Airlines for America
• The Boeing Company
• Flight Safety Foundation (FSF)
• General Electric (representing all engine manufacturers)
• National Air Carrier Association
• Regional Airline Association

Representatives of other organizations participate in CAST meetings as observers.

CAST Safety Enhancement Plan

CAST developed and started implementing a comprehensive Safety Enhancement Plan

Further Reading

• Fact Sheet - Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST), FAA, April 2016
• Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST) - Overview, a 2007 presentation by Kyle L. Olsen, FAA
• For more information refer to CAST website