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It's conference season

24/5/2013

 
PictureEmergency procedures training
It's been a hectic time recently with two major events within a week of each other and staff conference just a fortnight away.

We had our annual management conference and workshop with Phillipa Forsyth from the MAF Africa region.  This year's training theme was 'introduction to leadership' which took us through the various aspects of effective leadership and gave us a practical tool for leading a team or project.  As mission pilots, we often become the default leader by being the 'last one standing' in a particular place, but we don't necessarily have the experience or knowledge to make a good transition from doing to planning, delegating and following-up
.

A week later the pilot group met for its annual training and education days.  We practiced evacuation procedures from our aircraft, tried to put out fuel fires using a variety of extinguishers (including the wrong types), let off some flares and did our best to demonstrate the life jackets! 

PicturePilot group 2013
We also had the opportunity to learn more about Threat and Error Management, the current development in making aviation safer, and looking at a real accident scenario to apply T&E Management principles.  This led into a deeper investigation of the aerodynamics and mechanics of a short/soft-field takeoff - the method we often use to get out of our tight, tree-lined airstrips.  We are now more aware of the hazards of this technique!

We have a new safety reporting system - an essential tool in the aviation industry - which we hope will make reporting and following up issues simpler.  There was even time for some encouragement in using Wingman, the MAF flight scheduling and recording system, and a review of the answers to the annual Regulations and Operations Manual exam.  The only problem was the heavy showers on the Friday that meant our group photo was postponed to the following day when we were in 'civvies'.

Over the Queen's Birthday public holiday weekend in June we will have our annual staff conference, this year led by Mark Fox of MAF New Zealand.  It is a time of celebrating the year's events, discussing the future, and being challenged and encouraged in our work amongst the Yolngu.  It is one of a few times in the year that we all come together as a whole team, and we look forward to the Lowe family visiting  from the East Timor program to be part of the weekend.

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    Journal Authors

    David and Jen Pett, MAF staff in since 2006, now in Cairns.

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