Development of a Relational Database, Based on Airline Timetables, to Solve theDenominator Problem for Aviation Safety

摘要

This report summarizes the results of a feasibility study involving thedevelopment of a relational database that contains information on accident rates and which can be helpful in determining the causal factors of aircraft accidents. To assess the significance of the particular fraction found in the accident sample, it is necessary to also determine the corresponding fraction for all recorded (non-accident) flight movements. The study has focused on the denominator (non-accident) part in these ratio's. Based on a commercially available software package, a prototype denominator database has been constructed which does not rely on information regarding actual flight movements, but rather on information based on published airline timetables. By comparing the flights from the various sources, it turned out that only 3% of the flights listed in the OAG did not actually take place.