Discipline
All
What do we want ?
Background
Right now, our sport is a long way from a Just Culture. Too often, when something goes wrong, the focus turns to blame rather than understanding. That makes people go quiet. Reports aren’t made. Lessons are lost. And the same problems repeat.
If we want to make meaningful change, this has to shift. We can’t improve safety unless pilots and organisers feel safe to speak openly about what actually happens in the air and on the ground.
What a Just Culture Means
A Just Culture doesn’t mean “no accountability.” It means fair accountability. It recognises that mistakes are part of being human — and that learning, not punishment, is what keeps us safer in the long run.
In a Just Culture:
Honest mistakes and near-misses can be reported without fear of punishment.
Reckless or repeated negligence is still addressed appropriately.
Systemic issues, not just individual errors are examined.
Dissent is protected. Pilots who raise safety concerns or call for a task to be stopped are supported, not sidelined.
This balance protects both pilots and volunteers. The sport relies on unpaid energy and goodwill but volunteers shouldn’t carry liability alone, and pilots shouldn’t be scapegoated for systemic blind spots.
Why It Matters
Research across aviation, healthcare, and other high-risk sectors shows that people report more when they feel safe, protected, and heard.
What encourages reporting:
✅ Safety from blame
✅ Anonymity or identity protection
✅ A quick, easy process
✅ Evidence that change actually happens
What suppresses reporting:
❌ Fear of punishment
❌ Unclear protections
❌ Complicated or clumsy reporting systems
❌ The feeling that “nothing changes”
If we design our reporting and culture around these realities, we can finally move from silence and blame to openness and learning.
Right now, our sport is a long way from a Just Culture. Too often, when something goes wrong, the focus turns to blame rather than understanding. That makes people go quiet. Reports aren’t made. Lessons are lost. And the same problems repeat.
If we want to make meaningful change, this has to shift. We can’t improve safety unless pilots and organisers feel safe to speak openly about what actually happens in the air and on the ground.
What a Just Culture Means
A Just Culture doesn’t mean “no accountability.” It means fair accountability. It recognises that mistakes are part of being human — and that learning, not punishment, is what keeps us safer in the long run.
In a Just Culture:
Honest mistakes and near-misses can be reported without fear of punishment.
Reckless or repeated negligence is still addressed appropriately.
Systemic issues, not just individual errors are examined.
Dissent is protected. Pilots who raise safety concerns or call for a task to be stopped are supported, not sidelined.
This balance protects both pilots and volunteers. The sport relies on unpaid energy and goodwill but volunteers shouldn’t carry liability alone, and pilots shouldn’t be scapegoated for systemic blind spots.
Why It Matters
Research across aviation, healthcare, and other high-risk sectors shows that people report more when they feel safe, protected, and heard.
What encourages reporting:
✅ Safety from blame
✅ Anonymity or identity protection
✅ A quick, easy process
✅ Evidence that change actually happens
What suppresses reporting:
❌ Fear of punishment
❌ Unclear protections
❌ Complicated or clumsy reporting systems
❌ The feeling that “nothing changes”
If we design our reporting and culture around these realities, we can finally move from silence and blame to openness and learning.
How do we achieve that ?
What We’re Proposing
Adopt Just Culture charter across all pilot and organiser processes, recognising the difference between error, drift, and recklessness. The following charter is a first step towards articulating this approach.
https://free-flight-just-culture-ba8qik5.gamma.site
Develop a protected reporting pathway that is quick, easy, and psychologically safe.
Build feedback loops so pilots see that their reports lead to visible changes.
Include cultural training for safety officers and organisers, so reporting is encouraged and understood consistently.
Protect dissent and open dialogue, especially when safety decisions are questioned mid-task or during competitions.
The Bottom Line
A Just Culture isn’t a luxury. It’s the foundation for any credible safety system. Without it, we will keep fighting the same battles and losing the chance to learn from our mistakes. Let’s create a system that values honesty over silence, learning over blame, and shared responsibility over scapegoating.
Because safety isn’t built by fear, it’s built by trust.
Adopt Just Culture charter across all pilot and organiser processes, recognising the difference between error, drift, and recklessness. The following charter is a first step towards articulating this approach.
https://free-flight-just-culture-ba8qik5.gamma.site
Develop a protected reporting pathway that is quick, easy, and psychologically safe.
Build feedback loops so pilots see that their reports lead to visible changes.
Include cultural training for safety officers and organisers, so reporting is encouraged and understood consistently.
Protect dissent and open dialogue, especially when safety decisions are questioned mid-task or during competitions.
The Bottom Line
A Just Culture isn’t a luxury. It’s the foundation for any credible safety system. Without it, we will keep fighting the same battles and losing the chance to learn from our mistakes. Let’s create a system that values honesty over silence, learning over blame, and shared responsibility over scapegoating.
Because safety isn’t built by fear, it’s built by trust.
Issue category :
Comments
Thanks Louis, I got it better. Definitly in favour of such a charter and to see it applyed in our way design the next reporting system.
Interesting proposal- in the implementation steps, could be worth adding the possibility to improve rules from lessons learned (more practicle than the step #4 about governance)
Great proposal and as Louis says this is normal in every risk based activity - the fact that it has not got to FAI/CIVL in 30 years is surprising.
Hi Louis, Build a working group for this charter please. We need it. Be it on CIVL or on the union.
In reply to Hi Louis, Build a working… by Julien Garcia
Is this its own working group on its own or incorporated as part of the reporting working group? I see both civil and pilots' union are pretty unanimous on collecting data on accidents. Consensus hasn't been reached on how that occurs and what level of visibility we have.