Case Study Overview:

Peace River Citrus Products flight department, a single-tail operator based in Daytona Beach, Florida, is leading the way in operational safety and risk management, thanks in part to the commitment of their Chief Pilot, David Keys. A long-time advocate for safety, David not only plays a critical role in managing flight operations at Peace River but also promotes safety and operational improvements across the aviation industry. His efforts, combined with the strategic use of FlightRisk, have enabled the company to achieve substantial improvements in safety, efficiency, and risk management. 

Key Challenge: Ensuring Safety with Limited Resources

As a small operator, Peace River’s flight department faces unique challenges in managing flight safety and risk. With a smaller team and limited resources, ensuring safety across frequent operations while maintaining operational efficiency is crucial. Traditionally, flight risk assessments were done manually, with pilots conducting basic preflight briefings and risk assessments based on their own judgment and experience. However, David recognized the inherent limitations of traditional risk management tools like FRATs (Flight Risk Assessment Tools), which are often seen as a mere game that pilots adjust to get a green light to fly.

David's challenge was to implement a more accurate, continuous, and automated risk assessment system that would support safer flight decisions and streamline the preflight process.

Solution: Leveraging FlightRisk to Streamline Operations and Improve Safety

David has embraced FlightRisk as a core tool to enhance safety management and risk assessment at Peace River. A cloud-based risk management system, FlightRisk helps operators assess potential risks by considering a variety of factors such as weather, terrain, NOTAMs, and runway conditions—updating these factors continuously as conditions change. By integrating FlightRisk with the company’s scheduling system, David and his team are able to quickly assess and monitor risk levels, ensuring safer flights and more informed decision-making.

Key Benefits of FlightRisk Implementation:

1. Continuous Risk Monitoring
   Unlike traditional FRAT tools, which provide a snapshot in time, FlightRisk offers dynamic, real-time updates on potential risks leading up to flight time. This continuous risk monitoring ensures that operators are alerted to any changing conditions—whether it's a change in weather, new NOTAMs, or other critical flight information—that could impact the safety of a flight. 
2. Automated Preflight Assessments
   David uses FlightRisk’s automated preflight risk assessments to immediately evaluate flight risks when he receives a new trip assignment. This saves significant time while ensuring that all critical factors are reviewed. With this tool, David no longer has to rely solely on manual checks, which can be time-consuming and error-prone. 
3. Customizable Risk Alerts
   Peace River tends to fly to the same set of airports, so David has customized FlightRisk to incorporate specific risk ratings and rules for the most frequently used locations. These custom rules—such as warnings about glider activity at a particular airport—are also shared through FlightRisk’s Rule Sharing Library, allowing other pilots within the VOCUS network to benefit from his insights. 
4. Improved Pilot Safety Knowledge
   David has documented valuable lessons learned from his frequent flights, such as weather patterns, runway conditions, and wildlife activity at specific airports, and stored this information in FlightRisk’s Rules, Risk Ratings, and Airport Comments. This knowledge-sharing not only enhances the safety of Peace River’s operations but also provides critical insights to other pilots who may be unfamiliar with these locations.
5. Integration with Scheduling Systems
   To further streamline operations, David has integrated FlightRisk with Peace River's scheduling system. This integration automates much of the risk assessment process, reducing administrative burden and allowing David and his team to focus on proactive safety management rather than manual risk evaluations. 

David's Philosophy: "Briefings are the Biggest Step to Solving Safety Issues"

David’s core belief is that preflight and postflight briefings are the single most important step in improving safety in aviation. He emphasizes the importance of pilot preparation and continuous communication to ensure that everyone on the flight team is aware of potential risks and mitigation strategies. By using FlightRisk, David ensures that these briefings are based on accurate, up-to-date information that is tailored to the specific flight.

In his words, "If an older pilot like me can figure out FlightRisk, all pilots can knock it out of the park." This highlights the user-friendly nature of FlightRisk, which is designed to be intuitive for pilots of all experience levels.

Looking Ahead: Continued Evolution of Safety and Training

David is excited about tapping more of the capabilities within FlightRisk, particularly the Insights feature, which will help him tailor pilot recurrent training to focus on the hazards most relevant to his team’s specific missions. This data-driven approach will further refine Peace River’s safety culture and ensure that training is always aligned with real-world risks. Additionally, David is committed to improving the consistency of documenting mitigation strategies within FlightRisk, ensuring that all safety measures are tracked and accessible for future reference.

Conclusion: Peace River Citrus Products Sets the Standard for Operational Safety

David Keys and the Peace River Citrus Products flight department are exemplary, showing how small operators can implement cutting-edge tools to enhance safety and efficiency. By embracing FlightRisk, David has not only made operations safer and more streamlined for his own team, but he has also contributed to a larger industry movement that prioritizes continuous safety improvement. Through his commitment to safety and his willingness to share knowledge with others, David is proving that even smaller operators can lead the way in operational excellence and safety culture.