MicroFlite safety manager Adela Benhammouche has been linked to flying from the day she was born.
The daughter of a pilot and flight attendant, it could be argued her future – in one way or another – was always going to involve the aviation industry.
Fast forward to the present day and that’s exactly what happened.
‘I remember sitting at school and learning about the solar system,’ Adela says. ‘I always thought how cool it would be to fly to the moon.’
And as the saying goes – from little things, big things grow.
Straight out of high school, Adela began to forge her own path, first in airport operations and ground operations while working towards obtaining her commercial pilot’s licence.
But it was a twist of fate that took her in a new direction.
‘I was also studying a Batchelor of Aviation at university and was introduced to human factors,’ she says.
‘Immediately I knew what I wanted to do because I was so drawn to trying to understand the psychology behind decision-making, risk assessment and capability.
‘It’s interesting because I had secured my recreational pilot’s licence and was only 7 hours away from getting my commercial pilot’s licence.
‘But being exposed to the human factors element, especially in high pressure environments like flying, grabbed my attention and I just knew aviation safety was the area I wanted to pursue.’
Taking the step
Having been born and bred in Adelaide, Adela made the move to Melbourne in 2019, seeking greater opportunities that eventually led to a safety role at MicroFlite.
‘I initially started as a safety and quality officer,’ Adela says.
‘I was fortunate enough to have a great mentor and I kept working hard.
‘I was learning all the time and in 2023, I was appointed safety manager.
‘It’s a big role but I love it. I oversee safety management systems, investigations, risk assessment, regulatory requirements, compliance and – importantly – fostering a safety culture.
‘I saw a need to modernise data and statistics and make it easier to understand.
‘In aviation, we tend to have a history of spreadsheets and text-heavy information that makes it difficult to identify trends or issues.
‘The challenge was to find a way that insights into safety problems could be digested quickly, across a platform that was easy for anyone to access.’
That led to the introduction of hazard identification sessions at MicroFlite.
Moving away from written information, the sessions are designed to encourage people to talk about identified safety concerns.
‘It’s a safe place to speak,’ Adela says.
‘The meetings have evolved into problem-solving and educational awareness sessions where, through shared experiences, people realise they are in control of the conversation to make change.
‘It’s amazing how one person thinks they’re facing a problem in isolation, only for other people to have faced the same issue.
‘Often a solution is found from within the operational group and the sessions really have been a game changer for us here at MicroFlite.’
Lifelong learning
Despite having achieved so much, Adela has no intention of getting comfortable.
‘I’ll be putting the $5,000 scholarship money towards completing a Masters in Aviation specialising in human factors and management,’ she says.
‘I definitely won’t be slowing down anytime soon, as I also want to undertake a PhD in learning different methodologies and investigation processes to better understand contributing factors in an accident or incident.
‘Winning the scholarship aligns with my long-term goal of furthering my expertise in human factors and how they merge with everything we do operationally.
‘Ultimately, my aim is to try to refine the approach to safety right across the aviation industry.’
And what advice does she have for other safety managers considering applying for the scholarship?
‘Just go for it!’ Adela says. ‘In fact, I had previously applied in 2023 but wasn’t successful.
‘Competing against so many outstanding people was daunting, but a colleague pushed me to apply once more in 2024 and this time I got through.
‘It’s exciting but also validation for the hard work I’ve put in and my passion for improving safety.
‘To be recognised by CASA from among an amazing field of candidates is a great achievement and something I’m really proud of.’
