SAFA Skysailor Magazine

34 SKY SAILOR May | June 2023 Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics Table 4: AIRS Reports – Incidents, past 7 years State /region FY 2021 /22 FY 2020 /21 FY 2019 /20 FY 2018 /19 FY 2017 /18 FY 2016 /17 FY 2015 /16 Total O/S or not reported 1 1 2 ACT 2 1 3 NSW 19 24 10 12 9 11 19 104 SA & NT QLD/N 1 1 1 1 4 QLD/S 8 13 6 15 8 7 1 58 TAS 7 11 3 2 1 24 VIC 23 15 18 17 16 7 12 108 WA 1 3 4 1 1 1 11 Total 59 69 43 47 34 29 33 314 Table 5: AIRS Reports – Complaints or Not Recorded, past 7 years State /region FY 2021 /22 FY 2020 /21 FY 2019 /20 FY 2018 /19 FY 2017 /18 FY 2016 /17 FY 2015 /16 Total O/S or not reported 1n/r 1 ACT NSW 10 32 13 1 1 1 58 SA & NT QLD/N QLD/S 1 2 2 1 6 TAS 1 2 3 VIC 1 1 1n/r 1n/r 4 WA 1 2 3 Total 12 36 20 1 1 2 3 75 Injuries and Fatalities This is the sobering section. If we look at the totals in Table 6, they seem to be tracking along at similar amounts. When we look at them as a percentage of total reports, the last three years show a decrease, particularly in 20/21. But when you take out those Complaints, the reduction as a percentage is not as great. However, we are seeing a decline in percentages. Whether this will continue or not remains to be seen. From the data that we collect it is not easy to distinguish the severity of the injury. This information is currently contained in descrip- tive values that do not lend themselves to raw statistical analysis. Table 6: AIRS Reports – Injuries, FY 15/16 to FY 21/22 State /region FY 2021 /22 FY 2020 /21 FY 2019 /20 FY 2018 /19 FY 2017 /18 FY 2016 /17 FY 2015 /16 Total O/S or not reported 2 1 1 4 ACT 1 3 1 1 6 NSW 14 19 14 24 24 17 24 136 SA & NT 3 2 1 1 2 4 4 17 QLD/N 3 1 2 2 2 1 10 QLD/S 12 20 15 10 11 16 10 94 TAS 8 5 4 2 2 1 22 VIC 23 20 20 21 15 13 21 133 WA 3 5 5 7 4 2 26 Total 66 73 66 65 57 58 63 448 % of all reports 44.3 (149) 39.5 (185) 47.1 (140) 52.9 (123) 54.8 (104) 56.9 (102) 55.3 (114) 48.9 (917) % of all Acc & Inc 48.2 (137) 49.0 (149) 55.0 (120) 53.3 (122) 55.3 (103) 58.0 (100) 56.8 (111) 53.2 (842) Table 7 tells a story, but it is not one I want to dwell on for too long. The period 2018-2021 was a horror show compared to previous years. It certainly felt like it from my desk. Every day that passes without the emergency number being called is a good one for me. Long may it continue. Close encounter with a vulture at Bir, India, October 2018 Photo: Gregory Walsh