SMS Pro Aviation Safety Software Blog 4 Airlines & Airports

How to Write Non-Punitive Reporting Policy for Aviation SMS Programs - Free Templates

Posted by Christopher Howell on Mar 19, 2025 6:30:00 AM

Purpose of Non-Punitive Reporting Policies in Aviation SMS Programs

Dedicated, hard-working safety managers drive the setup of airline and airports' aviation safety management systems (SMS).

These safety managers are often left to decipher ambiguous requirements that are open to multiple interpretations. This comes into play, especially when upper management wants to "pencil-whip" an aviation SMS and merely check the boxes.

Read More

Topics: Aviation SMS Implementation, 1-Safety Policy, 2-Safety Risk Management

What Emergency Response Plans Are (and Why You Need It)

Posted by Christopher Howell on Mar 12, 2025 6:00:00 AM

What an Emergency Response Plan (ERP) Is

The actions taken within the first 5 minutes of an emergency can largely dictate the severity of consequences. In this case, “severity of consequences” can involve catastrophic financial, environmental or material damage, and/or major loss of life.

Employees need a plan of action to count on when emergencies strike in order to minimize damages.

An emergency response plan is a manual that companies use to address many different types of emergencies.

Read More

Topics: Quality-Safety Management

Steps to Create an Emergency Response Plan in Aviation SMS [With Free Checklists]

Posted by Christopher Howell on Mar 5, 2025 6:00:00 AM

What Is an Emergency Response Plan

An emergency response plan is a manual that companies use to address many different types of emergencies.

The manuals include:

  • Who to contact;
  • How to act; and
  • Resources to use.

The priorities for any ERP are, in this order:

Read More

Topics: 1-Safety Policy

What Is a Corrective Action in Aviation SMS?

Posted by Christopher Howell on Feb 26, 2025 6:30:00 AM

What Is a Corrective Action - a Definition

A corrective action is a risk management process, tool or activity used to correct any undesirable element of an aviation service provider's operational system. Most commonly, the term "corrective action" is used loosely to represent "corrective actions and preventative actions," or CPAs. You may also see corrective actions called CAPAs (corrective action preventative action) or RCAs (recommended corrective actions), though CPA is the most recognized acronym globally in the aviation industry.

Read More

Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

6 Signs of a Mature Aviation Safety Culture - With Resources

Posted by Tyler Britton on Feb 19, 2025 5:30:00 AM

Aviation Safety Culture Is Not a Concept

As I’ve discussed before, “safety culture” gets thrown around rather loosely in the aviation industry.

"Safety culture" is the kind of thing that is vitally important, but so undernourished in terms of actually discussing what it means and what it looks like, that you sort of roll your eyes and with a wink and a nod say, “Oh yea... safety culture.

Read More

Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

What Is Safety Culture in the Aviation Industry?

Posted by Aviation Safety Student on Feb 12, 2025 6:15:00 AM

A Culture of Respect

In order to understand the idea of safety culture within the aviation industry, we must first understand the respect attributed to:

  • Pilots;
  • Mechanics;
  • Controllers;
  • Dispatchers; and
  • All others needed to make the system function.
Read More

Topics: 4-Safety Promotion

How to Find Underlying Causes in Your Aviation SMS

Posted by Tyler Britton on Feb 5, 2025 6:00:00 AM

What Are Underlying Causes in Aviation SMS

Underlying causes in aviation safety management systems (SMS) are the bridge between reactive and proactive risk management.

Underlying causes are the “input” for safety issues because they reinforce the actions and behaviors that cause incidents to happen.

Read More

Topics: 3-Safety Assurance

5 Types of Aviation Safety Managers

Posted by Tyler Britton on Jan 29, 2025 6:15:00 AM

Managerial Style Is Critical for Safety Managers

How aviation safety managers conduct oversight is extremely important for the success or failure of the aviation safety management system (SMS).

The particular management style of a safety manager determines how willingly employees will interact with aviation SMS. Will they sincerely accept the demands placed on them by the SMS? Or will they rebel silently and look for ways to subvert the SMS?

What kind of style do you use as a safety manager?

Read More

Topics: Quality-Safety Management

How to Review Safety Issues in SMS Programs

Posted by Tyler Britton on Jan 22, 2025 6:00:00 AM

Which Issues Should Be Reviewed?

Different organizations will have different requirements when they review safety issues. Whether or not you are reviewing low-risk issues is up to you. While we recommend reviewing all issues, the reality is that due to time and resource constraints, this is not always feasible.

Read More

Topics: 3-Safety Assurance

What Your Emergency Response Plan Should Include

Posted by Tyler Britton on Jan 15, 2025 6:00:00 AM

What Is an Emergency Response Plan (ERP)

The actions employees take immediately in response to an emergency will greatly affect the outcome of the emergency. In such situations, employees’ actions may largely be the deciding factor between catastrophic consequences and a scary but benign outcome.

Consequences can be

  • financial,
  • environment,
  • material, or
  • personal (i.e.) loss of life.
Read More

Topics: Quality-Safety Management

Site content provided by Northwest Data Solutions is meant for informational purposes only. Opinions presented here are not provided by any civil aviation authority or standards body.

 

 

Benefits of SMS Pro Database

Affordable, Basic Compliance for Small Aviation Service Providers

Best Practices for Aviation SMS

 

Watch SMS Pro Demo Videos

These two on-demand videos offer:

  • High-level overview of SMS Pro;
  • Hazard Reporting & Risk Management walk-through.
Watch SMS Pro Demo Videos
 
 
 
 

Subscribe to Email Updates

Recent Posts