SMS Pro Aviation Safety Software Blog 4 Airlines & Airports

Purpose of Aviation Risk Management Tools

Aviation risk management tools are designed to help you manage exposure in your SMS. Managing exposure involves a lot more than just risk analysis.

To properly keep exposure within an Acceptable Level of Safety, you need risk management tools that address all areas of the SMS 4 Pillars.

What is a good risk management tool? It is a safety tool that does one or more of the following:

Consider Your Business Needs

Ultimately, choosing between custom-built, in-house aviation safety management system (SMS) software and commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) solutions comes down to three key considerations:

• Your budget;
• How quickly you need your software; and
• Your SMS goals of your business processes.

FAA Orders 14 CFR Part 5 for Part 121 Operators

In January 2016, SMS legal requirements went into effect for Part 121 operators. These requirements stem from the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) mandate:

"As of November 23, 2006 States shall require, as part of their safety programme, that an [operator, maintenance organization, ATS provider, certified aerodrome] implements a safety management system (SMS) accepted by the State that, as a minimum:

• Identifies safety hazards.

What Is the Hazard Reporting Process

Simply put, the hazard reporting process is the primary mode of data acquisition in aviation safety management systems (SMS). Being such, a poor hazard reporting process can literally break your SMS. If that sounds unrealistic, it’s not.

Saving Money Implementing Aviation SMS

Not all aviation service providers are created equal.

• Charter operators;
• Airlines and airports;
• Aviation maintenance organizations (AMO);
• Flight schools; or
• FBOs.

Transparency Is a Philosophical Question

A high level of transparency in aviation safety management systems (SMS) is critical for creating:

• A Just Culture.
• A safety reporting culture.
• A culture of safety.

What Are Divisions in SMS-Pro

This is a question that comes up a lot.

Especially when we start throwing other words into the mix like:

• Departments;
• Portals; and
• Management Portals.

It can get confusing quickly. Many people ask – what’s the difference?

Do You Understand Aviation SMS Solutions' Architecture?

After a dozen years being an aviation safety management systems (SMS) database architect, I have heard just about every question imaginable about aviation safety software.

Among the most common questions we get are:

• What is a division in your aviation SMS database; and
• How many divisions do I need?

Before we answer this question, we should familiarize you with the overall architecture of an aviation SMS database solution.