Enhancing Aviation Safety: Expert Insights, Tips, and Updates from SMS-Pro

Stu Martin

Stu Martin is an accomplished aerospace safety engineer with over 25 years of experience in the aviation industry. Beginning his career on the ramp, Stu developed a hands-on understanding of aircraft operations, maintenance, and safety protocols. His journey from ground operations to engineering has equipped him with a unique perspective on aviation safety, blending practical expertise with technical rigor. Stu has contributed to numerous safety initiatives, including the development of risk assessment frameworks and incident investigation protocols, earning recognition for his commitment to enhancing operational safety. A respected voice in the field, he continues to advocate for robust safety cultures within aviation organizations worldwide.
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Recent Posts

How Much Risk Are You Willing to Accept? The Circle of Risk Acceptance

Posted by Stu Martin on Jan 20, 2020 5:41:00 AM

How Much Risk Are You Taking On?

How much risk are you willing to accept?

This is one of the most critical questions that every aviation service provider needs to answer. The answer will influence every single risk management activity in the operator's aviation safety management system (SMS).

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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

Winter Fatigue Hazard Register Review - Aviation SMS SRM & SA Example

Posted by Stu Martin on Jan 15, 2020 5:45:00 AM

Winter Is Coming - Move Fatigue Upward in Hazard Register

The Northern Hemisphere is blanketed in winter, which involves, cold, ice, many long nights, and grey days.

For human fatigue that means two things:

  • More melatonin production
  • Seasonal depression

Winter fatigue is a real, medically proven problem that affects many people.

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Topics: 4-Safety Promotion, 2-Safety Risk Management

FAA Part 5 Compliance | Safety Assurance Continuous Improvement

Posted by Stu Martin on Jan 6, 2020 6:15:00 AM

Purpose of Continuous Improvement in Safety Assurance Pillar

In every aviation safety management system (SMS), the accountable executive is responsible for ensuring the SMS is properly implemented and performing in all areas of the organization. The intent is not for the aviation SMS to reach some ideal "plateau of safety" and then maintain the "ideal safety level." Far from it!

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Topics: 3-Safety Assurance, FAA Compliance

FAA Part 5 Compliance: Safety Promotion (the Overlooked Pillar)

Posted by Stu Martin on Jan 1, 2020 5:48:00 AM

Safety Promotion as an Aviation SMS Pillar

Since November 2006, ICAO mandated that aviation service providers implement formal aviation safety management systems (SMS). The objective of the aviation SMS is to:

  • Proactively manage safety,
  • Identify potential hazards,
  • Determine operational risk,
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Topics: 4-Safety Promotion, FAA Compliance

FAA Part 5 Compliance | Safety Assurance Analysis of Data Component

Posted by Stu Martin on Dec 30, 2019 5:55:00 AM

What Is Safety Assurance in Aviation SMS

For an aviation safety management system (SMS) to be effective, the SMS must be monitored to assure managers and regulatory authorities that the SMS is both

  • implemented correctly, and
  • working as designed.
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Topics: 3-Safety Assurance, FAA Compliance

How to Set Up Classifications in Aviation SMS Implementations

Posted by Stu Martin on Dec 25, 2019 6:12:00 AM

Why Classifications Are Important in Risk Management Activities

The objective of aviation safety management systems (SMS) is proactively manage safety using structured risk management processes.

Once operators have these processes in place, it is the civil aviation authorities (CAA) expectation for aviation service providers to

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Topics: 3-Safety Assurance

What Is Importance of Data Mining in Aviation SMS Implementations

Posted by Stu Martin on Dec 23, 2019 5:54:00 AM

What Is Data Mining in Aviation SMS?

Data mining is a critical, intermittent risk management activity safety managers need to perform in their aviation safety management systems (SMS) to organize, understand, and process collected safety data acquired during the organization risk management processes.

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Topics: Aviation SMS Database, 3-Safety Assurance

What Are Hazard Risk Assessment and Hazard Risk Analysis in Aviation SMS

Posted by Stu Martin on Dec 20, 2019 5:56:00 AM

Why It’s Important to Understand the Difference Between Assessment and Analysis

In aviation safety management systems (SMS), one of the main activities that senior managers and safety teams will undertake will be to

  1. identify hazards;
  2. evaluate risk associated with these hazards; and
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Topics: 3-Safety Assurance

4 Ways to Significantly Improve Safety Performance Using Aviation SMS

Posted by Stu Martin on Dec 18, 2019 6:00:00 AM

Time to Be Honest About Your Aviation SMS Implementation

Creating successful aviation safety management systems (SMS) requires a great deal of honesty on the part of:

  • accountable executives;
  • operational department heads;
  • safety management teams; and
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Topics: 3-Safety Assurance

How to Conduct Safety Performance Assessments in Aviation SMS With Part 5

Posted by Stu Martin on Dec 11, 2019 5:47:00 AM

Purpose of Safety Performance Assessment in Safety Assurance Pillar

If you cannot measure safety performance in your aviation safety management systems (SMS), then:

  • How do you know whether your operations are as safe as can be reasonably expected?
Read More

Topics: 3-Safety Assurance, FAA Compliance

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.

 

 

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