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

Relationship Between Management of Change, SA Process, and SRM Process

Posted by Stu Martin on Sep 30, 2019 5:45:00 AM

What Change Management Is in Safety Management Systems

Change management in aviation safety management systems (SMS) is an extremely important topic. Formal processes to manage change have become important not just for safety performance, but also for demonstrating to SMS auditors that your company knows how to formally manage change as your operations are exposed to changing environmental conditions.

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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

Straight Talk About Aviation Safety Risk Management

Posted by Stu Martin on Sep 18, 2019 5:35:00 AM

How Do You Talk About Aviation Safety Risk Management

Aviation safety managers have jobs that others may find unrewarding, or difficult for them to witness results. The safety manager may spend years performing routine "safety manager stuff," while others may wonder: "just what do you do around here?"

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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

The Internal Aviation SMS Threat: Plan Continuation Bias

Posted by Stu Martin on Sep 16, 2019 6:32:00 AM

Plan Continuation Bias for the Layman

Several years ago NASA analyzed pilots' actions from 19 airline accidents from the viewpoint of "real-time" - i.e. during the flight and without hindsight bias. NASA found that the primary cause of the accidents was something they called "plan continuation bias."

For those of you who aren't unfamiliar with this concept, the premise is this: when you have "someplace to get to" you tend to ignore your environment.

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Topics: 1-Safety Policy

Reality of Practicing Predictive Risk Management in Aviation SMS

Posted by Stu Martin on Sep 11, 2019 6:06:00 AM

What Is Predictive Risk Management?

In aviation safety management systems (SMS), risk management professionals toss around three common terms:

  • reactive risk management;
  • proactive risk management; and
  • predictive risk management.
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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

Tips to Automate Aviation SMS Training for Initial/Recurrent Requirements (Free Resources)

Posted by Stu Martin on Sep 4, 2019 6:03:00 AM

Benefits of Automated SMS Training for Initial and Recurrent Training Requirements

During the implementation of formal aviation safety management systems (SMS), service providers are expected to develop and deliver SMS training to employees in every implementation phase except the first phase. For example:

  • Phase II: Deliver training relevant to reactive risk management processes;
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Topics: Risk Management Training

How to Practice Proactive Data Management for Your Aviation SMS

Posted by Stu Martin on Aug 28, 2019 6:00:00 AM

Cyber Security in Aviation SMS Data Management

Technology has made aviation safety management systems (SMS) much easier to manage as a whole. Furthermore, this formal, structured approach to managing safety has undeniably contributed to system safety.

Technology is wonderful. It has been changing our lives at an unprecedented rate,

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Topics: 3-Safety Assurance

5 Tips to Tell Whether Your Aviation SMS Is Performing?

Posted by Stu Martin on Aug 19, 2019 6:00:00 AM

What Are We Really Talking About?

In aviation safety management systems (SMS), the best indicator of a highly performant safety culture isn’t one that has reduced operational risk close to zero, but one that readily adapts to and absorbs safety issues and disturbances as they arise.

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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

4 Tools to Help Every Aviation SMS Implementation

Posted by Stu Martin on Aug 14, 2019 6:00:00 AM

Aviation SMS Implementations Are Result of Many Small Actions

The process of aviation safety management systems (SMS), simply put, is the conglomeration of many small actions on the part of safety management teams, operational managers and employees.

Actions such as:

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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

How to Tell Whether Your Aviation SMS Processes Are Efficient?

Posted by Stu Martin on Aug 7, 2019 6:10:00 AM

Management Incentives to Know If Aviation SMS Management Is Efficient

Every person in a company should be concerned if their aviation safety management system (SMS) management is efficient and working as designed.

Management efficiency in aviation SMS implementations has significant stakes for everyone in the organization, as well as customers who use the company’s services.

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Topics: 3-Safety Assurance

How to Improve Confidence in Aviation SMS Implementations

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

What Is Confidence in Aviation Safety Programs?

Confidence in aviation safety management systems (SMS) is trust that the SMS implementation fulfills its obligations. The obligations of SMS include, of course, safety. But they don’t just include safety. The fact is that aviation SMS implementations that set out to only satisfy good-looking safety data or regulatory compliance will plateau or even implode before long.

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Topics: 3-Safety Assurance

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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