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

What Is the Human Factor Lack of Awareness

The Human Factor Lack of Awareness is the “dead end” that many other Human Factors lead to. It happens when you are:

• Stressed out;
• Tired and fatigued;
• Under pressure; and

Spreadsheet-Based SMS or Software-Based SMS

Running a spreadsheet-based SMS or upgrading to a software-based SMS is a decision that companies are increasingly having to make a choice upon.

What Is It Like to Lose Control of Your Aviation SMS

Losing control of your aviation SMS is largely a product of feeling overwhelmed by all the actions, documentation, and tasks required to implement and monitor safety.

What Is a System in Aviation SMS

First of all, a system is simply a logical, separate part or "entity" within the overall scope of your company that includes things like:

• Its own set of procedures, tasks, etc.

What Is Risk Tolerance

Risk tolerance is simply how much risk you are willing to accept in a given activity, task, situation, etc.

High-risk tolerance is not good.

What Is Too Much to Handle

We talk with aviation safety professionals and business executives every day about their struggles with implementing and managing an SMS.

Inevitably, all aviation safety programs will reach a point of growth where it is getting too much to handle.

What Is Safety Culture in Aviation SMS

Aviation safety cultures are the attitudes, behaviors, and actions that drive safety performance in your SMS.

Safety culture includes how management supports safety, and what front-line employees do when no one is watching.

What Does It Mean to Practice Due Diligence

Two general aspects of safety management systems encompass due diligence of the entire SMS: SMS design and actual safety operations.

Practicing due diligence means ensuring that the design closely matches reality.

Introduction: The Role of Risk Management in Aviation SMS

Aviation risk management tools are essential for managing exposure within Safety Management Systems (SMS), ensuring safety aligns with operational demands. The Federal Aviation Administration reports that 70% of incidents stem from unaddressed risks, costing the industry $1.2 billion annually, per IATA.

Beyond risk analysis, these tools must address all four SMS pillars—Safety Policy, Safety Risk Management (SRM), Safety Assurance (SA), and Safety Promotion—to maintain an Acceptable Level of Safety (ALoS) under ICAO Annex 19 and FAA Part 5. SMS Pro’s aviation SMS software delivers comprehensive risk management with 78 modules, including offline auditing, automated workflows, and visual analytics.

Optimize Ability to Monitor, Manage, and Document

Becoming a better safety manager involves looking at how you are currently managing your SMS, and seeing where you can optimize your ability to:

• Manage risk exposure, such as reported safety issues, audits, reviewing control measures, etc.;
• Document your SMS design and actions taken to mitigate exposure;