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

The 5 Risk Mitigation Strategies in Aviation SMS Programs

Posted by Stu Martin on May 17, 2023 6:44:00 AM

What Is a Risk Mitigation Strategy in Aviation SMS Programs

The primary objective of risk mitigation strategies in aviation SMS programs is usually detailed as being a plan to implement risk controls that reduce the likelihood/severity of each identified specific risk. However, this risk mitigation plan is limited in that it does not address the mitigation of hazard occurrence.

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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

What Is the Process of Risk Management in Aviation SMS

Posted by Stu Martin on May 10, 2023 6:00:00 AM

Aviation Risk Management Is a Cyclical Process

The phrase “aviation risk management” gives the impression of being a single, solid idea – something to attain for – but in actual practice, it is a cyclical process.

Simply put, risk management is about identifying and placing controls (i.e., strengthening) weak points in an aviation safety management system (SMS).

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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

4 Pillars | What Safety Assurance Really Means in Aviation SMS

Posted by Stu Martin on May 3, 2023 5:59:00 AM

Definition of Aviation SMS Safety Assurance

In November 2006, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) mandated that all member states implement formal aviation safety management systems (SMS). To facilitate compliance, ICAO guided regulatory authorities and aviation service providers with the publication of the Safety Management Manual (SMM), now in the fourth edition as of 2019.

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Topics: 3-Safety Assurance, Quality-Safety Management

What Is a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) in Aviation SMS? - With Free KPI Resources

Posted by Stu Martin on Apr 26, 2023 6:00:00 AM

What Is a Key Performance Indicator?

Answering the question, what is a key performance indicator, is not exactly as straightforward as it may seem.

This is because key performance indicators, known commonly as KPIs, have multiple uses in aviation safety management systems (SMS).

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Topics: Key Performance Indicators

Signs of Good KPIs in Aviation – With Free KPI Resources

Posted by Stu Martin on Apr 19, 2023 6:01:00 AM

What Is a Key Performance Indicator in Aviation SMS?

Key performance indicators (KPIs) are data metrics used to track performance in aviation safety management systems (SMS). This “performance” was not intended to measure only safety, but also quality and financial performance as well.

Understanding what is a key performance indicator is an essential component of being able to identify signs of good KPIs.

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Topics: Key Performance Indicators

Types of Operational Risk for Airline SMS

Posted by Stu Martin on Apr 12, 2023 5:41:00 AM

What Is Operational Risk for Airline SMS

Operation risk is a primary concern of airline safety management systems (SMS). Just as in traditional safety programs, modern SMS implementations will revolve around identifying hazards and controlling these safety events.

In a formal aviation SMS implementation, there are two inter-connected components:

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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

What's the Difference Between Hazards and Risks in Aviation SMS

Posted by Stu Martin on Mar 22, 2023 6:02:00 AM

Most Common Misunderstanding in Aviation Risk Management

We run across this time and time again in aviation risk management programs: safety management teams confuse hazards and risks, and consequently also confuse risks and consequences.

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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

What Are Safety Objectives in Aviation SMS – With Examples

Posted by Stu Martin on Mar 8, 2023 5:23:00 AM

Why Safety Management Gets Safety Objectives Wrong

Somewhat surprisingly, in aviation safety management systems (SMS), safety objectives are often quite misunderstood. Experienced safety management may have a slightly misguided understanding of safety objectives.

New safety management will simply ask, what are safety objectives?

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Topics: 1-Safety Policy

5 Questions to Ask Before Making Risk Assessment

Posted by Stu Martin on Feb 15, 2023 5:16:00 AM

Goal of Risk Assessment Questions

Before making risk assessments, there are several important questions to ask about the issue in question. These questions are extremely significant, as they affect how you will rank the issue and how you will respond to it.

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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

Six Steps How to Perform Trend Analysis in Aviation SMS

Posted by Stu Martin on Feb 8, 2023 6:17:00 AM

What Is Trend Analysis in Aviation SMS

Simply put, trend analysis in aviation SMS is an activity that is used to target patterns in your safety program that might otherwise be “lost in the noise” of your safety data.

Patterns can be related to behavior, occurrences, or other aspects of your safety program. Patterns are identified within your chosen time period.

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Topics: 3-Safety Assurance

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