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

Good Aviation Safety Management Practices

A Safety Management System (SMS) is a system that is composed of various policies, processes, procedures, and practices adopted and implemented to improve the overall safety of an organization.

What Is ICAO?

The International Civil Aviation Organization, or ICAO, was founded in 1944. It's a United Nations specialized agency that establishes international standards for civil aviation.

Of the 195 recognized countries in the world today, 192 are ICAO member states.

What Is Participation in Your SMS

Employee participation in your aviation SMS is critical to its maintainability. We do this over and over, where the SMS is being pushed by one person and when that person leaves, the program falls apart.

One of the primary goals of generating good involvement is creating a sustainable SMS.

What Is Aviation Safety Software?

For over a dozen years, the majority of commercial aviation service providers around the world have been working towards compliance with ICAO's aviation safety management system (SMS) guidelines.

Safety Manager Dilemma: Deciding Which SMS Software Solution?

Aviation safety is non-negotiable. Aviation safety managers and accountable executives bear the critical responsibility of ensuring

• compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards,
• mitigating risks, and
• fostering a proactive safety culture.

A robust Safety Management System (SMS) software is the backbone of these efforts, streamlining hazard identification, incident reporting, risk management, and compliance tracking. But with a crowded market of SMS solutions, how do you choose the best aviation SMS software for your organization?

Pros and Cons of Technology in Aviation

Technology for a lot of organizations is a key asset, as it is seen as an advantage in the competitive environment; however, from a safety point of view technology is not only an advantage, it also bears possible negative aspects.

What Is Predictive Risk Management?

Proactive and predictive risk management are difficult to separate. Proactive risk management identifies safety concerns before events occur. Predictive risk management aims to predict future risk based on past performance data.

What Is a Risk Matrix

A risk matrix is a tool you will use to assess safety concerns. The matrix allows you to rank risk and provide visual cues on safety acceptability.

What Are KPIs?

KPIs, or key performance indicators, track performance in business, quality, and safety. Understanding and using KPIs is a crucial part of SMS.

What Are ICAO Hazard Identification Compliance Requirements

ICAO’s hazard identification compliance requirements are twofold:

• (2.1.1) Develop formal process for hazard identification; and
• (2.1.2) Use reactive, proactive, and predictive to identify hazards.

Being compliant with these requirements involves, like anything else in SMS, doing and documenting. You need to document your process and how you use various risk management techniques for hazard identification, and you need to follow through.