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

Consider Your Business Needs

Ultimately, choosing between custom-built, in-house aviation safety management system (SMS) software and commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) solutions comes down to three key considerations:

What Are Safety Reports in SMS Programs?

Safety reports in SMS programs are your primary weapon for communicating safety information to stakeholders. Safety information will be catered to stakeholders.

Stakeholders are simply anyone who you need to communicate safety information to, such as:

What Are Corrective Preventative Actions (CPAs)

In aviation safety management systems (SMS), reported safety issues and audit findings are run through an operator's documented risk management process. During this process, additional mitigation measures must be applied to safety concerns whenever the risk is either:

What Is a New SMS Program

A new SMS program means adopting a new safety program in your organization. This new safety program can be an entirely new risk management program where one did not exist before.

What Is Just Culture in Aviation SMS Programs

In layman's terms, Just Culture in aviation SMS programs is an organization’s commitment to focusing on learning and improving in the light of unsafe acts, as opposed to blaming and punishing.

What Is Safety Culture in Aviation SMS

“Safety culture” is an ambiguous phrase that gets thrown around a lot.

Sometimes we use it when we talk about poor safety awareness when employees behave ignorantly on the ramp or around dangerous situations.

What It Means to Move to a New SMS Database Program

Changing to a new SMS program is a challenge that organizations will inevitably face at least once, and probably more. What does this involve? Chang to new SMS program usually involves the following:

What Is an Aviation Safety Management System

A safety management system is, at its core, a business approach to safety. This means that, with SMS programs, you manage safety with similar methods for other parts of operations like quality management.

The Multiple Faces of What Risk Is

The layperson's perception and understanding of risk is something that tends to make aviation safety professionals slightly indignant. In order to be successful in the aviation safety field, safety managers must intimately understand the core elements affecting operational safety, including:

FAA Orders 14 CFR Part 5 for Part 121 Operators

In January 2016, SMS legal requirements went into effect for Part 121 operators. These requirements stem from the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) mandate:

"As of November 23, 2006 States shall require, as part of their safety program, that an [operator, maintenance organization,