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

Aviation SMS in Flight Schools Benefits Everyone

When I first forayed into the aviation industry, the first thing I learned was that the aviation industry is far more than simply flying.

While flight schools' primary goals are to prepare future pilots to be successful, a critical part of that success includes safety.

A Different Look at Aviation SMS Human Factors

I’ve never much cared for the phrase “Human Factors.”

It has a negative edge to it that unfortunately has tended to bleed into the mindset of many aviation SMS implementations as the “Human Problem” - the thing that needs to be fixed.

What Does Safety Culture Look Like?

A robust safety culture is the foundation of an effective aviation Safety Management System (SMS), driving compliance with FAA Part 5 and ICAO Annex 19 while reducing risks.

The FAA SAS Profile for

As you may already know from our previous post, our FAA SAS Profile provides the collection of tools that aviation safety professionals need for assessing their certificates' safety assurance requirements.

Our SAS Profile tool can help:

Reviewing Your Human Factors Training Program

When was the last time you took a good look at your Human Factors (HF) course?

Does it strategically focus on the current aviation maintenance problem areas?

Understanding FAA SAS

Flight Standards Service (AFS) Safety Assurance System (SAS) is the new oversight system for 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) parts 121, 135 and 145. Ultimately, SAS will be used for other applicable CFR parts.

SAS is not a separate safety standard and does not impose additional requirements on certificate holders;

Managers' Challenge to Realize Meaningful Change

The value of any aviation service provider rests on its ability to adapt quickly by making informed and effective decisions. However, management's decision-making power is only as strong as its underlying data.

Daily SMS Activities May Preclude Routine Review

The new year has started. Business activities are beginning to return to full speed. At full speed, aviation safety managers may be putting out fires. These fires may cause safety teams to look continuously ahead when they should occasionally be looking back.

Ignorance Is No Excuse for Regulatory SMS Noncompliance

Imagine you come to Anchorage to play ping pong at NorthWest Data Solutions' headquarters. You fancy yourself as a pretty good ping pong player, so you are confident that you will not be skunked by NWDS' professional software engineers.

Transparency Is a Philosophical Question

A high level of transparency in aviation safety management systems (SMS) is critical for creating:

• A Just Culture.
• A safety reporting culture.
• A culture of safety.