As an aviation safety manager or accountable executive, preparing for an FAA Part 5 Safety Management System (SMS) audit is critical to ensuring compliance and maintaining a robust safety culture.
The FAA’s Part 5 regulation, outlined in 14 CFR Part 5, mandates SMS for certificate holders under Parts
Topics: 4-Safety Promotion, 3-Safety Assurance, 1-Safety Policy, 2-Safety Risk Management, FAA Compliance
Aviation requires safety. Every flight, maintenance task, and ground operation demands precision. A Safety Management System (SMS) is the framework that ensures risks are managed proactively. It’s a structured approach to identifying hazards and preventing incidents. For beginners, understanding SMS is the first step to safer skies.
Topics: Aviation SMS Implementation, 4-Safety Promotion, 3-Safety Assurance, Risk Management Software, 1-Safety Policy, 2-Safety Risk Management
In the changing world of aviation regulations, safety remains non-negotiable. A robust Safety Management System (SMS) has become the backbone of any organization striving to mitigate risks and ensure compliance with regulatory standards, such as those set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and national civil aviation authorities like the FAA or EASA.
For new safety managers, training staff on SMS concepts can feel overwhelming, especially when tasked with guiding accountable executives—senior leaders responsible for SMS oversight. These executives, often juggling multiple responsibilities, need clear, actionable steps to demonstrate SMS compliance effectively.
Topics: 4-Safety Promotion, 1-Safety Policy, 2-Safety Risk Management, Risk Management Training, FAA Compliance, Safety Culture
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has updated the Safety Management System (SMS) requirements for Part 121 operators under 14 CFR Part 5, as outlined in the April 2024 final rulemaking.
These updates introduce specific requirements aimed at enhancing safety through improved
Topics: 4-Safety Promotion, 3-Safety Assurance, 1-Safety Policy, 2-Safety Risk Management
The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Part 5 regulations mandate a structured Safety Management System (SMS) for certificate holders, including
Topics: Aviation SMS Implementation, Aviation SMS Database, 4-Safety Promotion, 3-Safety Assurance, 1-Safety Policy, 2-Safety Risk Management
The United States' National Airspace System (NAS) handled between 54 million and 56 million takeoffs and landings in calendar year 2024 (January 1 to December 31). Handling such air traffic volume safely is in the interest of everyone, even for those who do not fly.
Aviation safety refers to measures, practices, and systems designed to minimize risks and prevent harm in air travel and aircraft operations. Aviation safety considers all types of flights, including:
Topics: 1-Safety Policy
Dedicated, hard-working safety managers drive the setup of airline and airports' aviation safety management systems (SMS).
These safety managers are often left to decipher ambiguous requirements that are open to multiple interpretations. This comes into play, especially when upper management wants to "pencil-whip" an aviation SMS and merely check the boxes.
Topics: Aviation SMS Implementation, 1-Safety Policy, 2-Safety Risk Management
An emergency response plan is a manual that companies use to address many different types of emergencies.
The manuals include:
The priorities for any ERP are, in this order:
Topics: 1-Safety Policy
Aviation safety management systems (SMS) implementation takes a long time to fully mature, usually three to five years if you are lucky.
Once there, your SMS will continually be tweaked and updated, which of course requires further implementation and monitoring.
Topics: 1-Safety Policy
It's very important to review SMS Manuals.
The most common audit finding is that the operator is not conducting operations as stated in their SMS manual.
Furthermore, your manual is only as useful as the information it contains. If the information is out of date, employees will lose trust in it. This undermines the safety culture you've worked to build.
Review your manual at regular intervals. Annual reviews are best practice, but some operators go as long as 3 years between reviews.
Topics: 1-Safety Policy
These two on-demand videos offer:
