SMS Pro Aviation Safety Software Blog 4 Airlines & Airports

Goals of an Aviation SMS

We know that aviation safety management is a system of safety management activities.

Policies, processes, and procedures are created to systematically approach

• hazard identification,
• risk monitoring, and
• prevention of accidents and serious incidents.

Aviation SMS Implementations Follow Forked Path

Since November 2006, operators inadvertently followed a forked path while implementing required aviation safety management systems (SMS). In some cases, they made conscious choices, but in most cases, the path they chose was forced upon them due to imperfect information.

I prefer to believe that most who started the SMS journey had hoped that they would succeed and reap the expected rewards while simultaneously improving global transportation system safety. That is a true win-win.

From my global perspective, results have been less than spectacular, but there is hope.

Duties & Responsibilities Shape Behaviors

This is an exciting article. We share concrete tips and tricks to modify your aviation safety management system (SMS) in this Advanced Aviation SMS series. To date, this advanced series has been focused on a financial business theory supported by science and technology.

In this article, we discuss modifying employees' expected safety duties and responsibilities. Shifting from a pure safety focus has benefits. For example, this "safety-through-quality" change will provide both sufficient quantity and quality of inputs for your aviation SMS to prosper as designed.

Powerful Aviation SMS When Implemented Properly

Aviation safety management systems (SMS) are not simply regulatory requirements but a "new way of doing business."

"Yeah, we've all heard these ambiguous praises before," I hear you saying.

• What else is new?
• Where is the proof?
• Why aren't we seeing the benefits? or
• Only large companies with high volumes benefit.

Passing Audits but Failing Financial Performance

Smaller aviation service providers have adopted a not-so-secret weapon that can provide financial benefits, but they are not using it effectively.

Aviation SMS possesses extremely powerful risk management workflows that can level the playing field for smaller operators with business acumen. Before the SMS mandate, smaller operators lacked both the size and sophistication required to benefit financially from implementing quality management systems that facilitate continuous improvement. This has changed!

Benefits Not Realized from Aviation SMS Implementations

When the drafting founders of modern aviation safety management systems (SMS) planned to improve systemic aviation safety, these managers understood their industry's predominant attitudes relating to safety vs production. They recognized uncontrolled, ill-disciplined operators unnecessarily introduce intolerable risk into our transportation system.

Astute leaders understand that voluntary aviation SMS implementation will never be seriously considered by owners and senior managers unless operators enjoy a chance to financially benefit.

Management's Absence Creates SMS Adoption Challenges

Many newly-appointed safety managers try to single-handedly push their organization's aviation safety management systems (SMS) to success. Safety managers are hired to perform an ambitious undertaking that is not heartily welcomed by the entire organization.

SMS implementations require consistent change management activities. These activities naturally induce frustration and resistance to change.

FAA Part 5 Safety Policy Documentation Compliance

FAA Part 5 compliance for Safety Policy is largely the concern of new aviation SMS implementations for Part 121 operators.

An aviation safety management system (SMS) is logically broken up into components and elements. This logical arrangement makes it easier for safety professionals to organize multiple subsystems within a large, interrelated system of elements.

Safety Policy requirements are mainly fulfilled in the first phase of aviation SMS implementation and reviewed throughout the lifetime of the SMS.

Safety Policy Greatly Affects Safety Culture and Safety Performance

"Safety Policy" is a major asset for building an effective safety culture in aviation safety management systems (SMS). An aviation SMS is a complex system of interrelated components and elements, and "Safety Policy" is one of the four SMS components (or pillars). For a quick review, the four SMS components are:

• Safety Policy;
• Safety Risk Management (SRM);
• Safety Assurance (SA); and
• Safety Promotion.

Plan Continuation Bias for the Layman

Several years ago NASA analyzed pilots' actions from 19 airline accidents from the viewpoint of "real-time" - i.e. during the flight and without hindsight bias. NASA found that the primary cause of the accidents was something they called "plan continuation bias."

For those of you who aren't unfamiliar with this concept, the premise is this: when you have "someplace to get to" you tend to ignore your environment.

We all experience this regularly in smaller forms.