SMS Pro Aviation Safety Software Blog 4 Airlines & Airports

Advanced Aviation SMS: Top Management Support Drives SMS Profits

Posted by Christopher Howell on Mar 3, 2021 6:00:00 AM

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.

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Topics: Aviation SMS Implementation, 1-Safety Policy, Quality-Safety Management

FAA Part 5 | Safety Policy Compliance

Posted by Tyler Britton on Nov 28, 2019 5:54:00 AM

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.

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Topics: 1-Safety Policy

4 Critical Elements in Your Aviation SMS Safety Policy Component

Posted by Tyler Britton on Nov 6, 2019 6:10:00 AM

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
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Topics: 1-Safety Policy

The Internal Aviation SMS Threat: Plan Continuation Bias

Posted by Tyler Britton on Sep 16, 2019 6:32:00 AM

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.

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Topics: 1-Safety Policy

Communicating Importance of Procedures in Aviation SMS

Posted by Aviation Safety Student on Jul 3, 2019 6:09:00 AM

Procedures at Heart of Aviation Safety Management

I currently just finished my freshman year at San Diego Christian College (SDCC) enrolled as an aviation major seeking a career in commercial aviation. SDCC employs a third party whom they rent aircraft and employ instructors from.

If I have learned one thing from my first year of training, it is that policies and procedures are everything, that is, they are more important than most people readily consider during everyday flight operations.

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Topics: 1-Safety Policy

4 Pillars | Why Documentation in Aviation SMS Is Important - Beyond Compliance

Posted by Tyler Britton on May 9, 2019 6:39:00 AM

What Is Documentation in Aviation SMS?

In November 2006, the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO) mandated that all member states implement formal aviation safety management systems (SMS). Each member state's civil aviation authority (CAA) is responsible for providing oversight to ensure the operators required to implement the aviation SMS comply.

Aviation SMS implementations need to be accounted for in 2 main ways.

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Topics: 1-Safety Policy

How to Identify Obstacles Blocking Your Aviation SMS?

Posted by Dr. Bob Baron on May 1, 2019 6:00:00 AM

Aviation Safety Managers Start With Something

When artists paint on a blank canvas, it allows them to start with nothing and creatively turn it into something. This allows the artist to create a picture without having to change or modify a picture that already exists.

When implementing a Safety Management System (SMS), most Safety Managers do not have the luxury of starting with a blank canvas; instead, they must overlay the SMS on what could be a very challenging organizational culture, thereby creating

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Topics: 1-Safety Policy

5 Steps to Define Safety Accountabilities in Aviation SMS

Posted by Tyler Britton on Apr 21, 2019 6:13:00 AM

Org Charts Help to Define Accountabilities in Aviation SMS

Safety accountabilities in aviation safety management systems (SMS) implementations outline the bureaucratic structure of organizational safety expectations. Defining accountabilities has the ultimate goal of clearly communicating:

  • What levels of responsibility are defined in the aviation SMS;
  • Different levels of responsibility for each role; and
  • Which roles have the authority to make certain safety decisions?
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Topics: 1-Safety Policy

4 Actions Needed for Management Commitment in Aviation SMS

Posted by Tyler Britton on Apr 20, 2019 6:02:00 AM

The Concept of Management Commitment in Aviation SMS Programs

Management’s commitment to aviation safety management systems (SMS) is an extremely important part of the Four Pillar’s Safety Policy component.

Without a doubt, your SMS will fail without support from senior management.

Successful aviation SMS have exceptional safety cultures that rely significantly upon strong management commitment.

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Topics: 1-Safety Policy

Setting Up an Aviation Safety Management System (SMS)

Posted by Christopher Howell on Apr 13, 2019 6:08:00 AM

SMS Implementation Guidance Still Needed

Over a dozen years (Nov 2006) have passed since ICAO issued its first mandate requiring member states to implement formal, structured aviation safety management systems (SMS).

By now, I would like to believe there is considerable guidance available for aviation service providers to implement their aviation SMS. However, approximately ten percent of the people I encounter in my work as a provider of aviation SMS software request guidance on setting up their aviation SMS.

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Topics: 1-Safety Policy

Site content provided by Northwest Data Solutions is meant for informational purposes only. Opinions presented here are not provided by any civil aviation authority or standards body.

 

 

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