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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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,

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.