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

Responsibility for Aviation Risk Management

Aviation risk management is the backbone and general goal of modern aviation safety management systems (SMS).

Developing the maturity of an aviation SMS program is tantamount to cultivating more sophisticated, accurate, and proactive risk management strategies.

Proactive Aviation Safety Managers: Diverse Skills

There are many ways to describe what an aviation safety manager does. They are associated with phrases such as “plate spinners,” “wear many hats,” and “task jugglers.” For good reason too.

You Probably Need a Safety Database, Right?

I'm guessing if your airline or airport has more than 20 employees you will need a database for many of your SMS requirements.

If you don't have the budget for a database, or if you are one of those talented safety managers with excellent IT skills, then you can build your own safety database.

“Aviation Risk Management” Is a Vague Phrase

It occurred to me recently that the phrase “aviation risk management” gets thrown around in many different contexts, both by myself and anyone else who writes about aviation safety management systems (SMS).

Aviation Safety Charts Monitor SMS Performance

Aviation safety charts provide aviation safety management teams with an invaluable visual presentation of their aviation safety management system (SMS) performance. Yet it should not be only the safety managers that should be reviewing these safety charts. The accountable executive has much more at stake.

Safety Reporting Process Will Make or Break an Aviation SMS

You could also say that lack of hazard and safety reporting in an aviation safety management system (SMS) can break a company.

Hazard reporting is critically important to any aviation service provider if it wants to benefit from its investment in the required and voluntary SMS.

What Is a Risk Matrix Used for in Aviation Risk Management

The risk matrix is the standard risk assessment tool in aviation SMS and other risk management industries. It’s a standard tool because it’s simple and accomplishes all of the needs of a risk assessment, namely:

• Rank safety concerns;
• Understand if an issue’s risk is “tolerable”;
• Ensure assessments are consistent; and
• Ensure assessments are easy and intuitive to perform.

Aviation Risk Management Requires a Safety Mindset

Aviation risk management is a vital part of being a well-rounded pilot. The safety mindset works best every time flying.

Although all components are important, perhaps the most vital of them all is understanding the importance of "aviation risk management."

Pros and Cons of Prescriptive vs Performance Based SMS

Performance vs prescriptive based approaches to aviation safety management systems (SMS) is and will increasingly be a hot topic in the aviation industry for years to come.

As it should be.

Identifying Mistakes Aviation SMS Implementations

Successful aviation safety programs are self-conscious. That is, safety management teams are extremely sensitive to potential pitfalls and work hard to avoid needless mistakes.

Of course, in the real-world practice of safety management,