SMS Pro Aviation Safety Software Blog 4 Airlines & Airports

Things to Prepare for Aviation SMS Audits

There are many aviation audit checklists available online.

While these checklists offer many specific tasks you need to perform, few checklists offer a broad overview of things that airports, airlines, and other aviation service providers should do to augment audit performance.

The purpose of aviation safety management systems (SMS) is to continuously improve safety performance while also improving the business' operational processes. This continuous improvement is expected to be realized by:

• Identifying hazards to operational safety;
• Reporting the safety hazard to management to be treated;
• Collecting and analyzing safety information; 
• Determining whether hazard's associated risk is acceptable; 
• Implementing or reinforcing risk controls to mitigate risk; and
• Continue to monitor system for hazards.

Why Aviation SMS Audits Are Important

The objective of Aviation Safety Management Systems (SMS) is to:

• Proactively manage safety to reduce risk;
• Identify potential safety hazards;
• Determine operational risk, and
• Implement control measures mitigating identified risk.

What Is Safety Assurance for FAA

Safety Assurance is designed to ensure that aviation service providers have the ability to manage safety risks effectively using a structured, prescribed approach to managing identified safety concerns.

How to Conduct Root Cause Analysis

Every aviation safety management system (SMS) contains a subsystem to manage risk associated with reported safety issues and audit findings. This subsystem can be called the SMS' risk management system as this system provides the logical workflow necessary to efficiently:

• Conduct and document investigations;
• Assign and track corrective actions and preventive actions;
• Perform risk assessments; and
• Classify the event for future trend analysis reports.

What REALLY Is Continuous Improvement in Aviation SMS?

The objectives of every aviation safety management system (SMS) is to:

• Proactively manage safety in a formal, structured manner;
• Identify potential operational hazards;
• Determine risk to operations and affected stakeholders; and
• Implement control measures to mitigate identified risk.

From a regulator's perspective, they are primarily interested in:

• Whether your company has implemented all required SMS elements; and
• Whether you can demonstrate continuous improvement of your aviation SMS.

What Risk Management Decisions Are

Risk management decision making processes will dictate the success of your aviation safety management system (SMS). Period.

Every change, no matter how small, arises from a risk management decision. Decision making processes in risk management programs are often seen as a formal, documentable process, such as those seen in the U.S. military leadership training courses.

Alternatively, risk management decision making can also be an informal, “everyday” kind of process. Some prime examples of risk management decisions in an aviation SMS include:

Importance of Investigations in Aviation Risk Management

Investigations are the cornerstone of quality assurance efforts in aviation safety management systems (SMS). They are an attempt to answer why and how safety events occur. Investigations also commonly occur in response to reactive and proactive risk management activities after safety issues are submitted through the SMS' safety reporting system.

Auditing Compels Operators to Adopt Better Aviation SMS

Aviation quality and compliance auditors use auditing software to measure compliance and to track corrective actions. IATA's IOSA program is a very good program to steer airlines toward an ICAO compliant safety management systems (SMS).

Quality, safety, and environmental management systems share many common elements and requirements. In fact, requirements for safety management systems have evolved from the quality management systems (QMS).

Looking at the two systems, one cannot but agree that SMS didn't evolve independently, but the framework was modeled after quality management systems.

Cyber Security in Aviation SMS Data Management

Technology has made aviation safety management systems (SMS) much easier to manage as a whole. Furthermore, this formal, structured approach to manage safety has undeniably contributed to system safety.

Technology is wonderful. It has been changing our lives at an unprecedented rate, and we can easily see how it has positively affected the aviation industry.

"SMS" Is Common Term in Aviation Industry

Unless you have been living under a rock since November 2006, it is highly likely that you have heard about the required safety management systems (SMS) that were mandated by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).