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

What Is Plan Do Check Act (PDCA)

Plan Do Check Act is a simple but effective process to use when implementing risk controls through corrective-preventative actions.

Why Do We Measure Aviation Safety Performance?

Aviation safety managers are tasked with a Safety Assurance (SA) element labeled "Continuous Improvement." Not many aviation safety management systems (SMS) training courses go into much detail about

What Are Leading Indicators in Safety Programs?

Leading indicators in aviation safety management systems (SMS) are:

• The “input” of the program;
• Identify precursors that directly correlate to future performance;

High Stakes

Passing aviation safety audits is absolutely critical for safety managers, not to mention the accountable executive who is ultimately responsible for aviation safety management systems (SMS) performance.

Aviation Safety Audits Are Not for Just Airlines

Aviation safety managers must be prepared for a never-ending chain of audits. This is a fact of life, whether you are working at:

• Airlines;
• Airports;
• Ground handling companies;

What Is an Internal Aviation SMS Audit

An internal aviation safety management system (SMS) audit is a process you use to verify that certain actions are taking place in your SMS.

Audits are a safety assurance activity that is most commonly used to broadly assess whether or not aviation service providers can demonstrate continuous improvement of the SMS.

That being said, you might have different auditing processes for assessing different aspects of your SMS, such as:

What Is an Internal Aviation SMS Audit

An internal aviation SMS audit is how you evaluate any part of your SMS.

On the one hand, you use such audits to ensure that certain actions are taking place in your SMS, such as SRM operations or continuous improvement.

Why Passing an Aviation SMS Audit Is Critical

Aviation Safety Management Systems (SMS) form the foundation of safe operations, and passing SMS audits is critical for demonstrating compliance with global safety standards while reinforcing an organization’s commitment to safety.

For aviation safety managers, audits are not merely regulatory requirements but opportunities to refine safety practices and build trust with regulators, staff, and passengers.

Interesting Discussion on Audits vs. Inspections

The other day, I had a rather interesting discussion with a couple of seasoned aviation safety managers on the topic of aviation safety audits vs inspections.

It took a while to come to a consensus about the primary differences, as well as the ideological implications of each.

Why You Need to Monitor the Effectiveness of Control Measures

Control measures are the heart of your aviation safety management system’s (SMS) risk mitigation efforts. You may call your "control measures" either:

• Risk controls; or
• Simply "controls."