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

Aviation Safety Management Systems (SMS) are critical frameworks designed to enhance safety, mitigate risks, and foster a proactive safety culture within aviation organizations. However, implementing and maintaining an effective SMS often encounters resistance from employees, management, or other stakeholders.

For aviation safety managers, identifying and addressing this resistance is essential to ensure the system’s success and the organization’s safety performance. This article provides actionable tips to uncover resistance to SMS, offering practical insights to strengthen safety initiatives without relying on overused platitudes.

Safety Assurance Monitoring Activities - Third ICAO SMS Pillar

Most safety managers immediately recognize ICAO's four pillars:

• Safety Policy;
• Risk Management;
• Safety Assurance; and

Effective Use of Power in Aviation SMS

Aviation safety managers around the world are charged with implementing required aviation safety management systems (SMS). SMS implementations affect entire organizations and not simply a single department, such as:

• Flight ops;
• Ground ops; or
• Maintenance.

What Is Fatigue Risk Management

Fatigue is one of the most important factors in overall operational safety. It’s so important that most aviation safety management systems adopt additional and specific measures to combat fatigue.

Aviation SMS Implementations Have Risk!

Imagine you are the pilot recently assigned the "extra" task of being the safety manager of an existing aviation safety management system (SMS).

Or perhaps you are the safety manager who has worked hard for years and your SMS is running very smoothly. Now what?

What Is an Aviation Safety Management System

Aviation safety management systems are formal, structured methodologies for managing aviation safety programs. ICAO mandated that most aviation service providers implement SMS programs in 2006.

There are guidelines as to aviation SMS requirements that most SMS professionals are familiar with,

The Frustration of Monumental Tasks of SMS Implementation

Many aviation safety managers happen upon the task of "safety manager" by chance. The previous safety manager may have:

What Is an SMS Risk Control Process?

A risk control process for an aviation safety management system (SMS) entails a series of risk management tasks that are executed whenever:

• Hazards are identified;
• An event has occurred (accident, incident, irregularity); or

Safety Manager Communicates With Upper Management

Aviation safety managers are faced with particular challenges stemming from:

• Acquiring top management support for aviation safety management system (SMS); and
• Maintaining top management support for the safety department.

What Are Roles in Aviation Safety Management Systems

Aviation SMS roles are used to organize different responsibilities in your aviation safety program. Each role in your SMS will have separate responsibilities.