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

Purpose of Continuous Improvement in Safety Assurance Pillar

In every aviation safety management system (SMS), the accountable executive is responsible for ensuring the SMS is properly implemented and performing in all areas of the organization.

Safety Promotion as an Aviation SMS Pillar

Since November 2006, ICAO mandated that aviation service providers implement formal aviation safety management systems (SMS). The objective of the aviation SMS is to:

• Proactively manage safety,
• Identify potential hazards,
• Determine operational risk,

What Is Safety Assurance in Aviation SMS

For an aviation safety management system (SMS) to be effective, the SMS must be monitored to assure managers and regulatory authorities that the SMS is both

• implemented correctly, and
• working as designed.

Purpose of Safety Performance Assessment in Safety Assurance Pillar

If you cannot measure safety performance in your aviation safety management systems (SMS), then:

• How do you know whether your operations are as safe as can be reasonably expected?

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.

The purpose of aviation safety management systems (SMS) is to provide operators with a "systematic approach to managing safety.

Stages of Safety Events With FAA vs. Others

Regulatory oversight agencies in various countries/regions possess inconsistent definitions for:

• hazards,
• risks, and

FAA’s Safety Risk Management (SRM) Process and Hazard Identification Element

The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) SRM compliance requirement for hazard identification controls every U.S. aviation service provider required to implement formal aviation safety management systems (SMS). These SRM requirements indirectly affect these operators' safety culture and risk management processes whether they like it or not.

FAA Part 5 Built Around 4 Pillars of SMS

Federal Aviation Administration Part 5 requirements are modeled after the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). They set the standard upon which many oversight agencies around the globe model their standards.

FAA’s SRM Risk Control Component – Defining Risk

The FAA’s SRM Risk Control component is the 5^th and final element in the Safety Risk Management process.

FAA’s SRM Risk Assessment Element

The FAA’s SRM Risk Assessment element is the 4^th component in the Safety Risk Management Process. This process is outlined in the Advisory Circular and is based on the 4 Pillars of SMS.