SMS Makes Flying Safer

By Didrik Strand offroadpilots@gmail.com

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Accepting or Rejecting Risks

By Didrik Strand offroadpilots@gmail.com
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Accepting or rejecting risks is a fundamental principle in a successful safety management system (SMS). A person managing the safety management system is expected to maintain a process for identifying hazards to aviation safety and for evaluating and managing the associated risks and ensuring that personnel are trained and competent to perform their duties as they apply to the safety management system. This includes training for both the accountable executive and SMS manager, in addition to other airport and airline operations personnel. A level of risk is an inherent element of aviation safety and there are several types of risks to consider when accepting or rejecting risks. One type of risk may take precedence over another type even if it is not directly associated with operations. Risk control strategies are beyond accepting or rejecting a risk, it is to justify control actions based on defined criteria. There are five categories of risks. The total risk is the sum of identified an...
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Strategies for SMS Expectations

By Didrik Strand offroadpilots@gmail.com
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Expectation 1 A Safety Policy is an organizational guidance principle which describe the operational culture and core purpose for airport or airline operations. Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) requires airports and airlines to operate a Safety Management System which is based on this Safety Policy. In addition to the generality of a Safety Policy, this policy requirement is to establish a clear enterprise commitment to safety. The challenge for airports and airlines becomes to define what a clear commitment to safety is. A clear commitment to safety is not just a statement to be safe, but it is to capture defined expectations for operational processes.  A Safety Policy has the ring of permanent nature. Expectations are defined by Transport Canada in their SMS Document Review Guide (DRG), which was distributed to airlines and airports during the implementations phases of SMS. An airport, or airline that has not established a link to the expectation of a safety policy is assesse...
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When Special Cause Variation Becomes Common Cause Variation

By Didrik Strand offroadpilots@gmail.com
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A safety management system (SMS) operates in a risk management environment where associated hazards are assessed, classified, and accepted or rejected by the accountable executive (AE). There are several inherent risks in aviation, triggered by special cause variations or common cause variations.  Inherent risks triggered by common cause variations and are systems required for processes to work as intended, and they are beyond management and control of airport or airline operators.   Adverse weather conditions such as thunderstorms, turbulence, fog, and strong winds can pose significant risks to flight safety. Despite rigorous maintenance checks, mechanical failures or malfunctions in aircraft systems can occur, leading to potential safety issues. Collisions between aircraft and birds or other wildlife can pose a threat to aviation safety, potentially damaging the aircraft and compromising its ability to fly. Incidents where an aircraft, vehicle, or person enters the prot...
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