The Basic Aviation Risk Standard (BARS) program — introduced five years ago — has now completed more than 350 audits at 140 operators in 29 countries around the world, and is anticipating the next wave of developments in the program.
Originally introduced in 2010 to address safety issues facing aviation operators in the mining and resource sector, the standard was developed using the “bow tie” model of risk management — named for the bow-tie-shaped diagram used to portray the relationships between major threats to aviation safety and the controls used to manage them.
The core standard, initially accompanied by provisions regarding external load operations, has been expanded over the years to include operations involving geophysical survey, emergency medical services, night vision goggles and United Nations aviation standards. This means aircraft operators have a range of optional elements to choose from when creating and scheduling an annual audit.
Earlier in 2015, the Fou…
