Given the evolution of the aviation safety regulatory framework in the European Union (EU), the United States and other aviation markets, in particular with regard to mandating safety management systems (SMSs), it is important to reflect on the principles of quality and safety, to understand what each has to offer to an aviation operator’s bottom line, and to reflect on the future of aviation management systems.
Before beginning, it is best to clarify the terms under consideration. “Quality,” as defined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard 9000:2005,1 is “the degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfils requirements.” “Safety,” as defined in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Safety Management Manual,2 is “the state in which the possibility of harm to persons or of property damage is reduced to, and ma…
