SMS by 2018
Most U.S. commercial airlines have been given until 2018 to implement safety management systems (SMS), according to new rules issued by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in early January.
Under SMS, airlines use a set of business processes and management tools to examine data collected during routine operations, identify trends that might eventually lead to accidents or incidents, implement corrections to mitigate risks, and monitor the program’s effectiveness.
“SMS gives airlines the tools they need to further reduce risk in commercial aviation,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.
The FAA stressed that SMSs will be implemented in addition to — not in place of — “regular FAA oversight, inspection and audits to ensure compliance with regulations.” The provision allows each air carrier to develop an SMS “to match the size, complexity and business model of its organization,” the FAA said.
Under the new rule, the airline…
