BARS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• Prior to the BAR Standard, each company using contracted aviation had its own aviation safety standard. This subjected aircraft operators to a diverse and often ambiguous set of requirements adding to the already very diverse global regulatory requirements.
• The variety of standards and audits meant that aircraft operators underwent multiple annual audits for various resource company clients, diverting their focus and resources away from flight operations and maintenance oversight.
• The ability of an individual contracting company to influence change within an aircraft operator’s practices in response to audit findings was often limited.
• Company based safety auditing is unregulated, is not in accordance with a consistent standard and has limited scope for one company to influence consistency and quality control.
• There was no formal process by which safety audit results, accident data or safety findings could be shared between companies or across the resource industry. BARS has enabled this knowledge sharing which now adds to every company’s safety benefit.

• The Flight Safety Foundation has extensive aviation safety experience and expertise. Its mission, “the continuous improvement of aviation safety and the prevention of accidents” is aligned with that of the BARS Members.
• Because the Flight Safety Foundation is independent, impartial and not-for-profit, BARS Member Organizations can draw upon its expertise and gain the benefits of a collaborative approach while maintaining the appropriate commercial distance from each other.

• Aviation poses one of the single largest potential risks to safety for many BARS Members and it is one of the few activities that has the potential for double digit fatalities.
• Reliance on aviation is increasing in many fields, for instance because exploration in the resource sector pushes further afield to more remote areas,  fly in/fly out activities becomes more frequent, and because more powerlines are being built to accomodate for more renewable enegery in the grids.
• The opportunity for further improvements at the individual company level are small compared to the unprecedented scope for improvement at an industry level through the sector-wide initiative that the BAR Standard provides.

• The Program developed from informal discussions between representatives from resource companies and the Flight Safety Foundation.
• When it was realized that the industry and the Flight Safety Foundation were exploring the same issues, the idea to launch a collaborative effort was formalized and the BARS Program Office was formed to manage the Program.
• The twelve founding BARS Member Organizations worked with FSF over a year to develop the Program.

• The BARS Program is funded by subscription fees paid by BARS Member Organizations, by audit company registration fees, by training course fees paid by auditors and resource sector aviation coordinators, and by audit fees paid by aircraft operators.

• BARS Membership is designed to provide any organization that is an end user of contract aviation services with traditional aircraft or remotely piloted aircraft systems/drones with a comprehensive framework to conduct safe contracted aviation operations.
  This includes the following types of organizations:
  • Mining and resource sector companies
  • Powerline companies
  • Renewable energy companies with offshore wind farms
  • Oil and gas providers with offshore operations
  • Government departments
  • Humanitarian organizations
• The initial focus of the Program was on the resource sector. Over the last decade, our Standards have been expanded to cover a great range of activities, and in turn our membership has also extended.

• Join the worldwide contracted aviation safety standard!
• Membership has become industry standard in many sectors, for instance in the mining and resource industry.
• Save money and save lives: There are numerous benefits from higher safety standards and reduced accident risk, such as lower insurance premiums, fewer lost working days, a confident and motivated workforce.
• Reduce your workload of oversight of your aviation service providers.
• BARS membership is a unique opportunity for any company to make their flying safer.

• Our current members can be found here: https://www.flightsafety.org/bars/bmos/ .

• Benefactors are large organizations with extensive use of outsourced aviation services. In addition to their support for the BARS Program that is equivalent to a Tier 1 subscription, they also provide support for the broader activities of the Flight Safety Foundation internationally. They have unrestricted access to BARSoft and BARS Audit Reports.

• Tier 1 members have mining, energy or other facilities extending across more than one location and typically utilize more than three aircraft operators for contracted aviation services. They have unrestricted access to BARSoft and BARS Audit Reports.

• Tier 2 members have mining, energy or other facilities at one location and typically utilize less than three aircraft operators for contracted aviation support. Access to BARSoft and BARS Audit Reports is limited.

• Many Oil and Gas Providers (OGP) have their own aviation safety departments. OGP organizations can supplement their aviation risk oversight by accessing BARS Audit Reports. OGP organizations may also join as Tier 1 members.

• BARS Affiliates are organizations that hold an indirect interest in the conduct and safety of contracted aviation operations. They have access to Finding Data Analysis reports and Safety Alerts as well as observer status in BARS Technical Advisory Meetings but do not get access to Aircraft Operator Profiles and Audit Reports.

• Access to a consistent industry standard to provide an informed means of assessing risk.
• Participation in the Technical Advisory Committee that provides access to the collective experience and intelligence of the companies within the Program. Never before has there been a forum within the resource sector that allows companies to share knowledge and experience on aviation safety.
  • Benefactor and Tier 1 members get a seat at the table that influences the ongoing development of the BAR Standard and the structure of the Program more generally.
  • Tier 2 and OGP members are admitted as observers.
• Access to the database of BARS Audits.
• Access to the range of training programs developed as part of the BARS Program.
• Access to industry safety data and analysis derived from the collective BARS Audit process.

• The BARS Program is funded by annual subscription fees paid by participating BARS Member Organizations, by audit company registration fees, by training course fees paid by auditors and resource sector aviation coordinators, and by audit fees paid by aircraft operators.

• It is expected that BARS Member Organizations seek to promote the use of the BAR Standard by their chosen aircraft operators and encourage them to have their operation reviewed through a BARS Audit.

• Active participation in the Technical Advisory Committee is strongly encouraged but is not obligatory.

• The BAR Standard is intended to supplement the guidance and requirements of national and international regulations pertaining to aviation operations. These must always be followed.

• Prescriptive standards are categorized under the components that make up an aviation system, such as equipment, personnel, operations etc.
• The BARS Program is framed around the actual threats to aviation operations and directly links these to associated controls and recovery/mitigation measures.
• It provides a ready-made framework for assessing risk.

• No. Prescriptive standards were often aspirational and presented as an ideal scenario not based on reality.
• The BAR Standard is intended to provide a basic safety standard to be met 100% of the time, lowering residual risk to minimal levels.

• The BARS Program Office Team, which is part of the Flight Safety Foundation, is responsible for everyday management of the BAR Standards and Implementation Guidelines.
• This management of the BAR Standard is based on the advice and approval of the Technical Advisory Committee, which is comprised of representatives of BARS Member Organizations.

• Any changes to the BAR Standard must be approved by the Technical Advisory Committee which is comprised of and chaired by representatives of BARS Member Organizations.

• The BAR Standard was developed by the Flight Safety Foundation in collaboration with the founding BARS Member Organizations from the resource industry.

• Content of the BAR Standard was developed by drawing on best practice from international aviation safety and on the experience of the resource sector with contracted aviation services.

• Every part of the Program can be tied to what has been learned from previous accidents and incidents.

• Each year, our Technical Advisory Committee will review the preceding 12 months of data to determine if and how the BAR Standard can be improved.
• Any changes to the BAR Standard are incorporated into revised editions.

• The BARS Audit process was developed by the BARS Program Office Team in consultation with the Technical Advisory Committee.
• The BARS Program Office Team evaluated the leading audit programs around the world, consolidated the best elements of these and tailored them to the Standard.

• The aircraft operator selects a registered BARS audit company.
• These two entities enter into a three-way agreement with the BARS Program Office that outlines the terms and conditions, price, and code of conduct for the audit (called the “Audit Agreement”).
• Once the audit fees have been paid to the BARS Program Office, the BARS Audit commences and an initial audit report is produced. Any issues identified at this stage can then be addressed before the issuance of the final audit report.
• The agreement allows the BARS Program Office to release the report on BARSoft for viewing by BARS Member Organizations once the quality control process has been completed.

The Audit Agreement between the BARS Program Office, the Audit Company and the Aircraft Operator provides:

• A clear framework for the Aircraft Operator and the Audit Company to work within.
• An independent dispute resolution process.
• A fixed pricing schedule for BARS Audits.
• A truly independent third-party audit of the Operator for BARS Member Organizations.
• The ability for the BARS Program Office to maintain audit quality control.

• We thoroughly assess our Auditors to make sure they meet our stringent experience and qualification requirements.
• BARS Auditors also have to complete the BARS Auditor Accreditation Training and need to pass a final examination.

• Individual auditors conducting BARS Audits must be accredited by the BARS Program Office.
• BARS Accredited Auditors must conduct BARS audits under the umbrella of an Audit Company that is formally registered with the BARS Program Office (a “Registered BARS Audit Company”).
• BARS Auditors undergo recurrent training and evaluation.

• If they wish to join, audit companies must contact the BARS Program Office, meet the requirements to become a BARS Accredited Audit Company, and pay the registration fee.

• Agreeing to conduct BARS Audits according to the terms and conditions set by the BARS Program Office.
• Meeting our requirements, such as presenting proof of professional indemnity insurance held by the company, documentation outlining ownership shareholding and governance provisions, business registration documentation etc.

• BARS Aircraft/Helicopter Operator Audit: 2 days.
• BARS RPAS Operator Audit: 1-2 days.

• Operators choose their Audit Company from the list of BARS accredited audit companies. This list can be found on our website and on our online platform BARSoft.

• The Operators own their Audit Reports as they paid for it.
• However, the data will in any case be released and made accessible for the BARS Member Organizations on BARSoft.

• Aircraft Operators will need to pay the BARS Program Office upfront before an Audit is initiated. From this fee, the BARS Program Office pays the Audit Company as the Audit is progressed and finalized.
• It is expected that Aircraft Operators pass on the Audit costs to their BARS Member Organization clients in an appropriate way which may include, for example, increases to standing charges or in flying hour rates.

• The expectation is that Aircraft Operators will spread the BARS Audit costs amongst their resource company clients who want them to be registered. Some simply choose to bear the cost themselves in recognition of the commercial benefit of having completed a BARS audit.
• If an aircraft operator makes a commercial decision to become BARS Registered without a direct request from a resource company, that Aircraft Operator would bear the audit cost.

• The fixed fee that will be paid by the Aircraft Operator to the BARS Program Office is to ensure that quality is not compromised by Auditors reducing the resources devoted to BARS Audits.
• The importance of this point was learned from the International Air Transport Association’s experience with its IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) program.

• The reports will be made available to BARS Member Organizations via our online portal BARSoft following completion of the Quality Check process between the Audit Company and the BARS Program Office.

• The tripartite agreement, signed by the Aircraft Operator, authorizes the release of the report by the BARS Program Office onto BARSoft at the conclusion of the Quality Check process.
• Only BARS Member Organizations will be able to see Audit reports. They are required to treat them in confidence.
• Aircraft Operators will not have access to reports other than their own.

• Any audit-related disputes can be taken to the BARS Program Office to be dealt under the Audit Agreement dispute resolution process.

• The resources companies are required to sign a “BARS Member Organization Agreement” with the BARS Program Office.
• The Accredited Auditors are required to sign an “Auditor Accreditation Agreement” with the BARS Program Office.
• The Registered Audit Company is required to sign a “Service Agreement” with the BARS Program Office.
• The Aircraft Operator and Registered Audit Company are required to sign an “Audit Agreement” with the BARS Program Office for each individual BARS Audit.

There are three levels of findings:

• Priority 1: A significant finding that is a safety issue and needs to be closed within 30 days of the audit closing meeting.
• Priority 2: Findings that will need to be closed within 90 days of publication of the audit report. Variations to the closing date may be accommodated where it is not possible to close the finding within the 90-day time frame. This is to be agreed upon with the lead auditor with oversight by the BARS Program Office.
• Priority 3: These findings are no direct safety concerns but opportunities for improvement, identified based on best industry practice and/or related to other support available from the BARS Program. An Aircraft Operator is encouraged to take action but has no obligation to close a Priority 3 finding.

• As with all BARS Audit findings, the Aircraft Operator will work with the Auditor. In most instances, this will be possible from a distance. However, there may be occasions when a re-audit is required.
• A Priority 1 finding cannot be closed and BARS Registration cannot be issued until the Lead Auditor has confirmed to the BARS Program Office that the finding has been resolved.

• All BARS Member Organizations are free to use any aircraft operator. However, if an Aircraft Operator has undergone a BARS Audit, the company will have a clear picture of the safety standards achieved by that Operator and of his ability to comply with the BARS Standard.
• The risk-based format of the BARS Program assists companies in their risk assessment and mitigation activity in such a circumstance.

• It is recommended to download the relevant audit checklist and self-assess audit readiness.
• After registering in our online portal BARSoft and creating an audit, an audit checklist is automatically produced.

• No. Operators are “registered” in the BARS Program. The Program does not provide either “accreditation” or “certification” for Aircraft Operators.
• Whilst Aircraft Operators may be recognized as having undergone a BARS Audit, this does not infer that any conclusion can be drawn as to the Aircraft Operator risk profile. This may only be determined in part through a review of the Audit Report.

• Yes! You can tap on a huge market by getting BARS Accredited.
• With one single audit model, a common structure is in place to standardize the process across many audits.
• Accreditation as a BARS Auditor means that you are a part of a select pool of individuals who are able to conduct these audits.

• Yes, in the commercial airline industry.
• The IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) Program is an internationally recognized and accepted evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline.

• Simply because it helps avoid incidents and accidents and thus helps save lives!
• The Flight Safety Foundation’s data capture program gives all our Members a great tool to avoid accidents by enabling better identification of accident indicators and establishing controls to manage them.
• Analysis of accidents in the commercial airline industry – which, along with the oil and gas sector, for many years has had formal data collection processes in place and now has mature data sets – shows that for every accident there were pre-accident indicators that signaled a higher risk of having an accident.

• Flight hours
• Flight sectors
• Passengers carried
• Accident and serious incident information

• Sharing of lessons learned increases awareness of risks amongst BARS Member Organizations and will also be shared amongst BARS Aircraft Operators.
• It results in data-driven decisions that enable the facts-based progression of the BAR Standard, as all of the learning will be fed back into the BARS Program and its Training Programs.