Plane Conversations

Part 1 in a Series on Safety Management Systems for Business Aviation Operators

There has been a lot of discussion among business aviation operators and support organizations about Safety Management Systems. Much of the discussion laments the additional regulatory requirements that are coming down the pike for already highly regulated business aircraft operators. The question being asked is: do more regulations and formal safety management system requirements make an operation safer?

Many posit that there is already a strong safety culture among operators of business aircraft and requiring a manual system to formalize the culture of safety adds no value and only creates expense and more work.

A recent article in AIN Online by Chad Trautvetter says the following:

ARG/US Endorses IS-BAO as Charter Audit Standard
Aviation Research Group/US (ARG/US) is endorsing the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) as the one standard that all operators of business jets around the world would be measured by and audited against. According to ARG/US CEO Joe Moeggenberg, The charter community has endured multiple standards and audits for many years, translating into significant time and expense. With one universally accepted standard, the burden of time and money would be reduced and charter customers would be provided with one standard of safety assurance covering all operators. He said that if the industry does not take this opportunity to make IS-BAO along with its safety management system (SMS) component the world standard, then each governmental aviation body could offer myriad alternatives or options for demonstrating SMS compliance. Under ICAO requirements, an SMS will be required for all operators of jet aircraft with an mtow of more than 12,500 pounds by November 10 next year. ICAO, IBAC, NBAA and its sister organizations are all behind IS-BAO, and some countries have already recognized IS-BAO as a means of compliance for various registration or operational related requirements such as SMS. ARG/US said it has modified the standards contained in its Platinum audit to be consistent with IS-BAO.

Over the years our business has seen an increasing burden of compliance with FAA regulatory requirements. It would be easy to become frustrated with this burden and to conclude that more regulation only leads to increased paperwork and the increased human resource costs that go along with it - all without any real benefit. I can understand how operators can think in this direction.

However I will say this: It has come increasingly clear to me that the problem may not be the regulations and requirements for implementation of SMS, but the lack of consistent interpretation and enforcement. Ask more than two FAA officials or industry audit groups to tell you how to comply with a regulation or required program and you will get as many differing answers as the number of experts you ask.  If Joe Moeggenberg’s statements are correct and IS-BAO could be the one standard by which all safety systems are measured, then I am for it.

It would be great if the FAA and its counterparts around the world could agree to standard safety practices and a uniform system of measuring and documenting that safety standard.  Let’s not look at the rest of the world, it would be great if United States governmental organizations could agree amongst themselves! Most days we can’t even get the FAA to agree with itself over the standard. What should be standardized and produce a standard level of safety among all charter operators is not working. The Department of Defense (DoD) recognized this over 20 years ago and created their own audit teams to inspect airlines and charter operators interested in flying DoD personnel. Being FAA certified was not good enough for the DoD because they recognized that two operators certified under the same rules could have vastly different standards when it comes to safe operations!

The lack of agreement between the powers that regulate business and commercial aviation both in the US and around the world does not serve as an excuse for everyone who operates business jet aircraft to operate at less than the highest level of safety. As frustrating as it is, the need is there to have a Safety Management System for operators of business aircraft in our industry. Everyone has an opinion about what constitutes safe operational practices and not all opinions are created equal. Operating at the highest level of safety by employing “best practices” can bring only good to all the stakeholders in our industry.

Click on pen to