FAA FINAL SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM RULE FOR U.S. AIR CARRIERS ISSUED
February 9, 2015
On January 7, 2015, the FAA issued a final rule which requires most U.S. commercial airlines to implement a Safety Management System (SMS) by 2018. The rule builds on programs already in use by carriers to identify and reduce aviation risk.
The FAA defines SMS as the “formal, top-down, organization-wide approach to managing safety risk and assuring the effectiveness of safety risk controls.” It provides airlines with processes and tools to analyze data from daily operations, identify potential precursors to accidents, take measures to mitigate the risk and verify the program is effective.
The rule requires airlines to submit an implementation plan to the FAA within six months and implement a safety management system within three years. The rule also requires a single executive to oversee the SMS. The SMS defines “what” is expected rather than “how” the requirement is to be met. This approach permits each carrier to design a system that fits their organization. The SMS does not replace regular FAA oversight to ensure compliance with regulations.
If you have any questions, please contact Evelyn Sahr (esahr@eckertseamans.com, 202-659-6622) or Drew Derco (dderco@eckertseamans.com, 202-659-6665).