Operator Newsletter – 5/12
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The Numbers
As of 1 May 2012 there were 646 registrants:
Noteworthy: One-third of registrants now have productive SMSs, i.e. they have progressed beyond the formative stage of the program. |
New Policies/Bulletins Three new policies effective 15 March 2012 have been released: Policy 2012-02, Auditor Currency Requirements
Policy 2012-3, SMS Progress Requirements for Operators Also, note IBAC-Bulletin-12-03.pdf and IBAC-Bulletin-12-04.pdf |
Knowledge of Current IS-BAO Content The IS-BAO standard receives a major update every January and is constantly revised through policy statements like those shown above. Because the standard is constantly changing you may not be aware of some of the changes, items that may be significant for your operation. While this changing information is all available at www.ibac.org/is-bao it may be difficult for you to appreciate the big picture of the changes. However, the Introduction to IS-BAO workshop is designed to familiarize both newcomers to the program as well as those already registered with its features. If you or a member of your department have not been through this workshop in the recent past this is a means for either familiarizing them or refamiliarizing them or yourself with the program. See the IS-BAO Workshop schedule. |
Small Flight Departments Benefit from IS-BAO Conversations with a number of small flight departments indicate that they have shied away from taking committing to implement IS-BAO for their flight department. Reasons for not doing so range from “We are so small we don’t need it” to “IS-BAO is too complex and difficult for a single-aircraft operation.” The truth is that all flight departments will benefit from implementing IS-BAO and implementation doesn’t have to be too onerous if taken one step at a time using IS-BAO supplied materials. For instance, Appendix A of the IS-BAO standard contains an easy to use supplement for single-pilot operations, which normally contains fewer resources than a two or three-person department. Additionally, a special single pilot generic company operations manual (GCOM) is supplied with the standard when downloaded. These two items will make it clear that the scalable and common sense approaches provided make it possible for a small department to reap the benefits of IS-BAO.So, don’t hesitate to take the plunge; implementing IS-BAO will change your aeronautical life for the better. |
3.2.3a – Safety Performance Monitoring and Measurement ” The organization shall develop and maintain the means to verify the safety performance … shall be verified in reference to the safety performance indicators and safety performance targets of the SMS.”Operators should generate a set of measurement tools to verify performance. The secret to this one is to set measurable targets/goals. Unfortunately, many SMS goals contain few, if any, means of quantifying progress toward goals. For example, a safety goal to reduce overall risk to its lowest possible level is not measurable unless quantified. A more realistic safety goal may be to — reduce risk to its lowest possible level by:
This is based on and validated by the management axiom: if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it. |
Multiple Minor Non-Conformities Add Up to Significant Consequences The majority of audits received are now are for the advanced stages. These require evidence of performance, not just having a system in place designed to prepare an operator for conformance. A number of audits describe varying levels of performance but also describe relatively high levels of basic oversights and non-conformities that should have been accomplished at stage 1.If an operator has been operating under IS-BAO for two years yet all personnel have not attended required training courses, safety communication is lacking, SOP are not universally used and/or key standards and limitations are missing from the operations manual, it is hard to believe that safety management is actively targeted and safety risks are being effectively managed. Taken alone these non-conformities are bad enough but together they indicate a pattern that indicates a lack of SMS conformance and effectiveness. |
Sampling Advanced stage audits concentrate on SMS performance but not to the exclusion of the remainder of the IS-BAO standards. The percentage guidelines for emphasis on program effectiveness shown in APM 5.4 are not intended to exclude the necessity of ensuring conformance to all standards. APM 4.2.3 provides guidance in this issue. Checking the program basics, especially performance of essential items, is a required subset of the audit designed to ensure the program fundamentals leading to SMS conformance are indeed in place and working correctly. |
Bits and Pieces
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Reminders
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When was the last time you submitted a hazard report?
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International Business Aviation Council www.ibac.org + 1 514 954 8054 |