Articles

Maintenance organizations are now required to implement a Safety Management System (SMS) in Europe — and other regions will likely follow suit. TrustFlight spoke with its in-house experts and others to identify five pain points related to SMS for maintenance organizations, and potential solutions.

It’s a culture shock, no doubt. In the minds of many leaders of maintenance organizations, implementation of a safety management system (SMS) for a maintenance organization was “something the regulatory authorities always just talked about”. But, it’s here, and initially, in Europe. As of December 2022, Part 145 maintenance organizations regulated by EASA are required to implement an SMS. “There’s a transition period leading to December 2024, but the feeling in the industry is that it’s time to get started”, said Andy Wilkinson, of TrustFlight.

For decades, business jet operators have managed their minimum equipment lists (MELs) manually — even ones extending to 1,000 pages or more. And often, they rely on lengthy Microsoft Word documents to edit MELs and Excel spreadsheets to track revisions. (Every first officer will recognize the pain, as it’s a duty often left for them.) If your business jet operation still relies on tools for MEL creation such as Microsoft Word, there’s a much more efficient solution.

Aircraft Minimum Equipment List (MEL) management and use plays a critical role in the safety and operational efficiency of an airline or business jet operator. Efficient use of the MEL allows for operational flexibility, but they also expose an operation to more risk — the airline or business jet operator is flying with inoperative defects unresolved. Today, the vast majority of operators use an iPad, displaying the PDF output of the MEL. And while this is an improvement on the paper-based MELs of years past, the MEL is being digitized as a software product coupled with a digital workflow, with benefits for operational safety, efficiency and costs. TrustFlight has developed a product called MEL Manager to address this potential and ease pain points.

Following the recent FAA ruling, airports meeting certain criteria MUST implement an organization-wide safety management system (SMS). While meeting regulatory requirements is important, it should not be the end goal of implementing a safety system. With the right SMS, you can not only stay compliant but also enhance your safety culture, reduce risk, and improve the overall safety performance of your airport.

Airlines and business jet operators alike often weigh investment decisions related to aviation-related digital software and technology. Large operators may have internal software teams with hundreds of employees working on various projects, ranging from consumer-facing eCommerce solutions to rudimentary electronic tech logs and everything in between. Indeed, these development teams are established, competent in-house tech firms in their own right.

When an aircraft is on the ground, time is everything. Can data coupled with processes rewind the clock?

If you’re operating an aircraft or fleet under Part-91 in the US, there’s a good chance you’re not using any kind of aircraft maintenance or flight log. The regulations don’t require one to be maintained, so why should you? Isn’t it just another unnecessary process?

Within every sector of the aviation industry, a comprehensive and robust safety culture is vital, but ensuring you have the right system in place can be what makes your organization stand out from the competition when it comes to SMS. When it comes to safety, Centrik understands the importance of leading from the front. Acutely aware of how challenging it is to find the right SMS, the experienced team at Centrik...

Thales, a global technology leader has selected Centrik to manage the operational development of its Maritime Autonomous Systems (MAS) programme at its UK Maritime Autonomy Centre, Turnchapel Wharf in Plymouth.