Safety Management Systems in Aviation

Although aviation is among the safest modes of transportation in the world today, accidents still happen. In order to further reduce accidents and improve safety, proactive approaches must be adopted by the aviation community. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has mandated that all of its member states implement Safety Management System (SMS) programs in their aviation industries. While some countries (the United States, Australia, Canada, members of the European Union and New Zealand, for example) have been engaged in SMS for a few years, it is still non-existent in many other countries. This unique and comprehensive book has been designed as a textbook for the student of aviation safety, and as an invaluable reference tool for the SMS practitioner in any segment of aviation. It discusses the quality management underpinnings of SMS, the four components, risk management, reliability engineering, SMS implementation, and the scientific rigor that must be designed into proactive safety. The authors introduce a hypothetical airline-oriented safety scenario at the beginning of the book and conclude it at the end, engaging the reader and adding interest to the text. To enhance the practical application of the material, the book also features numerous SMS in Practice commentaries by some of the most respected names in aviation safety. In this second edition of Safety Management Systems in Aviation, the authors have extensively updated relevant sections to reflect developments since the original book of 2008. New sections include: a brief history of FAA initiatives to establish SMS, data-driven safety studies, developing a system description, SMS in a flight school, and measuring SMS effectiveness.

Alan J. Stolzer, Ph.D., FRAeS is Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, and Professor and Chair of Doctoral Studies in the College of Aviation at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida, USA. He holds a Ph.D. in Quality Systems from Indiana State University, and several professional certifications: Quality Engineer, Quality Manager, and Quality Auditor from the American Society for Quality; Project Management Professional from the Project Management Institute; Airline Transport Pilot, Flight Instructor with Instrument and Multi-Engine Ratings, and Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic from the Federal Aviation Administration. Dr. Stolzer has several thousand hours in more than 40 makes and models of fixed-wing aircraft. His research interests include safety, quality, flight operations quality assurance, safety management systems, and emergency preparedness. He is a prolific author and has been awarded and managed numerous grants and contracted training programs. Dr. Stolzer is involved in academic accreditation activities and has served as an expert witness and legal consultant on aviation accidents. John J. Goglia is an active consultant, author, and educator in the field of transportation safety. Mr. Goglia served as a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board from August 1995 to June 2004 and was the first Board Member to hold an FAA aircraft mechanic's certificate. As a Board Member, Mr. Goglia distinguished himself in numerous areas of transportation safety. In particular, he was instrumental in raising awareness of airport safety issues, including the importance of airport crash fire and rescue operations and the dangers of wildlife at airports, and played a key role in focusing international attention on the increasing significance of aircraft maintenance in aviation accidents. Mr. Goglia has been recognized many times for his contribution to aviation safety; awarding bodies include the National Air Disaster Alliance, Aviation Week and Space Technology, The Society of Automotive Engineers and the Air Transport Association (ATA). He currently serves on a number of Boards, including the Aviation Technical Training College in Singapore, and advises a number of organizations, including the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association. He is also a Senior Vice President with JDA Aviation Technology Solutions, consulting on transportation and safety issues.