How to Create Your Safety Management System (SMS)
1. Learn about Aviation Safety Management Systems
After gaining top management support for SMS implementation, the first step to starting a new aviation SMS is to educate yourself! Familiarize yourself with basic terms and possess a general sense of what an SMS is before you get started.
This step will save considerable time and energy as it may reduce the number of times required to re-work required elements.
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2. Perform a Gap Analysis (super important!)
Once you’ve learned the basics, you should perform a gap analysis to identify:
- "What you have already to support your SMS;" and
- "What you need to achieve compliance."
Performing a gap analysis also helps you understand aviation SMS requirements.
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3. Create an Implementation Plan
When your gap analysis is complete, analyze your "gaps" and create your SMS implementation plan. The implementation plan presents the steps and timeline required to implement your SMS.Implementation plans serve as a communication tool to management so your team can see progress to your SMS implementation goals.
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