The new Safety Management System (SMS) requirement under 14 CFR Part 5 represents a landmark shift for the air charter industry, bringing increased accountability and a commitment to proactive safety measures. At the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF), we recognize that this change demands a cultural transformation within the industry, especially around self-reporting. This is addressed in this article “Risk at the Center of Regulatory Revisions” from the Aviation Business Journal.
“The implementation of an SMS will be one of the biggest challenges the air charter industry is facing due to its self-reporting feature,” said Barry Lambert, Executive Vice-President, Charter, Maintenance, and Aircraft Sales, at Southern Sky Aviation in Birmingham, Alabama. “That will mean a cultural change, because a lot of people will need to be convinced that they will have to report their own mistakes without fear of job loss or reprisals,”
Southern Sky Aviation and Hopscotch Air, supported by our Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) reporting tool, exemplify the potential to embrace this new landscape by prioritizing transparency and safety over concerns of reprisal. For many in the industry, adapting to this SMS culture means fostering an environment where safety issues are openly reported and addressed for the collective benefit of operators and passengers alike.
The broader focus on compliance, security, and enforcement by federal agencies signifies a renewed commitment to raising the safety bar across the board. From managing the influx of new private aviation customers to addressing the complexities of illegal charters, regulatory bodies are navigating the balance between promoting growth in the charter sector and ensuring safe operations. As more operators integrate SMS processes, the industry takes a significant step forward, embedding risk management into daily operations to ultimately enhance passenger and crew safety.
At ACSF, we’re proud to support operators on this journey by providing tools like IAS Lite and MAP to assist with compliance and encourage best practices. In this dynamic environment, the air charter industry has an opportunity to strengthen its reputation, ensuring that safety and compliance are pillars of growth and service. Embracing SMS is about more than meeting a regulatory mandate—it’s about building a safety-first culture for the future of aviation.
