Safety Management Systems

7 Pages 1803 Words

SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS


ABSTRACT:

Author:
Title: Safety Management Systems
Institution:
Year: 2005


This paper briefly describes the Safety Management Systems (SMS) recently mandated by Transport Canada for all Canadian Airlines. The paper first summarizes where the program originated and the events that led to its inception. The paper then reviews the components and key elements of SMS. Finally the paper concludes by observing the benefits and obstacles to implementing SMS.

SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (SMS); WHERE IT COMES FROM:
On August 24, 2001 Air Transat flight 236 was in route from Toronto, Canada to Lisbon, Portugal when the crew noticed a fuel imbalance. Within minutes the crew initiated a diversion to Terceira Island in the Azores due to a fuel shortage. Approximately 25 minutes after the initial diversion the right engine flamed out and just 13 minutes after that the left engine flamed out, both due to fuel exhaustion. With the assistance of Air Traffic Control (ATC) the crew flew the Airbus A-330 without power from an altitude of 34,500 feet and a distance of 65 nautical miles to a successful landing at the Lajes Airport, Terceira Island in the Azores. The aircraft suffered substantial damage and 16 passengers and 2 crew members were injured during the ensuing evacuation.
Transport Canada and Air Transat did not wait for the final accident report, which took more than three years, to be published before taking action. In order to salvage their Extended Range Twin Operation (ETOPS) certificate, and their airline, Air Transat needed to make some changes. Transport Canada was in the process of developing Safety Management System (SMS) regulation and as a result of this incident, Air Transat would become the first airline in Canada to implement SMS.
The Canadian Aviation Regulations (CAR) defines SMS as “a systematic, explicit comprehensive and proactive process for managing risks that integrat...