Starting a Safety Management System Culture in Small Flight School Organizations

Author(s)

Gregory S. Woo, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - PhD Candidate, College of AviationFollow

Volume

24

Issue

3

Key words

SMS, implementing SMS, flight school, safety, safety management, culture, organizational change, resistance, aviation, training

Abstract

Small flight school organizations have unique cultures and challenges which are very different from larger air carrier and air charter organizations. In the modern, increasingly complex aviation environment, the rapid rate of evolution and change in technology, regulations, and operational considerations is driving aviation service providers to adopt the use of Safety Management Systems (SMS). A strong safety-oriented culture is needed to support the implementation of an SMS, however. This article studies the prerequisite safety culture challenge for small flight school organizations and makes recommendations on effective first steps for getting started with an SMS implementation initiative.

First Page

1

Last Page

32

Scholarly Commons Citation

Woo, G. S. (2015). Starting a Safety Management System Culture in Small Flight School Organizations. Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research, 24(3). DOI: https://doi.org/10.15394/jaaer.2015.1631