Implementing and Operating Safety Management Systems in Aviation (US organizations)
Prepare for SMS compliance with confidence
BOOK NOWIN-COMPANY REQUEST
3 day course
£980 GBP excl. VAT
Online
Online only
16:00-21:00 UK time
Course Overview
Organizations in the aviation industry are required to have a Safety Management System in accordance with ICAO Annex 19. But what is SMS in practice, and how does it work?
This course introduces SMS, based on ICAO Annex 19 Standards and Recommended Practices and guidance on implementation as set out in ICAO Doc 9859 and included in FAA mandatory SMS regulations and specific implementation rules under 14 CFR Part 5 and organizations certified under Part 21, 91.147, 121, 135 and 139. Upon completing the course, you will acquire the skills necessary to develop, implement, and maintain a fully functional SMS. This equips organizations with the knowledge needed to plan and support SMS implementation in preparation for key deadlines to ensure compliance declarations are successfully completed.
The course draws on the ICAO Annex 19 SMS Framework, FAA Safety Management Rules, and SMS Guidance Material, along with experiences and observations from the UK CAA’s current oversight activities. It combines presentations, group discussions, and practical exercises – facilitated and delivered by experienced UK CAA safety management experts.
- Tailored for U.S. organizations, aligned with FAA standards
- Gain insights into the Safety Management Systems journey
- Master the principles of SMS, its benefits and challenges
- Learn to develop, implement, and maintain an ICAO-compliant SMS
This course is delivered in daily 5-hour sessions over three days. Each day, sessions begin at:
4pm / UTC +0
11am EST / UTC -5
10am CST / UTC -6
9am MST / UTC -7
8am PST / UTC -8
Choose Your Course Date
| Start Date | End Date | Venue | Price (Excl. VAT) | Availability | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18/03/2025 | 20/03/2025 | Online | £980.00 | More than 5 places | Book |
The UK’s journey to implementing Safety Management Systems (SMS) began in 2009 when the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) introduced SMS requirements under Annex 6, later consolidated in Annex 19, which came into effect in 2013. The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) incorporated SMS into its regulatory framework to enhance safety oversight and risk management across the aviation sector, aligning with Annex 19’s global standards. Over the next decade, the CAA collaborated with industry stakeholders to ensure compliance, provided guidance on SMS implementation, and established safety performance monitoring for continuous improvement.
To date, CAAi as the training arm of the UK CAA, has trained thousands of aviation organizations worldwide in enhanced Safety Management procedures, practices, and processes to ensure compliance with ICAO requirements.
This course is suitable for individuals working in the aviation industry who require an introduction to safety management systems to fulfil their role in contributing to safety.
This would include members of the management responsible for the development, implementation and maintenance of SMS and any supporting staff.
This training course will include the following topics:
- Overview of SMS
- Requirements for implementing, developing and maintaining an SMS
- The SMS regulatory framework – ICAO Annex 19 & Doc 9859, FAA Part 5 SMS regulations
- Safety policy and objectives
- Safety risk management
- Safety assurance
- Safety promotion
- Creating a positive safety culture
- Practical tools to actively engage in your SMS
By the end of this course, delegates will be able to:
- Understand the ICAO and FAA safety management regulatory framework and how to apply these policies and principles into their working environment
- Recognize the value of an organization having an SMS in place and the possible legal implications of non-compliance
- Appreciate the importance of a positive safety culture
- Understand the importance of meaningful hazard identification and risk assessment as essential components for improving safety levels.
Participants should be familiar with the aviation environment in the context of safety.
Meet your Instructors
Simon Roberts
Leading on Aviation Safety
Safety Management Systems – Introduction
Safety Management Systems – Principles and Applications
Safety Management (Advanced) – Evaluating Effectiveness
Safety Management Systems – Small Organisations
Just Culture for the Team
Just Culture for Responsible Managers
Root Cause Analysis
Simon has 40 years aviation experience working with airlines and aviation maintenance organisations. He has been working over 21 years for the UK CAA and during last 9 years he was responsible for the Safety Management System (SMS) policy and strategy across the UK CAA. He has led international projects for SMS and State Safety Programs (SSP) working with ICAO, EASA and other regulators. Simon is also a maintenance Human Factors specialist and co-chairs the EASA Human Factors Collaborative Analysis Group (CAG). Using his extensive experience, Simon has been instructing SMS and SSP training worldwide.
John Thomson
Implementing and Operating Safety Management Systems in Aviation
John Thomson is a highly respected aviation safety expert with over 30 years of experience spanning civil and military aviation. As a Senior Technical Advisor specialising in Safety Management for the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority International (CAAi), John brings a wealth of expertise from his previous roles, including:
• State Safety Programme Lead: Responsible for overseeing the UK National Aviation Safety Plan, ensuring compliance with ICAO Annex 19, the Global Aviation Safety Plan, and regional frameworks.
• Safety Assurance Specialist: Conducting internal reviews, fostering a learning culture, and analysing non-aviation accidents to derive lessons for the aviation industry.
• Safety Intelligence Manager: Leading a multidisciplinary team of intelligence analysts, ATS investigators, and transcription specialists to enhance safety outcomes through actionable intelligence.
John is a prominent figure on international aviation platforms. He represents the UK on the ICAO Safety Management Panel, the Global Aviation Safety Plan Study Group, and serves as Co-Chair of the ICAO European Regional Expert Safety Group. His contributions have helped shape global safety practices and foster international collaboration.
As a technical innovator, John has specialised in the lifecycle development of Big Data tools, utilising advanced technologies such as automation, robotics, and machine learning to enhance Safety Data Collection and Processing Systems (SDCPSs). He is also pioneering the use of virtual reality to visualise and simplify complex models, creating intuitive ways to improve understanding and decision-making.
With a distinguished career in the Royal Air Force and the Military Aviation Authority, John has developed and managed Safety Management Systems that facilitate collaboration and learning across diverse and dispersed teams.
Additional Information
Course delivery methods
This course can only be attended virtually online. At present, this course is not delivered in person at one of our training venues.
- Instructor-Led Virtual Course: With our live virtual course, you can attend this training remotely from your home or office. Engage in interactive learning from anywhere in the world. We deliver our virtual courses via Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Webex. Once your booking is confirmed, we will notify you of the platform on which your selected course will be hosted. To attend this course virtually, look for the ‘online’ venue option in the booking table above.
If you can’t see an upcoming course date, we likely haven’t released the next set of dates. Please get in touch to find out when we’ll announce the new dates, and we’ll be sure to keep you informed once they are available or even add you to our waiting list.
Further reading
eCFR :: 14 CFR Part 5 — Safety Management Systems (FAR Part 5)
This document outlines the FAA’s Safety Management System (SMS) requirements for certain aviation operators. It details the framework for SMS implementation, including Safety Policy, Safety Risk Management, Safety Assurance, and Safety Promotion. This part establishes standards for aviation organizations to proactively identify, analyze, and mitigate safety risks, helping align operations with FAA safety objectives.
UK CAA CAP 795 Safety Management Systems (SMS) Guidance for Organisations
This document provides guidance on the implementation of Safety Management Systems (SMS). It has been developed to give sufficient understanding of SMS concepts to implement and maintain an effective SMS that meets the requirements of ICAO Annex 19.
In-company delivery
We can also tailor this training course to suit your organization’s training requirements. These bespoke training packages can be delivered at your organization’s location – almost anywhere, worldwide. Please Contact us for more information and to discuss your requirements.
VAT information
Please ensure you have your company VAT number available when booking. For additional information regarding VAT please click here.
FAQs
To help make your decision about booking training with CAAi, we have put together a list of frequently asked questions.
If your question isn’t answered, please get in touch and speak to a member of our training team.
Questions and Answers
Course Reviews
See what participants are saying about our Safety Management Training training. While reviews for our new US-specific course are yet to come, these impartial reviews highlight the standard and impact of our SMS courses, trusted by thousands of aviation professionals worldwide.
Other courses you might be interested in
SMS for Managers – Leading on Aviation Safety
Senior managers have a vital role to play in safety management. Although senior managers may not be directly involved with an organization’s Safety Management System (SMS), without the full support of senior management filtering down from the top, an organization may not be able to deliver the value and benefits of an effective SMS.
Auditing in Aviation
Our Auditing in Aviation course will provide an understanding of the audit cycle, practical skills, and techniques for conducting aviation audits and for ensuring that the audits will enhance safety and organizational effectiveness. It will look at the complete audit cycle from initial planning to final closure and include discussion on the practicalities with respect to the handling of audit findings.
Let’s talk
If you’d like to speak with us about your training requirements,
our friendly team are here to help.
