Safety Performance Indicators
Develop and apply a comprehensive SPI framework
BOOK NOWIN-COMPANY REQUEST
1 day course
£450 GBP
Classroom, Online & In-company
London Gatwick
UK & Online: 09:00-17:00
Course Overview
Aligned with ICAO Annex 19, this course provides aviation professionals with the knowledge and practical skills to design, implement, and manage Safety Performance Indicators that reflect their organisation’s operational context and safety objectives.
Participants will:
- Develop a robust SPI framework tailored to their operational environment.
- Understand the role of SPIs in supporting Safety Management Systems (SMS).
- Learn to identify and apply both leading and lagging indicators.
- Use SPIs to measure safety risk control effectiveness and trigger safety actions.
- Explore how SPIs contribute to continuous safety improvement and regulatory compliance.
This course bridges the gap between safety theory and operational practice, offering tools and insights that support data-driven decision-making and strategic safety oversight.
- Covers the principles of Safety Performance Indicators
- Learn how to apply governance to your SPIs
- Understand what an auditor is looking for in a suite of SPIs
Understanding Safety Performance Indicators (SPIs)
Safety Performance Indicators (SPIs) are essential tools used by aviation safety intelligence teams across National Aviation Authorities and industry organisations to monitor, evaluate, and enhance safety performance. A well-structured SPI framework enables strategic alignment of safety initiatives, prioritisation of safety actions, and effective monitoring of risk mitigation efforts.
The ICAO Safety Intelligence Manual (Doc 10159) defines SPIs as:
“A metric used to measure and monitor a State or a service provider’s safety performance, including the progress towards achieving a safety objective.”
This course is designed for:
- Safety Managers
- Compliance Officers
- Safety Data Analysts
- Regulators
- SMS Assessors
- Professionals involved in Safety Intelligence, Safety Risk Management, or oversight of safety performance
Whether you’re generating safety intelligence, managing risk, or overseeing SMS implementation, this course will enhance your ability to leverage SPIs for measurable safety outcomes
Key Topics Include:
- Understanding the benefits of SPIs and relevant ICAO, EASA and UK guidance
- Types of SPIs: Defining and applying leading and lagging indicators
- Creating SPIs: Identifying data sources, roles and responsibilities, implementation, and monitoring
- Oversight considerations: Ensuring SPIs are appropriate, active, and effective during audits or inspections
- Techniques for cataloguing, tracking, and improving SPIs over time
By the end of this course, delegates will be able to:
- Explain the importance of governance in the development and oversight of SPIs
- Define and assign appropriate roles and responsibilities for SPI development and maintenance
- Distinguish between different types of Safety Performance Indicators (leading vs lagging)
- Identify and evaluate appropriate data sources for SPI creation
- Apply basic statistical techniques to interpret SPI data
- Define and apply the concept of Acceptable Level of Safety Performance (ALoSP)
- Effectively present SPIs to support decision-making and oversight
- Recognise the characteristics of a well-constructed SPI
- Describe the key elements oversight bodies look for in an SPI framework
Additionally, through practical exercises and group discussions, delegates will gain an applied understanding of the principles involved in identifying, maintaining, and monitoring SPIs to support their organisation’s Safety Management System (SMS) or Safety Risk Management processes.
A background in aviation or analysis would be an advantage or basic knowledge of Safety Management Systems.
The course is supported with pre-course documentation.
Meet your Instructors
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
We offer two different ways to attend this course:
- Face-to-Face Classroom Course: Embrace the traditional learning method by attending our physical training venue. Benefit from direct interaction with our instructors and fellow participants, creating an immersive and hands-on learning experience. To book a classroom course, please check the booking table at the top of this page and select your preferred training venue location.
- Instructor-Led Virtual Course: Enjoy the flexibility of attending this training remotely from your home or office with our live virtual course. 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.
Please note that course durations may vary slightly between our face-to-face and virtual deliveries. Please refer to the start and end date of your chosen course.
Our goal is to offer flexible, effective and convenient course delivery methods that suit your preferences and learning needs. Please choose the option that works best for you!
If you can’t see a classroom or virtual option, 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.
In-company delivery
We can also tailor this training course to suit your organisation’s training requirements. These bespoke training packages can be delivered at your organisation’s location – almost anywhere, worldwide. Please Contact us for more information and to discuss your requirements.
VAT information
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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
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