Implementing a Safety Management System In A Small Scale Flight Test Operation...and how to keep it alive and well

Abstract

Abstract The recent European legislation demands the implementation of a safety management system for most flight operations. The theories of safety management and the according systems are widely available. However, even though the term and associated research and development concerned with the issue exist since the late 1980's, SMS is still a niche discipline and not known to the wider public. The EU's legislation forces the implementation of a SMS on flight ops and also flight test ops. The brief presentation will show how SMS can be implemented even for small flight test ops and focuses on the challenges that arise from the type of operation. It also tries to point out how not only to set-up the SMS, but which means are necessary to get it running. Additionally the presentation will try to point out some challenges of how to keep the system going.