SMS Support options

Getting your SMS professionally planned, implemented and fully integrated into your organization is one way to go, and by every metric, the most cost effective way to go for the usual reasons: 

• Subject Matter Expertise
• Ensured conformity/compliance
• Faster completion times
• Minimal disruption/distractions 
•  Effectiveness and efficiency
• Cost about a quarter to a fifth of an in-house effort
• Life time support with your satisfaction guaranteed

We've been providing this option since 2006 and have found it's ideal for minimally staffed operators who want a turn key solution.  

Full implementation typically takes us 30 days from start to finish, with 3 to 5 days onsite depending on the size of your operation.

Our implementation program ensures your SMS will comply and conform to the FAA's Part 5 and AC120-92D and includes Training, DoC and 12-months of SMS-P are included in this program, making it truly a turn-key option. $8,900

For operators who want to build their SMS internally using existing staff, we offer the Self-Implementation Program (SIP), which provides everything you'll need to fully implement your SMS on a part time basis and will literally save you at least 500 hours of leg work.

(The FAA estimates implementation can take 1300+ labor hours to get your program to the starting line). 

The SIP is robust and provides:

• Customized and Simplified procedures and workbook manuals, 
• Detailed implementation plan, initial SMS training, roles & responsibilities, hazard registry, SRM tools, Internal Evaluation Program, ERP, safety bulletins and a DoC that gets you to the starting line where the real fun begins.
• Declaration of Compliance 
• Unlimited virtual & phone support for the life of your program.

The reality is, SMS is an ongoing project, it never ends, always evolving, always improving, always changing as you learn how to use it and manage it. That's called continuous improvement, and it is the primary goal of your SMS. $3,900

The U.S. recognizes the ICAO requirement for States to establish regulations requiring certain service providers to implement SMS and has issued CFR's for part 121, 135, 139 and part 91.147 operators, and recommending other operators adopt and implement SMS voluntarily.

The FAA provides compliance guidance in Title 14 CFR part 5 of the regulation and  conformity guidance in AC120-92D (standard) for regulated and unregulated groups to ensure they are meeting the SMS standard and regulation. 

For operators seeking third-party validation that their SMS meets the standard and requirements of part 5, we offer a Declaration of Conformity-Compliance audit.

Since 2006, We've been providing third-party declarations (DoC) to operators using the FAA's SMS framework found in the various iterations in AC120-92. 

Part 145 will need to submit a self-declared DoC to the FAA once they have implemented their program. $5,900

Long before Covid hit, we figured out we could remotely manage about 90% of the SMS's administrative functions all thanks to technology-enabled workflow enhancements, video conferencing platforms and smart phones to the point we've been able to confirm functionality.

The majority of maintenance and flight departments we've worked with over the past 20 years are always looking to improve their operation every chance they get, and simplifying and automating their SMS has proven to be  the most cost effective place to start. 

This program was designed for clients we have worked with previously and know well. They want to fully benefit from an effective and robust SMS, but have staffing constraints that limits their SMS's overall effectiveness.  

The SMS-P is like hiring a full time SMS manager who ensures your program conforms to the standard, but more importantly, provides a  long list of benefits only an effective and robust system can deliver.  

This customized managed program is labor intensive for our team and is only available to a limited number of  operators each year who are serious about achieving the goals of SMS. 

$350 to $500 per month 

The single most important thing you need to do before you start your SMS program, is get some training. You're looking for Big picture goals and purpose training, not a graduate level course in causation.

SMS is complicated by design as are most standards (ISO, QMS, EMS, ASI).

For the vast majority of operators with staffing constraints, that complexity leads to low participation, underutilized and ineffective data collection and analysis, which ultimately results in a failed SMS.

The solution is simple enough, drastically simplify your SMS. How exactly do you do that? For starters, use your smart phone as your primary reporting tool. Next, train your team to know what is reportable and what their responsibilities are under SMS.

Our training programs are designed specifically for small to medium sized flight and maintenance operators with minimum staff.  Knowledge is key in simplifying your program so that it delivers true benefit and value. 

Training your team to understand SMS and what their roles and responsibilities are, may be the most important investment you make in terms of benefiting from SMS. Our initial SMS training program is 2 days onsite. $1,800

One of the most important components of your SMS is Safety Promotion, which keeps the focus where it belongs, on training and hazard awareness.

Using our weekly Safety Officer Bulletin service takes the burden of creating interesting, timely and concise safety training material off your plate and is the most cost effective way we know of to chip away at complacency while meeting the safety promotion component of SMS.

As part of the SOB program, we can also review your reports, frats, SOR, etc. and maintain third-party SMS records.

One subscription covers your entire operation, no matter how many employees you have. 

You will also have access to our portal, https://sms4aviation.com/member-portalVFRAT/FOQA  program where we provide you the digital form that you complete and send to us via your smart phone or ipad/computer for analysis and documentation. 

Our subscribers keep renewing the service and tell us they value it more than any other component of their SMS. $1,800 per year