Mobile technology has vastly expanded a pilot’s ability to complete essential flight tasks by streamlining processes and enabling quicker execution, which ultimately further mitigates risks. Given that a Safety Management System (SMS) benefits flight departments as well as the greater pilot population at large, a more user-friendly experience that can enhance safety for all pilots (hobby or professional) is a goal the industry should work toward. AviationManuals believes expanding SMS from web-based formalized platforms to a mobile environment will be key to helping achieve this goal.
Today, apps have become a ubiquitous part of our daily routines. Fitbit, for example, has revolutionized the healthy lifestyle industry by helping users identify fitness goals, keeping them motivated, and—most importantly— helping them to change their behavior in order to gain better results. A mobile SMS experience that can be better integrated into the daily routine of a flight operation and provide shared cumulative data could have the same impact on pilots, by becoming an indispensable part of their aviation life.
The aviation community in general, and pilots in particular, can greatly benefit from an expanded implementation of SMS. Mobile device delivery will be the better way to encourage more widespread implementation of SMS. This should help change the industry, similar to how CRM revolutionized cockpit operations. Even though flight departments will continue to have their own formalized SMS process, a single pilot flying a Citation Jet, for example, should also consider a mobile SMS solution. However, this will not catch on unless a convenient SMS platform is provided, such as on a mobile device.
SMS is about improving the way pilots operate, and challenging them to assess the level of risk in all areas of an operation including, though not limited to, individual flights. But that is just the first step. Afterward it is about providing a platform to help implement changes to behavior to mitigate risks that may be revealed. It is difficult to know how to change your behavior unless presented with data coupled with a clearly defined process that supports you in implementing change. A mobile SMS platform can help increase buy-in of an SMS. It can be integrated with other frequently used applications thus avoiding the need to input data multiple times in various platforms.
Mobile SMS can play a role in helping pilots identify and stay ahead of risks. AviationManuals developed its ARC SMS software as an iPad-friendly, flexible solution for submitting, storing and analyzing SMS data. Data collected with ARC is also archived for analysis. The software serves as a central location to store files, complete Risk Assessments, manage your Read and Initial logs and much, much more.
