Flight Safety Information - September 3, 2024 No. 175 In This Issue : Incident: Vueling A320 at Amsterdam on Aug 31st 2024, fuel leak : Accident: United B739 near Memphis on Aug 28th 2024, severe turbulence causes injuries : Incident: Cathay Pacific A35k at Hong Kong on Sep 2nd 2024, engine fire indication : Incident: Malaysia A333 at Kuala Lumpur on Sep 1st 2024, hydraulic problems, transponder problems : Incident: Cathay Pacific A333 at Kaohsiung on Aug 31st 2024, rejected takeoff due to engine failure : Incident: Qatar B788 near Karachi on Aug 31st 2024, engine shut down in flight : Incident: Smartlynx Estonia A320 at Kolkata on Aug 30th 2024, engine shut down in flight : Mil Mi-171A2 - Fatal Accident (Russia) : Boeing factory workers say they're overworked and under pressure to 'make miracles happen,' report says : Cathay Pacific inspects Airbus A350 fleet after engine part failure : Spirit Airlines Furloughs 74 Fewer Pilots Than Originally Projected : FAA Mandates SMS for Charter Operators—Now What? : Calendar of Events Incident: Vueling A320 at Amsterdam on Aug 31st 2024, fuel leak A Vueling Airbus A320-200, registration EC-JYX performing flight VY-2901 from Palma Mallorca,SP (Spain) to Amsterdam (Netherlands), was descending towards Amsterdam when the crew reported they had a fuel leak later explaining it appeared to be a small fuel leak, for their flight it was about 300kg so emergency services might not be able to see any leak. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Amsterdam's runway 36R. The aircraft was able to depart for the return flight after about 2.5 hours on the ground and reached Palma Mallorca with a delay of about one hour. https://avherald.com/h?article=51d382e6&opt=0 Incident: Cathay Pacific A35k at Hong Kong on Sep 2nd 2024, engine fire indication A Cathay Pacific Airbus A350-1000, registration B-LXI performing flight CX-383 from Hong Kong (China) to Zurich (Switzerland), was climbing out of Hong Kong's runway 07R when the crew stopped the climb at 9000 feet after receiving a right hand engine (Trent XWB) fire warning. The crew worked the related checklists shutting the engine down and discharging one fire bottle with the fire warning ceasing, dumped fuel and returned to Hong Kong for a safe landing on runway 07L about 70 minutes after departure. A replacement A350-1000 registration B-LXR reached Zurich with a delay of about 4 hours. On Sep 3rd 2024 the airline reported following the activation of the engine fire warning, that they have identified an engine component failure and took all their 48 A350s (A350-900 and A350-1000) out of service for a precautionary inspection. A number of such components have been identified needing replacement. A number of flights have been cancelled as result. According to information The Aviation Herald received a flexible fuel line was damaged, damaged flexible fuel lines were also found in engines of other A350 aircraft during the inspections. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Hong Kong about 36 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=51d3713b&opt=0 Incident: Malaysia A333 at Kuala Lumpur on Sep 1st 2024, hydraulic problems, transponder problems A Malaysia Airlines Airbus A330-300, registration 9M-MTB performing flight MH-66 from Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) to Seoul (South Korea), was climbing out of Kuala Lumpur's runway 14R when the transponder of the aircraft continued to show 0 feet altitude despite having become airborne. The crew shortly afterwards levelled off and entered a hold to burn off fuel reporting they had hydraulic problems. The aircraft landed safely back on runway 14L about 85 minutes after departure. The flight was cancelled. A replacement Airbus A330-300 registration 9M-MTE performed the return flight MH-67 on schedule having arrived in Seoul as flight MH-66 the previous day. The flight MH-67 of Sep 2nd 2024 was cancelled however. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Kuala Lumpur about 12 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=51d2c575&opt=0 Incident: Cathay Pacific A333 at Kaohsiung on Aug 31st 2024, rejected takeoff due to engine failure A Cathay Pacific Airbus A330-300, registration B-LAQ performing flight CX-431 from Kaohsiung (Taiwan) to Hong Kong (China), was accelerating for takeoff from Kaohsiung's runway 09 when the crew rejected takeoff at low speed (less than 30 KIAS) after the right hand engine (Trent 772) emitted streaks of flames and a bang. The aircraft slowed safely and returned to the apron. The flight was cancelled. The aircraft is still on the ground in Kaohsiung about 29 hours after the rejected takeoff. https://avherald.com/h?article=51d232cd&opt=0 Incident: Qatar B788 near Karachi on Aug 31st 2024, engine shut down in flight A Qatar Airways Boeing 787-8, registration A7-BCZ performing flight QR-926 from Doha (Qatar) to Angeles (Philippines) with 187 people on board, was enroute at FL390 about 170nm northwest of Karachi (Pakistan) when the crew began to drift the aircraft down to FL060 and initiated a diversion to Karachi. The aircraft entered a hold before positioning for an approach to runway 25L about 20 minutes after entering the hold. The aircraft landed safely. A replacement Boeing 787-8 registration A7-BCJ was dispatched to Karachi and is currently continuing the flight estimated to arrive with a delay of about 7:15 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Karachi about 10 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=51d1960e&opt=0 Incident: Smartlynx Estonia A320 at Kolkata on Aug 30th 2024, engine shut down in flight A Smartlynx Estonia Airbus A320-200 on behalf on Indigo Airlines, registration ES-SAG performing flight 6E-573 from Kolkata to Bangalore (India) with 173 people on board, was climbing out of Kolkata's runway 19L when the crew stopped the climb at 4000 feet reporting the failure of the left hand engine (V2527). The crew shut the engine down and returned to Kolkata for a safe landing on runway 19L about 20 minutes after departure. A passenger reported there had been streaks of flames from the engine. A replacement Indigo Airbus A320-200N registration VT-IXG reached Bangalore with a delay of about 4:15 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground about 19 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=51d19428&opt=0 Mil Mi-171A2 - Fatal Accident (Russia) Date: Tuesday 3 September 2024 Time: 14:33 Type: Mil Mi-171A2 Owner/operator: Barguzin Airlines Registration: RA-22880 MSN: 171A02643170102U Year of manufacture: 2018 Engine model: VK-2500PS-03 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Substantial Location: 8 kilometers from Razdolye, Usolsky district, Irkutsk region - Russia Phase: En route Nature: Ambulance Departure airport: Irkutsk Destination airport: Orlik Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: The Mi-171A2 made a hard landing in a wooded area during an ambulance flight from Irkutsk to Orlik. https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/419744 Boeing factory workers say they're overworked and under pressure to 'make miracles happen,' report says Boeing factory workers say they're overworked and under pressure to 'make miracles happen,' report says A Boeing employee told The Seattle Times they face pressure "to make miracles happen." Others told investigators that planes move down factory lines with defects to maintain production speed. A team captain said there's a high turnover of staff because it's a "stressful job." Boeing factory workers have expressed concerns about pressures on production speed as the planemaker's processes are scrutinized in the wake of January's Alaska Airlines blowout. At the firm's plants, the work is divided into different stations called "flow days" — but employees say aircraft can move down the line with incomplete work in order to maintain speed. A technician at the planemaker's 737 Max factory in Renton, Washington, told The Seattle Times there is "pressure just to make miracles happen." Speaking to National Transportation Safety Board investigators in April, another Renton factory employee, who works on seat installation, said there were problems with time management. "You just got to work around it," he said. "So if like, another crew is behind, we'll just work on the next plane we need to work on." Asked what could make the process perfect, he said: "Probably making sure when it gets to our flow day, everything will be ready, like, complete." He added that 60% to 70% of the aircraft that come through to his station are still waiting for other work to be done. "They travel defects constantly. The line has to keep going," a line worker at Boeing's factory in Everett, Washington, told The Seattle Times. Another staffer at the Everett factory, which builds the 777 and 767, told the newspaper that this spring, a plane arrived at their workstation "nowhere near ready" for the team. They added that the firm decided, "We're behind on deliveries, we've got to get deliveries out, we're going to take this plane because it's close enough." According to the NTSB's preliminary report, the Alaska Airlines 737 Max that lost a door plug left Boeing's factory missing key bolts. In March, the then-Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun said production needed to "slow down" to ensure quality. 737 Max production has been limited since the blowout, but some Boeing employees say they still face pressure. The Seattle Times reported that at a recent union rally, Patric Boone, a machinist at the Everett plant, said employees are "overmanaged and undersupported." "The house is on fire, and they're concentrated on turning the lights off," he added. "They're not seeing the problem." In March, a team captain at the Renton factory told NTSB investigators: "Sometimes morale, right, can be low. We have a lot of turnover specifically because, you know, this can be a stressful job." Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, sent outside regular working hours on the Labor Day holiday. https://currently.att.yahoo.com/news/boeing-factory-workers-theyre-overworked-123535282.html Cathay Pacific inspects Airbus A350 fleet after engine part failure (Reuters) -Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways said on Monday it had started inspecting all its Airbus A350 jets after the in-flight failure of an engine component, sending shares in British engine supplier Rolls-Royce down sharply. The carrier said it had cancelled 24 return flights operating until the end of Tuesday, and that a number of aircraft would be out of service for several days while the process, which it described as precautionary, was completed. An Airbus spokesperson referred questions to the airline and to Rolls-Royce, which said it was aware of the incident and was committed to working closely with Cathay, Airbus and authorities conducting an investigation. Shares in the company - the sole engine provider for the Airbus A350 family of long-haul jets - closed down more than 6% and dragged Europe's defence and aerospace index down 2.8% According to Flightradar24 data, the problem apparently unfolded several minutes after take-off as flight CX383 initially headed out over the sea, south of Hong Kong. Instead of immediately turning north for the roughly 12-hour journey to Zurich, the aircraft performed two wide circles before returning to Hong Kong where it landed safely about 75 minutes after take-off, according to the tracking data. Cathay did not describe the failed engine component in detail but said it was the first of its type to suffer such failure on any A350 aircraft worldwide. "Thus far we have identified a number of the same engine components that need to be replaced. Spare parts have been secured and repair work is underway," it said. A person familiar with the matter said the incident involved a problem with a fuel nozzle, a component that directs fuel inside the engine. Experts say such problems are rare but, barring a deeper flaw, generally raise fewer alarms than the failure of one of the major rotating parts such as a turbine blade. However, any widespread further inspections could be disruptive to airlines. HONG KONG PROBE Industry sources said Hong Kong's Air Accident Investigation Authority had quickly launched an investigation. The bureau could not be reached for comment outside office hours. Britain's Air Accidents Investigation Branch said it would support any investigation carried out in Hong Kong. According to Flightradar24 data, the diverted aircraft is an A350-1000, the larger of two models of twin-engined A350. These are powered by the XWB-97, Rolls' largest civil jet engine. Cathay operates 18 of the largest twin-engined Airbus planes as part of a mixed fleet of Airbus and Boeing jets. It is one of the largest users of the A350-1000 alongside British Airways, which also has 18 in operation, but behind the largest operator, Qatar Airways, according to Airbus data. There were no immediate reports of similar findings at other airlines. Other operators of the A350-1000 did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is responsible for overseeing Airbus jets and has the power to order fleet-wide checks or repairs, did not rule out taking action but said it would wait for the results of the probe. "We will be monitoring any information coming out of the technical investigation and will take decisions on any fleet level action as required," a spokesperson said. In total, Cathay operates 48 A350 jets including the smaller and more widely used A350-900, which runs on a different member of the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engine family called the XWB-84. The airline said it was coordinating with the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department and the jet and engine manufacturers. Cathay has around 100 planes currently on order including freighters, narrow-bodies and wide-bodies, with rights to acquire another 80. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/cathay-pacific-airways-inspects-a350-143456837.html Spirit Airlines Furloughs 74 Fewer Pilots Than Originally Projected Ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) Spirit Airlines announced over the holiday weekend that more than 180 pilots were furloughed. It comes as the carrier has endured an unsatisfactory second quarter, with a net income loss of nearly $193 million. The number of furloughs could have been good news to some, as the carrier had originally planned to temporarily remove over 70 additional pilots. Spirit hopes the move will result in millions of dollars in savings as it desperately attempts to improve its financial stance amid constant challenges. A “difficult day” The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which represents Spirit’s more than 3,700 pilots, confirmed on Sunday that 186 pilots were officially furloughed. “Today, Spirit Airlines furloughed 186 pilots. As the Spirit pilots face this difficult day, the pilots’ union, the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), is focused on unity and strength moving forward.” Simple Flying reported last month that the carrier would reduce its pilot headcount due to ongoing issues with the Pratt & Whitney engines that power its Airbus A320neo family fleet. Mandatory groundings of the aircraft for necessary inspections and the deferral of new aircraft have significantly affected Spirit’s operation and need for pilots. “Encouraged”: Spirit Airlines Has No Plans To File For Bankruptcy After Failed JetBlue Merger It comes after the carrier reportedly said in February that it was seeking to refinance. However, the airline appears to have overestimated the number of pilots it would need to furlough by 74, as it originally aimed for 260. “As a result of grounded aircraft due to Pratt & Whitney GTF engine availability issues, along with the 2025 and 2026 aircraft deferrals, Spirit announced it intends to furlough approximately 260 Pilots effective September 1, 2024,” the carrier explained in April. Backlash after executive pay raises Spirit was in hot water with its pilots and the ALPA over the summer after the airline announced on July 1st that its CEO, Ted Christie, and four other executives would receive pay raises. Three months prior, the carrier said its aircraft deferral agreement with Airbus would improve its “liquidity position by approximately $340 million” through 2026. Although there are fewer pilot furloughs than initially expected, 96 captains have been downgraded, according to Aero Crew News. Spirit’s Master Executive Council (MEC) Chairman Ryan Muller explained that the pilots are standing together. “No doubt the last couple of years have been challenging for Spirit pilots, but through it all we’ve been buoyed by our pilot group’s solidarity, unity, and commitment to supporting one another. Pilots accepting voluntary leaves, in addition to attrition, have greatly reduced the initial furlough and involuntary downgrade projections. In addition, a significant number of those being furloughed chose voluntary furlough, protecting a more junior pilot’s career. These selfless actions exemplify the very best of our union spirit.” “Continuing to support all our pilots” ALPA is the largest pilot union in the world. As such, the union mentioned that Spirit’s pilots have plenty of support. Additionally, other airlines that have contracts with ALPA have offered “preferential interviews or other benefits” to the furloughed pilots. The union also said it provides “valuable resources” to assist affected pilots. “Although the furloughed pilots are not currently flying the line at Spirit, they remain part of our union,” Muller stated. “We look forward to their return to the flight deck, whether at Spirit or another carrier, and are committed to continuing to support all our pilots.” The furlough timeline is unclear. Simple Flying reached out to Spirit for comment late Monday, but could not receive an immediate response. The last time the airline furloughed its pilots was in 2008. https://simpleflying.com/spirit-airlines-furloughs-pilots-september-2024/ FAA Mandates SMS for Charter Operators—Now What? While the SMS rule has strong support, safety advisors caution on implementation aviation checklist The FAA now requires safety management systems (SMS) for all Part 135 operators, certain Part 91 air tour operators, and some type certificate and production certificate holders under Part 21. Part 135 operators include on-demand charter, commuter, and air ambulance operators. But for the operators, what does this mean? And are they ready? The final rule was published on April 26, 2024. The number of affected organizations is significant, and now each has less than 36 months to comply with the new SMS mandate. The deadline for an operator to provide the FAA a Declaration of Compliance (14 CFR 5.9) is May 28, 2027. It’s important to note that from a regulatory compliance perspective, the Declaration of Compliance is the end of the SMS development and implementation process—not the beginning. Business aviation industry groups and the NTSB are overwhelmingly supportive of the new SMS rule; however, some have brought up concerns. Requiring and verifying the effectiveness of an SMS in all revenue passenger-carrying aviation operations has been a long-standing recommendation by the NTSB. The Safety Board first recommended SMS for Part 121 airlines in 2007, resulting in an FAA mandate for airlines and the establishment of Part 5 (SMS) in March 2015. Since then, the NTSB has consistently supported the adoption of SMS by other aviation service providers. “Requiring more operators to implement proven strategies to protect the flying public is a positive step for safety, and one the NTSB has long supported,” said NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy. Recently entering her second five-year term as the NTSB Chair, Homendy believes the SMS mandate “will go a long way toward protecting flight crews and passengers in our skies.” NTSB member Michael Graham added, “This is a significant step forward for aviation safety. I’m pleased the FAA issued the final rule requiring all Part 135 operators and Part 91.147 air tour operators to implement a safety management system.” He continued by saying, “Operators are safer when they proactively and systematically identify hazards and mitigate their changing risks through an SMS.” NBAA provided significant feedback to the FAA leading up to the new SMS rule. The final rule reflects much of that feedback, including scalability, an exclusion for single-pilot operations, and an expansion of the implementation timeline from 24 to 36 months. “The business aviation community has always considered safety to be a core value and has led the way in voluntary adoption of SMS and other best practices,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. He continued, “This final rule largely reflects comments from NBAA and hundreds of others who have noted that for an SMS to be effective, it must be tailored to the size and complexity of each operation.” The National Air Transportation Association’s (NATA) position on the issue is: “NATA supports the adoption of SMS and believes that all operators can benefit from implementation. However, there are still hurdles to achieving the full promise of SMS.” The organization is concerned about a lack of training and resources available to FAA inspectors and industry. As such, NATA provides several educational resources and is working to provide operators with the information and materials needed to meet their regulatory requirements and realize the full potential of an effective SMS. Cautionary Tales Despite all of this, several business aviation safety professionals feel there will be a substantial impact on the charter and air tour community as operators prepare for SMS implementation. “The most significant impact for business aviation and air tour operators will be allocating resources for the development, implementation, and ongoing management of the SMS,” said KB Solutions CEO Kodey Bogart. “This includes hiring or training staff dedicated to safety management and investing in software or systems for tracking and analyzing safety data as necessary.” Bogart, a safety program consultant, educator, and former Black Hawk helicopter pilot, added, “The initial costs of SMS implementation can be significant, and smaller operators may find these costs particularly challenging. However, operators need to remember that an SMS does not have to be overly daunting and can be kept simple and scalable to the organization's size. While the initial costs and changes might be challenging, the long-term benefits of improved safety, operational efficiency, and market competitiveness are substantial.” And, although Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) president and CEO Bryan Burns generally does not see a significant departure from what should be in an operator’s SMS, he does voice some concerns. Burns and the ACSF have guided many operators through the SMS implementation process. “My concern is how the FAA will evaluate and assess for compliance once a Declaration of Compliance is submitted,” he said. Burns believes that 36 months is an adequate amount of time to implement an SMS “as long as the operator starts now.” He added, “In my view, we should continue to focus on what reinforces an effective program with an emphasis on leadership, culture, and professionalism.” Since the FAA published the final rule, the ACSF has experienced an uptick in requests for support, Burns said. “We receive two to three requests per week to demonstrate and view our SMS tools and platform.” ACSF offers a simple low-cost, customizable platform that is both scalable and flexible as it relates to FAA Part 5 compliance. He added, “Much like the success of ACSF’s ASAP program, I suggest an operator retain a third party like ACSF to not only help with the implementation process but also assist in educating the FAA Flight Standards District Offices (FSDOs). Through its organizational-based ASAP program, the ACSF has established relationships and trust with over 65 FSDOs throughout the U.S.” Sonnie Bates, CEO of the safety specialist Wyvern, has mixed views on the state of the business aviation community and its ability to adopt an SMS. Bates said, “Most air charter operators are scrambling to meet the requirements of this rule. Most of them do not have a viable SMS…or they have a documented SMS, but they lack the tools, training, and culture to make it work.” Wyvern provides education, training, consulting, auditing, and safety intelligence solutions to business aviation operators. Bates, a former U.S. Air Force and corporate pilot, has been involved in developing and implementing auditing, safety management, and leadership development programs for over two decades and has two distinct views on how operators implement an SMS program; the unfortunate “copy and paste mode” or the more desirable “organic development mode.” According to Bates, “The way it should be done (organic development) is for leadership to commit to having a positive safety culture and through that commitment require the implementation of an SMS and not do it because some outside entity required it. But that's not the reality here.” He added, “Those who have waited this long to implement an SMS because the FAA has finally mandated it are way behind the power curve as it's likely their leadership has not committed to ensuring a positive safety culture.” Bates views the “copy and paste” approach as working backward. “Many air charter operators with a mature SMS began the same way, in a rush to implement an SMS so they could put a certificate of achievement on the wall to get more business without realizing the true value of a fully functional and effective SMS,” he said. “But over time, the operators who rushed to implement an SMS to gain Wyvern Wingman status or another status from a third party entity eventually saw the true value of having an SMS—which is to capture more safety-related data (internal and external), analyze that data and convert it into usable information, and share that information appropriately as safety intelligence, so the organization can continually learn and improve their policies, processes, procedures, and overall resiliency.” Bates continued, “It is this continual learning process that can only be attained by having a just and overall positive safety culture, which takes time to develop if it's not already there.” ACSF’s Burns agreed and believes the new rule is important to the charter industry. “It all starts with company culture,” Burns says. “Employee buy-in is crucial for the success of any safety program…not just your crews, mechanics, dispatchers, schedulers, but the entire staff.” He adds, “However, most importantly [for] senior management and leadership…without safety as a core value of an organization, the SMS program will not succeed.” Wyvern’s Bates cautions operators from taking this mandate lightly, adding, “I think the operators who do not already have an SMS are thinking this will be easier than it really is. This is because the FAA has changed its approach to validating SMS implementation. Instead of the astronomically overdone approach the FAA has used in the past years with their voluntary program, with this new rulemaking, they have apparently taken a more simplified compliance approach that is like any other FAA regulation, so on the surface, the SMS requirement does not seem to carry any more weight than any other FAA regulation. But what the operators will soon realize is that SMS requirements are complex and require a cultural shift.” Bates continued, “It will take time, both for operators and FAA, to become proficient with SMS. Operators who approach this new safety concept in collaboration with their FAA principles will set up a learning culture where operator personnel and FAA inspectors will learn together to better understand how to make SMS work for each unique operation.” SMS Resources KB Solutions’ Bogart thinks many operators are trying to determine what the new SMS rule means to their organization and suggests that a good first step is to have a discussion with a consultant. “Organizations are still trying to wrap their head around what the regulation means for their organization: How will they allocate resources, complete their research or RFPs for what companies to work with, and what is needed for their organization versus what they already have?” Bogart continues, “Starting with a consultant is a great way to have a structured and efficient approach to understanding and implementing SMS. A consultant can provide tailored guidance, help identify gaps, and offer solutions that align with the organization's specific needs and existing practices.” Beyond implementation challenges, Bogart sees some positive aspects of the new rule. “There is a myriad of reasons this rule is important for business aviation and air tour operators. The rule promotes higher safety standards, operational efficiencies, financial savings, and market competitiveness for operators,” Bogart said. She added, “By mandating SMS, the FAA aims to ensure that all operators are equipped to manage safety risks proactively and effectively, ultimately enhancing the safety and reliability of the aviation sector as a whole. “The fact is many operators believe they have a safe organization because they may not have had any incidents. This is not a realistic approach to safety. Many things below the surface that can lead to an event are unknown to management and stakeholders,” Bogart continued. “I have personally worked in an organization that believed they were safe. However, I could see they were only a few steps away from a significant event and they had no interest in changing anything—in addition, they definitely had a blame culture rather than a just culture. Operators need to look at work as done, not work as imagined, and make adjustments and improvements as necessary.” She stressed the new rule is about fostering a proactive, data-driven approach to safety. This will protect the company and propel the industry. Next Steps Wyvern’s Bates provided some insight into how long it will take an operator—starting from scratch—to become compliant with the new SMS rule and be able to provide the FAA with a Declaration of Compliance. “For those operators who have not implemented an SMS and now are in a rush to do so to meet the FAA mandate, they should begin with training and tools,” he said, noting that the training needs to be appropriate for all levels of the organization, from the senior executive team to the accountable executive and all the way to the newest frontline employee. “The sooner they get into a comprehensive set of safety management tools (SMS software), the better because it takes time to become familiar with these tools and to use them effectively,” Bates said. “However, through the daily use of these tools and with proper training, each person in the organization will learn the value of SMS through daily practice of hazard identification, risk analysis, risk management, and sharing of lessons learned. Over a period of three years, if the leadership in the organization is committed to developing a safety culture and an effective SMS, they can achieve the FAA's objective.” Further, KB Solutions’ Bogart provided additional insight for those who already have an SMS. “Operators with an existing SMS need to ensure their system aligns with FAA requirements through a thorough review and update process,” she said. “By conducting a gap analysis, updating documentation, performing internal audits, and submitting the necessary compliance documentation, operators can obtain the FAA's Declaration of Compliance, confirming that their SMS meets the required standards.” Wyvern’s Bates feels that operators with their SMS supported and validated by a third party are ahead of the game. “Operators who have an effective SMS already will simply complete the proper documentation to self-declare,” he said. “This will be true for certified Wyvern Wingman operators and other operators who have implemented an effective SMS and had it validated by a professional third-party audit organization.” Bates concluded: “As each operator declares compliance, they will embark on a new relationship with their FSDO inspectors, who are likely new to SMS themselves. There will be a learning curve both for operators and FAA inspectors. Operators who have engaged third-party assistance to align their SMS with 14 CFR Part 5 will have a leg up. By contrast, those operators who ignore this preparation prior to the mandate deadline will only find themselves struggling to demonstrate to their FSDO inspectors their method of compliance.” https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2024-09-03/faa-mandates-sms-charter-operators-now-what CALENDAR OF EVENTS • Asia Pacific Airline Training Symposium - APATS 2024, 11 September, 2024, Singapore • Aircraft Cabin Air International Conference - 17 & 18 September - London • 2024 Ground Handling Safety Symposium (GHSS) - September 17-18, 2024 - Fort Worth, TX • Safety is not a Secret - September 27-28, 2024 - Seminar, JUNGLE AVIATION AND RELAY SERVICE • 2024 ISASI - Lisbon, Portugal - September 30 to October 4, 2024 • DEFENCE AVIATION SAFETY 2024 - 2 OCTOBER - 3 OCTOBER 2024 - LONDON • International Congress of Aerospace Medicine ICAM 2024 in Lisbon, Portugal, 3 - 5 October 2024 • Aviation Health Conference back on Monday 7th and Tuesday 8th October 2024 • Safeskies Australia Conference, Canberra Australia - 16th and 17th of October 2024 - www.safeskiesaustralia.org • 2024 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition - Oct. 22-24 (Vegas) • Sixth Edition of International Accident Investigation Forum, 21 to 23 May 2025, Singapore Curt Lewis