Amerijet – Enhancing safety through integrated SMS technology solution.

Safety Leadership Charter, Guiding Principle 4: “Create the internal capacity to proactively manage safety and collectively achieve organizational safety goals.” 

Background 

An effective safety management system uses risk and quality management methods to achieve its safety objectives and is a systematic approach to managing safety, including the necessary organizational structures, accountabilities, policies, and procedures. In addition, SMS also provides the organizational framework to establish and foster the development of a positive, corporate safety culture.  

The importance of selecting the right SMS technology solution (SMS Platform) should not be underestimated. Both the right supplier and software can enhance and support the entire approach to safety management, whereas incorrect selection can severely disrupt and tarnish Amerijet’s safety objectives. 

After 4+ years of selecting its previous SMS Platform, the following were the main issues the company was facing: 

• The SMS Platform did not offer customer support. 

• The SMS Platform database was corrupted.  

• The SMS Platform was not designed with the end user in mind, it was not intuitive. 

• The SMS Platform did not meet Amerijet’s needs (it would not meet the company's expected growth). 

• The Safety Hazard Reporting was very low and ineffective. 

• The Safety Reporting Module (incl. ASAP), that provided a platform for all employees – including Flight Crew, Maintenance, Dispatch, and Ground Staff – to voluntarily submit safety reports in a seamless manner, was ineffective. 

• The Safety Risk Management (SRM) Module, that provided a platform allowing the user to create, manage, and act on Safety Risk Assessments (SRA), and enabling the company to identify and assess air operations risks while maintaining the highest level of safety, was ineffective. 

 Brief description of the initiative 

Amerijet required a robust Safety, Audit and Quality Management platform, covering all business lines, including cargo operations, charter operations, schedule service, ground handling and maintenance.  It needed to include Safety, Audit and Quality Management processes.  The new SMS platform was required to include the key processes (Safety Risk Management, Safety Assurance, Safety Reporting), to establish a robust SMS within the business.   

Amerijet transitioned to a new web-based SMS platform, that included an intuitive safety reporting system.  With support from the leadership, management, safety, and through company-wide promotion, Amerijet set an initial goal of increasing reporting of safety hazards by 20% the following year. 

What positive changes this initiative helped bring? 

Based on Amerijet’s current operation, direction, and goals the company is aiming, the new SMS platform has helped with:

• “On-the-go” capabilities: the system offers a mobile responsive design that is compatible with all devices, including iOS/Android/Windows tablets. 

• It was designed with the end user in mind making it significantly more intuitive, than other systems in the industry.  

• The vendor had experience implementing ASAP Programs; the implementation of the ASAP program for four (4) different employee groups was efficient and smooth. 

•  The year-over-year increase in safety hazard reports has been as follows: 
  • 2021 – 2022: +343%
  • 2022 – 2023: +45%
  • 2023 – 2024: Keeping the same pace as previous year. 

Main challenges and lessons-learned 

As usual, transitioning to a “new” system or tool brings some resistance. Continual and effective training sessions were fundamental to overcome this.  One lesson learned and one advice to share are as follows: 

• Lesson Learned: We would have liked to diversify reporting templates better, to be able to have more detailed analysis for quarterly reports. 

• Advice: Top Management support is a must. Our initiative would not have been possible without support from leadership and managers in the company. The success of our initiative was largely contingent upon the backing of company leadership and managers. Their unwavering support played a pivotal role in propelling the project forward, fostering collaboration, and enabling us to work effectively towards achieving our goals.