SMS & Regulatory Compliance Programs
A Safety Management System (SMS) is a systemic approach to managing safety including the necessary organizational structures, accountabilities, policies and procedures. Hughes Aerospace demonstrates that a strong business case is made for SMS by solving the management dilemma of balancing production and protection.
SMS methods treat safety as a core business enterprise. Proactive tailored to each company.

The SMS methods are a combination of:
Systematic processes to identify hazards and implement risk controls = System Safety
Monitor performance and share information = Quality Management

Accidents are expensive:
Accidents are costly and detrimental to business
Insurance does not cover the risks
Economic viability requires public confidence
Safety management is a prerequisite for a sustainable aviation business
Few organizations can survive the economic consequences of a major accident

The economics of safety:
The safest organizations are often the most efficient
Need to recognize the hidden costs of accidents
Safety is good for business
A systematic approach will reduce losses


Hughes Aerospace has extensive experience with Safety Management System implementation. Hughes SMS subject matter experts are on the leading edge of FAA implementation of SMS in association with established ICAO Standards.

Safety Benefits of an SMS:
An SMS is essentially a quality management approach to controlling risk. It also provides the organizational framework to support a sound safety culture. For certificated operators such as airlines, air taxi operators, and aviation training organizations, the SMS can also serve as an efficient means of interfacing with FAA certificate oversight offices. The SMS provides the company’s management with a detailed roadmap for monitoring safety-related processes.

Business Benefits of an SMS:
Development and implementation of a SMS gives the aviation service provider’s management, a structured set of tools to meet their legal and regulatory responsibilities. However, they can also provide significant business benefits. The SMS incorporates internal evaluation and quality assurance concepts that can result in more structured management and continuous improvement of operational processes. The SMS is designed to allow integration of safety efforts into the operator’s business model and to integrate other systems such as quality, occupational safety, and environmental control systems that operators might already have in place or might be considering. Operators in other countries and in other industries who have integrated SMSs into their business models report that the added emphasis on process management and continuous improvement benefits them financially as well.