SM4 Safety Articles & Resources

A wealth of knowledge provided by experts in aviation safety can be found here in our Aviation Safety Resource Library. From time-proven safety and risk management principles to updates on the latest in aviation safety regulation, you’ll find the information you need to strengthen the safety culture in your organization. The content available here can be used as curriculum in your organization’s safety systems, and the experts whose content appears here are available as aviation safety consultants and safety trainers.

Click on a category below or use the search tool on this page to find the resources you need. If there is a topic you would like to see us cover in the future, let us know by emailing us at .

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pilots in the cockpit preparing flight path and check list

Safety in Numbers: Trends in Aviation Accidents and Incidents

Every accident is preventable; the problem is that we don’t know how to prevent it until after the accident happens. However, what we can do as an industry is honor the anguish of each event by sharing the information, the mistakes and the outcomes to improve safety for everyone.

Posted on March 5, 2024
aircraft engineers discussing jet turbine

Is ChatGPT Ready To Analyze My SMS Portal’s Safety Reports?

While industry experts continue to design the next-gen AI-backed SMS software solution, safety managers can use ChatGPT to help them treat safety issues, audit findings and classify hazards contained in their SMS reporting.

Posted on March 5, 2024
fingers pointing in multiple directions

Leadership, Management and Safety: Embracing Compliance and Conformance Oversight

Aviation operations, and by default, safety, are based on the idea that regulatory requirements are fundamental to establishing a framework to achieve safe operations.

Posted on February 7, 2024
aircraft waiting at hangar

FAR Part 91 Safety – Is It Time for a Wake-Up Call?

The FAR Part 91 sector of aviation has long enjoyed an admirable safety record. Business aviation has always been perceived as a very safe and efficient way to fly.

Posted on February 7, 2024
upset recovery training flight

The Denominator Is not Common

When was the last time you identified the “goods” and “others” of any given event to improve efficiency and effectiveness? If it’s been a while, bring these words back into your daily routine. There is merit in shared experiences and the refinement of small nuances to create significant value. No organization or person in it is perfect.

Posted on January 16, 2024
part of Jupiter taken by the NASA Juno spacecraft

Seeing Is Believing: How Cognitive Bias Impacts Safety Decision-Making

Take a look at the image below. A long-lost Picasso? A ceremonial mask from an aboriginal jungle tribe? Nope. This is a close-up photo of part of Jupiter taken by the NASA Juno spacecraft on 7 September 2023.

Posted on January 16, 2024
Female leading interview with journalists outside.

Aviation Emergency Response and the Media

With recent advancements in technology, the media has become more accessible to everyone, and social media platforms have greatly increased the speed with which information can be shared. As a communication method, the media can be an excellent tool to reach a large audience in a timely manner. However, this ease of access and the nature of modern techniques to drive viewership leads to important considerations in emergency situations.

Posted on December 7, 2023
Group of business people climbing a mountain.

The Flip Side of Psychological Safety

From a human factors perspective, we might be evolving towards a partial power situation. In the evolving landscape of workplace dynamics in pursuit of improved safety, the concept of psychological safety has gained significant traction. It’s the bedrock of an organizational culture that fosters open communication, innovation, and growth.

Posted on December 7, 2023
Aircraft crew meeting passengers.

Passenger Pressure

The vast quantity of knowledge that must be stuffed into a pilot’s head is just one reason only 0.2% of the U.S. population has at least a Private Pilot Certificate. As the ratings grow, the percentages decrease even further. There are a variety of reasons the pilot population is small and dwindling. Having the self-discipline to get all that knowledge into one brain through study, training and experience is daunting and costly. However, once you get paid to fly, it’s all worth it.

Posted on November 9, 2023
Pilot explaining how a flight simulator works to a student during a training session.

Are You Committed to Excellence or Minimum Standards?

When was the last time an aviation colleague asked you (or you asked yourself), “Is this good enough?” And what does “good enough” really mean? In my opinion, the very question constitutes an attitude of mediocrity. The real question for true aviation professionals should be: “Is good enough ever really good enough in any business or private aviation pursuit?” So many times, we use the descriptive phrases “world-class,” “best-in-class” and “excellence.” But do we really mean them, or are they simply “ear candy” because they sound good?

Posted on November 7, 2023
Aircraft crew coordinating in an aircraft hangar.

A Safety Manager’s Guide to Impactful Leadership

In the world of safety management, “power” might not be the first word that comes to mind. However, we’re going to explore an intriguing concept—the power that safety managers possess and how we can harness it to create a significant impact within our organizations.

Posted on October 2, 2023
urban transportation with eVTOL

Got eVTOL?

Electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles bring out the very best futuristic, gravity-defying and green versions of us all. The idea is not entirely new, offering vertical movement with lateral mobility and making the concept of a runway almost trivial.

Posted on October 2, 2023
Stressed female pilot sitting at the airport.

Sleep Duration Is a Key Factor in Predicting On-Duty Alertness

After a poor night of sleep, it is common to feel tired, sluggish and even irritable. More important for air operators, poor sleep is also associated with increased fatigue—which can directly impact employee performance and put lives at risk.

Posted on September 5, 2023
Building Organizational Culture blocks stacked

Aviation Emergency Response Training Explained

Emergency Response Plans (ERPs), however, are much more infrequently used in most organizations. When an abnormal situation disrupts your operation, is your team versed in their roles? Are they prepared to handle the emergency? Do they know what their responsibilities are?

Posted on September 5, 2023
airport

Airport Risk Profile – The Vehicle Service Road

As air transport continues its recovery, airport operations—particularly passenger traffic—are steadily increasing to all-time highs. As this is occurring, airport ground operations are dealing with fixed gates and infrastructure challenges to service the increased volume. Workforce challenges, employee retention, system outages and weather impacts have challenged many airports and their handling agents to keep up. Airports and service providers must work together to manage the emerging risks.

Posted on August 9, 2023
airport ground crew

Three-Word Magic

There are many well-known three-word mantras that serve as “human performance shorthand” and can help us handle stressful situations more effectively. One new one we could all probably benefit from in our personal lives is “Relax – Reassess – Re-engage.” When the stuff hits the fan, it gives us somewhere to go mentally, and using it regularly improves the life-saving skill known as mental agility.

Posted on August 9, 2023
flight crew with aircraft

A Flight Toward Well-Being: The Changing Landscape of Mental Health in Aviation

As the Global Director of Aviation Health at MedAire, I have witnessed firsthand the incredible strides our industry has made in addressing mental health issues among pilots.

Posted on July 12, 2023
airplane pilot looking over shoulder in a private jet

How Pilot Personality Affects Safety Culture

Pilots function at their highest level after taking a break and being away from the obligations of the flight deck. With this in mind, it’s easier to create an environment and company where pilots have higher job satisfaction that results in a better safety culture. Simply ensure they’re getting enough detachment time.

Posted on July 12, 2023
Female manager leading a business lecture.

Emergency Response as Applied Leadership

The task of responding to an emergency is a daunting one. The organization has already experienced harm or a severe threat to its personnel, equipment and reputation because of the emergency, and a poorly run response can bring further damage to one or all those areas. Confronted with this pressure, the sense of urgency inherent with emergencies and an onslaught of new and rapidly changing information, nerves tend to run high, and acuity drops significantly.

Posted on June 6, 2023
flight training

Safe Flights—It Takes All of Us!

Aviation safety is crucial to safeguarding human lives and preserving public trust in air travel. There are many factors and components of aviation safety. Human factors, aircraft design, maintenance, air traffic management, operational procedures, regulations, training and education, to name a few.

Posted on June 6, 2023