SM4 Safety Articles & Resources

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Boy running through field with toy wings

Aviation Needs More Poets Right Now

Most of us began as dreamers and poets, all wanting to “slip the surly bonds of earth… dance the skies on laughter silvered wings… and reach out to touch the face of God.” Most know these words came from John Gillespie Magee Jr., who was a World War II Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot and poet. Most don’t know that he was killed in a mid-air collision over England in 1941.

Posted on October 1, 2020
Technician working on airplane propeller

Making your Risk Assessment Tool a STAR

Mention the acronym GUMPS to just about any fixed wing pilot and watch their eyes move upward and to the right. Their neurolinguistics are probably showing you they are visually remembering: gas, undercarriage, mixture, props and safety. It is a tried-and-true mental checklist and litany that has served, and saved, many a pilot

Posted on October 1, 2020
Four different face masks laying on table

Empirical Safety Data Finally Emerges Regarding Masks and Face Coverings. It May Not Be What You Expected.

More than six months have now passed since the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) became an international household word. Paradoxically, only until recently has any demonstrable evidence surfaced to evaluate the recommendations coming from the health community.

Posted on August 28, 2020
Pilot in cockpit looking out to his left

Reinvention Throughout the Pandemic

Opportunity. It is a concept that helps us cope with the constant change and the flexibility required to endure the pandemic. The aviation industry has been hit hard, and everyone associated with it is having to reinvent themselves in one way or another.

Posted on August 28, 2020
Hockey player on ice shooting puck

The “New Normal” in Aviation Safety

Much is being written these days about the shifting of “normalcy,”’ given the global COVID-19 pandemic. What we have come to understand as “normal” in business aviation today has changed dramatically in just a few short months.

Posted on August 3, 2020
Man flying drone

Contracting Drone Operators: Pros and Cons for Your Organization

The use of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) among corporate and government entities has risen steadily since 2016, following publication of federal sUAS regulations (Part 107). Many organizations have seen the potential sUAS have to increase efficiency, improve safety and enhance capabilities, and are leveraging these advantages.

Posted on June 26, 2020
Woman and man pilots standing on runway

Managing Workplace Fatigue During COVID-19

It has been barely six months since the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus was first identified, four months since the first U.S. cases were mentioned in the news and some 10 weeks since lockdowns were imposed to help stem the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Posted on June 26, 2020
Small plant growing

Reimagining Mastery Through Anaheim Peppers

Downtime used to be hard to come by. Remember just a couple of months ago when the pace of operations prevented us from doing all we needed to just to…

Posted on June 1, 2020
Writing on iPad with Apple Pencil

A Safety Manager’s Mantra: Share Selflessly and Steal Shamelessly

I have been fortunate to have advanced my safety management career while working for one of the nation’s commercial airlines during their pre-911 era. While carriers competed for market share…

Posted on June 1, 2020