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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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
Ground personnel performing safety inspection of an aircraft.

Maximizing Your SMS: Differences Between Audits, Evaluations and Investigations

Audits, evaluations and investigations are distinctively different and powerful tools for supporting decision-making within an organization’s safety management system (SMS). Understanding the differences of the SMS “big three” can help us utilize each tool at the right time with minimal resources and result in the quality decision-making required within the SMS risk management framework.

Posted on May 2, 2023
Woman performing control tasks with drone.

Beyond Part 107: Enhancing Drone Pilot Skills for Safety and Performance

As a licensed drone pilot, you can fly commercial missions, embark on exciting new adventures, hone your skills and earn money. Your Part 107 license is an important start on your training journey. However, additional training beyond Part 107 is crucial. You should invest in your future and strive to become the best drone pilot you can be!

Posted on May 2, 2023
Female aviator in uniform with her head down feeling fatigued and stressed.

Understanding the Effect of Increased Aviation Demand and Fatigue on Pilots

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken its toll on the aviation industry, with travel restrictions and flight cancellations severely impacting air travel over the past three years. Business aviation was one of the most impacted air travel sectors, as organizations opted for virtual meetings or found other ways to engage remotely with their clients and colleagues.

Posted on April 4, 2023
Multi-ethnic group of airplane mechanics and their coordinator talking in the hangar.

What Would Marcus Aurelius Do?

In a recent discussion with an experienced pilot about this, he immediately gave his biggest concern. “It’s not just about pilots or air traffic controllers, everybody is new,” he said. From maintenance personnel to ground support, thousands of new entries into our industry are learning as they go and making simple mistakes along the way. It has always been this way with inexperienced people, but now we have a lot more of them.

Posted on April 4, 2023
risk management team

Management of Change (MoC): A Collaborative Approach To Raising Awareness Amidst a Constant State of Change

Identifying and managing hazards affecting an operation’s integrity is a fundamental objective of all flight departments or organizations working within a risk-based environment. In aviation, more and more operators are coming to the conclusion, and rightly so, that mere regulatory compliance is not an assurance of operational integrity and safety.

Posted on February 28, 2023
Small plane crashes through fence in emergency landing.

Strategies for Reducing a Concerning Trend in Runway Excursions

Over a four-year period ending in 2010, there were 20 runway excursions at Jackson Hole, WY (KJAC). As a result of this uptick in excursions, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) 11011. A combination of the heightened awareness created by the SAFO and the Jackson Hole airport and operators adopting many of the recommendations successfully has mitigated excursions over the last 12 years.

Posted on February 28, 2023
Close-up of hand using writing pen.

SMS and ERP: Moving Toward Full Integration

Regulatory approaches to aviation safety are after-the-fact reactions to major incidents and accidents or historical data studies. Where working safety professionals value proactivity and prevention, governmental agencies often take an…

Posted on January 31, 2023
Doctor looking at red and itchy rash.

Ready for Takeoff: The Importance of In-Flight Allergic Reaction Preparedness

As business aviation operators, we are constantly focused on the safety and well-being of passengers and crew. But what happens when an in-flight allergic reaction strikes? Are you prepared for the unexpected?

Posted on January 31, 2023
Male and female mechanics with clipboard and voltage tester working on helicopter engine in hangar.

Quality of Life and Its Implications for Safety, Attraction & Retention

We are often asked, “What are the greatest factors in an aviation operation that influence attraction, retention and operational safety?” Without a doubt, the most frequent response we get when talking one-on-one with hundreds of aviation professionals is quality of life. Then, company leadership commonly asks us, “What has the greatest impact on quality of life for those in an aviation organization?”

Posted on January 10, 2023
Upset Recovery Training

Take the Stairs!

It is only human nature to seek the easy button and attempt to expedite the path to understanding and mastering skills. Unfortunately, this streamlined approach is inconsistent and far less effective than its more methodical, and occasionally longer, counterpart.

Posted on January 10, 2023
female mechanic review specs on tablet

Getting to Zero One Report at a Time

In the world of safety management, the goal is zero accidents and incidents. While zero may seem an elusive and unreachable goal, improvements in processes and attitudes can prevent accidents and generate a positive culture of safety within an organization if everyone participates.

Posted on December 6, 2022
hand holding a lightbulb

A Time for Reflection and a Call to Action

As we prepare to flip the calendar from 2022 to 2023, will we do so with something other than a few new gifts and a list of New Year’s resolutions? How can we best use this moment to make a lasting and positive change in our personal lives and organizations?

Posted on December 6, 2022
pilot yawning

What If I Can’t Sleep 8 Hours?

Sleep is precious. Ample scientific evidence exists that getting enough sleep sharpens the brain, improves mood, helps with weight management and boosts athletic performance. In fact, the American Heart Association recently added sleep to its cardiovascular health checklist. But what if you’re an aviation professional who struggles to get eight consecutive hours? Your total daily sleep may be enough.

Posted on November 7, 2022
Air rescue service team running to the helicopter on the heliport

To Declare or Not To Declare

Due to a greater prevalence of “critical events” compared to higher-status “emergency response plan-activating events,” we propose that critical events pose a powerful opportunity for practicing and refining emergency response procedures. We also feel organizations should “over-respond” to critical events out of an abundance of caution.

Posted on October 4, 2022
Upset Recovery Training

Get Yourself to Yes

I am not a picky eater, but I was 40 years old before I ever ate a Brussels sprout. My grandfather didn’t eat them, my father didn’t eat them, and I’ll be gosh darned if I was ever going to have one cross the plane of my mouth. (Stick with me—there’s a connection to aviation training and safety here!)

Posted on October 4, 2022
emergency response training

Managing In-Flight Emergencies in the Age of Advanced Air Mobility

By 2030, the global eVTOL aircraft market will transport 27 million passengers. Some vehicles will have a single pilot, while others will operate remotely or autonomously with only civilian passengers. Therefore, the companies commercialising this space have a duty of care to their employees and customers to ensure the safety of all on board.

Posted on September 6, 2022
An event is a free lesson... report it!

Safety Reporting: Crewed and Un-Crewed

It’s an exciting time to be part of the expanding UAS industry. It has been a whirlwind to watch the growth from its earliest days until now. Over the next few years, it will continue that evolution and expand in tandem with regulatory standards and guidelines for its safe operation.

Posted on September 6, 2022
businessman with jet lag

The Two Effects of Jet Lag

Everyone who has travelled in an airplane is familiar with jet lag. True, the effect only applies when travelling east or west. But jet lag is so pervasive and annoying—not to mention a safety risk for pilots—that it merits serious discussion.

Posted on August 5, 2022