VERTICON workshop offers SMS support and solutions By Mark Huber The May 28, 2027, deadline for Part 135 operators and some Part 91 air tour operators, as well as Part 21 certificate holders (current aircraft manufacturers), to implement an FAA-mandated safety management system (SMS) is looming—and VAI and its industry partners are poised to help at this year’s VERTICON. VAI president and CEO François Lassale (right) welcomed a packed ballroom to the VERTICON SMS Workshop this morning, emphasizing the responsibilities that come with participating in vertical aviation. “VAI has a lot of things on its agenda, but safety underpins everything we do as an industry. Safety is the currency of our credibility,” Lassale said. “If we demonstrate we’re taking responsibility for our industry, then when we have conversations with lawmakers, government agencies, our customers, our passengers, and our VIPs, they understand that we take it seriously. The fact that you have shown up today—to do what you’re going to do today in terms of business learning, sharing knowledge and experiences—is vital to our success as an industry.” Robert Reckert (left), FAA acting deputy director of the office of safety standards, told attendees, “In [FAA] flight standards, we often talk about collaboration. But in the rotorcraft community, it’s more than a talking point. It’s an essential. Your operations are diverse, dynamic, and often conducted in challenging environments. That means the only way we can meaningfully reduce risk is by working together.” Reckert said that while the overall accident rate continued its gradual downward trend, the causes are familiar, including loss of control in-flight (LOC-I) and unintended flight into instrument meteorological conditions (UIMC). “These aren’t new patterns, but they are solvable ones, and the most effective tool we have to address them is a robust, data-driven safety management system. “SMS is not a paperwork exercise and it’s not a compliance [check] box. It’s a way of thinking and organizational habits that reduce exposure long before the accident. Change begins in the pillars of SMS: Safety risk management is where we get ahead of the problem. Safety assurance closes the loop. Safety promotion ties it all together. These pillars reduce risk exposure and variability. Ultimately, they reduce the accidents. But none of us can do this alone. The FAA’s role is to support you, to listen, to share data, and to help build systems that work in a real world, not just on paper,” Reckert added. Workshop participants were given the opportunity to meet with industry experts to discuss nine essential SMS elements: safety policy and leadership; safety documentation; emergency response planning; safety risk management; safety assurance; safety promotion; safety culture, including the importance of fostering a just culture; engagement of civil aviation authorities (FAA, EASA, and others); and SMS resources and technologies. VAI industry partners participating in the workshop included the Air Charter Safety Foundation, the Aircraft Electronics Association, Baldwin Safety and Compliance, Cirro by AirSuite, PRISM SMS, and WYVERN. More information on SMS is available at the VAI Safety Zone, Booth #B2815, in the exhibit hall. Visit VAI’s SMS Workshop Resource Hub for ongoing support of your SMS efforts.
