Tradewind Aviation, a US regional air mobility company, has had its new SMS approved by the FAA. Formal approval recognises Tradewind as being within 'active conformance' with the FAA's Voluntary Safety Management programme, with automatic approval assured upon completion of the agency's rulemaking process. It further ranks Tradewind among an elite group of Part 135 operators of on-demand and scheduled air service that have achieved the same status.

The main thrust of an SMS is to avoid or mitigate accidents by providing an organisation-wide approach to identifying safety hazards, assessing and managing safety risk, and assuring the effectiveness of safety risk controls. This system further provides a set of decision-making processes and procedures that can improve safety by assisting an organisation in planning, organising, directing and controlling its aviation-related business activities. Acceptance into the SMS programme requires a rigorous validation and credentialing process conducted by the FAA's certificate management team and officials.

Creation of Tradewind's SMS was a multi-year effort spearheaded and finalised by director of safety Sarah Zimmerman. With the FAA's approval, Tradewind has gone from ‘active applicant’ to ‘active conformant’, placing it among the top two per cent of Part 135 operators in the US that have completed the agency's SMS voluntary programme process and demonstrating the airline's culture of safety promotion. It also confirms that Tradewind's SMS meets the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization.

The benefits of the FAA's approval of Tradewind's SMS are manifold, including increasing safety, realising cost savings and demonstrating to clients, aviation talent and other players in the aviation industry that the private airline has made and continues to make safety a priority. It also improves Tradewind's data-informed decision making to prioritise resource allocation and enhances its communication about safety via a standard that is well recognised throughout the industry, increasing client confidence in turn.

Taken together, Tradewind's active conformance of the FAA's Voluntary Safety Management programme reveals the private airline's commitment to a proactive culture of safety and status as a leader in business aviation. “Our dedication to enhancing our culture of safety and being proactive and predictive to address problems before they occur has never been stronger,” notes Eric Zipkin, co-founder and chief executive officer of Tradewind Aviation. “Coupled with the continuous attention we give to aircraft management, maintenance and charter operation, the FAA's approval of our SMS is proof positive that when Tradewind Aviation says we 'Fly Personal,' we mean it.”