What is the primary goal of aviation safety management systems?

The primary goal of aviation safety management systems is to promote a proactive approach to safety. This is achieved by identifying potential hazards and mitigating risks before they result in incidents or accidents. A safety management system (SMS) fosters a culture of safety within an organization, ensuring that all levels of staff are involved in safety practices and that safety is integrated into daily operations.

By adopting a proactive stance, aviation organizations can continuously monitor and improve their safety processes, leading to better decision-making and improved overall safety performance. This historical shift from reactive safety measures, which focus solely on responding to accidents after they occur, to proactive management emphasizes risk assessment and management, making aviation inherently safer for passengers and crew alike.

While minimizing insurance costs, enhancing operational efficiency, and increasing revenue are important considerations for aviation organizations, they are secondary outcomes that can arise from a well-implemented safety management system rather than the primary goal itself.