Internal SMS Efforts – FAA SMS and Safety Risk Management in Airport Projects
The FAA intends to implement SMS throughout the agency. The FAA's Airports organization is currently developing its SMS and plans to begin implementing key components in early 2009 across the country.
To meet the requirements of safety risk management under the SMS, we will begin incorporating formalized safety risk management into the planning process, evaluations of requests for modification to standards, reviews of safety during construction plans, and advisory circulars. Over time, the agency will incorporate safety risk management throughout other processes and procedures.
Under the Airports organization SMS, airport sponsors should expect to see formalized safety risk management incorporated into the planning and development processes for new airport projects. We will not require non-certificated airports to set up their own SMS, but we will require them to participate in the agency’s safety risk management process when planning and developing projects or changes on their airports. We will incorporate participation in this effort into the Airport Improvement Program (AIP).
As the FAA continues to develop and implement its internal SMS, we will update this website to include advisory guidance and policies applicable to the airport community.