First SM ICG 'Industry Day' Outreach Event Held in South America

The Safety Management International Collaboration Group (SM ICG), a group of 16 aviation regulatory bodies, held its fifth Industry Day with representatives from 15 South and Central American aviation industry organizations and one European company on December 12, 2014 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Marcos Eugênio Abreu of from Guarulhos Airport, was already encouraged by SM ICG work and said, "[The airport] used the SM ICG SMS Evaluation Tool gap analysis and it was useful for us." This event marks the first opportunity for Latin American aviation service providers to hear directly from authorities that are working together and for those authorities to receive feedback on SM ICG products. The full day session, hosted by the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) of Brazil, included seven industry presentations and an open discussion on the successes and challenges aviation service providers have experienced in their implementation of Safety Management Systems (SMS).

The SM ICG was established in 2009 to promote a common understanding of safety management principles and requirements, facilitating their application across the international aviation community. Since its formation, the group has published many products and several have been translated into Portuguese and Spanish. In recent years, the SM ICG has increased outreach to the greater international aviation community. The inaugural Industry Day event was held in Ottawa, Canada in 2012 and the three subsequent ones were held in The Hague, Netherlands, Seattle, Washington, USA, and Bern, Switzerland.

Cláudio Passos Simão, Director of Airworthiness at ANAC, kicked off the day saying, "The common objective for both aviation service providers and regulators is safety and it is important for each to know what the other is doing. To be successful in safety management, we must work together." After opening remarks, Simon Roberts, United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA) SMS Programme Manager and Chair of European Human Factors Advisory Group, gave an overview of the SM ICG and its work, noting that "We are developing guidance and tools and sharing them globally. We recognize that SMS can be misunderstood...the more authorities can harmonize, the better for industry that have multiple regulators." Industry representatives (Wagner Flores, Helibrás; Fábio Catani, Embraer; Hector Hidalgo Medellin, Avianca; Daniel Guillaumon, TAM Airlines; Marcos Eugenio de Abreu, Guarulhos Airport; Captain Dan Guzzo Comite, GOL Airlines; and Yvan Boishu, Air France) briefed their experiences with safety management. Industry Day speaker biographies and all presentations are available for download at the bottom of this page.

Industry Day participants discussed safety management in their organizations. Topics included simplifying the complexity of SMS, challenges of multiple sites and activities, gathering information from across an organization and information sharing, handling multiple regulators, safety management at different levels, importance of people in the system, breaking down organizational silos, expanding the safety area through SMS, risk mapping, and the importance of management commitment. Ana Claudia Galvao from BHS Helicopteros found the event informative and summed up its importance, "As industry, it's time to have these kinds of events more often so that others can reach the SMS level that companies in attendance today have achieved." Amer Younossi, Deputy Division Manager, Safety Management and Research Planning Division in the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aviation Safety Organization and current SM ICG Chair, thanked industry participants and concluded, "We are pleased by SMS implementation progress in Latin America. We regulators learned a lot today and we hope this is just the beginning of your feedback to us."

Briefing Abstracts and Industry Presenter Biographies

Simon Roberts

SMS Programme Manager and Chair of European Human Factors Advisory Group, UK CAA SM ICG Overview Bio: Simon has 20 years’ experience in an aircraft maintenance environment in the UK and Hong Kong. He has worked for the CAA for 16 years and has worked as an Airworthiness Surveyor, Regional Manager and Human Factors specialist. Since 2008 his role has been to manage and harmonise the implementation of Safety Management Systems and oversight across the CAA and the UK aviation industry it regulates. He has been involved in the development of Safety Management System (SMS) guidance material, oversight methodologies, evaluation tools, and training. He has been the Chair of the European Human Factors Advisory Group (EHFAG) for the last 8 years as well as being a member of the EHFAG Continuing Airworthiness and Maintenance Focus Group. He is also a member of the Safety Management International Collaboration Group (SM ICG) and currently sits on its Steering Committee.

Wagner Flores

Safety Coordinator on behalf of Antônio Modesto - Safety Manager, Helibras – Airbus Helicopters SMS: How to Engage in All Levels Abstract: Helibras – Airbus Helicopters will present an overview of best practices and difficulty in a SMS implementations.

Bio: Antonio has 12 years’ experience in a Safety Preventions Programs. He graduated in Aeronautical Science and also holds a specialization in Risks Management. He has worked as an Operational Safety Risks Supervisor in the Off-shore operations environment. For the last 8 years he has been involved in the development of Safety Management System (SMS) on Oil & Gas Operations, Flight Training Safety Programs, Maintenance and Factory Safety Programs in the Brasil. Since 2010 his role has been to manage and harmonize the implementation of Safety Management Systems and oversight across the ANAC Regulates. He is also IHST-Brazil Co-Chair representing the rotorcraft industry.

Fabio Catani

Safety Programs Manager, Embraer Embraer Experience With SMS Implementation Abstract: Will present the status of SMS implementation at Embraer considering the aspects of design and manufacturing as well as the other certifications like service centers, training center, flight operations, airport and so on. Bio: Has 15 years of experience in aviation safety at Embraer. Graduated Mechanical Engineer in 1994, has a post graduation in Business Administration concluded in 2000. Started the aviation career in 1996 at VASP airlines in Sao Paulo as a Powerplant Engineer. Subsequently, joined Embraer Air Safety in 1999 in Sao Jose dos Campos as an Air Safety Engineer, being transferred to Embraer North American regional office in Fort Lauderdale from 2002 to 2005 as an aircraft accident and incident investigator and to interface with customers Flight Safety Officers. Returned to Embraer’s HQ in Brazil in 2005 to manage the Safety Prevention Programs, which includes managing the voluntary reporting system, developing a risk assessments, coordinating the Air Safety Committees among the three Brazilian manufacturing plants, and coordinating the safety promotion through lectures to employees and the internal Safety Week to increase company’s safety culture. Also responsible for interacting with Flight Safety Officers of Embraer’s customers in the Latin America region and implementing the SMS to all Embraer business units. Is currently collaborating with the ICAO Regional Aviation Safety Group for the Pan American region (RASG-PA) and is a member of the Brazilian Commercial Aviation Safety Team (BCAST).

Hector Hidalgo Medellin

Corporate Safety Management System Manager, Avianca Holding Airlines Approach to Implementing an Effective SMS Abstract: Will present what approach the Avianca Holding has taken in order to implement and maintain a functioning SMS within its 9 airlines across Central and South America as well as the general systemic process taken to make it work on a daily basis. Bio: Hector Hidalgo is the Corporate Safety Management System Manager for the Avianca Holding, He is in charge of designing, developing and implementing a single corporate SMS for the Holding, assuring that its 9 airlines have their own SMS implemented under the same corporate guidelines and in accordance with the requirements of each of the 9 regulatory authorities that regulate SMS in the Holdings operations in Central and South America. Mr Hidalgo holds a Professional degree as an Aeronautical Engineer, as well as an Excecutive Master’s degree in Bussiness Administration, he also holds a program certificate in Aviation Safety and Security form the University of Southern California and has a diploma of Safety Management System Implementation professional granted by IATA . Up to now he has gained several years of aviation Safety experience and managed Avianca through the SMS implementation process up to the approval of the local aviation authority.

Daniel Guillaumon

Quality and Safety Manager, TAM Airlines Integrated Safety and Security Assurance Bio: Graduated in Mechanical Engineer at FAAP (Fundação Armando Álvares Penteado), Aviation Accident Investigator by CENIPA, postgraduate in Management and Business Administration by IBMEC, postgraduate in Safety by ITA, auditor by IFI and some extension in safety, security and auditing courses by IATA. He has worked in aviation safety for the last 13 years at TAM Airlines and more 2 years in aircraft engines overhaul shop at Rolls Royce Brasil. He has worked on material factor investigations, implementation of FDM program, quality assurance program, IOSA and ISAGO certification process and promoted integration to ISMS (Operational Safety, Security, Labor and Quality System). Now he is working on developing safety and security KPIs, monitors, based on 6 Sigma concepts with management meritocracy and integration to a quality system at LATAM Group.

Marcos Eugenio de Abreu

Head of Operational Safety, GRU Airport Safety Management System – Challenges and Perspectives – GRU Airport Abstract: The presentation intends to open a discussion about the main challenges that we are faced as an airport to implement safety management system, and the perspectives that are driving our strategic safety plan next year. Bio: Capt. Abreu is aviator that was graduated by Brazilian Air Force Academy in 1982, where he worked for 12 years. In 1991 he left the Air Force and started a new career in commercial aviation. During 22 years flew some aircrafts, such as Airbus A300 , Boeing 737-200 , Boeing 707 and Fokker100 DC8-73. In 2006 he joined Oceanair to fly Fokker 100, and was designated to be a Head of Safety Department, at the time that the SMS was taking the first steps in Brazil. He was the project manager of IOSA certification process and implementation of SMS. He left the Airline in April 2013 to be the Head of Operational Safety of GRU Airport. He is an aeronautical accident investigator graduated by CENIPA, since 1986, and he has post graduation in Flight Safety and Airworthiness by Aeronautical Technology Institute. He has 35 years of experience in Air Transport Industry.

Captain Dan Guzzo Comite

Safety, Security and Quality Executive Manager, GOL Airlines SMS Implementation at GOL Abstract: GOL will present SMS implementation challenges, solutions and main difficulties. Bio: Dan graduated in Aeronautical Sciences at Pontifícia Universidade Católica – PUC-RS and is post graduated in Business Administration at Ibmec Business School – São Paulo. He started his professional career in aviation back in 2000 as a copilot at Varig Airlines. In 2006 moved to Gol Airlines, where he was upgraded to captain and was invited to work at Gol´s IOSA certification task force in 2008.Held the position of Quality Auditor (Flight Operations, Dispatch and Security) and accident/incident Investigator from 2008 until 2014. Recently he has been appointed as Safety manager in march, 2014. In October, 2014, he got promoted to SMS Executive Manager, responsible for all Safety, Security and Quality Assurance issues.

Yvan Boishu

Flight Safety Risk Manager, Air France Strategic Risk Management Using Bow-Tie Risk Models Abstract: Air France SMS and risk register automation use of bow tie model using Enterprise Quality Management Software (ETQ) joined with CGE Bow-ties software. Bio: Yvan is in charge of the Internal Feedback and Investigation Coordination. After a career in International Hotel Management, Yvan joined Delta Airlines, spending three years in London. He received his ground operations management degree joining Air France during a two-year internal program. Then, he took the Regional Station Manager’s position in Nigeria, also acting as an Airport Organization Committee Manager and became a member of the Nigerian Airport Ministry Committee member for three years. Back in France, he managed the Flight Safety Ground Operations Investigation Department. He decided to get back on the operation field taking the long haul ramp operations management in Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. Recruited by the Flight Safety Department, he started two years ago that new position within Air France assisting the SMS reliance application development for flight safety, while also helping the development of the Air France Safety Management System.

Download Presentations

• Full Industry Day Article
• Briefing Abstracts and Presenter Biographies
• SM ICG Overview Presentation by Simon Roberts (UK CAA)
• SMS: How to Engage in All Levels by Wagner Flores (Helibrás)
• Embraer Experience With SMS Implementation by Fábio Catani (Embraer)
• Airlines Approach to Implementing an Effective SMS by Hector Hidalgo Medellin (Avianca)
• Integrated Safety and Security Assurance by Daniel Guillaumon (TAM Airlines)
• Safety Management System – Challenges and Perspectives – GRU Airport by Marcos Eugenio de Abreu (Guarulhos Airport)
• SMS Implementation at GOL by Captain Dan Guzzo Comite (GOL Airlines)
• Strategic Risk Management Using Bow-Tie Risk Models by Yvan Boishu (Air France)

Industry Day Event Archive

The Safety Management Systems International Collaboration Group (SM ICG), a group of 16 aviation regulatory bodies, was established in 2009. Since its formation, the group has produced several products and has begun to focus more on outreach to the greater international aviation community. To that end, the SM ICG has begun holding Industry Day events during its semi-annual meetings. Read more about other SM ICG Industry Day events