ICAO Annex 6, Part 2: SMS Provisions

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Air Navigation Commission approved the proposed text for the modernization of Annex 6 Operations of Aircraft, Part II International General Aviation (GA) – standards and recommended practices (SARPs) for international GA operators. The amendment will become effective in 2008 to ensure that states and operators are aware of the upcoming changes to the Annex, but the changes will not apply until November 2010. This will assure that states are given adequate time to make needed regulatory changes and for operators to be in compliance.

… 3.3.2 Safety management system

3.3.2.1 An operator shall establish and maintain a safety management system that is appropriate to the size and complexity of the operation.

3.3.2.2 Recommendation: The safety management system should as minimum include:

1. a process to identify actual and potential safety hazards and assess the associated risks;
2. a process to develop and implement remedial action necessary to maintain an acceptable level of safety; and
3. provision for continuous monitoring and regular assessment of the appropriateness and effectiveness of safetymanagement activities.

Note: Guidance on safety management systems is contained in the Safety Management Manual (SMM) (Doc 9859) and industry codes of practice.

3.4.2.2 Operations manual

An operator shall provide, for the use and guidance of personnel concerned, an operations manual containing all the instructions and information necessary for operations personnel to perform their duties. The operations manual shall be amended or revised as is necessary to ensure that the information contained therein is kept up to date. All such amendments or revisions shall be issued to all personnel that are required to use this manual.

Note 1: States may reference accepted and recognized industry codes of practice as the basis for the development of an operations manual.

Note 2: Attachment 2.A contains guidance on the organization and content of an operations manual.

ATTACHMENT 3.A COMPANY OPERATIONS MANUAL- Supplementary to 3.4.2.2 [above]

The following is the suggested content of a company operations manual. It may be issued in separate parts corresponding to specific aspects of an operation. It should include the instructions and information necessary to enable the personnel concerned to perform their duties safely and shall contain at least the following information:

1. table of contents;
2. amendment control page and list of effective pages, unless the entire document is reissued with each amendment and the document has an effective date on it;
3. duties, responsibilities and succession of management and operating personnel;
4. operator safety management system;
5. operational control system;
6. MEL procedures (where applicable);
7.  normal flight operations;
8. SOPs;
9. weather limitations;
10. flight and duty time limitations;
11. emergency operations;
12. accident/incident considerations;
13. personnel qualifications and training;
14. record keeping;
15. a description of the maintenance control system;
16. security procedures (where applicable);
17. performance operating limitations;
18. use/protection of FDR/CVR records (where applicable); and
19. handling of dangerous goods.