Safety management system (SMS)
A safety management system is the structured way an operator identifies hazards, assesses risk, reports incidents without blame and checks that fixes actually work. It is mandatory for EASA AOC holders and, since 2024, for US Part 135 operators, which have until 2027 to comply, and it is the backbone of the ARGUS Platinum, Wyvern Wingman and IS-BAO audits. For a customer the visible signs of a working SMS are flight-risk assessments before each trip, a willingness to cancel or delay for weather or fatigue, and a culture where pilots are not punished for saying no. An operator that has never turned down a flight for safety reasons is not necessarily a safe one.