Avionics News January 2017 - 53

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Authority: A clearly identifiable, qualified and
In other words:
knowledgeable individual who can direct, control
*	 Avoid problems.
or change procedures and make key decisions.
*	 Identify potential problems before they turn into
*	 Procedures: Documented methods to carry out
real problems.
activities that translate the "what" into the "how."
*	 Fix real problems before they become bigger
*	 Controls: Parts of the system, including hardware,
problems.
software, special procedures, checklists and
That's it. That's SAS. There's an entire volume
supervisory practices, designed to keep processes
- Volume 10 Safety Assurance System Policy and
on track to achieve attended
Procedures - in the Flight Standards
results.
Information Manual System that
*	 Process measurement: The
describes SAS in painful (and often
certificate holder's process
confusing) detail. But you can skip
to measure and assess its
most of the content, including which
processes to identify and/
checklist an inspector should use
or correct problems or
when and the more than 100 item
potential problems.
list of acronyms, if you keep these
IT USES A RISK-BASED,
*	 Interfaces: The
three concepts in mind.
DATA-SUPPORTED
identification,
SYSTEM FOR THE INITIAL
documentation and
How do I 'do SAS?'
CERTIFICATION, ROUTINE
methodology to evaluate the
"Doing SAS" isn't all that
impact of changes on related
complicated, but it can be time
SURVEILLANCE, AND
processes.
consuming. The FAA gives you a
CERTIFICATE MANAGEMENT
Do some of these concepts sound
cheat sheet - your Peer Group's
FOR TITLE 14 CODE OF
familiar? If you have an active SMS,
MLF - with which to begin your
FEDERAL
REGULATIONS
or Safety Management System,
SAS work. The tasks and activities
PARTS 121, 135, AND 145
there's a good chance you already
included on the MLF should get
have some of these pieces in place.
your attention first. Ideally, you and
CERTIFICATE HOLDERS
In fact, SAS is, in some ways, an
your staff sit down and address the
AND APPLICANTS.
extension of a mature SMS.
six safety attributes for each activity
If SAS is an extension of SMS,
in your Peer Group's MLF.
what's the point of SAS?
Maintenance organizations tend
In general, SAS intends to
to be more process-driven than
improve safety in operations by:
some organizations on the operations side of aviation,
*	 Defining detailed processes to help ensure
so in some ways, repair stations have a head start. If
consistent results and determining who is
you have an active SMS, some of your controls, process
responsible and accountable for those results.
measurements and interfaces can come from internal
*	 Proactively identifying possible instances of
auditing, risk management processes and corrective action
regulatory noncompliance or safety concerns
planning.
by implementing controls (for example, work
It sounds easy enough on paper, but if you've ever
cards) and process measurements. Some reactive
written a process, you know it can take several drafts to
process measurements, like internal auditing, are
get it right. If you work with human beings, you might
also encouraged in SAS but should supplement
find some conflict over who has responsibility or authority
proactive measures.
over certain tasks. If you're a largely word-of-mouth
*	 Developing and implementing corrective actions
Continued on page 61
to mitigate risks.

SAS IS THE FAA'S
NEW METHOD OF
OVERSIGHT.

avionics news

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january

2017

53
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News January 2017
