Transmittal Letter

General: This draft international industry Standard for Implementing aSafety Management System (SMS) for Design, Manufacturing and Maintenance Providers is submitted for comment and approval by the International SMS Standard Steering Committee.  The Committee is comprised of association members from the AeroSpace and Defense Industries of Europe (ASD), Aerospace Industries Association of America (AIA-USA), Aerospace Industries Association of Brazil (AIA-B), Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIA-C) and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA).  

The Standardwas developed to enable the aviation industry to implement a Safety ManagementSystem (SMS) consistent with the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Annex 19 "Safety Management" edition 2, appendix 2, to the convention on International Civil Aviation. It is intended to support demonstration of compliance with applicable SMS requirements from Aviation Authorities or for voluntary SMS implementation. 
Action:Your review and agreement of the Standard is requested by March 15.  For your convenience a comment form is included.  Disposition of comments will be conducted by representatives of the five Industry Associations with the intent of publishing a final industry consensus standard by June 1, 2018.Please provide your approval and comments to (Each Association should list a contact point to collect approvals/comments)

Background:  The work associated with the attached International Industry Consensus Standard was initially accomplished by an integrated team of safety professionals from aviation design, manufacturing and maintenance organizations (including Manufacturers holding Continuing Airworthiness Management – CAMO - approval) from the AeroSpace and Defense Industries Association of Europe (ASD) and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA).  Their effort was supplemented by support, collaboration and refinement from AIA-USA, AIA-Canada, AIA-Brazil and the regulatory authorities from the United States, Europe, Canada and Brazil.   
The Standard provides detailed guidance for compliance with SMS requirements, guidelines for interfaces management; including sharing of safety related information, between organizations with SMS obligations, such as: design, manufacturing, maintenance but also continuing airworthiness management, training organizations and operators and also the relevant Aviation Authorities. The Standard can be implemented on a voluntary basis by organizations not required by applicable regulation to implement an SMS. 
Although this Standard addresses implementation of the SMS elements within organizations responsible for aircraft, parts and appliance design, manufacturing and maintenance,  it can also be used by organizations responsible for aircraft continuing airworthiness management, commercial or non-commercial (private) standard operations, training of crew and/or maintenance certifying staff, air traffic services, certified aerodrome as a baseline to implement an SMS, when acceptable to the relevant Aviation Authority.  

Relation to NAS 9927:In 2015, the United States Design and Manufacturing industry developed National Aerospace Standard (NAS) 9927 as a method to voluntarily comply with Annex 19.  Since NAS 9927 is written to meet the requirement of 14 CFR Part 5 itmay not adequately meet the needs of non-U.S. Industry.  The FAA has determined that the draft international Standard is equivalent to NAS 9927 and can be used by U.S. industry so long as the requirements listed in Annex 4 of the international Standardare met.  NAS 9927 remains in effect and can continue be used by the US aviation community to voluntarily meet Annex 19, Appendix 2.  This international Standard provides another option for those companies who so choose.  
Standard Governance:Maintenance and oversight of the Standard will be the responsibility of the International SMS Standard Steering Committee.  The Steering Committee will direct and supervise the maintenance, amendments and publication of the document.  Each Association will make available to its members free copies of the Standard and ensure that their members are made aware of and agree to  any future changes to the Standard.  The regulatory authorities from the four Certificate Management Team (CMT) states have agreed to participate as observers and will endeavor to utilize the Standard as much as possible in their regulatory development and encourage other ICAO member states to accept the Standard as a means of compliance with ICAO Annex 19, Appendix 2.

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