In safety management, how we explain behavior matters. When an event occurs, whether it is a missed checklist step, a ground handling error, or a deviation from procedure, our first instinct is often to look at the individual involved. What were they thinking? Why didn’t they follow the process? Were they careless? But decades of psychological research suggest something important. Humans are not very accurate when attributing the causes of other people’s behavior. More often

I’m a big observer…always have been. In the SMS and aviation world, I tend to notice things that feel just a little off-center. I absorb them, turn them over, and try to puzzle out why they exist and what might bring them back into alignment with what’s required or simply what’s needed to make things work better. The issues that consistently land in my personal “top three” are training and retention, acceptance of risk assessments in the maintenance department, and ERP drills

In aviation, we plan meticulously for normal operations, but it’s how we prepare for the abnormal and the unexpected  that truly defines a resilient organization. Emergency response preparation is not just a regulatory or audit consideration: it’s a critical component of operational excellence, safety culture, and organizational credibility. An emergency may be rare, but when it occurs, the clock starts immediately and preparation (or the lack of it) becomes painfully visible

Whether you document your Safety Management System (SMS) on a software program, Excel spreadsheets, Google Docs, napkins, or gum wrappers. No matter your method, there will always be a pain point — and in aviation, I’ve whittled it down to three things: Starting an SMS Taking over an existing SMS Revising one that “seems” to be working What do all three have in common? Training. Yay!!! TRAINING!!! …Or is it more like: yay. training. The Reality Check Let’s take a quick pulse

We’ve all been there: you check your calendar, and suddenly it’s time once again to perform that audit for your Internal Evaluation...

I have a confession: I love Taco Bell. Always have, always will. Growing up, I remember when burritos were 69 cents and a Burrito Supreme...

In our ongoing exploration of safety management and organizational excellence, we often dive deep into various theories and concepts that...

It’s an exciting time to be part of the expanding UAS industry. It has been a whirlwind to watch the growth from its earliest days until...