The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has announced details designed to inform flight training schools of the transition process they will need to follow to achieve ‘Approved Training Organisation’ status.
Something which was of great interest to us as we are expanding our services in this area and will be putting to gether a document to satisfy these needs before loking for partners who will work with us to develop it.
Around 188 training schools that are currently referred to as Registered Training Facilities (RTF) will have to become Approved Training Organisations (ATO) over the next two years to be able to continue providing flying lessons – part of a package of Europe-wide changes in the aviation pilot training industry.
To become ATOs, flying schools will be required to develop operating, safety and compliance manuals, and also undergo periodic audits.
Each Registered Training Facility (RTF) that wishes to continue to provide flight training for the issue of a Private Pilot Licence (PPL), for aeroplanes or helicopters, or for the Single Engine Piston Class Rating or Night Rating for aeroplanes, must become an Approved Training Organisation (ATO) by no later than the 8 April 2015. In addition, anyone intending to provide training for any Light Aircraft Pilot Licence (LAPL) for any category of aircraft must become an ATO before offering that training. However, ATO status does not, by itself, allow an organisation to begin LAPL training.
Structure of a safety management system
The universally accepted framework includes four main components and twelve elements, representing the minimum requirements for SMS. These ‘capabilities’ apply regardless of the aviation context. The four main components are;
- Safety policy and objectives
- Safety risk management
- Safety assurance
- Safety promotion
What a safety management system is
Managing safety is really about managing safety risk, which means trying to prevent bad things from happening, or if something does go wrong, or slips through the cracks, trying to minimise the consequences of the event.
Safety management is about accepting that things will go wrong and about reactively, proactively and predictively controlling risks to a level that is acceptable.
It can help you predict potential risks, take appropriate action and measure how well risk controls are working. It can give you the business information you would want to manage risks in other areas such as finance or productivity.
Help is at hand
If you need help developing documentation for Approved Training Organisations (ATO) status contact us.
