Jan12

Written by:
1/12/2009 3:00 PM 

NorthWest Data Solutions in Anchorage, Alaska designs, develops and supports a Web-based, aviation SMS software application called SMS Pro. SMS Pro is a complete toolkit for aviation service providers to manage their aviation safety management systems (SMS) requirements. SMS Pro uses a SQL Server database and is a highly customizable aviation safety management system that was designed specifically for the aviation industry following the documented SMS requirements and recommendations of ICAO, IS-BAO, FAA and Transport Canada. These documents include:

• ICAO's 9859
• FAA's 120-92; and a lot of
• Transport Canada's SMS documentation.

All of this documentation carries the common ICAO message and SMS Pro has grown to include all the major elements required by the world's aviation SMS regulatory agencies. SMS Pro is based on ICAO's four pillars:

• Safety Policy
• Risk Management
• Safety Assurance; and
• Safety Promotion

SMS Pro has been accepted by Transport Canada as an SMS database tool for more than two years and has been used as the aviation SMS Web-based solution by many organizations.

Most aviation service providers in the world today are required by law to have a formal aviation SMS in place. The United States is an exception -- however, the FAA is undergoing advanced notice of rulemaking for aviation service providers to implement a formal SMS.

At the heart of SMS Pro is the common hazard reporting system that so many other competing products provide. However, what is remarkable about SMS Pro is the incredibly robust and complete issue management tool kit.

Email is used very extensively to communicate with SMS participants to manage corrective actions, tasks and assigned issues. SMS Pro ensures management remains visibly accountable and allows management to communicate SMS information easily to the entire organization.

SMS Pro is more than a hazard reporting and issue management database solution. It is also more than a customized auditing tool that so many other vendors provide and try to pass off as an complete SMS solution.

Many professional SMS training companies and consultants call SMS Pro the most complete SMS toolkit.

When you review SMS Pro, you will see many modules to keep your SMS data organized and always prepared for an audit. Instead of hunting in file cabinets for requested documents and trying to find that misplaced Excel spreadsheet, you will always be able to answer SMS auditors questions with a couple clicks of the mouse.

SMS Pro is a very affordable solution ideally suited for companies with between 100 and 500 employees. However, companies with fewer than 40 employees and more than 1000 can also be supported because SMS Pro is a very scalable solution.

For an organization with 100 employees, the return on investment is approximately one year when one considers the labor savings associated with managing issues. But the real value  SMS Pro provides occurs after more than one year of data collection when the trending charts and financial charts start providing useful data for managing hazards and focusing on business processes that are costing you money.

SMS Pro comes in two hosting solutions: First, NWDS can provide a turnkey solution. We provide the Web server, enterprise-level SQL Server database and the network to provide on online solution to your organization within two working days. The other solution allows organizations to put SMS Pro onto their own hardware and security of their network. Of course, the second solution is more expensive by a magnitude of about 3 to 4 times when one considers, labor, hardware and software costs.

Contact Chris Howell today to learn more about SMS Pro.  There are videos available.