ABSTRACT
Regulatory authorities, safety experts and industry leaders have proclaimed that Safety Management Systems (SMS) represents the future of safety management in the aviation industry. SMS has been prevalent in other countries for years, and is now gaining traction in the United States. SMSs provide organizations with a powerful framework of safety philosophy, tools, and methodologies that improve their ability to understand, construct, and manage proactive safety systems. Exciting opportunities will be available for people who are knowledgeable and skilled at SMS. The International Civil Aviation Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations, codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth. Safety means different things to different people. In the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, the definition for "safety" is given as follows: "the condition of being safe from undergoing or causing hurt, injury, or loss".
