ABSTRACT
With the publication of the Safety Management Manual in 2006, ICAO signalled its intent that member states should require operators to establish a formal safety management system (SMS) by 1 January 2009. ICAO was realistic about the likelihood that member states would meet the 1 January 2009 deadline, but made a conscious decision to aim for such a difficult target. The flurry of activity during 2008 confirmed the view that most effort would be put in during the immediate period prior to the deadline.
