Tradewind Aviation gains FAA approval for new SMS

The FAA nod puts Tradewind Aviation in a group with just 2% of Part 135 charter operators for its Safety Management System

The Federal Aviation Administration has approved Tradewind Aviation for its new Safety Management System (SMS).  

The formal approval recognizes Tradewind as being within active conformance with the FAA’s Voluntary Safety Management program, with automatic approval assured upon completion of the agency’s rulemaking process.  

Only 2% of Part 135 Operators in the US have completed the agency’s SMS voluntary program process, demonstrating the airline’s culture of safety promotion.  

The main thrust of an SMS is to avoid or mitigate accidents by providing an organization-wide approach to identifying safety hazards, assessing and managing safety risks, and assuring the effectiveness of safety risk controls.  

This system further provides a set of decision-making processes and procedures that can improve safety by assisting an organization in planning, organizing, directing, and controlling its aviation-related business activities.  

According to a release from Tradewind, acceptance into the SMS program requires a rigorous validation and credentialing process conducted by the FAA’s certificate management team and officials.  

Creating Tradewind’s SMS was a multiyear effort spearheaded and finalized by Director of Safety Sarah Zimmerman.  

It also confirms that the SMS meets the International Civil Aviation Organization standards.  

“Our dedication to enhancing our culture of safety and being proactive and predictive to address problems before they occur has never been stronger,” said Eric Zipkin, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Tradewind Aviation.

In May, Tradewind announced an expansion to Florida beginning later this year.