Argus Audit Report Finds Internal Evaluations Lacking

Internal evaluation programs (IEP) and risk assessments were the two weakest points in business aviation operators’ safety management systems (SMS) last year, according to an annual review of audits performed by Argus Pros, the Argus International subsidiary that specializes in safety audits. The firm's 2014 SMS audit report, released this week, details the top areas that needed improvement. Based on 84 audits, the report reveals that Argus made IEP recommendations in 81 percent of the audits and sought improved risk assessments in 79 percent of them. 

“As an industry, business aviation does not do well with internal evaluation programs,” Steve Witowski, vice president of business aviation safety systems, told attendees at the Air Charter Safety Foundation’s Safety Symposium last week. Witowski, discussing the 2014 report, underscored the importance of IEPs, saying they uncover “latent deficiencies.” But Argus’ audits have made more recommendations in this area since 2008 than any other area. Risk assessments followed closely in 2014, with three times the number of recommendations made last year than on average in the past seven years.

Other problem areas were SMS training, noted as a deficiency in 68 percent of the audits; general operating manual, 52 percent; fatigue risk management system, 51 percent; and hazard reporting, 49 percent.