Safety Policy Statement

Safety Management System

"Our Commitment to Safety"

 The School of Aviation at Southern Illinois University recognizes that an effective Safety Management System (SMS) is vital to the success and longevity of the Aviation Flight Program. Therefore, we are committed to the implementation and maintenance of a fully functional SMS and to the continuous improvement of the SMS throughout the airport and flight training environment. This will help create a strong safety culture and enable all employees, students, and guests to operate in a safe environment.

All employees and individuals in the department have the responsibility to perform their duties and activities in the safest practical manner. The Safety Review Committee (SRC) will establish specific safety-related objectives and will periodically publish and distribute those objectives to all employees. To ensure that these are met, the safety objectives will be monitored, measured, and tracked.    

We are committed to providing the necessary financial, personnel, and other resources to establish and maintain a fully functional SMS and create a strong safety culture. We have established a confidential employee reporting system to encourage the reporting of hazards, accidents, incidents, errors, and other safety concerns without fear of disciplinary action for good-faith reporting or unintentional mistakes. Our Just Culture approach recognizes that human error is a normal part of aviation operations and focuses on learning, risk reduction, and appropriate accountability.

Disciplinary action may be taken when behavior involves intentional or reckless disregard for FAA regulations or organizational policies and procedures, illegal activity, or illicit drug or alcohol use or abuse. Disciplinary action is based on the nature of the behavior, not on the act of reporting a safety concern.

Safety information will be conveyed to all employees and students through email briefingsat something diff, safety website updates, meetings, and any other means to ensure they are aware of the hazards and risks associated with the flight training environment. This safety policy will be periodically reviewed to ensure it remains relevant and appropriate to the organization.

Bryan Harrison, Interim Director, Accountable Executive, School of Aviation

Jeff Hayes, Chief Flight Instructor, Aviation Flight Program

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