ACE Safety Management Systems (SMS) 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In an SMS risk matrix, a hazard rated as 'unlikely' in probability but 'catastrophic' in severity would typically be classified as:
- Acceptable with no action required
- Acceptable with monitoring only
- Unacceptable, requiring immediate mitigation (Correct answer)
- Acceptable after management review
Correct answer: Unacceptable, requiring immediate mitigation
Catastrophic severity combined with any probability level typically places a risk in the unacceptable region, demanding immediate corrective action.
Question 2: Which SMS pillar is most directly responsible for communicating safety lessons learned to all airport personnel?
- Safety Policy
- Safety Risk Management
- Safety Assurance
- Safety Promotion (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Safety Promotion
Safety promotion encompasses training, communication, and dissemination of safety information, including lessons learned from incidents.
Question 3: An airport's Safety Management System must be documented in a Safety Management System Manual (SMSM). What must this manual include?
- Only the emergency response plan
- Scope of the SMS, safety policy, accountabilities, and key safety processes (Correct answer)
- A complete list of all airport employees and their certifications
- FAA enforcement actions against the airport
Correct answer: Scope of the SMS, safety policy, accountabilities, and key safety processes
The SMSM must document the scope, safety policy, roles and accountabilities, and the processes that constitute the SMS framework.
Question 4: What is a 'leading indicator' in the context of SMS safety performance monitoring?
- A statistic derived from past accidents
- A proactive measure that signals potential future safety problems (Correct answer)
- The total number of incidents reported last year
- A retrospective audit finding
Correct answer: A proactive measure that signals potential future safety problems
Leading indicators are proactive, predictive metrics (e.g., near-miss reports, safety audit scores) that warn of potential problems before accidents occur.
Question 5: Which term describes the process where an airport systematically reviews data from audits, inspections, and incident reports to identify trends?
- Hazard identification
- Safety data analysis (Correct answer)
- Risk tolerance setting
- Corrective action planning
Correct answer: Safety data analysis
Safety data analysis involves systematically reviewing collected safety information to identify trends, patterns, and emerging hazards.
Question 6: Under FAA Part 139 SMS requirements, the Accountable Executive's most critical responsibility is to:
- Conduct all safety audits personally
- Have ultimate authority and responsibility for implementing and maintaining the SMS (Correct answer)
- Write every safety procedure
- Approve every employee safety report
Correct answer: Have ultimate authority and responsibility for implementing and maintaining the SMS
The Accountable Executive holds final authority and responsibility for the SMS, including resource allocation and overall safety performance.
Question 7: A runway incursion that was caught and reported before any collision represents what type of SMS event?
- An accident
- A serious incident requiring immediate closure
- A near-miss or occurrence suitable for safety reporting (Correct answer)
- A routine operational event requiring no documentation
Correct answer: A near-miss or occurrence suitable for safety reporting
A runway incursion averted before collision is a near-miss (occurrence) and is highly valuable safety data that should be captured through the SMS reporting system.
ACE Safety Management Systems (SMS) 3
In an SMS risk matrix, a hazard rated as 'unlikely' in probability but 'catastrophic' in severity would typically be classified as: