SevenBar Flying Service has received acceptance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to participate in its voluntary Safety Management System (SMS) Pilot Project.
The FAA first issued its SMS guidelines in June 2006 in the form of FAA Advisory Circular 120-92, and in 2007 established a SMS Pilot Program in order that the aviation industry and the FAA could begin sharing practices and guidelines with the final goal of establishing a solid basis for upcoming formal regulations. However, as of today, no formal SMS regulation has been issued, so participation in the Pilot Project is purely voluntary. Many Part 121 Commercial Airlines are participating, along with a selection of larger Part 135 Air Carriers. SevenBar is the smallest Part 135 Air Carrier by aircraft count on certificate to participate in the voluntary project and the first, solely fixed-wing operator in the Air Medical Industry to participate.
Seven Bar has been engaged in the implementation of a Safety Management System (SMS) since 2007 and the company’s efforts are being led by Director of Safety, Marc Charpentier. According to Marc, “SevenBar will be bringing a unique perspective to the table because of our size and mission profile. The concept of the scalability of Safety Management Systems to fit the size of the company is very important to the air medical industry as there are far more small operators than large. Our fixed wing air medical experience will contribute quite a bit to the implementation process for an industry largely dominated by rotor wing operators.”
“Our participation in this voluntary project signifies SevenBar’s commitment to operating at the leading edge of the air medical industry, with a strong focus on the safe operation of aircraft on behalf of our valued customers, employees and other stakeholders,” said Kim Montgomery, President. “The SMS process is a game-changing experience for those that do it correctly, and throughout the company, we look forward to the continual improvement that will result.”
SevenBar is a leading provider of air medical transport services with over 30 years experience in the air medical field. It counts a number of blue chip hospitals as its partners and has become a highly trusted component of each hospital’s transport program. The company was founded in 1947, then operating a private airport serving Albuquerque, New Mexico on the Black family’s SevenBar ranch. Today, SevenBar is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. SevenBar has earned an outstanding reputation for its exceptional safety record and highly personalized service for its customers. More information about SevenBar can be found at www.7bar.com.