Safety Management
Strengthening aviation safety through trust and learning
Effective safety management in aviation depends on systems that are designed to identify and manage risk, and on a culture that supports trust, learning, and open reporting. IFALPA’s advocates for systems that ensure safety decisions are informed by operational reality and the experience of line pilots operating within complex and evolving systems.
ICAO’s framework for Safety management is outlined in the Standards and Recommended Practices of Annex 19. IFALPA provides expert input to the development of the SARPs through the ICAO Safety Management Panel, integrating the pilot perspective into the development and application of Safety Management Systems (SMS). This work promotes safety management approaches that are credible, trusted by flight crews, and focused on meaningful risk management. Alongside its policy engagement, IFALPA supports Pilot Associations and the wider industry through practical guidance and resources that facilitate effective implementation of safety management and positive safety culture across diverse operational and regulatory environments
Positive Safety Culture
Positive safety culture is a priority area for IFALPA and a critical enabler of effective safety management. IFALPA promotes safety cultures built on trust, transparency, and shared responsibility, where individuals can report hazards and events without fear of inappropriate punitive consequences, and where organisations actively learn from both successes and failures.
This work supports safety management approaches that distinguish clearly between inadvertent human error, unsafe system conditions, and unacceptable behaviour. In such systems, responses are fair, consistent, and focused on learning and improvement. Through policy engagement, guidance materials, and initiatives such as the IFALPA Positive Safety Culture Course, IFALPA supports Pilot Associations and industry stakeholders in building environments that encourage reporting, learning, and continuous improvement, strengthening safety outcomes across the aviation system.
Latest Publications
Transparency in Safety Management Systems
This paper highlights the critical role of transparency in Safety Management Systems (SMS) for ensuring effective risk management, fostering a
Pilot Participation in Safety Risk Assessments
This paper advocates for the inclusion of pilot safety advocates in the Safety Risk Assessment (SRA) process, emphasizing the need
Positive Safety Culture
A genuine positive safety culture, including the associated non-punitive safety reporting and data collection systems, along with unbiased safety investigations,
Meet the Team
Capt. Mike Wilkinson
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International aviation safety leader and A320 Captain with Delta Air Lines, with more than 26 years of operational experience. He is widely recognized for his expertise in positive safety culture, safety management, and non-punitive reporting systems through leadership roles with ALPA, ASAP, and the Event Review Committee. He also serves in global safety positions with SkyTeam Pilots Association, IFALPA, and the ICAO Safety Management Panel, advancing collaboration and continuous improvement across international aviation.
Capt. Stacey Jackson
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Captain Jackson flies B737s NG/MAX for WestJet, based in Toronto, Canada. She is an IFALPA-Accredited Accident Investigator, an Accident Investigation course Instructor and a member of the Accident Investigation Board (AIB) for ALPA International. She also serves as Vice-Chair of the Accident Investigation and Response Committee for the WestJet ALPA MEC. She is a Subject Matter Expert in Human Factors and is completing a PhD in Aerospace with a focus in emergency egress and cabin safety centered design.