Some of our Recent Work

In July 2008, JAR-OPS1 became transposed into EC Law under Regulation (EC) No 1899/2006. Its purpose was to bring about the harmonisation of technical requirements and administrative procedures in the field of civil aviation.

The transition to EU-OPS was mandatory for all AOC holders, and had similar implications for non-AOC operations. Operators were to appoint project managers to oversee the process, and to ensure that the new rulebook was effectively implemented across the organisation by June 2008 at the latest. This process was closely monitored by the CAA, with each Flight Operations Inspector requesting regular updates.

Working within a Stansted-based AOC-holder operating business jet aircraft, the transition started slightly later than desired in late April 2008. However, the operation was carefully broken down into key stages, driven with an excellent dialogue with the CAA, and managed to obtain maximum benefits for the organisation. By June, the AOC had been pre-approved and the organisation became one of the first operators with the new EU-OPS-compliant AOC.

Not only had a seamless transition occured, but we also managed to use the opportunity to scrutinise the organisation's operations against the EU-OPS document. Whereas only changes to the original JAR-OPS 1 had to be investigated, we took the opportunity to re-write and amend the Operators Operations Manuals in order to fully re-validate the AOC and ensure full-compliance with the new regulations. The result was a 'zero time' AOC, secured against the new legislative backdrop well in advance of the Authority's deadline.

Within the same Stansted-based operation, Nick Ross sat on the Air Safety Committee advising on and managing key-areas with regards to on-going safety, compliance, and the development of a Safety Management System within the operation.

Involvement in this area included investigation into Air Safety Reports (ASRs), and Mandatory Occurance Reports (MORs), determining and validating some of the causal factors behind incidents, and ensuring that these Reports were being effectively tracked, and closed-off within a reasonable time period against the backdrop of the Company's Quality Management System which ensured adequate communications throughout the Company on the subject of ASR-closure, and information distribution post-incident.

We also worked with the organisation's Operations Director, Chief Pilot, and Safety Officers to explain and map-out the requirements of legislation concerning Safety Management Systems (SMS). With these parties, a plan of action was decided which saw a trial-SMS becoming established, handling some of the open ASR's and MOR's and involving the entire organistion in Air Safety matters.

We are well-qualified to provide safety advice, from airside incidents to areas of in-flight safety. We have effectively implemented new checklists in organisations, as well as ensuring the guidance of FODCOM and other publications have been incorporated into an organisation's Operations Manual and monitored thereafter.

The experience fly.sba can offer comes from a background on the flight deck, in ground handling, flight operations; and from from Air Safety courses at Cranfield and Loughborough,Universities, and in the membership of the International Society of Air Safety Investigators which brings about opportunities for on-going learning, up-to date understanding of current practices, and the opportunity to contribute.

fly.sba has ensured the compliance of Company Operations Manuals, re-wrtiting and amending in cases, and liaising with departments and individuals throughout the organisation in order to ensure that changes were well-communicated and acted-upon.

This process was undertaken at-length with the introduction of EU-OPS in July 2008. Similar process were also entered into in order to obtain approvals; we have for example, sought P-RNAV approvals and amended operations manuals as necessary to facilitate this approval.

We have undertaken full document-control measures, ensuring timely, tracked distribution of Operations Manuals and other controlled documents. We have managed streamlined, seamless processes of distribution, including building tracking systems to ensure that each manual is safely received and acknowledged in-line with the requirements of this essential document.

In addition to Operations Manuals, we have also drawn-up Process Manuals from scratch. In our example of the Stansted-based operation, effective process management was an area raised during a CAA Annual Audit. The Process Manual ensured that the focus was on how the company accomplished tasks, and ensuring that these processes were written. Alongside the Quality System, these processes could be observed during audit, and improved on where necessary to the benefit of the business.

In addition to this manual, fly.sba has recently begun working on a Winter Operations Manual. This is required by the CAA, alongside clear requirements for Anti-and De- icing procedures within an organisation as a document for reference by Flight Crews and Operations Personnel. We expect to release this document to smaller GA operators shortly.