Questions about aviation safety management and V1ims
Short answers to the questions operators ask us most, from what a safety management system is to how the V1 assistant works.
Safety management systems
What is a safety management system (SMS) in aviation?
A safety management system is the way an operator finds the hazards in what it does, decides how serious the risks are, puts controls in place and checks that they work. ICAO describes four parts: safety policy and objectives, safety risk management, safety assurance and safety promotion.
In practice it is a set of documents, records and regular activities that show the work is being done, and who is accountable for it.
Does my operation need an SMS?
If you hold a UK air operator certificate (AOC), or you operate complex motor-powered aircraft non-commercially under Part-NCC, the UK rules require a management system that includes safety management (ORO.GEN.200).
Many smaller operators and fixed base operators (FBOs) that are not bound by those rules choose to run one anyway, because it is the clearest way to show how they manage risk. If you are unsure which rules apply to you, ask the UK CAA.
What does the UK CAA expect a management system to include?
ORO.GEN.200 asks for:
- clear lines of responsibility, with the accountable manager directly accountable for safety
- a safety policy
- identifying hazards, assessing and managing the risks, and checking that the actions work
- trained and competent staff
- documented key processes, and a way of making people aware of their responsibilities
- compliance monitoring that feeds findings back to the accountable manager
How quickly must an occurrence be reported?
Under Regulation (EU) No 376/2014 as it applies in the UK, an occurrence that must be reported is reported within 72 hours of becoming aware of it, unless exceptional circumstances prevent this.
Where the analysis finds an actual or potential safety risk, the preliminary results go to the CAA within 30 days, and the final results, in principle, within three months. V1ims tracks these dates on each report.
V1ims
What is V1ims?
V1ims is aviation safety management system software for aircraft operators. You upload your operations manual and certificate, V1ims brings in the UK CAA regulation text and guides you through setting up and running your safety management system. Documents, compliance, meetings, risk, occurrence reports, change and audits all work the same simple way. See how it works.
Which regulations does V1ims work to?
V1ims works from UK CAA regulation sources. You can record that you also work to other regulations, such as EASA or the FAA, so we know you need them, but V1ims does not measure you against them yet.
Will V1ims tell us that we comply?
No. V1ims shows what you hold, what is due and what has changed, and it organises your evidence. Whether an operator complies is for your people and the authority to judge, and V1ims never says that a company or a person complies, is qualified or is fit to fly.
Is V1ims suitable for a single aircraft or an FBO?
Yes. V1ims switches on only what your operation needs, so a small operator is not buried in features it will never use. A company that works to its own manual rather than an AOC can use it too. Safety management for FBOs and smaller operators.
Does the app work without a signal?
Yes. The app for iPhone and iPad keeps your documents on the phone, so you can read, search and ask them with no signal. Reports and acknowledgements are kept locked on the phone and sent when the signal returns. About the mobile app.
The V1 assistant
Does the AI make decisions?
No. The V1 assistant drafts: risk assessments, occurrence reports, meeting minutes and audit responses. It shows the page of your own documents it relied on, and nothing is kept until a person adopts it. The person who scored a risk can never be the one who accepts it.
Do we have to use the assistant?
No. It is off until an administrator at your company switches it on, and the rest of V1ims works without it.
Who sees the information the assistant reads?
When your company has switched the assistant on, the text it works on is processed by an AI service provider. For risk work it is never sent the text of safety reports, names or passenger details, and other uses send only the pages they need. Ask us who, where and how long anything is kept, and we will answer in writing before you decide. Security and the assistant.
Getting started
How do we move from our current system?
There are two ways. We can set V1ims up for you and move your documents across from your existing system, or you can upload your manual and be guided through the rest. Before we move anything, we look at what you have with you and agree what comes across. Getting started.
How long does set-up take?
It depends on your operation and what you already have. Set-up is guided one step at a time, and you can keep your current system running until you are ready. We will give you a realistic idea once we have seen your manual.
How much does V1ims cost?
We quote for each operation after a demonstration, once we understand what you need. Book a demonstration.
Another question?
Ask us during a demonstration. We will answer it with your own operation in mind.
Book a demonstration