Aircraft operations require the highest levels of standards,  procedures, and practices possible to ensure the highest level of safety. 

The global air transportation system responsibility has been the undertaking of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) since November 1944. This responsibility includes standards and recommended practices (SARPS) for airports, navigation, and aircraft operations. The global ICAO authority is divided into regions such as the North Atlantic (NAT) and European-Mediterranean Regions (EUR). ICAO is also responsible for the universal airport location codes specific to a region or country. ICAO is Headquartered in Montreal, Canada and works with the representives in the United Nations.

The International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) is a non-profit, non-government aviation organization to represent the business aircraft industry. IBAC was incorporated June 25, 1981 in London and ratified with five member associations September 14, 1981 in Washington, DC. The original five member associations were the British Business and General Aviation Association (BBGA), the Canadian Business Aviation Association (CBAA), the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), the Germany Business Aviation Association (GBAA), and the National Business Aircraft Association (NBAA) of the United States. Since, others have joined such as Australia, Brazil, India, South Africa, France, Italy, Japan, Russia, and the Middle East. IBAC is directed by a governing board made up of representatives from each member orgaization. IBAC has permanant office status in the ICAO Headquarters building in Montreal, Canada.

IBAC, recognizing the need to the standardization of aircraft operating procedures and requirements, introduced and developed international standards for business aircraft  operations known as the International Standards for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) program. The objective was and continues to be to develop an industry standard of best practices. IS-BAO incorporates the International Standards and Recommended Practices for the operation of business aircraft as prescribed in ICAO, ANNEX 6, Part II.

The International Standards Organization (ISO) sets and defines the guidance to standards and practices for global procedures and practices to be used for all industries world wide. ISO-31000 sets the principles and guidance for safety and risk management implementation.

Although IS-BAO is a voluntary standard specific to the aviation industry, there is a consistent push by ICAO, IBAC, and the FAA, for every aviation operation to establish standard operating procedures that are intergrated with a risk and safety management system (SMS).

Safety and risk management involves risk identification, characterization, and assessment. A systematic program to find, recognize, and describe risk sources and events. The source must be also understood as to the specific cause and the level of expected consequences to determine whether the risk is acceptable or tolerable. Risk assessment is critical to identify specific vulnerable situations and threats to safety.

This type of evaluation will allow development of priority steps and ways to reduce these risk. 

Needless to say, this requires planning and risk management system framework development. The SMS must be transparent and tailored to the specific operation to help mitigate or provide solutions to risks using technology, human, and organizational resources.

To say the least, knowing “who’s who” in the aircraft managment arena creates value to both the organization and the consumer.