Anyone have experience with IS-BAO certification?

[CFI A&P]

Good evening,

Anyone here worked for a flight department that recently adopted IS-BAO certification? If so, did you experience any growing pains with the process and if so what were they?

Have you seen any benefit to it?

Thanks.

 

[Stomp16]

Good evening,

Anyone here worked for a flight department that recently adopted IS-BAO certification? If so, did you experience any growing pains with the process and if so what were they?

Have you seen any benefit to it?

Thanks.

Yes, yes and yes. I took our program from nothing and made it ISBAO certified. We are actually gearing up for our 2nd audit (Stage 2) in March. I kind of giggle at your question of growing pains. Do you have time for me to write my book on it? In all seriousness, it takes a lot of work and needs commitment from the top down. If upper management is not sold on the idea, it will never work. If you don't have a positive safety culture in place, it will never work. If you don't have your every day processes documented and actually follow them, it will never work.

I can say without a doubt, SMS and IS-BAO certification absolutely made us a better and safer operation. If you're on the cusp of whether or not to adopt and implement SMS, I would strongly recommend you do so. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

 

[Xcaliber]

Yes, yes and yes. I took our program from nothing and made it ISBAO certified. We are actually gearing up for our 2nd audit (Stage 2) in March. I kind of giggle at your question of growing pains. Do you have time for me to write my book on it? In all seriousness, it takes a lot of work and needs commitment from the top down. If upper management is not sold on the idea, it will never work. If you don't have a positive safety culture in place, it will never work. If you don't have your every day processes documented and actually follow them, it will never work.

I can say without a doubt, SMS and IS-BAO certification absolutely made us a better and safer operation. If you're on the cusp of whether or not to adopt and implement SMS, I would strongly recommend you do so. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

Seriously, talk to this guy. He's been working on it, what, four years? With Stomp at the head of the safety department, that company was probably the safest I've ever worked for. That was flying single engine recips. I work at an airline now, so that's no small compliment.

 

[Stomp16]

Seriously, talk to this guy. He's been working on it, what, four years? With Stomp at the head of the safety department, that company was probably the safest I've ever worked for. That was flying single engine recips. I work at an airline now, so that's no small compliment.

Thanks TJ, appreciate that. (5 years now)

 

[trafficinsight]

The biggest growing pain you'll have if you're trying to work it into an existing flight department is the old timer who's "been doing it this way for 30 years and my way is better and I don't need no stupid standards because I'm better than the rest." I got lucky and we were asked to seek certification and adhere to IS-BAO from the very beginning. Still, people will make or break it, if you don't get buy in, and you don't have a just culture, and you don't nurture it, then it doesn't matter what's in your FOM or what safety programs or tools you have, it will fail.

Keep in mind that the standards change a little bit every year as well. IS-BAO isn't just something you get once, if you want to maintain it you need to be willing to change. There are many different ways to satisfy a requirement, though, so it's not as daunting as you might think.

I can answer questions about it as well if you have any.

 

[CFI A&P]

Thanks for the info. I'm researching it for my own personal knowledge. What was the piston equipment involved?

So far it seems to be great for G550 & such biz jet equipment, curious if it works across the spectrum of aviation. Such as an Alaskan bush or seaplane operation?