Airport SMS Training

Airport SMS Training — Safety Management System Training for Airports & Aerodromes

ICAO Annex 14 Aligned SMS Training for Aerodrome Operators, Safety Managers and Airside Teams

AACS delivers specialist airport SMS training for certificated aerodrome operators, regional airports, general aviation aerodromes, and heliport operators worldwide. Our programmes are aligned with ICAO Annex 14, EASA Regulation EU 139/2014 (ADR.OR.D.005), and national CAA aerodrome certification requirements, and are structured for every level of the aerodrome organisation — from accountable managers and safety managers to airside supervisors, ground handlers, and contracted service providers.

Airport safety management system training from AACS addresses the defining challenge of the aerodrome environment: an airport is a shared operational space in which airlines, ground handlers, fuelling companies, contractors, and air traffic services all operate simultaneously, each with different safety cultures and reporting structures. Our training is built specifically for this multi-stakeholder reality — not adapted from airline SMS content.

One of our senior consultants was personally responsible for writing the SMS regulations for airports, giving AACS a depth of regulatory authority that no other aerodrome SMS training provider can offer.

Written by Those Who Wrote the Regulations

The AACS consultant who delivers this programme authored the SMS regulations for airports. Our training explains not only what ICAO Annex 14 requires — but why every element was designed that way and how to implement it so that it generates genuine safety value. No other provider can offer that credential.

Who Should Attend

Aerodrome Accountable Managers — governance obligations, safety review board leadership, regulatory accountability
Aerodrome Safety Managers and Safety Officers — full SMS design, SPI management, investigation and reporting
Airside Operations Managers and Supervisors — operational hazard identification, reporting obligations, change management
Ground Handling, Fuelling and Apron Staff — occurrence reporting awareness, just culture, safety obligations
Contracted Service Providers and Tenant Organisations — SMS interface obligations, aerodrome reporting requirements

Enquire About Airport SMS Training

To discuss your aerodrome SMS training requirements, request a course outline, or enquire about in-aerodrome delivery or online options for airside staff, contact the AACS training team.

Standards We Work To

Course Content

Eight modules covering the complete aerodrome SMS framework:

1

SMS Foundations and the Aerodrome Regulatory Framework

ICAO Annex 14 SMS architecture and regulatory intent; relationship with Annex 19 and the State Safety Programme; EASA ADR.OR.D.005 and national CAA transposition; ICAO four-pillar structure applied to the aerodrome context.

2

Safety Policy, Objectives and SMS Governance

Safety policy content and intent; setting safety objectives linked to SPIs; Accountable Manager obligations; safety review board structure; documenting governance across the aerodrome organisation and its contractors.

3

Hazard Identification in the Aerodrome Environment

Aerodrome hazard categories — runway incursion, FOD, wildlife strike, ground movement conflict, apron incidents, airside construction, fuel and dangerous goods, and interface hazards at organisational boundaries. Proactive, reactive and predictive identification methods.

4

Risk Assessment for Multi-Stakeholder Operations

Severity and likelihood classification in the aerodrome context; risk matrix application; managing risk ownership across organisational boundaries; residual risk assessment; aerodrome risk register management.

5

Contractor SMS Integration and Multi-Stakeholder Management

Establishing SMS interface arrangements with airlines, ground handlers, fuelling companies and construction contractors; collecting occurrence data from third-party organisations; maintaining safety performance visibility across the full aerodrome operating environment.

6

Safety Assurance — SPI Frameworks and Internal Audit

SPI selection for aerodrome operations — movement area incidents, FOD detection rates, runway incursion categories, wildlife strikes, vehicle incidents; baselining and trend analysis; SMS internal audit and its relationship with the compliance monitoring system.

7

Occurrence Reporting and Just Culture

Designing reporting systems accessible to diverse and transient aerodrome workforces; obtaining meaningful safety data from third-party organisations; just culture principles across multi-organisation environments; analysis and feedback processes that sustain reporting behaviour.

8

Safety Promotion, Safety Culture and SMS Maturity

Assessing safety culture across a multi-organisation aerodrome; designing targeted safety promotion; SMS maturity assessment and structured improvement roadmap from initial compliance to predictive safety management.

Delivery Options

Classroom

instructor-led delivery at your aerodrome or a nominated venue; interactive, scenario-based; recommended for accountable managers, safety managers and operations supervisors.

In-House Workshop

training combined with applied work on your aerodrome’s own SMS documentation, safety data, SPI framework and contractor interface arrangements; delegates leave with tangible outputs.

Online & E-Learning

self-paced, accessible to large or transient workforces; includes assessment and completion tracking; suited to awareness-level training for airside and contracted staff.

Why Choose AACS for Airport SMS Training

Developed by the consultant who authored the airport SMS regulations — the most authoritative credential in aerodrome SMS training

Aerodrome-specific content — not adapted from airline SMS material

Addresses multi-stakeholder complexity: contractor integration, interface hazards, distributed reporting

Aligned with ICAO Annex 14, EASA ADR.OR.D.005 and national CAA aerodrome frameworks

Five audience tiers; classroom, workshop and online delivery; adaptable to any aerodrome size or category

Frequently Asked Questions

Is airport SMS training a regulatory requirement?

Yes. ICAO Annex 14 and EASA ADR.OR.D.005 require certificated aerodrome operators to implement an SMS and ensure that personnel with safety management responsibilities are trained and competent. The UK CAA maintains equivalent requirements for UK-licensed aerodromes. Structured airport SMS training is the most effective way of building and demonstrating the competency these regulations require.

How is airport SMS training different from airline SMS training?

Airport SMS training addresses the multi-stakeholder complexity of aerodrome operations — contractor SMS integration, interface hazard management, and safety data collection across organisational boundaries that have no equivalent in airline operations. It is built specifically for the aerodrome environment, not adapted from airline SMS content.

Can the course be customised for our aerodrome?

Yes. All AACS airport SMS training can incorporate your aerodrome’s own SMS documentation, safety data, SPI framework, and operational context. In-aerodrome classroom delivery is the preferred format for safety teams. Contact AACS to discuss scheduling and customisation.

Is the training available for small and regional aerodromes?

Yes. The same ICAO Annex 14 SMS obligations apply to regional and general aviation aerodromes as to major commercial airports. AACS calibrates all training to the aerodrome’s actual risk profile and staffing model — ensuring content is practically applicable rather than scaled for a large hub context.

Airport SMS Training