Foreword
With the kind permission of the developer, Flight Data People (http://www.flightdatapeople.com/), the following article has been produced. It is the first of what is intended to be a series of short guides, based on many years of practical experience in the use of SMS360. In these articles, I will stay clear of the more advanced features (e.g. data analysis, dashboards). As such, I recommend that these articles be used only as a complement to the training offered by Flight Data People.
Why do we Submit Safety Reports?
Accidents are often preceded by safety-related incidents and deficiencies. Therefore, safety data is vital for the detection of safety hazards. Purely reactive systems have been found to be of limited use and, should be complemented by proactive systems that use other types of safety data. The primary, proactive, source of safety information is the safety reporting system.
Confidential Reporting
Any report may be submitted either openly or confidentially. A safety report might be classified, by the user, as confidential by means of a simple tick box. Subsequently, the receiving person may classify a report as confidential upon review. A clear explanation of how confidentiality is maintained should be included within the corresponding procedures and covered during training. Only the System Administrator, or a person duly authorised by him / her, can view confidential fields / reports.
Reportable Occurrences
Reportable occurrences include, but are not limited to, the following: birdstrikes, runway incursions, airprox, lightning strikes, ATC errors, tail-strikes, hard landings, significant deviation from standard operating procedures etc. If in doubt, report. It is far better to receive an extra report than to miss an important issue.
Timing of Submission
Reports should be submitted within 48 hours of the event in question. Safety reports, often, require an additional degree of preparation before re-submission as a mandatory occurrence report. Mandatory occurrence reports should be submitted within 72 hours of the event becoming known. Mandatory occurrence reporting will be the subject of a later article.
How to Submit an Air Safety Report
To submit an ASR, follow the steps set out below.
1. Login.
- URL: xxx.sms360.net (see Note (a));
- Username: assigned on an individual basis;
- Password: assigned on an individual basis (see Note (b)).
Notes:
- The precise u.r.l corresponds to the user and will be assigned by Flight Data People.
- After logging in for the first time, you should change your initial password;
- Select the ASR Report Type.
Dependent upon your reporting rights, your ‘Home Page’ might be either the ‘Entry Portal’ (Note: This is a screenshot from a typical airline ‘Entry Portal’; your own will show only the types of reports you are able to submit) If your home page is the ‘Entry Portal’, click on the ASR report type on the left-hand side. If your home page is the ‘Incidents’ page, click on ‘Forms’ then the ASR report type:
2. Complete the Report.
When completing an ASR, you should:
- Enter as many details as possible (most of the fields are from drop-down menus);
- Give a concise, factual description;
iii. Attach supporting documents (photographs, sketches etc) (maximum size: 4MB);
- Where the value of a field is zero, you should enter a zero rather than leave the field blank;
- Select ‘Confidential’ if appropriate.
This is a typical ASR template:
3. Submitting a Report.
Click on the ‘Submit’ tab. The report will then be uploaded automatically to the database and appear on the home page of those persons who have been authorised to view it.
Footnote:
Should further information be required, including a .pdf version of this article, please contact the Author.