Source: Gulfstream
- FAA Safety Management System Voluntary Program Requirements Met Across Network Ahead of Schedule
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. has announced its Customer Support U.S. repair station network has met compliance requirements of the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) Safety Management System Voluntary Program (SMSVP), well ahead of the year-end deadline. A result of this achievement is enhanced and consistently aligned safety and quality control standards across the Gulfstream Customer Support network.
Earlier this year, the U.S.-E.U. Bilateral Oversight Board required U.S.-based repair stations holding a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Part 145 certificate to adopt a safety management system (SMS) as outlined in the SMSVP by December 31. SMSVP is also recognized by the International Civil Aviation Organization.
“Gulfstream’s high safety and quality standards are cornerstones of our culture, and operating at the highest levels of safety is our first priority,” said Lor Izzard, senior vice president, Gulfstream Customer Support. “We were one of the first OEMs to establish a safety management system nearly 20 years ago, laying the groundwork to complete this new compliance ahead of schedule and ensuring our customers benefit from the same industry-leading safety and quality experience across the Gulfstream Customer Support network.”
Gulfstream established its SMS in 2007 and was well positioned to coordinate and execute the revised SMS manual that meets and exceeds the SMSVP regulatory requirement at all of its U.S. repair station facilities, including those in Mesa, Arizona; Long Beach and Van Nuys, California; Palm Beach, Florida; Savannah and Brunswick, Georgia; Westfield, Massachusetts; St. Louis; Appleton, Wisconsin; and Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. The SMSVP has also been implemented at Gulfstream’s repair and overhaul centers in Lincoln, California, and Fort Worth.
In addition to enhanced and transparent safety standards, benefits of the SMSVP include refined data-driven decision making and increased cost savings.
The latest SMSVP network implementation complements the EASA-governed SMS program completed at Gulfstream’s Farnborough Service Center in 2024.