Guidance

Air safety management system overview (ASMsO)

This course is the first step to understanding the topic of Air Safety Management Systems (SMS) and provides an introduction to their use and management.

Documents

MAA air safety training course map

Details

Course aim

The overall aim of the course is to introduce attendees to SMS to support the development of Air SMS across Defence. This first step in SMS training provides personnel with an understanding of the principles, benefits and techniques to help implement or develop an Air SMS.

By the end of the course, delegates should be equipped to understand and utilise SMS and fulfil roles that use them. This is achieved through the following training objectives:

  • move people from currently being an unconscious participant in an SMS to one that is able to manage and develop the system
  • discuss the reasons for and benefits of effective SMS implementation
  • describe functional elements of an SMS and their interactions
  • introduce and provide a high-level overview of all 16 elements of the Air SMS
  • identify opportunities for SMS design and performance improvements
  • sharing of good practices

This training is a blend of taught sessions, facilitated discussions and group exercises.

UK military personnel will be awarded the ASMsO joint personnel administration (JPA) training record following successful completion of the course.

Units and duty holder organisations can directly purchase this and other SMS training courses. MOD users can visit the safety training for error prevention (STEP) Defnet page for further information.

Applicability

It is aimed at individuals who need to be familiar with Air SMS and will go on to become responsible for implementing or developing an Air SMS.

If you have already attended the MAA air safety risk assessment and management practitioners (MASRAMP) course, you will not benefit from attending this course. Please consider amending your ToRs if appropriate.

Contracted staff and overseas students who wish to attend an air safety course will need to apply through their STEP point of contact.

Prerequisites

Personnel should have human factors and error management foundation level training as a minimum before attending the course. Understanding can be gained from accessing local awareness training at your unit / organisation delivered by human factors qualified facilitators or instructors.

Delegates should have experience of working in the air safety environment, want to understand safety management and how they can contribute to their organisation’s safety.

Before attending this training, successful applicants must complete the following pre-reading and preparation:

Duration

2 days

Location

A limited number of courses will be delivered at the Centre of Air Safety Training (CoAST), Defence Academy, Eisenhower, Shrivenham but to satisfy overall requirements, this course can also be delivered locally. Please contact your local STEP point of contact or email dsa-maacourses@mod.gov.uk for more details.

Units / stations can also use their own funding to purchase this course through the defence aviation error management system (DAEMS) II contract and have this training delivered locally.

Application form

Course application form

Before applying for this course, please read the course overview. If you are eligible to apply, complete the application form and return it to dsa-maa-ast-training@mod.gov.uk with the course title as the subject title.

The closing date for applications is 10 weeks prior to the course start date and applications received after this date will not be accepted.

Once received, applications will be added to the waitlist and scrutinised approximately 9 weeks before the course. All candidates will be notified of the outcome with successful candidates receiving joining instructions approximately 6 weeks prior to the course.

Course dates

CoAST located course dates. For STEP courses at other locations, please contact your STEP point of contact.

Updates to this page

Published 26 March 2015
Last updated 4 March 2026 show all updates
  1. The Air safety management system overview (ASMsO) course details have been updated.

  2. Air safety management system overview page updated and re-formatted.

  3. Email added for contractors and overseas applicants.

  4. The Air safety management system overview course aim and prerequisites have been updated.

  5. A new opening paragraph has been added.

  6. ASMsO course information updated.

  7. First published.

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