07/23/2025
Burgess Aircraft Management has a deep pride in the safety culture fostered in this company. Before a safety management system (SMS) was ever mandated for aviation charter operations, Burgess Aircraft Management took the initiative to not just implement an SMS, but to grow and develop a safety program that would intertwine with every facet of the company's operations. In 2020, Burgess Aircraft Management elected to pursue approval under the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Safety Management System Voluntary Program. While this required significant expenditure in training and software, it was deemed more than just an investment into a safety program, but also an investment into the protection of our passengers, our crews, our staff, our maintenance contractors, and essentially anyone involved in any aspect of Burgess Aircraft Management. It was thus with considerable delight that Burgess Aircraft Management became the first Part 135 charter operation in Missouri to receive full approval of its SMS under the FAA's Safety Management System Voluntary Program. In 2024, the FAA announced that a safety management system was now mandatory for all Part 135 charter operations. Due to the deep commitment this company has to its safety program, Burgess Aircraft Management again submitted its Safety Manual with its policy and procedures to the FAA to ensure its validity and compliance to the new mandatory requirements. Again, Burgess Aircraft Management was an industry leader in Missouri with its formal Declaration of Compliance to the FAA mandate. While other safety programs will require an audit annually or even biannually, Burgess Aircraft Management's SMS is reviewed quarterly by the FAA, and we work very closely with the FAA to ensure our safety procedures and responses to safety events not only meet minimum requirements but exceed industry best practice. We do not just view safety as a priority, we view safety as part of our identity.
Written by Pilot and Safety Officer Ken Evers