Press Release

Issued by Polaris Aero.

August 12, 2014

The Bermuda Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) has accepted the Vector safety management system (SMS), available to Rockwell Collins' ARINC Direct customers, to comply with the country's SMS mandate requiring foreign business aviation operators to have an SMS program in place, or to have started the SMS implementation process.

Bermuda is the first country in the world to issue this mandate, which also requires a SMS for flight departments that are based within the nation. The announcement was made today at the 2014 Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition in São Paulo, Brazil.

The Vector SMS program, provided through a strategic agreement with Polaris Aero, LLC, seamlessly integrates with the ARINC Direct flight operation service so that customers can easily implement all of the critical components of a safety management system.

This integration enables ARINC Direct Vector SMS users to identify risks and hazards which, once known, can be addressed via guidance or advisories that have a direct impact on safety. In addition, because Vector SMS is a web-based service, it is significantly easier to implement than paper-based programs.

“Safety management systems are becoming a standard throughout the aviation industry worldwide,” said Bob Richard, staff vice president, ARINC Direct for Rockwell Collins. “Our fully integrated Vector SMS program helps business aviation customers comply with not only Bermuda's new mandates but also other countries' as these standards become adopted globally and help drive improvements in aviation safety everywhere.”