UK aerospace insurance provider Global Aerospace is launching its 2020 SM4 Aviation Safety Program. For over 10 years, the SM4 programme has revolutionised the way insurance specialists help their clients achieve higher levels of operational safety. The newly refreshed programme will include an emphasis on the critical issue of business aviation's talent shortage, which creates challenges in attracting, mentoring and retaining professionals who can safely manage, maintain, service and fly business aircraft.

In January 2020, SM4 will launch an online safety learning management system (LMS) at no cost to its general aviation policyholders in the United States. To help the industry continue to support the talent of the future, its customised training courses will provide clients with the tools and knowledge to further develop and improve their understanding of safety management, professional performance and support their continuous improvement.

Senior vice president, underwriting and operations executive Marilena Sharpell comments: “As a leader in this industry, it is incumbent upon us to continuously improve and advance our SM4 programme. The addition of customised online training courses, developed in cooperation with our SM4 partners, will provide a training roadmap to advance personal and professional development for new and existing employees. Studies have shown the more you invest in your employees, the more engaged they are, and the more likely it is that they will stay. This LMS programme was designed specifically to address the critical issue of our clients' ability to attract and retain talent.”

The 2020 programme will also provide elite-level clients with a comprehensive, individual SWOT analysis of their flight operation in order to determine their greatest area of need. After a thorough review of the analysis, clients will be presented with customised safety service offerings from one or more of the SM4 partners. Sharpell adds: “As elite-level flight departments advance, we recognise that off the shelf benefits are a thing of the past. These clients need more targeted, customised benefits as they strive to achieve higher levels of operational safety. To address this need, the community of excellence has pulled together to create fully integrated customised safety services.”

Since 2010, the company has committed over US$5 million to support SM4 and help its clients pursue higher levels of safety.

As a specialist aviation underwriting business, Global Aerospace is continuously developing customised solutions and services to benefit clients and their brokers.