The FAA has accepted Indiana-headquartered Part 135 Jet Access' fully functional safety management system as being in active conformance with its part 5 voluntary safety management system programme. Acceptance into the SMS programme requires a rigorous validation and credentialing process conducted by the certificate management team and FAA AFS-900 officials. Active conformance certification is the highest status an SMS participant can achieve.

Jet Access director of safety Maria Kelly says: “This certification is a monumental achievement only made possible by our dedicated team and our commitment to the highest standards of safety, legality and providing great customer service. We are committed to continuous improvement and ensuring Jet Access continues to maintain a comprehensive and robust safety management system."

The FAA part 5 voluntary SMS programme provides aviation organisations with systematic procedures, practices and policies to manage safety risk. Jet Access has progressed through the programme's three levels: active applicant, active participant and now active conformant. This latter status establishes a safety designation in the USA's top two and a half per cent of more than 1,600 charter-certificated operators. The programme is built upon the requirements contained in 14 CFR part 5 aviation safety management system requirements and FAA order VS 8000.367 and the SMS framework specified by ICAO, ICAO annex 6 and the ICAO safety management manual.