Able Aerospace Services, part of Textron, has received FAA acceptance of its SMS implementation plan to support aircraft maintenance and component maintenance. Able provides repair, overhaul, exchange and approved replacement parts for fixed-and rotor-wing customers around the world.

“For more than 40 years, the team at Able Aerospace has been committed to providing the highest level of quality in aircraft part repairs and overhauls to our customers,” says Brad White, senior vice president of global parts and programmes. “This FAA acceptance of Able's safety management system plan to support aircraft maintenance and component maintenance signifies our commitment to ensuring that safety management and quality are at the forefront of everything we do.”

A safety management system is a systematic approach to managing safety risk and assuring the effectiveness of safety risk controls. The system includes procedures, practices and policies for the management of safety risk. Able Aerospace's new SMS programme includes a voluntary reporting tool that allows employees to anonymously report aircraft and aircraft part quality risks or hazards directly to the company's SMS committee. This committee evaluates the risk based on the information provided, investigates the cause and plans a response. Based on the findings and solutions, processes and tools are updated, ensuring continuous improvement in safety and quality standards.

Operating from a 250,000 sq ft facility in Mesa, Arizona, Able Aerospace offers more than 10,000 FAA-approved repairs and overhauls and has one of the world's largest rotable exchange inventories.