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Bruce Killian |
Teaching Safety Management Systems Worldwide
Bruce Killian
May 2009
If you're an international traveler, you might want to thank Bruce Killian for helping make the far-flung skies a little safer. That's because developing and teaching safety management systems (SMS) for use by aviation organizations around the world has been the driving force behind his work for more than a decade.
While safety in air travel has always been a priority, the push for all countries to develop and implement SMS came in the late 1990s when the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) established a set of safety standards and guidelines. The ICAO now requires all of its 192 member states around the world to implement SMS in their airports, air traffic control facilities, and air operators.
Killian, a former Marine air traffic controller, came to MITRE's Center for Advanced Aviation System Development (CAASD) in McLean, Va., in 1996. He immediately began working in the field of SMS. "One of my first projects at MITRE was helping develop and implement SMS into the air traffic control systems in Egypt," he says. "As a result, I spent the next five years traveling back and forth to Egypt supporting this project. During this time, I worked directly with Egypt's Secretary of Transportation and gained a tremendous amount of experience developing and implementing an SMS in another country."
Developing Safety Management Courses
After the ICAO began requiring its members to comply with the SMS standards, MITRE CAASD began holding safety management symposiums—the first one occurred in 2005. MITRE staff presented several key courses at the symposium, including one on air traffic control led by Killian. After this symposium, the MITRE Aviation Institute (MAI), in conjunction with the Federal Aviation Administration, developed its own SMS course.
Killian, a subject matter expert on air traffic control, was part of the team that helped develop the MAI's course. "Now one of my primary jobs is as an instructor for CAASD's SMS classes," says Killian. "[MITRE colleague] Kent Hollinger and I teach the majority of the classes. Since the first one in 2007, individuals from 45 countries have completed the 12-part course—we call it 'SMS I: Principles and Philosophy.' It's offered in multiple formats ranging from an eight-day course for people whose job it is to develop and implement SMS to a one-day overview course for top executives who need to understand SMS in order to allocate the proper resources to get it done."
One of the distinctive aspects of the eight-day course is that it includes a student development guide that lists all the components ICAO requires in a SMS. "Students customize the guide to meet the specific needs of their country. Each day they make notes, cross out sections that don't apply, and add in any unique components that do apply. Then every evening one of our staff picks up the marked-up guides, makes the changes, and returns a clean copy the next morning. By the eighth and final day of the class, the participants leave with a customized manual and CD that meets ICAO guidelines."
Shortly after the successful debut of the first course, the MAI began developing a second course—"SMS II: Implementation and Operation."
"The graduate course," Killian says with a laugh. "Since having a plan and implementing it are two entirely different endeavors, the second course addresses the issues that arise with implementing SMS."
Killian, who is also an International Organization of Standards (ISO) 9001/2000 internal quality auditor, developed the auditing portion of SMS II. "This section of the course not only looks at whether or not SMS exists, which is a matter of basic compliance, but also seeks to measure effectiveness and performance."
Grateful for Opportunities
When Killian retired from the Marines and came to MITRE, he knew that he would miss the camaraderie of military life but was pleasantly surprised as he transitioned to MITRE and civilian life. "I've been here for 13 years, and one of the things I enjoy most is the friendships I have with other MITRE staff. Plus, I've had many good experiences traveling around the world. I made frequent trips to Egypt during the five years I was working on their SMS. I've also traveled to several other countries, including Brazil, Taiwan, and Greece, implementing safety management systems and am asked regularly to make presentations at international conferences."
Killian is also grateful for an opportunity and an honor he received last year—he was the keynote speaker at the Missouri House of Representatives' annual Memorial Day service in his hometown of Sikeston, Missouri. As a decorated veteran and a local high school alumnus, he delivered a memorable and moving speech in front of a crowd of several hundred. Afterwards, he received a commemorative resolution from the Missouri legislature in honor of his military service. "I felt honored to be asked to be the keynote speaker—it was an awing experience for me," admits Killian, "and that resolution is now one of my prized possessions."
—by Kay M. Upham
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