Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments; Clearance of a New Approval of Information Collection: Safety Management System Voluntary Program
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for an info...
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for an information collection. The
Federal Register
Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on July 19, 2023. Two comments were received (one comment was submitted twice with an editorial correction) and responded to in the supporting statement accessible following the instructions outlined in the
ADDRESSES
section of this notice. The collection involves collecting safety data from FAA Flight Standards Service, Safety Management System Voluntary Program participants. The collection is necessary to evaluate participating certificate holders and their compliance with voluntary program requirements.
DATES:
Written comments should be submitted by October 5, 2026.
ADDRESSES:
Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.
Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sean C. Denniston, Flight Standards Service, Safety Management Branch (AFS-940) by email at:
sean.denniston@faa.gov;
phone 202-267-1493.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Public Comments Invited:
You are asked to comment on any aspect of this information collection, including (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for FAA's performance; (b) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (c) ways for FAA to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and (d) ways that the burden could be minimized without reducing the quality of the collected information.
OMB Control Number:
2120-XXXX.
Title:
Safety Management System Voluntary Program.
Form Numbers:
None.
Type of Review:
New Information Collection.
Background:
The
Federal Register
Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on July 19, 2023 (88 FR 46364) and closed on September 18, 2023. A Safety Management System (SMS) provides an organization-wide approach to identifying safety hazards, assessing and managing safety risk, and assuring the effectiveness of safety risk controls. An SMS provides a set of decision-making processes and procedures that can improve safety by assisting an organization in planning, organizing, directing, and controlling its aviation-related business activities. In 2018, the Flight Standards Safety Management System Voluntary Program (SMSVP) was created allowing those not required by regulation to develop and implement an SMS to do so voluntarily.
Since the
Federal Register
60-day notice, there have been major changes in SMS rulemaking and the voluntary program. On April 26. 2024, 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 5 (Safety Management Systems) was published in the
Federal Register
(89 FR 33068). Part 5 added requirements for certain holders of 14 CFR part 21 type certificates, all 14 CFR part 135 aviation organizations, and section 91.147 Letter of Authorization (LOA) holders to develop and implement an SMS. The FAA also updated certain 14 CFR part 121 SMS requirements. Part 135 aviation organizations were exempt from certain part 5 requirements if operating as a single pilot or sole operator.
The FAA also clarified the Title 14 CFR aviation organizations eligible for the SMSVP as Part 91 (Living History Flying Experience), Part 91 subpart K (part 91K), Part 125, Part 133, Part 137, Part 141, Part 142, Part 145, and Part 147.[1 2]
Aviation organizations required by regulation to develop and implement
( printed page 56941)
an SMS cannot participate in the SMSVP.
Aviation organizations requesting entry into the SMSVP must develop an SMS that meets the requirements of 14 CFR part 5. After an aviation organization voluntarily implements its SMS, it will request entry into the SMSVP and submit a declaration of compliance to the responsible Flight Standards office. A declaration of compliance is a legal document submitted to the FAA declaring that the aviation organization has voluntarily developed and implemented an SMS that meets 14 CFR part 5 requirements.
Respondents:
As of December 2025, there are 159 participants in the Safety Management System Voluntary Program.
Estimated Average Burden per Response
The proposed FAA information collections will require 795 annual responses from 159 voluntary program participants. The burden hours were calculated by using the total hours required by the voluntary program participants to respond to the information collection over the three-year period. The annual burden hours were determined by dividing the three-year total, equaling 11,258 hours.
Labor Costs
Other than the average hours burden to comply with the information collection activities, the SMSVP respondents will have no additional capital, start-up, or maintenance cost associated with this collection of information.
Web-Based Application Tool
The FAA and Universal Technical Resources Services (UTRS) entered into a public-private partnership to offer the Web-Based Application Tool (WBAT) to aviation organizations for SMS development and related services. WBAT is one of several companies and services that can be used to develop an SMS. WBAT offers three categories of service: WBAT, Fuzion Safety, and Fuzion Safety Services.
The cost burden of implementing an SMS in the SMSVP depends on the organization's operating certificate, number of aircraft, and number of aviation related employees. The FAA estimates only minor costs for entities that have already voluntarily implemented an SMS. For aviation organizations initially developing an SMS, the FAA estimates a cost range from $6,052 to $10,912.
1.
Operators of LHFE flights are eligible to participate in the SMSVP. LHFE operators are also required to have an SMS detailed in its manual system and subject to FAA evaluation. Whether to also participate in the SMSVP is a decision for the individual LHFE operator. See, 80 FR 43012 (July 21, 2015).
2.
Other aviation organizations are encouraged to develop an SMS using guidance in Advisory Circular (AC) 120-92, Safety Management Systems for Aviation Service Providers.
Use this for formal legal and research references to the published document.
91 FR 56940
Web Citation
Suggested Web Citation
Use this when citing the archival web version of the document.
“Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments; Clearance of a New Approval of Information Collection: Safety Management System Voluntary Program,” thefederalregister.org (September 4, 2026), https://thefederalregister.org/documents/2026-18143/agency-information-collection-activities-request-for-comments-clearance-of-a-new-approval-of-information-collection-safe.
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain
14 CFR part 21