Press Release

Issued by SGS North America.

June 20, 2018

SGS has added IS-BAO auditing capabilities to its list of aviation safety focused offerings in North America. This new capability is based on the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO). SGS will work with Part 91 and 135 operations and flight departments seeking verification that their operations meet IS-BAO stage one, two or three guidelines. While the service can be offered globally, accredited auditors are currently based in the United States and Canada.

"We are excited to expand our aviation safety service portfolio within North America," SGS regional manager, Nelson Bill explained. "With a strong focus on safety management system (SMS) development, the IS-BAO standard is a perfect extension of our expertise and safety focused offerings."

SGS currently offers a wide range of safety focused aviation services globally. These include Basic Aviation Risk Standard (BARS) audits, helideck inspections, friction testing, general aviation safety audits, helipad inspections, aerodrome inspections and helicopter landing site (HLS) inspections. An aviation risk calculator (ARC) is also offered for those utilizing commercial travel to more remote locations.

"With a wealth of operational experience, our SGS-employed, full-time accredited auditors are well positioned to help our growing customer base with SMS development, organizational and personnel guidelines, training programs, maintenance requirements and emergency response plans," Nelson noted. "With colleagues and operations based in Africa, Europe, South America and Australia, our global reach offers a unique ability to audit and offer guidance on flight operations in international airspace."

IS-BAO, launched in 2002, was designed to promote the use of high quality operating practices for international business aircraft operations by establishing a framework for effective safety and operational processes. As part of the IS-BAO process, SGS accredited auditors will verify that best operating practices are being followed for international business aircraft operations, assist companies interested in performing a gap analysis to facilitate the implementation of best practices and ensure each customer’s SMS is appropriate to its operational profile.