FAAXX612: System Approach for Safety Oversight (SASO)
Investment ID: 021-189475443
Overview
Program Title
FAAXX612: System Approach for Safety Oversight (SASO)
Description
The System Approach for Safety Oversight (SASO) Program improves aviation safety by putting in place new business processes and automation tools used by FAA aviation safety inspectors responsible for oversight of the civil aviation industry. Its primary product is the Safety Assurance System, a standardized risk-based, data-supported oversight system incorporating Safety Management System principles that targets resources to the highest risk areas in the National Airspace System.
Type of Program
Major IT Investments
Multi-Agency Category
Not Applicable
Investment Detail
To meet the FAA's Strategic Goal Safety, Flight Standards Service (FS) will implement a Safety Management System (SMS) and leverage the capabilities of the Safety Assurance System (SAS), the principal means by which FS will implement its SMS. SAS provides a comprehensive, standardized approach for the oversight of aviation industry certificate holders. It is an automated, decision support system based on system safety principles and embraces a proactive, risk-based approach to oversight. This system allows Aviation Safety Inspectors (ASIs) to make independent assessments while supporting data sharing, collaboration, and open communication.
System Approach for Safety Oversight (SASO) Phase 2 was completed after fielding the SAS to all 100 FS field offices and Headquarters in 2016. This investment provided safety benefits in the form of avoided injuries and fatalities to passengers and crew on commercial flights by major air carriers and commuter operators plus the avoided costs of replacing destroyed or repairing damaged aircraft. During the Joint Resources Council (JRC) Baseline Change Decision in September 2013, the 2008 baseline ROI of 180% (a benefit/cost ratio of 2.8) was reviewed and validated.
SASO Phase 3 is extending safety benefits to the general aviation (GA) community by developing and enhancing SAS functionality. These benefits are largely qualitative because data collection resources are far greater for large organizations like an airline than for individual pilots. GA benefits derive largely from human factors sources that are difficult to measure objectively, such as the effect of pilot and aircraft mechanic training, and the benefits of advanced simulator training, on the reduction of aviation accidents and incidents. In SASO Phase 3, the SAS is tailored to the characteristics of GA, the oversight of which varies widely from individuals and non-organizational certificate holders to large-organization certificate holders. SASO Phase 3 does provide cost benefits by standardizing and streamlining business processes, and implementing SAS functionality, for coordinating and reducing the number of trips to certificate holder sites for maintenance provider surveillance. Based on DOT guidance, the value of avoided fatalities or equipment damage was applied to the investment cost and benefits calculations. As presented to the JRC at the Final Investment Decision in February 2016, SASO Phase 3 has a ROI of 18.4% (a benefit/cost ratio of 1.184).
SASO Phase 4, which received approval to start in July 2021, will complete the implementation of risk based decision making (RBDM) for FS and fulfill the remaining SASO Program requirements. In addition, SASO Phase 4 will increase the SAS capability by adding mobile device applications, retiring several legacy systems, migrating the SAS to the FAA IT cloud, and enabling safety information exchange with other lines of business and programs responsible for aviation safety oversight. Qualitative benefits will be produced as the result of this phase in terms of aviation safety, workforce productivity, RBDM, and stakeholder (FAA internal and industry external) benefits. These benefits are strong, quantifiable, and are critical to realize the overall benefit for the SASO investment, however, none of these benefits are monetizable based on the current DOT guidance.
The SAS allows the FS workforce to focus on the highest risk safety areas.
System Approach for Safety Oversight (SASO) Phase 2 was completed after fielding the SAS to all 100 FS field offices and Headquarters in 2016. This investment provided safety benefits in the form of avoided injuries and fatalities to passengers and crew on commercial flights by major air carriers and commuter operators plus the avoided costs of replacing destroyed or repairing damaged aircraft. During the Joint Resources Council (JRC) Baseline Change Decision in September 2013, the 2008 baseline ROI of 180% (a benefit/cost ratio of 2.8) was reviewed and validated.
SASO Phase 3 is extending safety benefits to the general aviation (GA) community by developing and enhancing SAS functionality. These benefits are largely qualitative because data collection resources are far greater for large organizations like an airline than for individual pilots. GA benefits derive largely from human factors sources that are difficult to measure objectively, such as the effect of pilot and aircraft mechanic training, and the benefits of advanced simulator training, on the reduction of aviation accidents and incidents. In SASO Phase 3, the SAS is tailored to the characteristics of GA, the oversight of which varies widely from individuals and non-organizational certificate holders to large-organization certificate holders. SASO Phase 3 does provide cost benefits by standardizing and streamlining business processes, and implementing SAS functionality, for coordinating and reducing the number of trips to certificate holder sites for maintenance provider surveillance. Based on DOT guidance, the value of avoided fatalities or equipment damage was applied to the investment cost and benefits calculations. As presented to the JRC at the Final Investment Decision in February 2016, SASO Phase 3 has a ROI of 18.4% (a benefit/cost ratio of 1.184).
SASO Phase 4, which received approval to start in July 2021, will complete the implementation of risk based decision making (RBDM) for FS and fulfill the remaining SASO Program requirements. In addition, SASO Phase 4 will increase the SAS capability by adding mobile device applications, retiring several legacy systems, migrating the SAS to the FAA IT cloud, and enabling safety information exchange with other lines of business and programs responsible for aviation safety oversight. Qualitative benefits will be produced as the result of this phase in terms of aviation safety, workforce productivity, RBDM, and stakeholder (FAA internal and industry external) benefits. These benefits are strong, quantifiable, and are critical to realize the overall benefit for the SASO investment, however, none of these benefits are monetizable based on the current DOT guidance.
The SAS allows the FS workforce to focus on the highest risk safety areas.