Who should read this: Safety managers, SMS managers, and accountable executives who are
responsible for maintaining a compliant SMS under 14 CFR Part 5. Most safety settings require the
workspace_settings permission. The Data Export page additionally requires the System
Administrator or Accountable Executive role.
Navigate to Safety Settings
In the Safety module sidebar, click Settings. The hub displays four cards:| Card | Description |
|---|---|
| Key Personnel | Part 5 accountable executive and SMS manager designation |
| SMS Policy | Safety policy statement, objectives, and code of ethics |
| Integrations | External system connections for safety data |
| Data Export | Export SMS data for compliance and auditing |
Key Personnel (14 CFR 5.23 and 5.25)
The Key Personnel page shows which workspace members hold the two Part 5 mandatory roles. Role assignments are read from the membership list — you designate roles by changing a member’s role on the Members page, not directly on this page.Required designations
| Role | Regulation | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| Accountable Executive | 14 CFR 5.23 | Ultimate responsibility for SMS implementation and safety resources |
| SMS Manager | 14 CFR 5.25 | Day-to-day management and coordination of SMS activities |
Assign key personnel
Each role card shows the assigned member’s name and email, or an
“Unassigned” badge if no one holds that role.
Navigate to the team members page from the link at the bottom. This opens the
platform-level Members settings page where you can change member roles.
Find the team member you want to designate. Change their role to
Accountable Executive or Safety Manager as appropriate.
SMS Policy (14 CFR 5.21)
The SMS Policy page holds the formal safety policy document for your organization. 14 CFR 5.21 requires the policy to include safety objectives, a code of ethics, and a non-punitive reporting policy. The accountable executive must sign it.Policy sections
| Section | Regulation | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Safety Objectives | 14 CFR 5.21(a)(1) | Define measurable safety goals |
| Code of Ethics | 14 CFR 5.21(a)(2) | Ethical standards guiding safety decisions |
| Non-Punitive Reporting Policy | 14 CFR 5.21(a)(3) | Just Culture commitment for safety reporting |
| Accountable Executive | 14 CFR 5.23 | Name and title of the signing executive |
| Document Control | — | Version number and effective date |
Write and save the safety policy
In the Safety Objectives section, describe your organization’s safety
goals. Include measurable performance targets where possible (e.g., reduce
incident rate by a percentage, achieve zero runway incursions).
In the Code of Ethics section, state the ethical principles that govern
safety decisions and behavior across your organization.
In the Non-Punitive Reporting Policy section, describe your
organization’s commitment to non-punitive safety reporting. Include
the conditions — if any — under which disciplinary action may be taken.
This supports the Just Culture framework required by 14 CFR 5.21(a)(3).
Under Accountable Executive, enter the name and title of the individual
who holds the accountable executive role. This person must sign the
printed or PDF version of the policy.
Enter the policy Version (e.g.,
1.0, 2.1) and Effective Date.
The Last Reviewed field is set automatically each time you save.Operator Classification (14 CFR Part 5 and 5.9(e))
Operator classification tells the system which subset of 14 CFR Part 5 applies to your organization based on your size and structure. The wizard walks through three steps: select a classification, review compliance impact, and confirm.Classification options
| Classification | Personnel range | Part 5 compliance |
|---|---|---|
| Sole Individual | 1 person | Partial — certain sections exempt under 14 CFR 5.9(e) |
| Small | Small team | Full — all Part 5 sections required |
| Mid-Size | Mid-size team | Full — all Part 5 sections required |
| Large | Large organization | Full — all Part 5 sections required |
Change operator classification
From Safety Settings, navigate to the Operator Classification page
(accessible via the breadcrumb within the Classification or Peer Group pages,
or directly at
/{workspace}/safety/settings/classification).Choose the classification that best matches your current organizational
size and structure. Each option shows the personnel range and a brief
description.
Review how many of the total 14 CFR Part 5 sections apply to your
selection. For sole individual operators, the page lists the specific
sections that are exempt under 5.9(e). For all other classifications,
the full set of Part 5 sections is required.
Changing operator classification updates your compliance dashboard immediately. The system
recalculates which Part 5 sections appear in your compliance tracking based on the new
classification.
FAA Peer Group (14 CFR 5.9(e), AC 120-92D)
The FAA peer group determines which DCT (Design Compliance Tool) questions are used for SMS self-assessments. Peer groups are organized by certificate part (Part 135, Part 121, etc.) and operator size.Peer group rules
- Sole individual operators are always assigned to peer group 135D per 14 CFR 5.9(e). This is enforced automatically and cannot be overridden.
- All other classifications can select any peer group except 135D.
- Peer group and operator classification must be coherent. If you attempt to select an incompatible combination, the page returns a validation error.
Change the FAA peer group
Navigate to
/{workspace}/safety/settings/peer-group, or click
Change on the peer group card that appears at the top of the
Operator Classification page.The current peer group card shows the group label, description, and
certificate part. It also confirms whether SMS self-assessment questions
are available for the current group.
If your classification is not sole individual, choose a peer group from
the selector. Groups are organized by certificate part. Peer group 135D
is disabled for non-sole-individual operators.
Integrations (14 CFR 5.71)
The Integrations page shows all external systems that can connect to your SMS for safety data collection and notifications. Connecting operational systems supports 14 CFR 5.71 safety performance monitoring requirements.Available integrations
| Integration | Category | Status |
|---|---|---|
| ForeFlight | Flight Operations | Available to connect |
| TrackA | Flight Operations | Available to connect |
| Slack | Communication | Available to connect |
| Email (SMTP) | Communication | Available to connect |
| Webhooks | Analytics | Available to connect |
| CAMP Systems | Maintenance | Coming soon |
| ASAP Gateway | Analytics | Coming soon |
| Training Management | Training | Coming soon |
Connect an integration
Integrations are grouped by category (Flight Operations, Maintenance,
Training, Communication, Analytics). Locate the integration you want to
configure.
If the integration is disconnected, connect it. If already connected, open its configuration to update settings.
If you need a custom integration not listed here, contact the PlaneConnection
team. The stats row at the top of the page shows a summary of total, connected, available, and
coming-soon integrations at a glance.
Data Export (14 CFR 5.97, CCPA)
The Data Export page generates a machine-readable export of all SMS data in your workspace. This meets two regulatory requirements:- 14 CFR 5.97 — SMS records must be retained and available for FAA review.
- CCPA SS1798.130(a)(5)(B) — Personal information must be available in a machine-readable format on request.
What the export includes
- Safety Reports (hazards, incidents, near-misses, audit findings)
- Investigation Records (root cause analysis, findings, recommendations)
- Corrective/Preventive Actions (CPAs)
- Risk Assessments (hazards, severity, likelihood, controls)
- User Information (names, emails, roles — passwords excluded)
- Safety Audit Log (all changes and actions for compliance tracking)
Export formats
| Format | Description | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| JSON | All data in a single structured file | Programmatic access, data analysis |
| CSV Bundle | Each table as CSV text within a JSON wrapper | Import into spreadsheet applications |
Run a data export
Related
Track Part 5 Compliance
Monitor compliance status across all Part 5 sections on the compliance dashboard.
Use the Just Culture Decision Tree
Apply the non-punitive reporting framework required by 14 CFR 5.21.
Configure SPIs
Set up safety performance indicators aligned with your safety objectives.
Configure Your Workspace
Platform-wide settings — organization profile, notifications, and two-factor authentication.