> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.planeconnection.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# How to Improve Your SmartScore
> Actionable strategies to improve pilot and organizational SmartScores, understand what drives scores up and down, and leverage SmartScore for insurance positioning.
This guide provides concrete actions you can take to improve individual pilot SmartScores and your organization's fleet average, along with an explanation of what factors drive scores up and down.
**Who should read this:** Safety managers, directors of operations, chief pilots, and pilots
who want to understand and improve their SmartScore. Safety managers and admins can improve
fleet-level scores; pilots can take individual actions to improve their own.
**Prerequisites:** SmartScore must be enabled for your workspace. At least one pilot must have
operational data in the system. See [How to Use SmartScore](/en/how-to/sms/manage-smartscore)
for an overview of the SmartScore dashboard.
## What Drives SmartScore
SmartScore evaluates three components -- **Experience**, **Proficiency**, and **Risk** -- each scored 0--100 and blended into a composite score. Understanding what feeds each component is the first step to improvement.
### Experience component
Factors that **increase** Experience:
* Total flight hours (career and recent).
* Hours in type (specific aircraft the pilot operates).
* Recency of flight activity (hours in the last 90 days).
* Airport familiarity (operations at frequently visited airports).
* Night and instrument flight time.
Factors that **decrease** Experience:
* Extended periods of inactivity (no flights logged in 60+ days).
* Operating new aircraft types without adequate hours in type.
* Low recency despite high career totals.
### Proficiency component
Factors that **increase** Proficiency:
* Completed training assignments (on time).
* Passed check rides and proficiency checks.
* Current certifications and medical certificates.
* Completed recurrent training modules.
* LOSA/FOQA participation.
Factors that **decrease** Proficiency:
* Overdue or expired training assignments.
* Expired certifications or medical certificates.
* Failed or deferred check rides.
* Incomplete onboarding requirements.
### Risk component
Factors that **increase** the Risk sub-score (meaning lower risk, which is better):
* Low FRAT scores on recent flights.
* No safety events linked to the pilot.
* Clean CPA completion history.
* No active investigation involvement as a subject.
* Positive trend in voluntary report submissions (indicating safety engagement).
Factors that **decrease** the Risk sub-score (meaning higher risk, which is worse):
* Elevated FRAT scores on recent flights.
* Safety reports where the pilot is an involved party.
* Open or unresolved CPAs assigned to the pilot.
* Active investigation involvement.
* Fatigue risk indicators (duty time approaching limits).
Voluntary safety report *submissions* by a pilot (self-reporting near misses, hazards) are treated
as a positive signal under just culture principles. The Risk component rewards reporting
engagement -- it does not penalize pilots for submitting reports about their own experiences. This
aligns with the non-punitive reporting requirements of 14 CFR 5.21(a)(4).
## Individual Improvement Strategies
### For pilots
### Check your SmartScore detail page
Navigate to **Safety > SmartScore** and click your name to view your individual score breakdown. The radar chart shows which component is weakest.
### Address expiring certifications
If Proficiency is your lowest component, check the **Actionable Items** section for expiring certifications or overdue training. Complete these items first -- they have the most immediate impact.
### Maintain flight recency
Log flights regularly. Extended gaps in flight activity reduce the Experience component even if your career total is high. Aim for consistent monthly flight activity.
### Complete training on time
Finish training assignments before their due date, not after. On-time completion has a stronger positive effect than late completion.
### Submit voluntary safety reports
Reporting hazards and near misses you observe demonstrates safety engagement and positively impacts the Risk component. See [Submit a Safety Report](/en/how-to/sms/submit-safety-report).
### Review FRAT scores before flights
Complete Flight Risk Assessment Tool (FRAT) evaluations before each flight. Consistently low FRAT scores contribute to a better Risk sub-score. If a FRAT score is elevated, document your mitigations.
### For safety managers
### Review the fleet-level dashboard weekly
Navigate to **Safety > SmartScore** to review the fleet distribution chart and the **Needs Attention** list. Identify pilots trending downward before they reach critical levels.
### Assign targeted training
When a pilot's Proficiency component is low, assign specific training that addresses the gap rather than generic recurrent training. Targeted interventions have a faster impact on scores.
### Verify certification currency
Run a certification expiry report to identify pilots with approaching expirations. Proactive renewal prevents Proficiency drops. Navigate to **Ops > Crew > Certifications** to review upcoming expirations.
### Schedule proficiency checks
For pilots in the Fair or Needs Attention bands, schedule additional proficiency checks or simulator sessions. Passed check rides directly boost the Proficiency component.
### Monitor new hires closely
New pilots typically have low Experience scores in their first 90 days. This is expected. Focus on ensuring their Proficiency remains high through complete onboarding training, and monitor Risk for elevated FRAT scores during the learning period.
## Fleet-Level Improvement Strategies
These organizational actions improve the overall fleet average SmartScore:
| Strategy | Components Affected | Expected Impact |
| --------------------------------------- | ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- |
| Establish a recurrent training calendar | Proficiency | Prevents certification lapses fleet-wide. |
| Implement pre-flight FRAT | Risk | Identifies and mitigates risk before each flight. |
| Run quarterly proficiency checks | Proficiency | Keeps check ride currency high across the fleet. |
| Encourage voluntary reporting | Risk | Demonstrates safety culture engagement. |
| Track duty time proactively | Risk | Prevents fatigue-related risk flag accumulation. |
| Assign type-specific training | Proficiency, Experience | Builds hours-in-type and training completions. |
| Review and close open CPAs | Risk | Resolves outstanding corrective actions. |
## Score Band Targets
| Band | Score Range | What It Means | Action Level |
| ------------------- | ----------- | -------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------- |
| **Excellent** | 80--100 | Pilot is current, trained, experienced, low risk. | No action required. |
| **Good** | 60--79 | Solid standing with minor areas for improvement. | Monitor; address items as they appear. |
| **Fair** | 40--59 | Gaps exist in one or more components. | Targeted intervention required. |
| **Needs Attention** | 0--39 | Significant gaps; pilot may not meet readiness criteria. | Immediate action and oversight. |
A healthy fleet concentrates pilots in the Good and Excellent bands. If more than 20% of your
pilots fall into Fair or below, treat it as a systemic issue requiring organizational-level
changes (training programs, scheduling practices, reporting culture) rather than individual
interventions alone.
## Insurance Implications
SmartScore data can strengthen your organization's position during insurance renewals:
* **Share your fleet average** with your broker or underwriter to demonstrate safety culture maturity. See [Generate and Share Your SmartScore](/en/how-to/sms/generate-smartscore) for how to create a signed SmartScore report.
* **Show improvement trends** -- a fleet average moving from Fair to Good over 12 months is a powerful signal to insurers.
* **Highlight low Risk sub-scores** -- insurers focus on risk indicators. A strong Risk component across your fleet demonstrates proactive hazard management.
* **Reference regulatory alignment** -- SmartScore's components map to 14 CFR Part 5 safety assurance requirements (5.71 safety performance monitoring, 5.73 management review inputs).
Insurance underwriters using the Insurer SmartScore view see aggregated, anonymized fleet data --
not individual pilot scores. Pilot-level data is never shared externally without explicit
authorization. See the [Insurer Guide to SmartScore](/en/how-to/sms/insurer-guide-smartscore) for
details on what insurers see.
## Track Your Progress
Monitor improvement over time using these tools:
* **Trend history chart** on the pilot detail page shows individual score trajectories over 12 months.
* **Fleet average SPI** -- configure fleet average SmartScore as a Safety Performance Indicator to track organizational trends. See [Configure SPIs](/en/how-to/sms/configure-spis).
* **Management review** -- include SmartScore distribution and trends in quarterly management reviews per 14 CFR 5.73.
* **Score change notifications** -- safety managers receive alerts when a pilot's score drops below a configured threshold or changes bands.
## Related
Overview of the SmartScore dashboard and pilot detail views.
Technical details on score calculation, weighting, and data sources.
Create and share signed SmartScore reports for insurers.
Frequently asked questions about SmartScore data and privacy.