SPI Categories
| Category | API Value | Indicator Count | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flight Operations | flight_ops | 6 | Metrics related to flight safety, deviations, and pilot performance. |
| Maintenance | maintenance | 5 | Metrics related to aircraft reliability and maintenance effectiveness. |
| Ground Operations | ground_ops | 4 | Metrics related to ground handling safety and ramp incidents. |
| SMS Effectiveness | sms_effectiveness | 5 | Metrics measuring the health and activity of the SMS itself. |
| Human Factors | human_factors | 5 | Metrics related to crew fatigue, training, and human error. |
- Flight Operations
- Maintenance
- Ground Operations
- SMS Effectiveness
- Human Factors
| Indicator | Description | Unit | Typical Target | Typical Threshold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unstable approach rate | Percentage of approaches not meeting stabilized approach criteria. | % of approaches | < 3% | > 5% |
| Go-around rate | Number of go-arounds per 1,000 approaches. | Per 1,000 | < 5 | > 10 |
| Altitude deviation rate | Exceedances of assigned altitude by more than 200 ft. | Per 1,000 flight hours | < 1 | > 3 |
| Airspeed deviation rate | Exceedances of Vref +/- limits during approach. | Per 1,000 approaches | < 2 | > 5 |
| TCAS/RA rate | Traffic Resolution Advisories received. | Per 1,000 flight hours | < 0.5 | > 1.0 |
| Runway incursion rate | Runway incursion events (all severity categories). | Per 10,000 operations | 0 | > 0 |
Alert System
SPIs use a three-level alert system to flag performance trends requiring attention.| Level | Color | Trigger | Escalation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watch | Yellow | SPI value approaches threshold (within 20% of threshold value). | Displayed on safety dashboard. Safety manager notified. |
| Warning | Orange | SPI value meets or exceeds the defined threshold. | Safety manager receives daily notification. Included in weekly safety report. |
| Critical | Red | SPI value exceeds threshold by more than 50%, or a zero-tolerance indicator registers any occurrence. | Accountable executive notified immediately. Requires documented management review within 48 hours. |
Zero-Tolerance Indicators
Certain SPIs have a target of zero. Any occurrence immediately triggers a Critical alert:- Duty time exceedance rate
- Runway incursion rate (triggers Warning; repeated occurrences trigger Critical)
Management Review Cycles
| Cycle | Frequency | Participants | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily | Every business day | Safety manager, dispatch | Active alerts, Watch/Warning/Critical status changes |
| Weekly | Weekly | Safety manager, operations manager | SPI trend summaries, new alerts, CPA status |
| Monthly | Monthly | Safety committee | Full SPI dashboard review, trend analysis, corrective actions |
| Quarterly | Quarterly | Accountable executive, safety committee | Aggregate performance, target adjustments, resource allocation |
| Annual | Annually | Accountable executive, all management | Year-over-year comparison, target recalibration, SMS effectiveness assessment |
Trend Indicators
Each SPI displays a trend direction based on comparison with the previous measurement period.| Trend | Symbol | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Improving | Up arrow (green) | Current value is closer to target than the previous period. |
| Stable | Dash (gray) | Current value is within 5% of the previous period. |
| Declining | Down arrow (red) | Current value is farther from target than the previous period. |
Regulatory Alignment
| Part 5 Section | Requirement | SPI Application |
|---|---|---|
| 5.71 | Safety performance monitoring and measurement | SPI tracking across all five categories |
| 5.73 | Safety performance assessment | Alert system and management reviews |
| 5.75 | Continuous improvement | Trend analysis and target recalibration |
| 5.97 | SMS records | SPI history retained for 5 years |
Related
Configure SPIs
SPI target, threshold, and alert rule configuration.
Monitor SPIs
Tutorial walkthrough of the SPI dashboard and trend analysis.
Safety Performance
How SPIs fit into the SMS safety assurance framework.
SmartScore Methodology
Composite scoring system built on SPI data.