Who should do this tutorial? Accountable executives (AE) and safety managers.Time to complete: About 10 minutes.Prerequisites: Accountable Executive or Safety Manager role in your workspace.
Before you start
Make sure you have:- An active PlaneConnection account with access to the Safety module
- Accountable Executive or Safety Manager role assigned (see User Roles)
Touring the Executive Dashboard
Navigate to the Safety module using the module switcher at the top of the sidebar. In the sidebar, click Executive Dashboard. You should see the page load with live data from your workspace.
Look at the top of the dashboard. You should see a countdown card showing the number of days remaining until the May 28, 2027 Declaration of Compliance deadline. Notice the card color — blue means on track, amber means time is tightening, and red means urgent.
FAA 14 CFR Part 5 compliance deadline: May 28, 2027. All Part 135 operators must develop and
implement a Safety Management System and submit a Declaration of Compliance by this date.
PlaneConnection provides the tools you need to meet every requirement.
Below the countdown, locate the four stat cards: SMS Effectiveness Score, Compliance %, Open Items, and Reporting Rate. You should see each card displaying a current value.
The SMS Effectiveness Score requires at least one completed DCT assessment. If this card is empty,
see Conduct a DCT Assessment.
Look at the radar chart below the stat cards. You should see two data series: a Design scores line and a Performance scores line. If there is a gap between them in any dimension, that area needs attention.
Locate the Pending Approvals card. You should see a list of items requiring your action — each row shows the item type (CPA Closure, Investigation Finding, Risk Acceptance, Policy Change, or MOC Approval), identifier, submitter, and date.
Locate the management review card. You should see the last review date, next scheduled date, and count of open action items from prior reviews.
Management reviews are a Safety Assurance requirement under 14 CFR 5.73. See The Four Pillars of
SMS for details.
Scroll to the Safety Culture Snapshot card. You should see five metrics: Reporting Rate Trend, Reporter Participation %, Mean Triage Time, CPA On-Time Closure %, and Anonymous Report %. Review each value and note any that need attention.
Locate the DCT Readiness card. You should see three radial progress bars: EP (Existing Processes), ED (Existing Documentation), and SP (Special Emphasis).
For 135D (sole individual) operators, only the EP bar appears. See Peer Groups and
Exemptions for details.
Locate the five-phase stepper showing your SMS implementation progress: Planning, Development, Implementation, Validation, and Declaration. You should see the active phase highlighted with a completion percentage. Click any phase to see the relevant compliance elements.
Scroll to the map card. You should see your aircraft home bases plotted on the map, color-coded by safety status (green = clear, yellow = open reports, red = overdue CPAs). Click any base marker to see the open items associated with that location.
Scroll to the bottom of the dashboard. You should see a compact org chart with the Accountable Executive at the top and lines to the Safety Manager, Director of Operations, Chief Pilot, and Director of Maintenance. If any position is highlighted in red, it is unfilled — address this in Settings > Organization.
Next steps
SMS Compliance Timeline
Key dates and the seven-phase implementation approach.
Track Part 5 Compliance
Monitor compliance elements and upload evidence.
Prepare Your Declaration of Compliance
Walk through the DOC wizard when you are ready to declare.
FAA 14 CFR Part 5 Overview
Plain-language overview of the regulation driving these requirements.