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In this tutorial, you will navigate the SPI dashboard, read indicator cards, and respond to performance alerts in your Safety Management System. By the end of this tutorial, you will know how to monitor your organization’s safety performance at a glance and take appropriate action when indicators move outside acceptable thresholds.
Who should do this tutorial? Safety Managers and accountable executives who are responsible for monitoring safety performance. Operations managers and department leads also benefit from understanding SPIs relevant to their area. You will need Safety Manager or Admin permissions to configure SPIs, but anyone with SMS access can view them.

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Before you start

Make sure you have:
  • An active PlaneConnection account with access to the SMS module
  • Some operational data in your workspace (reports, investigations, CPAs, or flight records) so the indicators have values to display
  • Familiarity with the SMS module navigation (see the Quickstart)
Why do SPIs matter? Per 14 CFR 5.71, your SMS must include processes to monitor safety performance and measure safety management activities. SPIs are how you meet this requirement — they provide objective, measurable evidence that your safety controls are effective and your safety posture is stable or improving.
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Open the SPI dashboard
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  • Make sure you are in the Safety module. Check the module switcher at the top of the sidebar.
  • In the sidebar, click SPIs (under the Analytics or Performance section).
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    You are now on the SPI dashboard — a grid of indicator cards organized by category.
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    Understand the five SPI categories
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    SPIs are grouped into five categories — Flight Operations, Maintenance, Ground Operations, SMS Effectiveness, and Human Factors. Each category covers a different area of your operation.
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    For the full list of indicators, targets, and thresholds within each category, see SPI Definitions.
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    Each category appears as a section on the dashboard. You can click a category header to expand or collapse its indicators.
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    Read an indicator card
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    Each SPI is displayed as a card with four key pieces of information:
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  • Current value: The indicator’s most recent measurement (e.g., “2.4 incidents per 1,000 flight hours”).
  • Target: The goal your organization has set for this indicator (e.g., “Below 3.0”).
  • Threshold: The boundary between acceptable and concerning performance. When the current value crosses a threshold, the alert level changes.
  • Trend: A directional indicator showing whether performance is Improving, Stable, or Degrading over the selected time period.
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    The card background color reflects the current alert level. A small sparkline chart shows the recent trend at a glance.
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    Focus on trend direction, not just the current value. An SPI that is currently in the green zone but trending toward degrading deserves attention before it crosses a threshold. Early intervention is always easier than crisis response.
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    Understand the four alert levels
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    Each SPI operates on a four-level alert system: Normal (green), Watch (yellow), Warning (orange), and Critical (red). Alert level transitions are logged automatically and appear in the SPI’s history.
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    For the color codes, trigger conditions, and escalation requirements for each level, see SPI Definitions.
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    View SPI details and history
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    Click on any indicator card to open the SPI detail page. The detail page provides:
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  • Historical trend chart: A line chart showing the indicator’s value over time (weekly, monthly, or quarterly). Threshold lines are drawn on the chart so you can see when breaches occurred.
  • Threshold breach history: A log of every time the indicator crossed a threshold, including the date, the previous level, and the new level.
  • Contributing data: The underlying records that feed the indicator — for example, the specific incident reports that contribute to your incident rate.
  • Configuration: The target value, threshold settings, and calculation method (visible to Safety Managers).
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    Historical trend data is essential for FAA surveillance. Per 14 CFR 5.71, you must demonstrate that you are monitoring safety performance over time — not just checking a snapshot. The trend chart on the detail page serves as this evidence.
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    Respond to alerts based on level
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    When an SPI triggers an alert, respond according to the level:
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    Watch (Yellow):
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  • Increase your monitoring frequency for this indicator.
  • Add it as a discussion item in your next Safety Action Group (SAG) meeting.
  • Look for patterns — is this a seasonal trend, a one-time blip, or the beginning of a longer decline?
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    Warning (Orange):
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  • Investigate the root cause. Review the contributing data on the SPI detail page.
  • Document your findings and any contributing factors.
  • If the cause is systemic, create a CPA to address it (see Track Your First CPA).
  • Report the warning and your response at the next Safety Review Board (SRB) meeting.
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    Critical (Red):
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  • Escalate immediately to the accountable executive.
  • Convene an ad-hoc safety review if the next scheduled meeting is more than a few days away.
  • Take immediate corrective action — this may include operational restrictions, stand-downs, or emergency procedure changes.
  • Document the escalation and response as part of your SMS records.
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    A Critical alert on any SPI requires documented action. Ignoring a critical indicator undermines your SMS and can result in compliance findings during FAA audits. Treat every red indicator as requiring a response, even if you determine the underlying data is an anomaly.
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    Understand review cycles
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    SPIs have a defined review cadence: daily checks for Critical and Warning alerts, weekly reviews of all Watch-level and above indicators, monthly SAG reviews, and quarterly SRB performance assessments.
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    See SPI Definitions for the full review cycle schedule and ownership matrix.
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    Regular reviews ensure you catch gradual degradation before it becomes a safety event. Document each review as evidence of ongoing safety performance monitoring.

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    What happens next

    As your organization accumulates more operational data, your SPIs become increasingly valuable:
    1. Trend identification. Over time, patterns emerge — seasonal trends, fleet-specific issues, or recurring human factors themes.
    2. Target refinement. As you build a performance baseline, you can adjust targets and thresholds to be more meaningful for your specific operation.
    3. Regulatory evidence. Your SPI history provides the continuous monitoring evidence required by 14 CFR 5.71 and demonstrates proactive safety management during FAA surveillance.
    4. Safety culture feedback. Sharing SPI trends with your team reinforces the message that safety performance is measured, visible, and valued.

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    Next steps

    SPI Definitions

    Full reference for all built-in SPIs, their calculations, and default thresholds.

    Configure SPIs

    Learn how to customize targets, thresholds, and alert rules for your organization.

    Understanding Safety Performance

    Learn the theory behind safety performance monitoring and why it matters.

    Run a Safety Committee Meeting

    Use SPI data to drive your safety committee agenda and decisions.
    Last modified on April 11, 2026