SPIs: Turning Safety Vision into Measurable Action

Where Do Safety Performance Indicators (SPIs) Come From?

A preview of WYVERN’s upcoming Guidance Document

In aerospace, performance isn’t just about how an aircraft flies—it’s about how an organization leads.

That idea resonates deeply when we think about Safety Management Systems (SMS). A well-designed SMS isn’t merely a compliance requirement—it’s a strategic framework for achieving safety goals. When those goals are clearly defined and measurable, that’s when an organization moves from reactive to truly performance-based safety.

But here’s the million-dollar question:

Where do safety objectives—and the SPIs that measure them—actually come from? How do we choose the right Safety Performance Indicators (SPIs) to track progress and drive improvement?

This newsletter offers a practical process to help aerospace professionals answer that question. It also serves as an introduction to a forthcoming WYVERN Guidance Document, which will include tools and best practices to guide you in selecting and applying the right SPIs for your operation.

🧭 A Practical Process for SPI Development

At least once each year, senior leadership should meet to evaluate and establish safety objectives. This process is most effective when grounded in comprehensive, high-quality safety intelligence—not guesswork or assumptions.

Leading up to that meeting, the safety committee should gather data and insights from across the organization and industry, including:

• OEM safety communiqués regarding aircraft, equipment, and mission-critical tools
• Regulatory/Safety bulletins from national aviation authorities
• ICAO safety summary reports
• Industry association insights (FSF, IBAC, NATA, etc.)
• Internal input from pilots, mechanics, dispatchers, line service, etc.
• Audit and consultant recommendations (WYVERN, for example)
• Hazard trends from your SMS or CASS
• Emerging threats identified through Flight Data Monitoring
• Leadership’s strategic vision
• Any other relevant safety source

📈 From Insight to Indicators

Once the data is synthesized, it should be shared in a structured format—often as a PowerPoint presentation—to facilitate discussion and decision-making at the leadership level.

From there:

1. Safety objectives are confirmed or refined.
2. Objectives requiring ongoing oversight are assigned one or more SPIs.
3. Each SPI is aligned with quarterly performance targets to monitor progress and drive accountability.

🧩 Why This Matters

SPIs are not just regulatory checkboxes—they are operational commitments. The right indicators help organizations focus resources, communicate expectations, and demonstrate continuous improvement.

Stay tuned.

In our upcoming WYVERN Guidance Document, we’ll dive deeper into this process—offering tools, best practices, and real-world examples to help your organization build a performance-based safety program that goes beyond compliance.

When it comes to safety leadership, knowing what to measure—and why—is everything.

If you are not subscribed to our weekly newsletters, subscribe now at the bottom of this page. For further resources and guidance on implementing Safety Management Systems, contact WYVERN, THE industry expert. Attend our SMS Training Workshops or ask about our SMS software. Contact us for a FREE SMS demo! Together, we can elevate aerospace safety and create a safer future.