Safety Management System in Aviation: Comparative Analysis of Safety Management System Approaches in V4 Countries

Abstract The article aims to support the Safety Management System’s implementation in the Visegrad Four (V4) countries by introducing supporting documentation at the national level or national legislation. The research subjects are the V4 countries (Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia), where 39 air carriers operate. Safety management in today’s world is already necessary, yet introducing a Safety Management System (SMS) is voluntary in many areas, including some transport modes. In air transport, it is mandatory, and the general principles and guidelines of this system are set out in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which has issued several regulations and recommendations. The lists of ICAO standards and essential translations can be considered a minimum, which is also approached by different authorities. The article points out the primary differences in SMS in individual V4 countries and presents which country provides the strongest support in implementing this system.