Effective March 6, 2026, the FAA’s new Order 8000.379 provides internal guidance for how Flight Standards and Aircraft Certification personnel should acknowledge and oversee a Corporate Safety Management System (SMS) across aviation organizations holding multiple certificates, approvals, or authorizations.
The Order outlines a voluntary framework centered on a single accountable executive, stronger coordination among FAA offices, annual FAA planning meetings, and continued operational safety oversight. For Aircraft Certification organizations, it also establishes a three-step acknowledgment process that includes implementation plan approval, verification, and evaluation. Importantly, the Order makes clear that FAA acknowledgment does not constitute FAA approval of the SMS.