Basic Aviation Risk Standard (BARS)
Resource sector companies rely heavily on chartered aircraft operators for crew change and movement, materials transportation, low-level airborne geophysical operations, pipeline surveying, helicopter external load operations, marine pilot transfer, medical evacuation, seismic surveying and aerial photography flights. The aircraft supporting these operations range from small single-engine helicopters to airliner-class aircraft, utilized in a variety of conditions including jungle, arctic, desert, offshore and various other remote areas.
Safety audits of the operators conducted to a common agreed standard are a critical element in the process that provides the contracting companies with the level of safety assurance required by their respective organizations.
While the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (OGP) had established industry guidelines for its members, until now individual resource companies had used a variety of aviation standards, burdening aircraft operators with duplicated efforts and mixed messages. Because of the variety of operations types, their geographic diversity and the differences in national aviation authorities’ regulatory oversight, the Flight Safety Foundation identified an opportunity to standardize the manner in which independent safety audits are conducted, using a risk-based standard that will allow a more rigorous approach to flight safety assurance supporting the resources sector.
With the encouragement of many members of the resource community, including aircraft operators, Flight Safety Foundation now offers this unified standard, accompanied by a plan for its installation and maintenance, in an easy-to-use document.
The document, Basic Aviation Risk Standard (BARS) [PDF 1.3M], is available to all firms, and may be downloaded here at no cost. It is not intended to supplant or alter national and international aviation operating regulations.
Basic Aviation Risk Standard Program Overview 8 pages. [PDF 5.3M]
Basic Aviation Risk Standard Frequently Asked Questions September 2011 13 pages.
[PDF 993K]
Basic Aviation Risk Standard Aviation Coordinator Course Registration Form, Singapore, November 2–3, 2011 4 pages.
[PDF 517K]
Basic Aviation Risk Standard Program Update, September 2011 4 pages. [PDF 1.3M]
Additional Languages
Norma Básica de Riesgos en Aviación Sector de Recursos 40 pages. [PDF 1.4M]
Normes de base en matière de risques aéronautiques Secteur des ressources naturelles
40 pages. [PDF 1.5M]
Standar Risiko Penerbangan Dasar Sektor Sumber Daya 40 pages. [PDF 1.5M]
Norma de Básica de Risco na Aviação Setor de recursos 40 pages. [PDF 1.5M]
Norma Básica de Riesgos en la Aviación: Perspectiva General del Programa
8 pages. [PDF 214K]
Basic Aviation Risk Standard Applications
Application to Join the BARS Program as an Auditing Company
Application to Join the BARS Program as an Aircraft Operator
Application to Apply for BARS Auditor Training
Top of page
