Congratulations on Your Appointment as Accountable Manager! Now What?
A practical guide for your first day, first week, first month, and first year leading safety, compliance, Part-IS and operations across an AOC, CAMO, and AMO in business aviation.
Becoming the Accountable Manager (AM) is one of the most significant responsibilities in aviation. You now hold ultimate accountability, to your regulator, your organization, your people, and the flying public, for ensuring an effective management system and that all activities under the Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC), Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation (CAMO), and Approved Maintenance Organisation (AMO/Part-145) are properly resourced, compliant, safe and secure.
You cannot delegate accountability, even though you will (and must) delegate tasks to your Nominated Persons (post holders).
The pressure for production factors can be huge, but a balance to guarante safe operations shall prevail, always; it is cheaper and improve ROI. Here is a realistic, prioritized roadmap to help you succeed from day one.
First Day: Settle In, Orient, and Signal Positive Safety Leadership
Your first day sets the tone. Focus on presence, clarity, and information gathering rather than making big changes. Focus on the maintenance of the certificates.
Key actions:
Complete all administrative onboarding (access, badges, IT systems, security, contact numbers and facilities).
Get to know you Organization Management Manual (OMM), if it does not exist call us +41 79 287 80 99 or drop an e-mail sms@mycs.swiss
Check that all civil aviation certificates are correct and still current as per the actual size, nature and complexity of the organization.
In the OMM review the organization chart (it requires prior approval) and understand reporting lines to you; as well as roles and responsibilities.
Read the current Safety Policy and objectives and ensure that do not exist a competing Compliance/Environmental/Quality Policies (it is called compliance statement). Any ammendaments is better to perform them during your very first Safety Review Board (SRB).
Review safety objectives, safety risk profile and SPI, SPT documents.
Make sure an MoC was prepared for your appointment. Also, verify the mitigating measures.
Schedule one-on-one introductory meetings with all Nominated Persons and key managers for the coming week.
Ask for a high-level briefing on the current operational status (fleet, utilization, any open significant findings, or operational constraints).
Walk the operation if possible (hangar, ops room, or flight planning area) — be visible and approachable.
Mindset: Listen more than you speak. Your goal today is to understand the current reality, not to fix it yet. Ensure that human factors is in every move of the company. We all do mistakes, starting by myself. The very challenge is to learning and continuously converting mistakes in new competences, virtue that will mistakes to be better controlled than a punishment culture.
Suggested wording for a short all-hands message (optional):
“Today I have personally reviewed and signed our Safety Policy and Compliance Statement. Safety and compliance are not optional — they are the foundation of everything we do. I expect every manager and employee to familiarise themselves with these documents.”
First Week: Build Relationships and Map the Landscape
This is your “listen and learn” phase. Your Nominated Persons are your most important allies — they carry day-to-day responsibility for their areas and must have direct access to you.
Priorities:
Hold structured one-on-ones with every Nominated Person (typically: Flight Operations, Training Manager, Ground Operations, Continuing Airworthiness/CAMO Post Holder, Maintenance/AMO Post Holders, Compliance Monitoring Manager, Safety Manager, and others as applicable).
Key questions: What keeps you awake at night? What are the top three risks or challenges right now? What resources do you need? What recent audit findings or incidents should I know about?
Review the core management system documents:
Continuing Airworthiness Management Exposition (CAME)
Maintenance Organisation Exposition (MOE)
Operations Manual(s)
OMM: Safety Management System (SMS) Manual, ISMS and Compliance Monitoring Program
Review the latest internal and external audit reports, open findings, and corrective action status.
Understand the current safety performance picture (hazard reports, risk register, safety performance indicators, recent events).
Confirm you have a clear line of communication with your Competent Authority (National Aviation Authority) point of contact.
Tip: Schedule a short team introduction or “all-hands” meeting by the end of the week to introduce yourself and reinforce that safety and compliance are non-negotiable.
First Month: Assess, Align, and Establish Rhythm
By the end of month one you should have a clear picture of strengths, gaps, and priorities.
Key activities:
Conduct or participate in a formal Management System review (or prepare for one).
Evaluate resource adequacy, financial, personnel, training, facilities, and tooling, especially for continuing airworthiness and safety-critical functions.
Review the effectiveness of the SMS (hazard identification, risk assessment and mitigation, safety promotion, and Just Culture).
Assess the independence and effectiveness of the Compliance Monitoring function.
Identify “quick wins” (low-hanging fruit improvements) and medium-term priorities.
Ensure all Nominated Persons remain properly approved and competent; review their qualifications and any training gaps.
Establish or refine regular reporting to you (e.g., weekly safety/compliance dashboard, monthly management review inputs, operational issues accompained by cost and effectiveness analysis).
Begin building visibility: attend safety committee meetings, visit operational areas regularly, and encourage open reporting.
Milestone goal: By day 30 you should be able to articulate (to yourself and your leadership team) the current health of the management system and your top 5–7 priorities for the next 6–12 months.
First Year: Lead, Improve, and Embed Culture
The first year is about moving from understanding to leading sustainable improvement while maintaining operational excellence. Safety is not expensive, a bad safety management it is.
Strategic focus areas:
Safety Culture & Just Culture — Make it real through visible leadership, consistent response to reports, and non-punitive handling of honest mistakes.
Management System Effectiveness — Drive continuous improvement in both SMS and Compliance Monitoring. Measure what matters and act on the data.
Resource Assurance — Ensure the organization has (and protects) the resources needed for safe operations, especially during growth or change.
Regulatory Relationship — Build a professional, proactive relationship with your authority. Be transparent and solution-oriented.
Integration — Strengthen alignment between AOC operations, CAMO airworthiness management, and AMO maintenance activities.
Leadership Development — Invest in your Nominated Persons and emerging leaders. Strong post holders make your job easier and the organization safer.
Personal Development — Complete or refresh training on SMS, human factors, regulatory updates, and leadership. Many successful AMs attend dedicated Accountable Manager courses.
Annual rhythm you should establish:
Regular management reviews of the management system
Safety performance monitoring and target setting
Proactive engagement with the regulator
Succession planning and knowledge transfer
Final Words of Advice
As Accountable Manager you will face commercial pressures, operational demands, and regulatory scrutiny. Your job is to balance these while never compromising safety or compliance.
Remember these principles:
Accountability cannot be delegated.
Resources must be adequate, it is your responsibility to secure them or escalate when they are not.
A healthy Positive Safety Leadership enables a Just Culture and open reporting culture are your early warning system.
Your visibility and personal commitment to safety will influence the entire organization more than any policy document.
You were chosen for this role because others believe you have the judgment, integrity, and leadership to carry this accountability. Trust your team, stay curious, ask hard questions, and never stop learning.
Welcome to the role. The industry needs strong, principled Accountable Managers like you.
Now go lead safely.
Accountable Manager – The First 10 Common Mistakes During the First 90 Days (AOC / CAMO / AMO)
Starting as the Accountable Manager (AM) for an AOC, CAMO, or AMO is one of the most demanding leadership roles in aviation. You carry ultimate responsibility for safety, compliance, Part-IS resources, and culture, all under the regulator’s scrutiny (EASA, FAA, GCAA, and others).
Most new Accountable Managers are highly experienced, yet the first 90 days are full of hidden traps. Here are the 10 most common mistakesI’ve seen (and helped leaders avoid):
1. Failing to fully understand and document your corporate authority & responsibilities
Many new AMs assume the title automatically grants power. In reality, you must have, and properly document (typically is the Organization Management Manual (OMM)), genuine executive authority over finance, resources, and safety policy. Integrate Part-IS in the OMM, you heavily rely on it.
Mistake→ Relying on verbal assurances or vague delegation without clear board-level documentation.
Fix in first 30 days → Review and update your authority statement in the OMM aligned with the CAME/MOE/OM, ensure the CEO countersigns where required, and create a clear authority matrix. Continuous improvement from day 1: track it.
2. Underestimating regulatory engagement (especially Form 4 and audits)
Regulators don’t just review paperwork, they interview the Accountable Manager personally.
Mistake→ Treating regulatory meetings as a tick-box exercise and delaying preparation.
Fix→ Schedule your first meeting with the regulator within the first two weeks. Prepare thoroughly for competency questions on CMS/SMS, resource assurance, your MoC, and Just Culture. Remember: use regulations as a competitive advantage, never challenge them.
3. Poor delegation or not building a strong nominated persons team early
You cannot do everything yourself. Weak or unclear post-holders create single points of failure.
Mistake→ Keeping too much on your plate or accepting under-performing team members without quick assessment.
Fix→ Conduct one-to-one gap analyses with all key nominated persons (Continuing Airworthiness, Flight Operations, Training, Ground Operations, Safety, Compliance, Part-IS, etc.) in the first 45 days. Strengthen reporting lines and maximise the use of Safety Review Board (SRB) meetings (ideally weekly).
4. Ignoring or delaying Safety Management System (SMS) integration
SMS is not a side project, it is your primary tool for risk visibility.
Mistake→ Treating SMS as “the Safety Manager’s job” instead of personally owning the safety policy, objectives and resources.
Fix→ Chair the first Safety Review Board (SRB) within the first 30 days and visibly demonstrate Positive Safety Leadership. A strong Just Culture is not only safer — it is cheaper and delivers higher ROI.
5. Resource and manpower planning gaps
Especially critical in growing CAMO and AMO organisations.
Mistake→ Accepting optimistic manpower forecasts without validating them against the actual scope of approval and workload.
Fix→ Build and baseline a realistic man-hour plan (including subcontracted activities) within the first 30 days. Remember: your people are your most important intangible assets.
6. Not establishing clear procedures and compliance monitoring from day 1
The OMM is the key document that helps you set an effective integrated management system, including the Compliance Monitoring System (CMS).
Mistake→ Assuming existing manuals are sufficient without performing a fresh compliance baseline audit.
Fix→ Lead or commission a gap analysis of the OMM, OM, CAME, and MOE against applicable current regulations and the organization’s specific operations. Ensure Part-IS is fully integrated. Where necessary, plan and conduct a comprehensive audit to assess the current level of regulatory compliance.
7. Over-focusing on operations while neglecting compliance & independence
Production pressure is constant, but the AM must protect the independence of the Compliance Monitoring function as part of an effective management system (MS).
Mistake→ Allowing the Compliance Manager to report through operational lines or overruling audit findings without proper escalation.
Fix→ Reinforce direct reporting to you. Never interfere in audit findings, support the process to deliver safe, legal, effective, efficient, and sustainable operations. Remember that the AM holds the accountability for safety, compliance and Part-IS.
8. Skipping stakeholder alignment (regulator, board, staff)
Problems arise in operations. The OMM structure and certifications form the baseline for problem-solving. This must be understood throughout the organization, top-down and bottom-up, all the way to the board.
Mistake→ Communicating only when problems arise.
Fix→ Hold regular town-hall briefings with staff, provide clear compliance updates to the board, and maintain open, proactive dialogue with your regulator.
9. Rushing changes without risk assessment or baseline audits
New leaders love quick wins. Take the time to deeply understand your main risks, drive safety risk management at every level of the organization, and verify that mitigating actions are not only taken but remain effective over time. Remember: safety is never a cost, an accident is both humanly devastating and financially crippling.
Mistake→ Implementing major process changes before understanding the current risk exposure.
Fix→ Use the first 90 days primarily for observation and baseline audits, then apply and update Management of Change (MoC) rigorously. Changes are the mother of all risks.
10. Neglecting your own training and regulatory competence
Even highly experienced professionals need to stay current.
Mistake→ Assuming “I’ve done this before” is enough.
Fix → Complete targeted training (EASA Part-CAMO, SMS for Accountable Managers, etc.) and maintain your own competence records. In case you might need a tailored training: contact us +41 79 287 80 99 or drop us an e-mail sms@mycs.swiss.
Final ThoughtThe first 90 days set the tone for years to come. Get the fundamentals right. a positive safety culture, resource assurance, clear accountability, and regulatory trust, and the organisation will thrive. Get them wrong, and you risk spending the next two years firefighting findings and rebuilding confidence.
If you are a new (or soon-to-be) Accountable Manager, what has been your biggest challenge so far?
Drop a comment or send me a message — I’m happy to share templates (authority matrix, 90-day onboarding checklist, etc.). For latest update, just visit: mycs.swiss/acm
#Aviation #AccountableManager #CAMO #AOC #EASA #SafetyManagement #AviationLeadership #SMS #JustCulture
