The European Union has granted the International Business Aviation Council’s (IBAC) International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) official recognition as an industry standard for business aircraft operations.
The official endorsement will facilitate recognition of the IS-BAO in the upcoming European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Implementing Rules system. It is anticipated that non-commercial operators of complex aircraft will be able to use their IS-BAO registration in their declaration to the civil aviation authorities to meet the regulatory requirements and their associated responsibilities.

Because a safety management system (SMS) will be required of all commercial operations and operators of complex aircraft engaged in non-commercial operations under an International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regulation, the IS-BAO includes an SMS Toolkit that can be used to develop an appropriate and effective safety management system.

It is also expected that national regulatory authorities will take into account IS-BAO registration in their regulatory oversight of business aviation operators engaged in commercial operations.

IBAC introduced the IS-BAO program in 2002 as a code of best practices. “The IS-BAO was developed as a professional safety code of practice for business aviation operators, and we encourage those operators to move forward with IS-BAO implementation so that they will be ready for the upcoming EASA Implementing Rules,” said Brian Humphries, president and CEO of the European Business Aviation Association.

Although IS-BAO has been recognized by the EU and ICAO, it has not received formal backing from the U.S. As a member of ICAO, the FAA is supposed to develop SMS guidelines for U.S. operators.