Less than a year since its founding, Dallas-based SEBA Council has expanded its international reach with a second safety management system (SMS) audit in Asia and the addition of audit services for ground handling agencies and FBOs. A group of former high-ranking military officers and auditors launched SEBA Council last summer to provide business aviation with an alternative audit approach that reflects NATA best practices and works to bring business aircraft operators worldwide—whether a flight department or charter operation—into compliance with ICAO Annex 19 SMS standards.

Since then, SEBA Council has conducted audits in North America and Europe, along with the initial two audits for Asia operations. The organization said it has served more than 50 flight departments.

SEBA Council, meanwhile, is adding to its core group of auditors as it expands into the realm of ground services. “Just as KPMG and Ernst & Young have expanded their accounting practice audit capabilities, so has SEBA Council, with its foray into the ground handling/FBO audit arena, with its core group of very seasoned auditors,” said SEBA Council managing director Michael Petridis.

This includes lead auditor Ken Qualls, who has a background in the formation of an audit firm and ground handling audit serves. “We are glad that auditors are joining us and sharing our vision of an enhanced client engagement experience as a result of the audit process,” Petridis said.

He likened the ground handling/FBO audit to an inspector general military audit of base operations that handles transient aircrews, while the flight department SMS is akin to the evaluation of the safety aspect of the military outfit during an operational readiness inspection.

“The retired generals on our board of advisors are well experienced in the safety and operational aspects of these two categories and are helping us to keep the focus on enhanced client engagement experience throughout the evaluation of the SMS program,” Petridis said.