Path to Accreditation

The first step in becoming an HAI-APS accredited helicopter operator is to purchase the IS-BAO and HAI-APS manual and support materials. These internationally accepted standards for business aviation (IS-BAO) and helicopter operations will help you improve the safety and professionalism of your operations.

Order your copy of the IS-BAO & HAI-APS manual. Compliance to both safety standards is required for HAI-APS accreditation. If your operation already holds a current IS-BAO registration, you only need to purchase the HMSS standards.

Based on your order preference, HAI will send you both the IS-BAO and HAI-APS manuals, or link to download the documents, so you can begin your internal review process. Typically, an operator first spends some time reviewing the documents, comparing the standards to their own operation and self-correcting any issues. Operators are often surprised by how much they already do that meets the performance goals of the HAI-APS safety standards: they simply need to document or make small changes to reach full compliance.

Once you receive the standards, review them and perform a gap analysis of your operation by comparing your existing policies, procedures, operational standards with the IS-BAO and HMSS standards. Operators are often surprised by how much they already do and how they meet many of the standards: they simply need to document or make small changes to their programs to reach full compliance.

To aid in your review, the IS-BAO and HMSS audit questions used by the auditor to assess your operation are provided in your manuals. Or to make things easier, we now have an audit tool called iAuditor, used by all auditors that can help you document and share the IS-BAO & HMSS Audit data within your company. The iAuditor Application is compatible with any desktop, laptop, iphone, iPad, or any apple or android device and will simplify the audit review and sharing process. Simply logon to www.SafetyCulture.io and create a free account. Then purchase the IS-BAO/HMSS iAuditor Templates for $15/month, by clicking HERE. Once you have set up your new account at SafetyCulture.io and have purchased the IS-BAO/HMSS Audit Templates, you will receive a link from HAI APS Staff inviting you to logon to your application and to perform a template sync. The following instructions will assist you with setting up your mobile device.

Revise your existing policies and procedures or develop news ones to meet the requirements of IS-BAO and HMSS. Both standards easily scale to both large and small operations and are performance based, allowing you maximum flexibility in determining how you reach the performance goals. REMEMBER: HAI-APS staff are here to mentor HAI member operators through the process, suggesting next steps, and helping to demystify the process- ALL AT NO COST TO YOU!

To prepare for the audit, key company personnel (ie. Required Part 135 post holders and/or those management personnel with operational control) should review the audit questionnaire to ensure all audit questions have been addressed and each audit question has an associated internal company manual reference next to such question. This will accomplish two things: it will ensure you fully understand the depth and breadth of the audit process and second, it allows your management team to validate that your current manual set not only meets the minimum regulatory safety standards, but enables you to document the higher safety standards that you have set out to achieve. Keep in mind, if you have questions throughout this process, complimentary support prior to, and during, your IS-BAO/HMSS audit is available to you by simply contact the HAI-APS program staff at HAI-APS@rotor.org.

Schedule and undergo the accreditation audit(s). To earn HAI-APS accreditation, you must pass an audit for both the IS-BAO and HMSS standards. All accredited HAI-APS auditors are dual qualified to conduct both the IS-BAO and HMSS audits, allowing you to realize cost savings by having both audits conducted concurrently. If you already hold an IS-BAO registration, then you may choose to only have the HMSS audit performed at little expense.Once you have conducted your gap analysis, comparing your current (documented) organizational process and procedures with the IS-BAO & HMSS Standards, and feel your procedures are consistent with the IS-BAO/HMSS standards, then you should contact HAI via this link to schedule an audit: Schedule an IS-BAO and/or HAI-APS Audit. The HAI will assist you with finding an authorized HAI-APS auditor to complete your audit. The auditor will advise HAI-APS of the pending audit and prepare the necessary paperwork to complete your registration upon successful completion of the audit.