An estimated 2.9 million passengers fly into and out of U.S. airports every day.[1] To ensure the highest level of safety for the traveling public, FAA safety inspectors conduct oversight of airline operators, repair stations, and other regulated organizations. Since 2016, the Safety Assurance System (SAS) has been used to standardize data collecting, recording, analyzing, and risk-based decision-making to mitigate aviation safety-related risks.

SAS was created as a web-based desktop application. In many cases, safety inspectors print out data collection forms from a workstation, complete the analog forms at an airline location, repair station, or other inspection location, return to an office, log into the application, and record the data and findings into the SAS desktop application—which can be a long and cumbersome process.

In 2006, a government-wide priority was implemented to modernize federal computing systems, and FAA partnered with the U.S. DOT Volpe Center to develop a SAS mobile application made available on government-furnished mobile devices. The SAS mobile application gives inspectors the ability to capture real-time data while conducting oversight at various locations.

During the initial phase of this project, U.S. DOT Volpe Center software developers focused on a custom mobile application for data collection. Developers collaborated with members of the U.S. DOT Volpe Center human factors team to ensure the application was developed using a human-centered design. Additionally, the team improved on current features such as incorporating the ability to add images and video media of observed incidents to data collection. Other improvements include a “Sticky Note” feature for notetaking, Offline Mode, an intuitive user interface (UI) designed specifically for Apple iOS devices, Dark Mode feature designed with cockpit visibility in mind, and more.

The U.S. DOT Volpe Center has been involved with every aspect of developing the SAS mobile application—from planning, conducting focus groups and interviews, and proposing the application’s design to developing the app’s requirements and writing code. The team also manages the quality assurance and approval testing processes, engineers the software’s releases, and troubleshoots user issues.

Last summer, the team “soft” deployed the SAS mobile application to 88 ASIs who volunteered to field test the application. Volunteers were given 90 days to test and submit issues and feedback to the SAS Mobile Team. The feedback received helped the team adjust the application for final release. The application functioned well during beta-testing; only eight tickets/issues were logged by the volunteer testers. 

In early 2025, the SAS Data Collection Mobile Application will be deployed for use by all 4,000 ASIs.

SAS Mobile is an ongoing project; U.S. DOT Volpe Center IT and aviation specialists will continue to work with FAA during FY25 and plan three further releases of the SAS mobile application with the last release planned for July 2025.