The Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) is an initiative in the U.S. that promotes voluntary reporting of safety issues by employees from participating airlines and operators. This program functions similarly to NASA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS), but it is managed internally by the airlines themselves. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) provides guidelines for ASAP in Advisory Circular 120-66C.
The main goal of voluntary safety programs, as outlined in the advisory circular, is to identify hazards and unsafe conditions within the National Airspace System (NAS). This helps ensure that corrective actions can be taken to minimize or eliminate risks. The ASAP program began in 1994 with a demonstration at American Airlines, while NASA’s ASRS started earlier, in 1976.
ASAP offers a nonpunitive way for employees—like pilots, flight attendants, and mechanics—to report safety information that could prevent accidents. If a report is accepted, the employee is exempt from enforcement action, although the airline may provide counseling or additional training. Reports are typically submitted electronically through the airline’s web portal, but if that’s not possible, an initial report can be made via a company hotline, followed by an electronic submission.
In the past, reports needed to be filed within strict time limits, but the current guidelines allow the Event Review Committee (ERC) more discretion regarding this aspect. The FAA has noted that timeliness requirements do not apply to sole-source reports, which are those submitted only by the reporting employee. Common reasons for filing ASAP reports include unintentional altitude or airspeed breaches, maintenance errors, and missed radio calls.
The ERC oversees the ASAP program for each airline. It usually includes a management representative, an employee group representative, and sometimes an FAA inspector. The committee’s responsibilities involve reviewing safety reports, determining if they meet exclusion criteria, identifying safety issues, investigating incidents, and proposing solutions. They also conduct annual reviews to assess the effectiveness of corrective actions taken.
To be accepted into the ASAP program, a reported error must be an honest mistake. The FAA specifies certain exclusions, known as the “Big Five”: criminal activity, substance abuse, intentional falsification, and reckless conduct. If an employee does not complete the recommended corrective actions, their report will be excluded from the program.
