SMS Pro
SMS Pro is a cloud-based aviation Safety Management System software suite serving 450+ airlines, airports, MROs, and other aviation operators worldwide with FAA/EASA/ICAO-compliant incident reporting, risk management, and AI-enhanced predictive analytics since 2008.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersAnchorage, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What SMS Pro does
SMS Pro is a cloud-based aviation Safety Management System (SMS) software suite operated by NorthWest Data Solutions, a privately held company headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska, that has served the aviation safety market since 2008. The platform is purpose-built for civil aviation compliance — covering all four ICAO SMS pillars (Safety Policy, Safety Risk Management, Safety Assurance, Safety Promotion) — and is accepted as a compliant Electronic Record Keeping System by FAA, EASA, CASA, IATA, Transport Canada, and IS-BAO. Its customer base of more than 450 organizations spans commercial airlines, airports, helicopter operators, MROs, flight schools, FBOs, medical transport, agricultural aviation, military, UAS operators, and government aviation authorities, with named customers including PAL Aerospace, Business Jet Access, Aviation Concepts Inc., Air Bravo Corp, Air Nunavut / SmoothAir Charter, and R1 Airlines.
The product portfolio is delivered in four editions — SMS Pro Basic, Professional, Enterprise, and SSP Pro for State Safety Programs — and is supported by modular add-ons covering incident reporting, hazard risk management, audit suites, training and competency management, compliance management, document control, investigation management, and corrective/preventive actions. Technically, the platform combines a mobile-friendly interface with offline auditing and FRAT capabilities, TLS 1.3 data encryption, role-based access with audit trails, a built-in Learning Management System, API integrations with ASIAS, ASRS, and ECCAIRS, and an AI-enhanced portal for predictive hazard identification, automated CPA suggestions, and anomaly detection across safety KPIs. Data centers carry SOC 1 (SAS 70 Type II), HIPAA, PCI DSS, and NIST 800-53 certifications, and the platform advertises 99.9% uptime with 2-day onboarding after payment.
Commercial operations blend a sales-led motion for enterprise customers with a freemium self-serve entry point ($0/month) and a referral-driven partner channel. The partner network reportedly comprises 8,000+ SMS professionals worldwide who deliver implementation, consulting, and training services on a 50% commission basis, providing geographically distributed sales coverage across North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and the South Pacific. The company is founder-led, with CEO Chris Howell at the parent entity NorthWest Data Solutions, and no external venture or private equity investment is disclosed in the source materials.
SMS Pro firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SMS Pro
- Legal name
- NorthWest Data Solutions
- Website
- https://asms-pro.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- SMS Pro is a cloud-based aviation Safety Management System software suite serving 450+ airlines, airports, MROs, and other aviation operators worldwide with FAA/EASA/ICAO-compliant incident reporting, risk management, and AI-enhanced predictive analytics since 2008.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SMS Pro industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Aviation Safety Management Software
- NAICS
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Safety Management Systems (SMS) & Operational Compliance (THABAIAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Human Factors, Safety Management & Maintenance Error Prevention (EDAOAFAM)
Keywords
Where SMS Pro is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Anchorage
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
SMS Pro business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- SaaS Subscription Licensing: Cloud-based software subscription with multiple tiers (Basic, Professional, Enterprise, SSP Version) providing recurring revenue. Plans start at $0/month for entry-level, with scalable pricing based on organization size and feature requirements. Operational within 2 days after payment.
- Partner Referral and Reseller Commissions: Channel partners earn 50% of initial licensing fees or first three months of subscription price for referrals. Partners with 101-200 employees can earn $25K share per deal, or $1,000 for standard referrals.
- Training and Implementation Services: Partners provide SMS implementation, consulting, and training services that complement the software platform, creating additional revenue streams through the partner ecosystem.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Entry-level free tier for small operators to get started with basic SMS compliance |
| Subscription | Annual | Professional tier for mid-sized operators requiring full-featured SMS capabilities |
| Subscription | Annual | Enterprise tier for large airlines, airports, and complex operations requiring advanced features |
| Subscription | Annual | SSP Version for state aviation authorities implementing State Safety Programs |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
SMS Pro product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SMS Pro provides a cloud-based aviation Safety Management System (SMS) software suite that helps airlines, airports, MROs, helicopter operators, flight schools, and government aviation authorities comply with ICAO, FAA, EASA, CASA, IATA, Transport Canada, and IS-BAO standards. The platform integrates the four ICAO SMS pillars (Safety Policy, Safety Risk Management, Safety Assurance, Safety Promotion) and includes hazard reporting, risk assessment, audit management, training management, compliance documentation, and AI-enhanced predictive analytics. The software is offered in four editions (Basic, Professional, Enterprise, SSP) and is operational within two days after payment.
Product overview
SMS Pro is a modular Aviation Safety Management System (SMS) software suite developed by NorthWest Data Solutions since 2008. The product portfolio includes four distinct editions: SMS Pro Basic (entry-level compliance), SMS Pro Professional (mid-tier with advanced features), SMS Pro Enterprise (full-featured enterprise solution), and SSP Pro for State Safety Programs. The core platform is supplemented by individual modules covering incident reporting, hazard risk management, safety audits, training management, compliance management, document control, investigation management, and corrective/preventive actions. All editions integrate the four ICAO SMS pillars (Safety Policy, Safety Risk Management, Safety Assurance, Safety Promotion) and are compliant with FAA, EASA, ICAO, CASA, IATA, Transport Canada, and IS-BAO standards. The software features AI-powered analytics for predictive hazard identification and automated report processing.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SMS Pro Basic: Entry-level SMS software solution for small aviation service providers
- SMS Pro Professional
- SMS Pro Enterprise
- SSP Pro
Products and services
- SMS Pro Basic
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduces SMS implementation time by up to 20%
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use SMS Pro
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments11 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
SMS Pro technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability4 records
Feature9 records
SMS Pro partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- JRA Aero (UK)coreUK-based SMS consulting and implementation partner providing local expertise for aviation operators in the United Kingdom market.
- Thought Process (Asia & Canada)coreAuditing, SMS consulting, and implementation services in Asia and Canada markets. Provides gap analysis and SMS implementation roadmaps.
- Glenn Jones, Grenville Hudson (Asia)minorIndividual SMS consultants providing auditing and implementation services in the Asia-Pacific region.
- JDA Aviation Technology Solutions (US)coreUS-based aviation technology solutions partner providing SMS consulting and implementation services to American aviation operators.
- SCSI (US)minorUS-based SMS consulting partner offering implementation services.
- The Aviation Consulting Group (US)coreUS-based aviation consulting firm providing SMS implementation and compliance advisory services.
- SMS4Aviation (US)coreUS-based SMS consulting partner specializing in aviation safety management system implementation.
- Richard Abbott (US)minorIndividual SMS trainer focused on aviation safety training and implementation support.
- LOSA (US)minorLine Operations Safety Assessment (LOSA) partner providing specialized aviation safety consulting.
- Cirrus Safety (Canada)coreCanadian SMS training and consulting partner serving operators in Canada.
- Dutcher Safety & Meteorology Services (Canada)minorCanadian safety and meteorology services provider offering specialized SMS consulting.
- Safety Systems (Canada)coreCanadian safety systems partner providing training, SMS consulting, and implementation services.
- DCA-BR (Brazil)coreBrazilian SMS consulting and implementation partner serving the Latin American aviation market.
- Rudy Quevedo, Seminarios SMS (Latin America)coreLatin American SMS training and implementation partner providing seminars and implementation services in Spanish and Portuguese markets.
- TryByte (Middle East)coreMiddle Eastern SMS implementation partner serving aviation operators in the Middle East region.
- PlaneTorque Australia (South Pacific)coreAustralian SMS implementation, auditing, and consulting partner serving the South Pacific aviation market.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
SMS Pro competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Swiss AviationSoftware (AMOS): Provider of the AMOS MRO and operations suite used by airlines and MROs; broad incumbent that overlaps with SMS Pro's MRO segment and could expand into safety management functionality.
- IFS: Enterprise software vendor with a strong aviation MRO/EAM footprint (IFS Maintenix) that increasingly bundles safety, quality, and compliance modules relevant to SMS Pro's buyer base.
- SITA: Large aviation IT incumbent providing messaging, operations, and safety-related platforms across airlines and airports; offers broader portfolio that can subsume niche SMS functionality over time.
- FlightSafety International: Major aviation training organization adjacent to SMS Pro's training and competency management modules; comparable buyer base across airlines, business aviation, and government operators.
- Lufthansa Systems: Aviation IT arm of the Lufthansa Group offering airline operations, crew, and compliance solutions; a broad incumbent whose aviation software suite could encroach on the SMS space.
Emerging players
- Pelesys: Aviation training software provider whose e-learning and competency modules overlap with SMS Pro's built-in LMS; relevant as a partially-overlapping competitor in flight school and airline training accounts.
Direct peers
- Avoira (Safety & Compliance division): Avoira's aviation safety division delivers SMS consulting, training, and software (formerly Baines Simmons) for EASA Part-CAMO and ICAO operators, directly competing for the same European and global aviation SMS mandates.
- CASS (Compliance and Aviation Safety Systems): Aviation SMS software vendor serving airlines, business aviation, and MROs with comparable ICAO-aligned compliance modules, competing head-to-head for similar enterprise SMS deals.
- Aviation Safety Solutions: Aviation SMS software and consulting provider focused on Part 121, Part 135, and Part 91 operators with similar hazard reporting, risk management, and audit modules to SMS Pro.
- Baines Simmons (Avoira): UK-based aviation safety consultancy and SMS software/implementation provider that, like SMS Pro, sells ICAO/FAA/EASA-compliant SMS tooling and implementation services to airlines, MROs, and business aviation operators.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SMS Pro social profiles
Digital presenceSMS Pro compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
SMS Pro financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SMS Pro leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
SMS Pro funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SMS Pro M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SMS Pro
What does SMS Pro do?
SMS Pro provides a cloud-based aviation Safety Management System (SMS) software suite that helps airlines, airports, MROs, helicopter operators, flight schools, and government aviation authorities comply with ICAO, FAA, EASA, CASA, IATA, Transport Canada, and IS-BAO standards. The platform integrates the four ICAO SMS pillars (Safety Policy, Safety Risk Management, Safety Assurance, Safety Promotion) and includes hazard reporting, risk assessment, audit management, training management, compliance documentation, and AI-enhanced predictive analytics. The software is offered in four editions (Basic, Professional, Enterprise, SSP) and is operational within two days after payment.
Is SMS Pro a public or private company?
SMS Pro is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was SMS Pro founded?
SMS Pro was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is SMS Pro based?
SMS Pro is headquartered in Anchorage, United States, in the North America region.
How does SMS Pro make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. SaaS Subscription Licensing is the primary driver. The others are partner Referral and Reseller Commissions and training and Implementation Services.
Who are SMS Pro's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Swiss AviationSoftware (AMOS), IFS, SITA, FlightSafety International and Lufthansa Systems. Pelesys is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Avoira (Safety & Compliance division), CASS (Compliance and Aviation Safety Systems), Aviation Safety Solutions and Baines Simmons (Avoira).
Does SMS Pro have an API?
Yes. SMS Pro provides API support for custom integrations with third-party applications such as ASIAS, ASRS, and ECCAIRS. The API enables connectivity with aviation safety reporting and analysis systems. Additional details about API availability (public/partner/private), authentication method, rate limits, or versioning are not specified in the provided content.
What industry is SMS Pro in?
SMS Pro's product category is Aviation Safety Management Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THABAIAI, Safety Management Systems (SMS) & Operational Compliance, with a secondary code of EDAOAFAM, Human Factors, Safety Management & Maintenance Error Prevention. Its NAICS code is 54151 and its SIC code is 7371.