PRESS RELEASE: ACSF Meets With NTSB Leadership

October 8, 2009, Alexandria, VA — This week, Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) executives met with National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman and Vice Chairman Christopher A. Hart, to discuss a wide range of aviation safety issues impacting the air charter and shared aircraft ownership industries.

“Both Chairman Hersman and Vice Chair Hart are not only well versed in the safety issues confronting our industry, but they were very interested in ACSF and our activities to enhance the safety of the air charter and shared aircraft ownership industries,” said ACSF Executive Director Jacqueline Rosser.

Among the topics of discussion during the meetings were:

• The ACSF Industry Audit Standard - the only audit program that comprehensively evaluates both an operator’s Safety Management System (SMS) and its Part 135 regulatory compliance.  Both Hersman and Hart were encouraged by ACSF’s emphasis on SMS and lauded the foundation’s efforts to ensure a thorough regulatory and safety analysis of operators such as the IAS is available. 

• ACSF has commissioned an in-depth review of Part 135 accidents and incidents; the beginning of a long-term effort to collect and analyze this data in highly detailed ways, and to highlight the shortcomings in today’s methods of data collection and information categorization related to Part 135.  ACSF presented both Members with a preliminary copy of this report, scheduled to be released later this month.

• Both members were also enthusiastic about ACSF’s efforts to encourage operators to collect and act upon safety and hazard information reports in order to identify trends and prevent accidents.  Specifically, ACSF’s Aviation Safety Information System (AVSiS), which is available free of charge to any Part 135 operator or Part 91K program manager, was enthusiastically received by both Members.

“There are many difficulties for both the NTSB and ACSF when attempting to identify the trends and risks for this diverse industry.  We are pleased to have such involved, informed leadership that is interested in risk-based strategies to improve safety and look forward to continuing our relationship with the NTSB; sharing information, pursuing safety improvement, and educating the industry and public about this unique and valuable segment of our transportation infrastructure,” Rosser concluded.

More information on ACSF initiatives is available at www.acsf.aero.