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Air Charter Safety Foundation Newsletter 07.12.10

Alison McHugh — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 19:34:00 GMT

Welcome to the ACSF Newsletter

Air Charter Safety Foundation

4226 King Street

Alexandria, VA 22302

888-SAFE-135

www.acsf.aero

Welcome to the Air Charter Safety Foundation newsletter of upcoming events, articles, jobs and more from our membership.

M&N Aviation Achieves ACSF Registered Status
ACSF Announces Bryan Burns As executive Director
The FAA's Focus On Aviation Safety
Christiansen Named New ACSF Chairman
FAA Signs NextGen Research Agreement With Georgia Tech Accident
What Can We Learn From The Oil Leak Disaster?
InFO: Enhanced Upset Recovery Training

Your log-in information is listed below. To log in the site, visit http://www.acsf.aero/en/ and enter your Username and Password.

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M&N Aviation Achieves ACSF Registered Status

The ACSF welcomes M&N Aviation of Casper, Wyoming as the latest addition to the ACSF Industry Audit Standard (IAS) Registry. M&N joins 12 operators that have completed the IAS audit and achieved Registered status with the ACSF

“M&N Aviation is committed to safety and quality assurance in all areas of our operations,” said John Martin, owner and chief executive of M&N Aviation’s Charter Operations.“The ACSF certification is a testimony to our culture and our commitment to make our flight operations the safest in the industry,” added Martin... [More Info]

ACSF Announces Bryan Burns As Executive Director

The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) is pleased to announce the hiring of Bryan Burns as the foundation’s new executive director. Burns takes over for Jacqueline Rosser, who has resumed her full-time duties as the National Air Transportation Association’s director of regulatory affairs.

“We are pleased to announce the addition of Bryan to the ACSF staff,” stated ACSF Chairman Jim Christiansen. “His strong financial management background and leadership qualities will be a great asset to the ACSF.” .... [More Info]

The FAA's Focus On Aviation Safety

This is Randy Babbit's response to the July 5th front-page story "Close calls on the rise in the skies over D.C.":

The mission of the Federal Aviation Administration is to keep the skies safe for the flying public, and we are doing just that. Experienced and well-trained air traffic controllers safely guide millions of aircraft every year across our country and here in the D.C. area. The article makes an unsubstantiated correlation between air traffic controller experience levels and safety. The overwhelming majority of controllers at the Potomac Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility have at least 10 years of experience.

The FAA has been hiring and training controllers over the past few years to prepare for expected retirements. Our rigorous training programs ensure new controllers earn their certification while maintaining our high safety standards. Controllers who are learning a specific radar position are under the guidance of a senior controller and cannot work traffic by themselves until they are fully certified on that position.

The FAA is concerned whenever an operational error occurs. We establish separation standards between aircraft to create a safety buffer, and we examine our performance if there is even a minor infraction of that standard.

The article made only a brief mention of voluntary reporting programs, but we are confident these programs are effective. The FAA recently began a Partnership for Safety campaign with its largest labor unions to encourage employees to speak up when they make a mistake or see a safety issue. We believe these efforts are resulting in more reporting, which will help us spot problems or trends so we can address them before an accident occurs. Voluntary reporting is a key element of our safety culture and something we will continue to promote at all levels of aviation to keep our system safe.

Randy Babbitt, Washington
The writer is FAA administrator.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/

Christiansen Named New ACSF Chairman

The ACSF is pleased to announce the selection of James C. Christiansen, vice president of sales for the U.S. central region of Hawker Beechcraft Corporation, as the new ACSF Chairman. Mr. Christiansen is the former Vice-Chairman of the ACSF and is proud to now serve as its Chairman.

“Jim has been an invaluable member of the ACSF Executive Committee and I am delighted to see him in this new role,” said ACSF President James K. Coyne. “With his knowledge and experience as a leader in the charter industry I have no doubt that he will support and sustain the Foundation’s ongoing and future activities.” .... [More Info]

FAA Signs NextGen Research Agreement With Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech has entered into an agreement with FAA to study pilot responses to alerts from traffic alert and collision avoidance systems (TCAS) used in the agency's next generation (NextGen) air traffic control system.

The agreement is the first of several the FAA expects to announce in the coming months with universities that specialize in aviation-related human factors research.

One of the university's engineering psychology professors also plans to lead a team to study how flight crews and controllers work with current automation, and then determine how they use automation in the future to manage workloads and improve situational awareness and performance.

Georgia Tech, which has conducted important aviation-related human factors research for the FAA and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, was chosen after the FAA conducted a thorough market survey of schools with expertise in this area....[More Info]

What Can We Learn From The Oil Leak Disaster?

Safety preparedness has been the talk of the town for quite some time. But with the recent oil leak disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, many have been asking, Why was British Petroleum (BP) not prepared for something like this? The truth of the matter is many of us are never prepared for the occurrence of the unthinkable. We may want to believe that we are, but when it comes down to it preparation for a major catastrophe is not always put on the forefront. So, the vital lesson the aviation industry can take from this disaster is to start now being proactive when it comes to safety. This is what the Safety Management System (SMS) is all about – being proactive.

You may say: “I have never had an accident within my operation, so I must be safe.” Is that really true; does never having an accident mean you are safe? You may just be lucky; or maybe the holes in your cheese have not lined up as yet. Having an SMS program within your operation will improve safety throughout your organization. It fosters a safety culture within the company that allows every employee in every department to contribute and be involved in assessing day-to-day activities, identifying hazards, mitigating risks, and enhancing the quality of operations to promote safety in the organization.

So, instead of waiting for a major event to occur before you start thinking about improving safety in your operation, learn about SMS and start implementing it within your organization today. For more information and resources on SMS, visit www.acsf.aero/sms

InFO: Enhanced Upset Recovery Training

This Information for Operators (InFO) highlights the availability and merits of the Airplane Upset Recovery and Training Aid for all Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) parts 91K, 121, 125, and 135 air operators and part 142 training centers.

In 1998 a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)/Industry work group co-chaired by Boeing, Airbus and the Flight Safety Foundation developed the Airplane Upset Recovery Training Aid as training program guidance for upset recovery training for air carrier flightcrews. Although the work group was primarily focused on large aircraft, many of the same aerodynamic principles apply to smaller swept wing turbine aircraft.

The FAA strongly recommends incorporation of applicable sections of the Airplane Upset Recovery Training Aid into training programs. The modular design of the aid allows training departments to utilize all of the segments that are applicable to specific training programs.

Click here to view the full InFO.

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12-Jul-10 2:34 PM

Air Charter Safety Foundation Newsletter 04/15/2010

Alison McHugh — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 15:57:24 GMT

Welcome to the ACSF Newsletter

Air Charter Safety Foundation

4226 King Street

Alexandria, VA 22302

888-SAFE-135

www.acsf.aero

Welcome to the Air Charter Safety Foundation newsletter of upcoming events, articles, jobs and more from our membership.

2009 Safety Statistics Confirm Improved 135 Safety Record
EJM Makes ACSF Industry Audit Standard Registry
Three more Operators Make IAS Registry
ACSF Announces New Executive Committee Members
NTSB Cites Poor Maintenance In Columbia, SC Accident
Safety Is Always Top Priority - The Biggest Myth In Aviation
Sign-Up To Receive The Air Charter Safety Blog

Your log-in information is listed below. To log in the site, visit http://www.acsf.aero/en/ and enter your Username and Password.

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2009 Safety Statistics Confirm Improved 135 Safety Record

Last Thursday, the NTSB released its preliminary 2009 aviation safety statistics.

The NTSB's initial review revealed that Part 135 on-demand air charter operations had "the lowest number of accidents and fatal accidents" in two decades. This view also showed an overall decrease in U.S. civil aviation accidents.

View the ACSF blog on this review by clicking here.

EJM Makes ACSF Industry Audit Standard Registry

The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) is pleased to announce the addition of Executive Jet Management (EJM) of Cincinnati, OH, to the ACSF Industry Audit Standard (IAS) Registry.

“We are pleased to be among the operators that have successfully completed the ACSF audit program,” said Robert Garrymore, president, Executive Jet Management. “We appreciate all the hard work the EJM staff has put into completing this comprehensive audit process, and we look forward to continuing our work with the ACSF.” .... [More Info]

Three More Operators Make IAS Registry

The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) is pleased to announce the addition of Aviation Consultants Inc., of San Luis Obispo, CA; International Group, LLC, of Penn Yan, NY; and Pinnacle Air Charter, of Scottsdale, AZ, to the ACSF Industry Audit Standard (IAS) Registry. They join seven operators that have completed the IAS audit and achieved Registered status with the ACSF.

The ACSF audit program evaluates operators every 24 months, and was established to advance charter and shared aircraft ownership industry standards and practices and to promote the universal acceptance of safety management systems. The IAS continues to grow, with 28 operators currently scheduled to go through the audit program this year..... [More Info]

ACSF Announces New Executive Committee Members

The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) is pleased to announce the selection of John Grillo, president of Executive Fliteways (EFI), and Jim Segrave, president of Segrave Aviation Inc., to the ACSF Executive Committee.

“I am delighted to see both John and Jim joining the Foundation’s Executive Committee,” stated ACSF Chairman Charlie Priester. “Both gentlemen are knowledgeable, experienced leaders in the charter safety world and will clearly bolster the Foundation’s ongoing and future activities.” .... [More Info]

NTSB Cites Poor Maintenance In Columbia, SC Accident

The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) has been following the investigation into the September 19, 2008 Bombardier Learjet crash in Columbia, SC. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that the probable cause of the accident was the operator’s inadequate maintenance of the aircraft’s tires and the captain’s decision to carry out a rejected takeoff after V-1. The Learjet Model 60, a Part 135 charter flight operated by Global Exec Aviation, overran the runway during a rejected takeoff at Columbia Metropolitan Airport. The captain, first officer, and two passengers were fatally injured...[More Info]

Safety Is Always Top Priority - The Biggest Myth In Aviation

A number of years ago, Air Charter Safety Foundation Director of Safety Management Russ Lawton wrote a very interesting article discussing whether safety is indeed a top priority for operators. The article highlights ten critical points that identify whether your organization truly places safety at the top of your priority list.

Following is an excerpt from this article:

“Safety is always top priority.” You often hear this slogan bandied about and see it on those slick workplace posters, but could this expression really be the biggest myth in aviation? Let’s think about it for a moment. The very definition of the word “priority” requires that we evaluate competing alternatives. So, calling safety a priority means it will change based on the needs or urgencies of the moment, such as trying to please a demanding customer or the boss to meet a schedule....Click here to read the ACSF blog and entire article.

Sign-Up To Recieve The Air Charter Safety Blog

March 11, 2010, marked the first edition of the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) “Charter Safety Advocate” Blog that will be produced weekly and focus on current safety news and issues affecting the Part 135 and 91k worlds.

ACSF members will receive notification when new posts are available. If you are not a member of ACSF, you may subscribe to the blog updates by clicking here.

Stay up to date with our RSS feeds.

15-Apr-10 10:57 AM

NTSB Cites Poor Maintenance In Columbia, SC Accident

Alison McHugh — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 15:45:00 GMT

The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) has been following the investigation into the September 19, 2008 Bombardier Learjet crash in Columbia, SC. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) this week determined that the probable cause of the accident was the operator’s inadequate maintenance of the aircraft’s tires and the captain’s decision to carry out a rejected takeoff after V-1. The Learjet Model 60, a Part 135 charter flight operated by Global Exec Aviation, overran the runway during a rejected takeoff at Columbia Metropolitan Airport. The captain, first officer, and two passengers were fatally injured.

The NTSB investigation revealed that the aircraft’s tires were severely underinflated due to the lack of proper maintenance by the operator, which compromised their integrity and resulted in the failure of all four main landing gear tires during the takeoff roll.

The first tire failed approximately1.5 seconds after the airplane passed V-1, the maximum speed at which the takeoff could be safely aborted. The captain then made the decision to reject the takeoff, an action that went against standard operating procedures and training. “Pilots are trained to avoid attempting to reject a takeoff at high-speed unless the pilot concludes that the airplane is unable to fly; the investigation found no evidence that the accident airplane was uncontrollable or unable to become airborne,” said the NTSB.

During the captain’s attempt to stop the airplane by using reverse thrust, forward thrust was being supplied at near-takeoff power because the thrust reversers were stowed. The tire failures during the takeoff roll damaged a sensor, which caused the thrust reversers to return to the stowed position. This inadvertent thrust contributed to the severity of the accident.

"This entirely avoidable crash should reinforce to everyone in the aviation community that there are no small maintenance items because every time a plane takes off, lives are on the line," said NTSB Chair Deborah Hersman.

A summary of the report is available on the NTSB’s Website: http://www.ntsb.gov/Publictn/2010/AAR1002.htm

8-Apr-10 10:45 AM

Air Charter Safety Foundation Newsletter 18-Mar-10

Alison McHugh — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:07:50 GMT

Welcome to the ACSF Newsletter

Air Charter Safety Foundation

4226 King Street

Alexandria, VA 22302

888-SAFE-135

www.acsf.aero

Welcome to the Air Charter Safety Foundation newsletter of upcoming events, articles, jobs and more from our membership.

Coyne Promotes On-Demand Charter Safety Record Before House Aviation Subcommitee
Sign-Up To Recieve The Air Charter Safety Advocate Blog
ACSF Meets With NTSB On Foundation Efforts
ACSF Symposium Reinforces Industry Safety Record Improvement
SMS Resources Available To The Charter Community
JetSelect Makes ACSF Industry Audit Standard Registry
Take Advantage Of The Audit Governing The Part 135 Industry

Your log-in information is listed below. To log in the site, visit http://www.acsf.aero/en/ and enter your Username and Password.

Username: amchugh
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If you have any questions, please contact the Site Administrator.

Coyne Promotes On-Demand Charter Safety Record Before House Aviation Subcommitte

Air Charter Safety Foundation President James K. Coyne testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation on Tuesday, March 16th, at a hearing titled “FAA’s Oversight of On-Demand Aircraft Operators.” The hearing’s focus was on the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General’s report issued July 13, 2009, titled " On-Demand Operators Have Less Stringent Safety Requirements and Oversight Than Large Commercial Carriers."

“The DOT IG’s report issued last July fails to present an accurate picture of the Part 135 regulatory environment,” stated Coyne. “The report cited numerous examples of differences between Part 135 and Part 121 regulations but did not offer adequate explanation for the reason for the variances and failed to explain the wide variety of aircraft included in this classification.”... [More Info]

Sign-Up To Receive The Air Charter Safety Advocate Blog

ACSF members will receive notification when new posts are available. If you are not a member of ACSF, you may subscribe to the blog updates by clicking here.

ACSF Meets With NTSB On Foundation Efforts

The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) staff met with members of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Tuesday, March 16,2010, to give a briefing on the various initiatives the ACSF has undertaken in recent years. Among the NTSB staff were Chairman Deborah Hersman, Vice-Chairman Robert Sumwalt and Vice-Chairman Christopher Hart. The meeting provided NTSB staff with an overview of the mission and goals of the ACSF for enhancing safety and security in the on-demand charter community.... [More Info]

ACSF Symposium Reinforces Industry Safety Record Improvement

On March 2-3, 2010, the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) hosted its 2010 Air Charter Safety Symposium, a unique event for the on-demand and shared aircraft ownership industry. Nearly 100 on-demand and shared aircraft ownership leaders gathered at the symposium to discuss current and emerging safety challenges and initiatives and learn how to foster a healthy safety culture.

Charlie Priester, chairman of the Air Charter Safety Foundation, began the symposium with a potent reminder of why the ACSF and symposium were created in the first place – life is precious. Priester stated, “Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and staff – a fact that is supported by the commitment to safety demonstrated by ACSF members and those in attendance.”... [More Info]

Speaker presentations are now available for download at www.acsf.aero/symposium

ACSF SMS Resources Available To The Charter Community

In an effort to promote and enhance the safety of on-demand charter operators, the Air Charter Safety Foundation has developed two resource documents and a brochure addressing the need for, and implementation and evaluation of, Safety Management Systems (SMS) programs.... [More Info]

Visit the ACSF Web site to view these SMS resources and much more www.acsf.aero/sms

JetSelect Makes ACSF Industry Audit Standard Registry

The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) is pleased to announce the addition of JetSelect Aviation of Columbus, Ohio, to the ACSF Industry Audit Standard Registry (IAS). JetSelect joins Executive Fliteways, Million Air Dallas, Sun Air Jets, Jet Solutions, and Bombardier Flexjet as operators that have completed the IAS audit and achieved Registered status with the ACSF.

The IAS is a comprehensive audit for Part 135 and 91K operators that consists of a thorough review of an operator’s processes and procedures and regulatory compliance, as well as the operator’s implementation of and adherence to an SMS... [More Info]

Take Advantage Of The Audit Governing The Part 135 Industry

The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) continues to see a groundswell of momentum from the Part 135 industry supporting its Industry Audit Standard (IAS). The ACSF IAS is the only revolutionary audit program on the market today that comprehensively evaluates both an operator’s Safety Management System (SMS) and its Part 135 regulatory compliance. The IAS consists of a rigorous review of an operator’s processes and procedures and regulatory compliance, as well as the business’ implementation of, and adherence to, an SMS.

In 2009, twenty-four audits were completed and another thirty audits are expected to be conducted in 2010. The ACSF will soon be announcing a series of new operators that have successfully completed their audits and made the ACSF IAS registry... [More Info]

Stay up to date with our RSS feeds.

18-Mar-10 3:07 PM

Air Charter Safety Foundation Newsletter 03.18.10

Alison McHugh — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:28:25 GMT

Welcome to the ACSF Newsletter!

Air Charter Safety Foundation

4226 King Street

Alexandria, VA 22302

888-SAFE-135

www.acsf.aero

Welcome to the Air Charter Safety Foundation newsletter of upcoming events, articles, jobs and more from our membership.

Your login information is listed below. To log into the site, visit http://www.acsf.aero/en/ and enter your Username and Password.

Username: [username]
Password: [password]

If you have any questions please contact the Site Administrator.

Coyne Promotes On-Demand Charter Safety Record Before House Aviation Subcommitte

Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) President James K. Coyne testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation on Tuesday March 16th at a hearing titled “FAA’s Oversight of On-Demand Aircraft Operators.” The hearing’s focus was on the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General’s report issued last July 13, 2009, titled " On-Demand Operators Have Less Stringent Safety Requirements and Oversight Than Large Commercial Carriers."

Sign-Up To Receive The Air Charter Safety Advocate Blog

Thursday March 11, 2010 marked the first edition of the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) “Charter Safety Advocate” Blog that will be produced weekly and focus on current safety news and issues affecting the Part 135 and 91k worlds.

ACSF members will receive notification when new posts are available. If you are not a member of ACSF you may subscribe to the blog updates by clicking here.

ACSF Meets With NTSB On Foundation Efforts

The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) staff met with members of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Tuesday, March 16,2010, to give a briefing on the various initiatives the Foundation has undertaken in recent years. Among the NTSB staff was Chairman, Deborah Hersman, Vice-Chairman, Robert Sumwalt and Vice-Chairman Christopher Hart. The meeting provided NTSB staff with an overview of the mission and goals of the Foundation for enhancing safety and security in the on-demand charter community.... [More Info]

ACSF Symposium Reinforces Industry Safety Record Improvement

March 2-3, 2010, the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) hosted its 2010 Air Charter Safety Symposium, a unique event for the on-demand and shared aircraft ownership industry.

Nearly 100 on-demand and shared aircraft ownership leaders gathered at the symposium to discuss current and emerging safety challenges and initiatives and learn how to foster a healthy safety culture.

Charlie Priester, chairman of the Air Charter Safety Foundation, began the symposium with a potent reminder of why the foundation and symposium were created in the first place – life is precious. Priester stated, “Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and staff – a fact that is supported by the commitment to safety demonstrated by ACSF members and those in attendance.”... [More Info]

Speaker presentations are now available for download at www.acsf.aero/symposium

ACSF SMS Resources Available To The Charter Community

In an effort to continuously promote and enhance the safety of on-demand charter operators, the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) has developed two resource documents and a brochure addressing the need for, and implementation and evaluation of, Safety Management Systems (SMS) programs.... [More Info]

Visit the ACSF Web site to view these SMS resources and much more www.acsf.aero/sms

JetSelect Makes ACSF Industry Audit Standard Registry

The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) is pleased to announce the addition of JetSelect Aviation of Columbus, Ohio to the ACSF Industry Audit Standard Registry (IAS). JetSelect joins Executive Fliteways, Million Air Dallas, Sun Air Jets, Jet Solutions, and Bombardier Flexjet as operators that have completed the IAS audit and achieved Registered status with the ACSF.

Take Advantage Of The Audit Governing The Part 135 Industry

The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) continues to see a groundswell of momentum from the Part 135 industry supporting its Industry Audit Standard. The ACSF Industry Audit Standard (IAS) is the only revolutionary audit program on the market today that comprehensively evaluates both an operator’s Safety Management System (SMS) and its Part 135 regulatory compliance. The IAS consists of a rigorous review of an operator’s processes and procedures and regulatory compliance, as well as the business’ implementation of, and adherence to, an SMS.

In 2009, twenty-four aucdits were completed and another thirty audits are expected to be conducted in 2010. The ACSF will soon be announcing a series of new operators that have successfully completed their audits and made the ACSF IAS registry... [More Info]

Stay up to date with our RSS feeds.

18-Mar-10 12:28 PM

ACSF Meets With NTSB On Foundation Efforts

Alison McHugh — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:00:00 GMT

The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) staff met with members of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Tuesday, March 16,2010, to give a briefing on the various initiatives the ACSF has undertaken in recent years. Among the NTSB staff was Chairman Deborah Hersman, Vice-Chairman Robert Sumwalt and Vice-Chairman Christopher Hart. The meeting provided NTSB staff with an overview of the mission and goals of the ACSF for enhancing safety and security in the on-demand charter community.

The presentation highlighted products and services offered by the ACSF: the Industry Audit Standard (IAS), the only comprehensive audit program for Part135 and 91K operators that evaluates both regulatory compliance and Safety Management System (SMS); the Aviation Safety Information System (AVSiS), a robust software for reporting, tracking and responding to safety occurrences; and SMS resources published by the ACSF and made available to the public on the ACSF Web site at www.acsf.aero/sms.

A mission of the ACSF is to advance industry standards and provide accurate and objective information regarding the charter industry. This briefing to the NTSB was made in an effort to bring awareness to steps being taken to provide services, accurate safety information and education to the charter community, government entities and the traveling public in order to promote safety and security best practices.

Click here to view the presentation.

18-Mar-10 10:00 AM

NTSB States Captain’s Inappropriate Actions Led To Colgan Air Crash

Alison McHugh — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 17:00:00 GMT

The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) has been following the on-going investigation into the Colgan Air accident that occurred near Buffalo, New York, early last year. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that the probable cause of the crash was the "captain’s inappropriate response to the activation of the stick shaker, which led to an aerodynamic stall from which the airplane did not recover."

On February 12, 2009, a Colgan Air, Inc., Bombardier DHC-8-400, N200WQ, operating as Continental Connection flight 3407, was on an instrument approach to Buffalo-Niagara International Airport, Buffalo, New York, when it crashed into a residence in Clarence Center, New York, about five nautical miles northeast of the airport. All passengers and crew on board were killed, along with one person on the ground. The flight was a 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 121 scheduled passenger flight from Newark, New Jersey.

In a hearing held on February 2, 2010, the NTSB reported that the captain responded to the activated stick shaker by pulling back on the control column when he should have pushed forward, causing the airplane to enter an accelerated stall. Contributing factors included the flight crew’s failure to monitor airspeed and adhere to sterile cockpit procedures; the captain’s failure to manage the flight effectively; and Colgan Air’s inadequate procedures for airspeed selection and management during approaches in icing conditions.

The ACSF continues to monitor the NTSB’s investigation of the Colgan Air accident and to keep abreast of recommendations and issues that may affect the on-demand air charter community.

A summary of the report is available on the NTSB’s Website: http://www.ntsb.gov/Publictn/2010/AAR1001.htm.

5-Feb-10 11:00 AM

Air Charter Safety Foundation Newsletter 01/14/2010

Alison McHugh — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:00:00 GMT

Welcome to the ACSF Newsletter!

Air Charter Safety Foundation

4226 King Street

Alexandria, VA 22302

888-SAFE-135

www.acsf.aero

Welcome to the Air Charter Safety Foundation newsletter of upcoming events, articles, and information.

Air Charter Safety Symposium
NTSB Vice Chairman Hart To Speak At Air Charter Safety symposium
NTSB Amends Accident/Incident Reporting Regulations
ACSF Publishes Charter Safety Review
Executive Fliteways, Million Air Dallas, and Sun Air Jets Make ACSF Industry Audit Standard Registry

Your login information is listed below. To log into the site, visit http://www.acsf.aero/en/ and enter your Username and Password.

Username: [username]
Password: [password]

If you have any questions please contact the Site Administrator.

Air Charter Safety Symposium

The third annual Air Charter Safety Symposium will be held at the Marriott Westfields Washington Dulles on March 2-3, 2010.

The symposium is the annual gathering of the air charter industry where current and emerging safety challenges are investigated. For 2010 the symposium will emphasize practical application of current safety enhancing programs.

ACSF has secured a limited room block at the Westfields for Symposium attendees. Reservations made on or before February 8, 2010 are eligible for a rate of $149 plus taxes per night. Easy online room reservations are available by using the ACSF Westfields Reservation Link.

Click Here To Register For The 2010 Air Charter Safety Symposium

NTSB Chairman Hart Confirmed To Speak At Air Charter Safety Symposium

National Transportation Safety Board Vice Chairman Christopher Hart will speak at the annual Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) Air Charter Safety Symposium on March 2-3, 2010, at the Marriott Westfields in Chantilly, VA.

The vice chairman’s presentation will draw from his personal knowledge of safety programs and their positive impacts on overall business functions as well as to improvement of operational safety...[More Info]

NTSB Amends Accident/Incident Reporting Regulations

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has published a final rule amending its notification and reporting requirements regarding aircraft accidents or incidents. The final rule affects virtually all civil and public aircraft. The new regulations require operators to report certain incidents and also amend existing regulations to provide clarity and ensure that the appropriate means for notifying the NTSB of a reportable incident is listed correctly. Specific incidents to be... [More Info]

ACSF Publishes Charter Safety Review

The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) has released its first safety review of the Part 135 on-demand air charter industry. The Part 135 Incident/Accident Review is a comprehensive look at the factors surrounding charter incidents and accidents between 2004 and 2008.

In conducting the review, the ACSF analyzed each Part 135 on-demand event reported in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) database and identified non-revenue flights flown under Part 91 that were under the control of a certificate holder...[More Info]

Executive Fliteways, Million Air Dallas, and Sun Air Jets Make ACSF Industry Audit Standard Registry

ACSF is pleased to announce the addition of three companies to the ACSF Industry Audit Standard (IAS) Registry: Executive Fliteways, of Ronkonkoma, NY; Million Air Dallas, of Addison, TX; and Sun Air Jets of Camarillo, CA. These operators join Jet Solutions, LLC and Bombardier Flexjet; the first to complete the IAS audit and achieve Registered status with the ACSF... [More Info]

Stay up to date with our RSS feeds.

29-Jan-10 8:00 AM

NTSB Amends Accident/Incident Reporting Regulations

Alison McHugh — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 20:00:00 GMT

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has published a final rule amending its notification and reporting requirements regarding aircraft accidents or incidents.

The final rule affects virtually all civil and public aircraft. The new regulations require operators to report certain incidents and also amend existing regulations to provide clarity and ensure that the appropriate means for notifying the NTSB of a reportable incident is listed correctly.

Specific incidents to be reported now include turbine component failure resulting in debris thrown anywhere other than out the exhaust path; release of all or portion of a propeller blade from an aircraft, excluding release caused only by ground contact; electronic flight instrument system and primary flight display or primary navigation display failures; and aircraft collision in flight.

The NTSB’s announcement appeared in the Federal Register on January 7, 2010. The notice is effective March 8, 2010.

The full report is available for download by clicking here.

13-Jan-10 2:00 PM

Air Charter Safety Foundation Newsletter

Jacqueline Rosser — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:32:17 GMT

Welcome to the ACSF Newsletter!

Air Charter Safety Foundation

4226 King Street

Alexandria, VA 22302

888-SAFE-135

www.acsf.aero

Welcome to the Air Charter Safety Foundation newsletter of upcoming events, articles, and information.

ACSF Meets With NTSB Leadership
Air Charter Safety Symposium is March 2-3, 2010
Industry Audit Standard Continues To Grow
AVSiS Growing In Use By On-Demand Operators
Take Our Survey

ACSF Meets With NTSB Leadership

ACSF executives recently met with National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman, Vice Chairman Christopher A. Hart and Member Robert Sumwalt to discuss a wide range of aviation safety issues impacting the air charter and shared aircraft ownership industries.

“Chairman Hersman, Vice Chair Hart and Member Sumwalt 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. The Members 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 the Members with a preliminary copy of this report, scheduled to be released later this month.
The 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.

“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.

SAVE THE DATE!
Air Charter Safety Symposium Is March 2-3, 2010

The third annual Air Charter Safety Symposium will be held at the Marriott Westfields Washington Dulles on March 2-3, 2010. The Westfields is conveniently located near Washington Dulles International Airport.

The symposium is the annual gathering of the air charter industry where current and emerging safety challenges are investigated. For 2010 the symposium will emphasize practical application of current safety enhancing programs.

The final program is being finalized but will include information on

• Strengthening your corporate culture
• Practical techniques to improve safety and security
• How safety systems can benefit your bottom line
• Understanding implementation hurdles before beginning a new safety initiative
• How you can use safety audits as a tool to improve your operations

More details and registration information is available at www.acsf.aero/symposium.

ACSF Industry Audit Standard Continues To Grow

The deployment of the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) Industry Audit Standard (IAS) program has seen tremendous growth that has put the IAS on the path toward fulfilling its goal of being the single measure of safety and compliance for air charter and shared aircraft ownership companies.

Approximately 20 operators have completed the ACSF Industry Audit Standard and two operators have already achieved Registered Operator status. The IAS is a comprehensive review and it will be difficult for many operators to achieve Registry status following the first IAS audit.

Validation of an operator’s status can be done easily through the ACSF IAS Registry at www.acsf.aero/registry.

With the deployment of the ACSF Industry Audit Standard, the charter consumer can be assured that audited and registered operators are compliant with the highest standards of safety and compliance. Customers should look for the ACSF IAS-registered logo and encourage their preferred charter provider to participate in the program.

For further information on the IAS and audit process, please visit www.acsf.aero/audit. Operators wishing to initiate the audit process should contact Russ Lawton at 1-888-SAFE-135 (888-723-3135).

Take our survey!
ACSF is considering hosting on-line training events to help operators better understand the IAS process. Would you be interested in this type of on-line training? Take our survey now.

AVSiS Growing In Use By On-Demand Operators

In the year since ACSF released AVSiS, a safety event reporting and tracking system specifically for on-demand charter operators and shared aircraft ownership programs, over fifty operators are registered users. AVSiS, or Aviation Safety Information System, is a powerful software program that collects detailed safety event data for analysis, response deployment and success measurement, and provides a tool for accounting for the cost savings realized by interventions.

To encourage the wide-spread use of this safety-enhancing tool, ACSF makes the program available to all Part 135 on-demand operators and Part 91K fractional program managers at no charge. For more information on AVSiS please visit, http://www.acsf.aero/avsis/.

ACSF has also developed a version of AVSiS that is available at a cost to any operator that is not eligible for the free version, especially foreign carriers and airlines. For more information on AVSIS for Airlines please visit, http://www.acsf.aero/avsis/avsisairlines.

Survey - Should ACSF Conduct IAS Informational Webinars?

ACSF is considering hosting on-line training events to help operators better understand the IAS process. Would you be interested in this type of on-line training?
Click here to let us know!

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4-Nov-09 8:32 AM

Air Charter Safety Foundation Newsletter

Jacqueline Rosser — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:00:00 GMT

www.acsf.aero

Hello [firstname],

Happy New Year!

Welcome to the Air Charter Safety Foundation newsletter of upcoming events, articles, jobs and more from our membership.

Your login information is listed below. To log into the site, visit http://www.acsf.aero/en/ and enter your Username and Password.

Username: [username]
Password: [password]

If you have any questions please contact the Site Administrator.

Upcoming Events
Articles
Job Listings

Upcoming Events

2009 Air Charter Safety Foundation Symposium
Day: March 3-4, 2009
Location: NTSB Training Center 45065 Riverside Parkway Ashburn, VA 20147

Register Mapquest | Add to Calendar

The 2009 Air Charter Safety Symposium is March 3-4, 2009.
Have you registered to attend?

The ACSF Symposium is the annual gathering of the air charter industry where current and emerging safety challenges are investigated.

See the detailed program and take advantage of early-bird registration rates today by visiting www.acsf.aero/symposium.

The Symposium is also a fantastic opportunity to showcase your business as an event sponsor. ACSF offers sponsorship at various rates that are just right for any budget. All sponsorships include discounted event registration. Click here to learn more.

Articles

ACSF Completes Beta Testing of New Industry Audit Standard

Last month, ACSF reached an important milestone in the launch of its Industry Audit Standard (IAS), including SMS. Two charter operators and a shared ownership operator were included in the beta test program audits conducted during December 2008... [More Info]

NTSB Issues Icing Safety Alert

The NTSB is encouraging pilots to review a Safety Alert regarding proper procedures for the use of deice boots. The Safety Alert states that leading-edge deice boots should be activated as soon as icing is encountered, unless the aircraft flight manual or the pilot's operating handbook specifically directs not to activate them. . . [More Info]

FAA InFO Highlights Concerns With Looming SMS Deadline

The FAA recently published an Information for Operators (InFO) document explaining that while international standards require an aggressive approach to the implementation of Safety Management Systems (SMS) the United States is still unable to even offer official recognition of programs to air carriers... [More Info]

Did You Know ...

… ACSF Members can obtain high quality logos to use on their Website and other communications? Visit our Members-Only section to preview and request your electronic logo files.

… the ACSF Website includes a job posting feature? Visit www.acsf.aero/en/jobs to post or view jobs. See a current job listing below.

Job Listings

Manager, Regulatory Affairs

Company: National Air Transportation Association

Date Activated: Friday 12-Dec-08 0:00 AM

Successful candidate will develop relationships with staff at federal agencies, primarily the Federal Aviation Administration and the... [More Info]
Posted by: Eric Byer

Stay up to date with our RSS feeds.

6-Jan-09 9:00 AM

ACSF Completes Beta Testing of New Industry Audit Standard

Jacqueline Rosser — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 21:00:00 GMT

Last month, ACSF reached an important milestone in the launch of its Industry Audit Standard (IAS), including SMS. Two charter operators and a shared ownership operator were included in the beta test program audits conducted during December 2008.

ACSF along with trained and accredited auditors conducted three separate audits. One charter company was a mid-size operator in the Northeast and the other was a large operator in the Southwest. The shared ownership company was also an operator in the Southwest. Although the final results of the evaluations are on-going, ACSF expects to issue formal announcements recognizing these three operators as the first ACSF-Evaluated, Registered Operators.

These audits not only validated the compliance and safety program implementation progress of the operators, but also demonstrated the success of the IAS as an effective measurement tool. Importantly, key FAA officials observed the conduct of two audits and indicated their satisfaction with the ability of the IAS to assure standardization and consistency with the FAA’s voluntary SMS implementation guidance.

The ACSF IAS will be made available to the public during January 2009.

Learn more about the ACSF IAS at www.acsf.aero/audit.

5-Jan-09 3:00 PM

NTSB Issues Icing Safety Alert

Jacqueline Rosser — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:00:00 GMT

The NTSB is encouraging pilots to review a Safety Alert regarding proper procedures for the use of deice boots.

The Safety Alert states that leading-edge deice boots should be activated as soon as icing is encountered, unless the aircraft flight manual or the pilot's operating handbook specifically directs not to activate them.

The full Alert, “Activate Leading-Edge Deice Boots As Soon As Airplanes Enter Icing Conditions” is available for download by clicking here.

22-Dec-08 2:00 PM

FAA InFO Highlights Concerns With Looming SMS Deadline

Jacqueline Rosser — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 20:00:00 GMT

InFO 08053 explains that the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has established a requirement for member states to impose SMS requirements on operators. The current deadline to complete this step is January 1, 2009, although a delay may still occur. While some states have acted to adopt SMS requirements, the U.S. has not yet established a regulatory requirement for the program.

The FAA has published guidance material in the form of AC 120-92, Introduction to Safety Management Systems for Operators, which provides air carriers with information necessary to establish an SMS program.

Because there is no existing SMS mandate, the FAA is now working to file a difference with ICAO. The lack of an SMS regulation and, more importantly, the inability for the FAA to issue a formal approval or acceptance of an air carrier’s program could prove quite problematic for air carriers, including Part 135 operators conducting international operations in the future.

Any nation that has an SMS requirement may choose to accept or reject the FAA difference. Acceptance of the difference would allow U.S. carriers to continue to conduct flights to that nation. However, a rejection of the difference could prohibit operations. Operators are cautioned not to take the FAA’s lack of existing regulation or formal SMS approval process as an indication that these items are not still imminent. The FAA has initiated a process to evaluate rulemaking options. Regardless of FAA regulatory requirements, international operators will likely need to begin the SMS implementation sooner rather than later.

To avoid future operational restrictions because an SMS is not implemented, ACSF encourages all operators to become familiar with the SMS concept and begin action to implement a program. Typically, it takes three to four years to establish a fully implemented SMS program.

Click here to download FAA InFO 08053.

15-Dec-08 2:00 PM

Industry Audit Standard Documents Available For Download

Jacqueline Rosser — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:00:00 GMT

The ACSF Industry Audit Standard has been developed with the input and guidance of leading safety auditors, charter operators, shared aircraft ownership companies and charter consumers.

The Industry Audit Standard is a revolutionary program built from the ground up by ACSF to set the standard for the independent evaluation of an air charter operator’s and/or shared ownership company’s safety and regulatory compliance.

Operators and other interested parties are encouraged to visit www.acsf.aero/audit to learn more and obtain the comprehensive documents that comprise the Industry Audit Operator Standards Manual.

The ultimate goal of the Industry Audit Standard is for charter operators and shared aircraft ownership management companies to complete one comprehensive audit on a recurrent basis rather than the multiple audits they currently complete.

With the deployment of the ACSF Industry Audit Standard, the charter consumer can be assured that audited and registered operators are compliant with the highest standards of safety and compliance. Participating independent auditors will be accredited by the ACSF.

The ACSF has planned the first auditor training course for August 2008, with the first air charter operators being audited this fall and industry-wide availability by early 2009.

18-Jul-08 9:00 AM

Registration for AVSiS Now Available

Jacqueline Rosser — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:00:00 GMT

AVSIS, Aviation Safety Information System, is a powerful tool to collect and analyze safety information for on-demand air charter operators and shared aircraft ownership programs.

ACSF encourages you to learn more about AVSiS by visiting our informational website at www.acsf.aero/avsis. Register now to secure your placement in the software deployment queue. ACSF expects many operators will want to obtain and implement AVSiS and we will establish user accounts on a first come first served basis. Registration is available on the AVSiS website via a simple on-line form.

ACSF has also scheduled two half-day workshops to assist operators interested in integrating and fully utilizing the capabilities of AVSiS as part of an overall safety management program.

Registration is now available for workshops on August 4^th in the Washington, DC area and on September 17^th in Indianapolis, Indiana. More information on these events is available at the ACSF Events page.

9-Jul-08 1:00 PM

Pilots Encouraged to Use Free TEB Online Training Program

Jacqueline Rosser — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:45:00 GMT

The Air Charter Safety Foundation is encouraging all operators to introduce their flight crews to a new training tool specifically designed to improve the safety of operations at Teterboro (TEB) airport.

This unique on-line program for pilots who operate into and out of Teterboro Airport was produced by the National Air Transportation Association, an ACSF member. The Teterboro Airport Flight Crew Briefing, funded by a grant from the FAA, provides pilots access to critical safety information about the airport, including its location, layout, operations, regulations, and safety and security procedures.

With superb clarity and graphics, the briefing presents pilots views of specific runway incursion hot spots and scenarios for common pilot errors. Best practices for aircraft lighting configurations and taxi procedures are also presented. Flight crews can review frequently used ATC procedures, such as the Teterboro Five and Dalton Departures, and how to avoid the most common errors while using these procedures.

The Teterboro Airport Flight Crew Briefing is free of charge, and can be viewed at: www.airportflightcrewbriefing.com/teterboro.

8-Jul-08 12:45 PM

2009 Air Charter Safety Symposium Call For Papers

Jacqueline Rosser — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 18:00:00 GMT

Air Charter Safety Symposium - Call for Papers

February 24-25, 2009 – Ashburn, Virginia

The Air Charter Safety Foundation annually presents its Air Charter Safety Symposium. The Symposium is the premier event focusing on safety in the on-demand air charter and shared aircraft ownership industry. The 2009 Air Charter Safety Symposium is scheduled for February 24-25 at the National Transportation Safety Board’s Training Center near Washington, D.C.

The Symposium will include a mix of invited speakers and those selected by the Foundation to present through this Call For Papers. We invite you to submit a proposal to present a paper in the area of safety that will enlighten attendees. The primary audience for this event is on-demand air carriers certificated by the Federal Aviation Administration under Part 135 the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) and fractional aircraft program managers certificated under Part 91, Subpart K of the FARs.

Although papers directly related to this industry are ideal, subjects related to other industries with a strong correlation to our industry segment are also welcome. As an example, the 2008 Symposium featured a presentation on the safety culture issues at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The full 2008 Air Charter Safety Symposium program is available for download.

Possible Subjects

Though not limited to these topics, these are examples of the type of subject matter sought by the ACSF.

Hiring Quality Pilots. What type of screening should occur in the interview to assure the hiring of pilots possessing the necessary professionalism and safety attitude?
ASAP Implementation. How to and hurdles to starting an ASAP system. Evaluation of the implications of access to ASAP reports in litigation.
Human Factors in Air Charter.
Mitigating Fatigue in a 24/7 business environment. Fatigue can affect all employees, not just pilots. How can a business mitigate the impact of fatigue across the entire operation?
Safety and the Small Business – “Dollarizing Safety.” A review of the positive impact that a strong safety culture can have on the bottom line.

Step 1.

Submit Proposal

The review committee assesses the relevance of your proposal to the air charter and shared business aviation community, your qualifications to be presenting your proposed topic, and your rationale.

Proposals should be between 100 and 200 words in length.

You will also be required to submit a personal biography concurrently with your proposal. The purpose of this biography is to demonstrate that you possess the experience and expertise to present your paper. Please keep your biography to no more than one page and focus on these areas as appropriate:

Your experience relevant to your proposal topic,
Your knowledge of aviation,
How your subject translates to aviation (if not already aviation specific)

Proposals will be accepted until July 15, 2008.

Step 2.

Committee Review

The Symposium Review Committee will review your proposal and notify you of acceptance or elimination by August 15, 2008.

Step 3

Submit Abstract

If your proposal is accepted, you will be required to submit an abstract of up to 500 words. Please try to capture the essence of your paper in your abstract. This will be used in marketing and promotion of the event.

Abstracts must be submitted by September 1, 2008.

Step 4

Paper Submission

Final papers must be submitted by December 15, 2008. Papers should be a minimum of 5 pages and a maximum of 15 pages.

Step 5

Presentation

Paper presentations will be approximately 45 minutes in length with 15 minutes provided for questions.

Computer projection equipment and microphone will be available. Any other special audio/visual requests will be handled on a case-by-case basis and subject to the availability of such equipment at the NTSB facility.

Additional Details

Publication Rights

The ACSF requires non-exclusive publication rights to submitted papers including the publication of audio and video proceedings. Copyright is retained by the author. We do ask that we be the first organization to publish any presented paper.

Right to Rescind

The ACSF retains the right to rescind an offer to present at the Symposium due to unforeseen scheduling conflicts, determination that the content of a final paper is inappropriate for the audience, your failure to meet deadlines and other reasons. ACSF will alert any speaker as soon as possible should a presentation or paper need to be cancelled.

Travel

Each author will be responsible for his/her travel and accommodation costs. Each author will receive complimentary seminar registration, scheduled meals and a copy of the published seminar proceedings.

Review Committee Members
Bill Campbell, CAE Simuflite
Clark Earick, Delta AirElite
Dave Hewitt, NetJets International, Inc.
Walter Hunnicut, JetRide
Mike Sweeney, USAIG

Application Contact

Submissions via email are preferred, but not required. Please submit proposal and all other materials to:

Jacqueline Rosser
Executive Director
Air Charter Safety Foundation
4226 King Street
Alexandria, VA 22302
jrosser@acsf.aero
888-SAFE-135

3-Apr-08 1:00 PM

ACSF Safety News Update 14-Mar-08

Jacqueline Rosser — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:20:47 GMT

The following safety update is being provided as a benefit of your ACSF membership.

Comair to release safety reports
Documents detail errors, violations

(The Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY)

Comair has agreed to produce for the courts confidential reports that describe safety violations and at least four runway errors by its pilots. The airline had contended that the reports need to be kept secret to encourage pilots and mechanics to report safety problems voluntarily. But in the face of a request for sanctions from lawyers for the families of victims of Comair Flight 5191, the airline has surrendered the documents, known as ASAP reports, for the Aviation Safety Action Program.

The documents were produced under a protective order that bars the plaintiffs from making them public. Comair also maintains that they are unrelated to the crash, and it is continuing to litigate whether ASAP reports should be subject to disclosure, said Comair spokeswoman Kate Marx. Comair has resisted orders to turn over the reports, and plaintiffs' lawyers had asked Judge Karl S. Forester to punish the airline by forcing it to acknowledge that its failure to take reasonable steps to correct serious safety problems was a substantial factor leading to the crash of Flight 5191 at Lexington's Blue Grass Airport on Aug. 27, 2006.

The commuter jet crashed on takeoff from the wrong runway, which was too short for the aircraft. Of the 50 people aboard, only the copilot survived. The National Transportation Safety Board ruled that pilot error was the principal cause of the crash.
Forester last week said the request for sanctions was moot because Comair had turned over the first batch of ASAP reports on March 3, the day the sanctions were requested. The plaintiffs' liaison counsel, David Royce, said production of additional reports is ongoing. Marx said yesterday that Comair decided to comply with the court's order to surrender the reports but still believes they should remain confidential.

The Air Line Pilots Association, the Regional Airline Association and the Air Transportation Association, which represents major carriers, all filed briefs saying that using the reports in litigation would inhibit self-reporting.

The trial of the lawsuits against the airline is set for Aug. 4, and lawyers have said the ASAP reports could be important in proving punitive damages.

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080313/NEWS01/803130401/1008

14-Mar-08 8:20 AM

Rosser Appointed To Lead Air Charter Safety Foundation

Jacqueline Rosser — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 21:00:00 GMT

Alexandria, VA, February 21, 2008 - The Air Charter Safety Foundation this week announced the hiring of Jacqueline E. Rosser as its new Executive Director. Rosser replaces Lindsey McFarren, who recently left for a position with the Transportation Security Administration.

Rosser, a graduate of Southern Illinois University, has been with the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) since 1997. Rosser will continue in her capacity at NATA as Director of Regulatory Affairs, responsible for a wide array of regulatory issues affecting Part 135 on-demand charter issues, and will maintain her role as staff liaison for the NATA Air Charter Committee.
Rosser’s appointment to the Executive Director position recognizes her outstanding work in representing the Part 135 community on a variety of safety and security issues affecting the charter industry.

“Jacque is without question one of the premier experts on safety issues affecting the Part 135 on-demand air charter industry,” stated James K. Coyne, president of the Air Charter Safety Foundation. “Our members and those within the federal government with responsibility over aviation safety issues truly value Jacque’s experience and expertise on all matters relating to charter safety.”

“We are incredibly fortunate to have someone of Jacque’s caliber leading the Foundation and its robust safety agenda,” concluded Coyne. “I know that our Chairman, Charlie Priester, and our Board of Governors were thrilled when she accepted the offer, and we really look forward to an exciting 2008 and beyond.”

# # #

The Air Charter Safety Foundation vision is to continuously enhance the safety and security of air charter and shared aircraft ownership providers in the United States and worldwide.

Click here to download a PDF version of this release.

21-Feb-08 3:00 PM

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Rosser Appointed To Lead Air Charter Safety Foundation

SAVE THE DATE!
Air Charter Safety Symposium Is March 2-3, 2010