ACSF Working Group
Collaborative Safety in Action:
Highlights from the ACSF Safety Working Group Panel
At the recent ACSF Safety Symposium, over 150 safety professionals came together to engage in thoughtful dialogue on the future of aviation safety.
One of the most energizing sessions was the ACSF Safety Working Group Panel, where participants shared ideas, asked bold questions, and explored what it truly means to go beyond compliance.
Below is a summary of the panel’s insights and the next steps to keep this important conversation moving forward.
Raising the Bar: Safety Improvement Themes
Participants aligned around a shared mission: to elevate safety beyond regulatory requirements and pursue cultural change that is both intentional and sustainable. Two exciting concepts emerged:
- Quantum Safety: Imagining bold, breakthrough safety strategies not yet attempted.
- Safety Think Tank: Creating an open space for innovative, unconventional problem-solving.
This isn’t about doing more of the same, it’s about transforming how safety is approached, designed, and embedded across every department.
Key Questions Driving Change
The group wasn’t afraid to ask hard questions:
- Are our current safety solutions sustainable?
- Are we unintentionally normalizing mediocrity?
- Are we focused on true safety impact, or just checking boxes?
These questions are designed to challenge assumptions and inspire meaningful reflection across all levels of an operation.
Core Observations from the Field
- Safety Culture & Execution
- True safety comes from alignment and precision across all functions, from dispatch to maintenance.
- Data tools like FOQA should support decision-making and strengthen PIC authority.
- SMS must be seen as a framework for change, not just a regulatory requirement.
- Honest feedback and learning from mistakes must be normalized and incentivized.
- Training & Development
- Move beyond ‘check-the-box’ training cycles.
- Integrate FDM data into personalized training feedback.
- Provide environments where it’s safe to fail, learn, and improve.
- Cross-Department Unity
- Break down silos between departments—flight ops, FBOs, maintenance, dispatch, and more.
- Use shared data to create a unified view of safety.
- Foster a ‘watch each other’s back’ culture across all roles.
- Inclusion & Human Factors
- Empower those closest to the risk—especially frontline and support roles.
- Recognize the behavioral side of decision-making, not just systems and protocols.
- Support dispatchers, technicians, and line personnel as key players in safety outcomes.
Additional Industry Reflections
The discussion also surfaced broader systemic challenges:
- Smaller flight departments without safety officers may be left behind—no operator should be isolated.
- There’s a need to elevate and support the role of Directors of Safety, especially in Part 135 ops.
- Operators must collect and utilize data—and push manufacturers to provide better data tools.
- Too many SOPs can overwhelm—quality over quantity must guide documentation strategy.
- Mentorship and ground-up communication are critical to making safety a shared value.
Call to Action: Next Steps
The panel concluded with a clear call to action:
- Form small working groups to explore recurring issues.
- Share lessons learned industry-wide, not just internally.
- Champion intentional implementation, not just compliance.
- Promote mentorship and instill shared ownership of safety across teams.
Takeaway Principles
- Safety must be shared, modeled, and reinforced at every level.
- We are interconnected—when one operator struggles, the whole industry feels it.
- Leadership must come from within, with an eye on the industry as a whole.
- A culture of collaboration is essential to elevating safety for everyone.
Future Topics to Explore
The panel also identified areas for deeper exploration:
- Business Case Templates for SMS, fatigue risk management, etc.
- Tenure in safety roles-developing/retaining leaders who make long-term impact.
- SOP Strategy-ensuring clarity, practicality, and effectiveness.
