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ACSF WORKING GROUPS

Put your experience to work for safer aviation.

ACSF Working Groups bring safety leaders, subject matter experts, and operational professionals together to address pressing challenges and develop practical resources for the business aviation community.

APPLY TO JOIN

Three ways to get involved

Choose the group that best fits your experience and interests. Every group is collaborative, member-driven, and focused on useful outcomes—not discussion for discussion’s sake.

NOW FORMING

AI Working Group

A safety-first group developing practical guardrails, education, and responsible-use resources for AI in aviation safety and operations.
CURRENT WORKING GROUP

Ground Operations

Collaborative work focused on the people, processes, and risks that shape safe ground operations.
CURRENT WORKING GROUP

ROI on Safety

Industry perspectives and practical tools that help organizations understand and communicate the value of safety investment.

These groups are designed to bring together safety leaders, subject matter experts, and operational professionals to collaboratively explore pressing challenges and develop practical solutions that benefit the entire industry.

ACSF Working Groups are collaborative, member-driven initiatives that support aviation safety through targeted projects and shared expertise. Each group focuses on advancing specific safety objectives through industry engagement, data sharing, and resource development.

If you’re committed to advancing safety and have insight to offer or are eager to learn from others, we encourage you to apply. Your perspective matters, and this is a meaningful way to shape the future of aviation safety alongside your peers.

NEW · AI WORKING GROUP

Responsible AI, grounded in safety culture.

ACSF is forming an AI Working Group to help business aviation approach artificial intelligence in a practical, responsible, and safety-focused way. This is not a technology-promotion committee, vendor endorsement group, or general AI discussion forum.

01

AI-enabled tools

Explore responsible ways AI may support safety data, analysis, and operational decision-making.

02

Standards & guardrails

Develop practical expectations for data handling, human accountability, verification, privacy, and quality control.
03

Member education

Create bulletins, checklists, webinars, symposium content, use-case reviews, and lessons learned.

Who ACSF is looking for

  • Experienced AI users and technical implementers
  • Safety, SMS, ASAP/ERC, audit, FDM, training, maintenance, dispatch, legal, privacy, and governance professionals
  • Leaders who are cautious, concerned, or still evaluating AI
  • Contributors ready to help build deliverables—not observers

Confidentiality is foundational

The group will protect ASAP, SMS, audit, FDM, member-identifiable, personnel, legal, and other safety-sensitive information.

Participation is selective and manageable. Applicants will be chosen based on fit, experience, perspective, and ability to contribute to the group’s scope.

What participation looks like

1

Apply

Tell us where you can contribute. AI applicants complete a short, focused addendum.

2

Selection

ACSF builds balanced groups with complementary experience and viewpoints.

3

Contribute

Participants attend, collaborate, and help create practical deliverables.

WORKING GROUP APPLICATION

Ready to contribute?

Complete the application below. If you select the AI Working Group, a short AI-specific addendum will appear.

Background & prior work

2025 Safety Symposium Panel Recap

At the 2025 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.

  • Quantum Safety: Imagining bold, breakthrough safety strategies not yet attempted.
  • Safety Think Tank: Creating an open space for innovative, unconventional problem-solving.

Key Questions Driving Change

  • Are our current safety solutions sustainable?
  • Are we unintentionally normalizing mediocrity?
  • Are we focused on true safety impact, or just checking boxes?

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

  • 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

  • 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

  • Business Case Templates for SMS, fatigue risk management, etc.
  • Tenure in safety roles—developing and retaining leaders who make long-term impact.
  • SOP Strategy—ensuring clarity, practicality, and effectiveness.

Get Involved: Join an ACSF Working Group

The Air Charter Safety Foundation is currently accepting applications for two new working groups: Ground Operations and ROI on Safety

 

BECOME A WORKING GROUP MEMBER

Not Yet a Member?

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ACSF Working Group Guidelines

1.  Purpose of Working Groups

ACSF Working Groups are collaborative, member-driven initiatives that support aviation safety through targeted projects and shared expertise. Each group focuses on advancing specific safety objectives through industry engagement, data sharing, and resource development.

2.  Types of Working Groups

  • Ongoing: Long-term groups focused on broad or evolving topics
  • Ad Hoc: Short-term groups formed for specific, time-limited initiatives

3.  Membership & Eligibility

To participate in a working group, individuals must:

  • Be affiliated with an active ACSF member organization, or receive the prior written approval of ACSF’s President to participate on the basis of the individual having special abilities or experience to contribute for the effort of the working group
  • Demonstrate relevant experience or expertise aligned with the group’s focus
  • Commit to active participation and collaboration for at least one year, in the case of an ongoing working group, and for the fullterm of any working group that is planned to complete its assignment in less than a year

The planned term of each working group is to be reviewed annually by the group Chair together with ACSF leadership.

1. Application Requirements

Interested participants must complete the online application, which includes:

  • Contact information and current role
  • Relevant experience and areas of expertise
  • Brief statement of interest
  • Confirmation of participation commitment and acknowledgment of group guidelines
  • Option to express interest in serving as Chair or Secretary
  • Affirm commitment to ACSF’s ethical standards for avoiding actual or perceived conflicts of interest, as well as avoiding any actions or statements that might appear anti-competitive as described further in Appendix B

2. Structure & Roles

Each working group will have the following roles:

  • Chair: Facilitates meetings, establishes and guides priorities, ensures progress
  • Secretary: Maintains meeting notes, documents action items

 

  • Staff Liaison (ACSF): Provides support, coordination, and alignment with ACSF goals

3. Operations & Meetings

  • Size: 5–12 members (flexible depending on need)
  • Meeting Frequency: Up to the discretion of the working group’s Chair
  • Agendas: Sent in advance by Chair or Secretary
  • Decision-making: Preferably by consensus; simple majority is needed whenever votes are to be taken; also, a majority of members must be present to establish a quorum for a vote
  • Meeting notes: Documented by the Secretary and shared with group members and ACSF

4. Member Expectations

  • Actively participate in meetings and group communications
  • Contribute expertise, share resources, and provide feedback
  • Represent your organization and ACSF professionally
  • Complete any project assignments in a timely manner
  • Maintain confidentiality of sensitive discussions or shared documents

5. Outputs May Include:

  • Educational tools and resources
  • Templates and SOPs
  • Safety case studies or reports
  • Best practices and lessons learned
  • Survey findings
  • Recommendations to ACSF leadership

6. Working Group Profile Requirements

Each working group is required to establish a clear profile to guide its work and align with ACSF’s broader safety mission. An outline for working group profiles is provided as an appendix to these guidelines. The group’s Chair and ACSF liaison will review and finalize the profile during the group’s initial meeting and revisit it annually or as needed.

7. Recordkeeping & Reporting

  • Meeting notes and outputs will be maintained by ACSF
  • Groups may be asked to submit a brief annual or bi-annual summary or final report (for ad hoc groups)

8. Dissolution & Review

  • Ad hoc groups dissolve upon project completion
  • Ongoing groups will be reviewed annually to assess purpose, participation, and scope


Appendix to Working Group Guidelines

ACSF Ground Operations Working Group Profile 2026

Chair: Patrick Burns (Wheels Up)
Secretary: Ed Wandall (CAE)
ACSF Staff Liaison: Larry Soles
Members: TBD

Mission: We are committed to safeguarding the people and valuable resources of operators and FBOs by nurturing a culture of safety and vigilance in all ramp and ground operations. Through industry collaboration, we will minimize ramp and ground operations risks by developing comprehensive educational tools, effective risk mitigation strategies, best practices, and the sharing lessons learned.

Nature of Group (Ad Hoc or Ongoing): Ongoing Outputs:

  • Educational Tools
    • Videos
    • Sample SOPs
    • Standards
    • Awareness materials
  • Repository for best practices, lessons learned
  • Reporting platform for operators to report concerns
  • Collaboration with other industry forums

 

Current Initiatives

  1. (All) Engage with our respective FBO vendors to advise them of this collective effort and a high-level summary of the following goals:
    1. Define and establish standard practices for marshalling aircraft that include minimum staffing for wing walkers, minimum clearances, towing and marshalling expectations. Examples include:
      1. 10’ minimum clearance with any object or vehicle requires at least one wing walker; two wing walkers required if 10’ clearance can’t be maintained for both wings or wing and tail.
      2. All clear, or clear-to-taxi signal before commencing taxi.
      3. Triple chock policy: always or hazardous weather?
      4. Ramp capacity information to be shared with operators to inform ops centers and flight crew of ramp congestion. Develop standard nomenclature for ramp capacity, aircraft ramp clearance, or marshalling expectations.
    2. Obtain FBO ops policies to help align participating operators’ ground handling policies.
    3. Define a set of operational and safety metrics to be provided by FBOs to share with participating operators.
      1. This is a follow-on activity for this group to decide the preferred metrics to be shared.
  2. Establish collaborative workspace on the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) platform to allow participating operators to upload data and documents:
    1. Enlist ACSF support for analyzing ground ops policies to identify common practices and areas for alignment.
    2. Enlist ACSF support to summarize our collective safety data.
  3. (All) Each operator to upload the following information to the ACSF shared workspace:
    1. Ground operations and handling policies.
    2. Policies or expectations that have been shared by operators with FBOs.
    3. Relevant ground operations safety data to inform this effort on risks associated with ground and ramp operations.
      1. Need to correlate safety data, e.g., events per 10,000 hours vs. 1,000 landings.

Go Rentals Discount

Go Rentals shall provide the following rates for vehicle reservations to agents, employees and members of

  • ACSF Toyota Corolla: $64.99 Daily Rate 
  • Toyota Camry: $74.99 Daily Rate 
  • Toyota Rav4: $92.99 Daily Rate

Go Rentals standard rates shall apply to reservations in Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, and Wyoming.

Go Rentals shall provide the clients and customers of ACSF (collectively, “Clients”) a 20% discount for vehicle reservations applied against the daily rate in effect at the time of reservation.
Download the Go Rentals Guide

MedAire Benefit

Ensure comprehensive safety and support with MedAire’s industry-leading solutions, expertly tailored for Business Aviation. As a valued member of the Air Charter Safety Foundation, you are eligible for an exceptional 20% discount on the first-year retail price of MedAire360 Assistance Membership. 

Why MedAire360?

MedAire360 stands at the forefront of aviation risk management and resilience. The program integrates advanced medical, security, and operational support, meticulously developed through nearly 40 years of industry insights, real-world experience, and technological innovation. MedAire360 ensures each flight is safeguarded with proactive risk mitigation, cutting-edge medical diagnostic equipment, and comprehensive safety training resources. 

Key Benefits:

  1. Discount: 20% off the retail price per aircraft tail. 
  2. Eligibility: Available to new customers only. 
  3. Duration: Discount applies to the first year of MedAire360 Assistance Membership. 

How to Redeem:

ACSF members can take advantage of this exclusive offer by presenting proof of current ACSF membership to the MedAire sales team during the enrolment process. 

Why Choose MedAire?

For nearly four decades, MedAire has solidified its reputation as a cornerstone of aviation safety and security. The MedAire360 Assistance Membership is designed to integrate top-tier medical and security assistance, rigorous crew training, and state-of-the-art medical kits for onboard health and safety. The membership provides 24/7 access to aviation medical and security specialists, VIP medical support at destination points, and seamless coordination for essential services worldwide. 

MedAire’s services are crucial in mitigating travel risks and ensuring the highest safety standards. Whether the need is for pre-trip risk assessments, in-flight medical guidance, or emergency support, MedAire360 delivers unmatched expertise and personalised care at every step.