Alexandria, VA, March 5, 2009 – This week, the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) hosted its 2009 Air Charter Safety Symposium, a unique event for the on-demand and shared aircraft ownership industry.
Nearly 100 industry leaders gathered at the Symposium, held in cooperation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) at their Training Center, and devoted two days to learning how to implement, achieve and maintain a healthy safety culture.
“This year’s Symposium included outstanding presentations by this country’s most influential safety leaders,” said ACSF President James K. Coyne. “Considering the current state of the economy, the impressive turnout is a clear indication that the industry remains committed to safe operations and that the ACSF continues to fulfill the needs of our industry.”
As part of the ACSF’s on-going efforts to highlight safety concerns and encourage voluntary action to reduce risks, the ACSF announced its Top 10 Safety Action Items. This list focuses on areas where there should be safety improvement, increased study and/or specific action to implement existing concepts shown to improve safety. Developed in conjunction with the ACSF Board of Governors, these safety action items will guide the ACSF’s efforts over the next year. The top three action items, which were each highlighted in separate sessions, are:
- Implementation of Safety Management Systems
- Industry Use of Risk Assessment Tools
- Addressing the Risks of Unstable Approaches
NTSB Board Members Robert Sumwalt and Deborah Hersman delivered presentations focusing on Safety Management Systems and current aviation safety issues affecting the aviation industry. Both praised the ACSF for its leadership role and commitment to ensure a culture of continuous aviation safety improvements.
Other presentations highlighted security, Aviation Safety Action Programs, family disaster assistance planning for small businesses and risk assessment tools.
“The significant support the Air Charter Safety Symposium received from attendees, public and private sector speakers, and our sponsors reaffirms the ACSF’s role in enhancing the safety of the on-demand and shared aircraft ownership industry,” Coyne concluded.
Presentations from the Symposium will be made available to the public on the ACSF’s Web site at acsfdev.com/events
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