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The sixth annual GWBAA safety standdown
is now scheduled to be held on May 16 at the NTSB Training Center in Ashburn, VA. GWBAA is pleased to announce
that the keynote speaker will be former astronaut and USAF Colonel Mike Mulane, who flew on three space shuttle missions and
emphasizes the importance of “stopping the normalization of deviance.” GWBAA is also pleased
to announce that the host hotel will be the Landsdowne Resort. More information will be posted on the GWBAA
website as it becomes available. For sponsorship and other information, please contact Jim Garland at jgarland@sharpdetails.com.
2011
SAFETY STANDDOWN
The Greater Washington Business Aviation Association hosted its 5th annual Safety Standdown
at the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Training Center in Ashburn, Virginia on June 23rd. The Standdown provided
multiple speakers to help educate and promote a safety culture in our industry.
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| Jeff Hare explains fire safety issues |
This year’s speakers provided insight into real world events
and planning. Steven Brown, Senior Vice President, Operations & Administration for
the National Business Aviation Association gave the opening remarks and was followed by Jeff Hare,
of J. Hare Safety & Survival Systems. Mr. Hare’s focus was on Fire Safety and
provided an incredible amount of information about the risks of cabin fires from electronic devices. It
certainly made a lot of attendees rethink keeping their laptops plugged in while not in use. The next speakers comprised a Safety
Management Systems panel, specifically Lucille Fisher of Quality Resources, Norman
Schweizer of the General Services Administration, and Rick Krens of the FAA.
They gave us insight into SMS processes. Additionally, Shannon Forrest from FlightSafety
International gave us a very charismatic presentation on Crew Resource Management (CRM) and the dangers of overreliance
on automation.
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| Jeff Skiles addresses the audience |
The highlight of this year’s event was our keynote speaker,
Jeff Skiles. Mr. Skiles’ recollections of the events on the infamous “Miracle
on the Hudson” river landing kept our audience on the edge of their seats. As this incident shows,
training and preparation can significantly impact how the outcome of an incident or accident. He attributed
a lot of his preparedness to CRM and as he put it: “I just did my job.” “This year’s safety
standdown was the best ever,” said Paige Kroner, GWBAA President.
“Attendees had a day of incredible insight from industry professionals and government entities. Not
to mention access to an incredible day of learning and networking. I am delighted that this event grows and gains momentum
each year. I extend my thanks to all of our sponsors, speakers, and volunteers who contributed to our success.” This year’s
sponsors included: Gulfstream (registration and breakfast); Satcom Direct (energy break); Bombardier (lunch); TISMA (NTSB
facility); Dassault Falcon (printed materials); ARINC Direct, Chantilly Air, FlightSafety International, Hawker Beechcraft,
Landmark Aviation, NBAA, Rockwell Collins, Signature Flight Support, and WorldFuel Services and affiliated companies (safety).
GWBAA also thanks its hotel, DoubleTree by Hilton Sterling – Dulles, and French Connections Catering.
GWBAA held its fourth annual Safety Standdown at the National Transportation
Safety Board (NTSB) Training Center in Ashburn, Virginia on May 20. Speakers addressed the attendees on a variety of key safety
topics for aviation professionals.
AOPA Air Safety Foundation President Bruce Landsberg talked
about the growing number and complexity of the FARs in the Aeronautical Information Manual and the need to avoid distractions
when flying, citing the recent Colgan Air accident.
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| Bruce Landsberg and Rick Rowe |
Rick Rowe, chief pilot for the Bombardier Aerospace
flight demo team, noted in his presentation on “Challenging the Status Quo” that in the last 10 years “80
percent of all accidents have been caused by human error.” Although CFIT (Controlled Flight Into Terrain) used
to be the primary cause of accidents, it is now Loss of Control in Flight (LCIF), said Rowe. “Basic flying skills continue
to erode." Rowe also made reference to the Colgan Air accident, in which fatigue and lack of pilot training have
been cited as contributing factors to the crash.
Dr. Paulo Alves, a cardiologist and vice
president of aviation and maritime health with MedAire, spoke about travel health and fatigue management. “Violence
is the number one cause of death abroad and cardiac-related emergencies are the number two cause,” said Alves. Risk
mitigation—researching your destination country for possible infectious diseases—is key to a safe trip, said Alves.
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| Ron Machado |
Veteran aviation humorist, pilot and psychologist Rod Machado
entertained attendees with anecdotes and lessons about the various kinds of errors pilots can make and how to avoid them.
The NTSB’s Dr. Paul Schuda briefed the safety standdown attendees on the TWA Flight 800 accident,
the Boeing 747 that exploded shortly after takeoff from JFK Airport on July 17, 1996. Schuda then led a tour of the
reconstructed portion of the fuselage of TWA Flight 800 at the Training Center, the only accident aircraft that the NTSB has
ever reconstructed.
“We are grateful to the attendees, speakers and sponsors of this year’s standdown,”
said GWBAA President Paige Kroner. “This was another successful event with a lot of great safety tips from our
speakers.”
Sponsors of this year’s standdown included Bombardier, Dassault Falcon Jet, FlightSafety
International, Gulfstream, Landmark Aviation, Lansdowne Resort, MedAire, NBAA, Rudy’s Inflight Catering, Sharp Details,
Signature Flight Support, TISMA, Welsch Aviation, Air Routing International and US Sedan.
If you haven’t
already, please give us your feedback (a survey was emailed to attendees after the event), and we look forward to seeing you
next year.
2009 SAFETY STANDDOWN
GWBAA
held its Third Annual Safety Standdown on Thursday, May 7, 2009 at the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Training
Center in Ashburn, VA. Captain Alfred C. Haynes (of United Airlines flight 232) was the keynote speaker.
It was twenty years ago that year that Captain Haynes and his crew, against all odds, crash landed a United DC-10 into
Sioux City, Iowa with no hydraulics and 184 survivors.
Other
speakers and topics included: Jim Burin, Flight Safety
Foundation - “Aviation Safety Challenges” Bob Hobbi, ServiceElements - “Customer Service Tools for Surviving the Current Environment” John Rahilly, Former VP at Dassault Falcon Jet - “Aviation
Maintenance - Obtaining the Best Pricing and Highest Quality” Dr. Paul Schuda, NTSB - “TWA Flight 800 Briefing”
The standdown also included an opportunity to see the reconstructed portion
of the fuselage of TWA flight 800.
2008 SAFETY STANDDOWN
From the start of NBAA’s President Ed Bolen’s opening remarks to the final wrap-up, all attendees’ feedback
was very positive for GWBAA’s 2nd Annual Safety Standdown on April 8, 2008 at the NTSB Training Center in Ashburn, Virginia.
A full 99% of those present rated all the presenters as “excellent.”
Our thanks go out to all the volunteers and presenters
who made it happen. Our
sponsors – Bombardier, Bristol Associates,
Chantilly Air, Dassault, Gulfstream, Landmark Aviation,
Sharp Details, Signature Flight Support, Sky Group Associates, and Welsch
Aviation – also played a very large role in the success
of the event and we thank them also.
Bob Agostino, “father” of the national safety
standdown, makes one of many good points during
his presentation
to the GWBAA attendees
Greg Feith, formerly
with the NTSB and now an
aviation safety
consultant, challenged attendees to
“not just
learn something here for your individual
benefit, but to
take what you have learned and
share it with others
in your flight department”
Jim Lumley (GWBAA’s
Operations, Safety, and
Security Chair),
center, with Greg Feith, left, and
Bob Agostino, right,
during the 2nd Annual GWBAA
Safety Standdown
2007 SAFETY STANDDOWN
The March 8, 2007 Safety and Security Standdown was a resounding success by all measures. Eighty-five were in attendance
and the feedback was very positive – primarily due to the wonderful
presenters and sponsors, and Jim Lumley’s organizational skills. In this month’s Aviation International News,
Matt Thurber has done a great job of capturing the highlights of the event; his article can be found on page 58 of the print
edition of AIN or online at: http://ain.gcnpublishing.com/content/news/single-news-page/article/standdown-addresses-safety-and-security/?no_cache=1&cHash=9bc68aafea.
Many thanks to the following companies for their support:
- Bristol Associates, for lunch;
- Bombardier, for sponsoring Bob Agostino as a speaker and contributing two tickets to
the IRL (Inday car class) race in Richmond and an aircraft model as door prizes;
- Gulfstream, for the morning break and an aircraft model as a door prize;
- Dassault Falcon, for the afternoon break and an aircraft model as a door prize;
- ARINC, for printing;
- Sky Group Associates and NBAA, as event supporters;
- Signature Flight Support, for facility sponsorship; and
- Flight Safety International, for event bags and and an aicraft model for a door prize.
The following presentations from the standdown are available:
Bob Agostino, Bombardier's director, flight operations,
provided a thought-provoking and stimulating opening
presentation for those in attendance at March’s safety
and security standdown.
GWBAA President Bob Blouin presents Susan Sheets,
Vice President of the Aero Club of Washington, with
a donation to the Aero Club Of Washington Foundation
during March’s
safety and security standdown.
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