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Flying Safety Awards Rules
Flying Safety Awards are given annually for the period January 1 to December 31. The categories of awards are as follows:
- 75 Year Safe Flying Achievement Award
- 60 Year Safe Flying Achievement Award
- 50 Year Safe Flying Achievement Award
- Corporate Business Flying Safety Award
- Commercial Business Flying Safety Award
- Aviation Maintenance Department Safety Award
- Pilot Safety Award
- Maintenance/Avionics Technician Safety Award
- Aviation Support Services Safety Award
The Safe Flying Achievement Awards give special recognition to Member Companies that have flown 50, 60 or 75 years or more without an accident.
Corporate Business Flying, Commercial Business Flying and Aviation Maintenance Department Safety Awards are for accident-free years and hours flown.
Pilot Safety Awards are for accident-free hours flown. Maintenance/Avionics Technician and Aviation Support Services Safety Awards are for accident-free years of service to corporate/business flight operations.
The rules contained herein are self-explanatory and are intended to provide uniformity in the submission of applications.
All rules (both General Rules and Individual Award Rules) should be thoroughly reviewed prior to the preparation and submission of applications.
All applications will be audited for accuracy by NBAA's staff. NBAA will evaluate special circumstances to determine qualifications for an award. Rounding off flight times (1,500, 1,600, 2,000, 10,000 hours, etc.) is indicative of guessing; NBAA reserves the right to request documentary evidence to substantiate claims for hours flown.
Applications must be postmarked by the deadline. Those postmarked after the deadline will be returned without action.
To review the award rules, scroll down or click on the following links:
- Corporate Business Flying Safety Award
- Commercial Business Flying Safety Award
- Aviation Maintenance Department Safety Award
- Pilot Safety Award
- Maintenance/Avionics Technician Safety Award
- Aviation Support Services Safety Award
See also the Frequently Asked Questions page.
GENERAL RULES
1. Applicant must be a Member of NBAA at the time of application
2. Only accident-free business flying hours flown by all aircraft (including foreign based) owned, leased, the direct responsibility of, and under the operational control of the applicant will be considered.
3. Applications must be certified by the NBAA Member Company Representative.
4. The applicant agrees that National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), insurance and company records may be requested by NBAA when a reasonable question arises as to accidents and hours claimed. It is the responsibility of the applicant to furnish all documentation requested.
5. Some reportable accidents during the award period will disqualify applicants from consideration. A reportable accident is an occurrence associated with the authorized operation of an aircraft in which any person suffers death or injury or the aircraft receives substantial damage as defined by the NTSB. Such an occurrence must take place between the time any person boards the aircraft with the intention of flight until such time as all such persons have deplaned. Accidents are not reportable when:
a. Aircraft is damaged while properly parked.
b. Aircraft is flown, taxied or towed by other than designated company personnel.
c. Damage is caused by hail, lightning or turbulence not resulting in a crash or impact with some object.
6. Determination of an accident will be made by the NTSB/FAA. If neither agency has informed you that you had an accident, then the occurrence need not be reported to NBAA. If the pilot is not responsible for an accident, i.e., material failure or maintenance error, the pilot may apply for an award. A copy of the NTSB accident report that indicates the pilot was not cited in the probable cause must be submitted. Copies of accident reports can be obtained from the NTSB by calling (800) 877-6799 or visiting the web at www.ntsb.gov/investigations/reports.html.
If a company-employed pilot or maintenance/avionics technician is cited in the NTSB probable cause for the accident, the pilot and/or maintenance/avionics technician and the company will be ineligible for the award. If the aircraft was defective and neither the pilot nor the maintenance/avionics technician were cited in the probable cause, then the pilot, maintenance/avionics technician and company remain eligible for awards. The latter also must be verified by submission of a copy of the NTSB accident report. Support services personnel are eligible for an award as long as the company is eligible.
7. Retroactivity cannot be applied to the safety award regulations in relation to accidents. An aircraft accident prior to January 1984 that would be excused under these rules still stands in accordance with prior years’ rules. Current rules apply only to 1984 and subsequent years.
8. All flight hours must have been flown by pilots possessing a minimum of a commercial license and appropriate instrument rating who are employed by, or are directly responsible to, and under the operational control of the Member Company.
9. Awards are made for accident-free hours/years. Therefore, only hours flown without an accident or after a disqualifying accident will be creditable.
10. The 12-month period commencing January 1 and ending December 31 will be used for calculating yearly time.
11. All applications must be postmarked no later than the published deadline.
12. Additional award certificates may be obtained at the Member Company’s expense.
13. Prior to the distribution of the certificates and jewelry, a letter of notification as to who will be receiving awards will be sent to the Member Company Representative. At this time, it is the responsibility of the Member Company to verify the data and notify NBAA of any corrections. Once the certificate is issued, any correction will be at the expense of the Member.
14. If you are not eligible for an award (either first-time or other), do not submit an application; NBAA does not update hours/years on an annual basis for individual applicants.
15. If an applicant holds both a maintenance/avionics technician license and a minimum of a commercial pilot certificate and is also the flight department manager or holds some other support services function, only one safety award application may be submitted per year. (Pilot, Technician or Support Services.)
INDIVIDUAL AWARD RULES
Corporate Business Flying Safety Award
1. This award is granted to NBAA Member Companies that have completed a minimum of three consecutive years of flying business aircraft without a reportable accident. Additional awards are given at each one-year interval thereafter. This award will include both years and hours. (Note: See General Rule #6 for exceptions.)
2. Applicant must comply with all general rules.
3. Only nonrevenue business flying will be considered for this award. Flying company personnel and cargo on a nonrevenue-producing basis including necessary training time for crew is allowable. It does not include military flight time, charter, flight instruction, agricultural operations or demonstration flights.
Commercial Business Flying Safety Award
1. This award is granted to NBAA Member Companies that have completed a minimum of three consecutive years of flying business aircraft without a reportable accident. Additional awards are given at each one-year interval thereafter. This award will include both years and hours. (Note: See General Rule #6 for exceptions.)
2. Applicant must comply with all general rules.
3. Only nonscheduled revenue-producing flights will be considered. This category includes, but is not limited to, nonscheduled air taxi, charter, contract carriers, product development and aircraft demonstrations. It does not include scheduled revenue-producing operations in the following categories: air carrier, cargo, contract mail, aircraft flight testing, flight instruction, pipeline patrol, agricultural operations, industrial flying, etc.
Aviation Maintenance Department Safety Award
1. Granted to the Aviation Maintenance Department of NBAA Member Companies who have qualified for either the Corporate or Commercial Business Flying Safety Award.
2. Company must be in compliance with all general rules.
3. Company must have an identifiable maintenance department headed by a full-time, properly certificated manager of maintenance. Maintenance department must be capable of performing routine repairs, scheduled maintenance and inspections.
Pilot Safety Award
1. Pilot Safety Awards are granted to pilots of NBAA Member Companies who have completed a minimum of 1,500 consecutive accident-free hours in command/control of a business aircraft. Awards are given as follows:
| HOURS | AWARD DESCRIPTION |
| 1,500 | Rhodium Tackette plus Certificate |
| 2,500 | Certificate |
| 3,500 | Gold Tackette plus Certificate |
| 4,500 | Certificate |
| 5,500 | Gold Tackette plus Certificate |
| 6,500 | Certificate |
| 7,500 | Gold Tackette with Emerald plus Certificate |
| 8,500 | Certificate |
| 10,000 | Gold Tackette with Ruby plus Certificate |
| 11,000 | Certificate |
| 12,000 | Gold Tackette with Diamond plus Certificate |
| 15,000 | Gold Tackette with Two Diamonds plus Certificate |
| 20,000 | Gold Tackette with Three Diamonds plus Certificate |
| 25,000 | Gold Tackette with Four Diamonds plus Certificate |
(Note: Some awards consist of jewelry plus a certificate; the remaining awards consist of a certificate only. Each additional 1,000 hours after 12,000 hours earns a certificate.)
2. Applicants must be employees of an NBAA Member Company and fly aircraft listed with NBAA when the application is submitted. Previous flight hours accumulated with non-NBAA Companies may be counted, provided they meet the criteria listed under number 3 of this section.
3. Only those hours permitted under the Corporate Business and/or Commercial Business Award Rules will be honored.
Applicants must possess a minimum of a current Commercial Airman’s Certificate with appropriate instrument rating. Pilots-in-command, whether ATP or commercial-rated may submit all time served in that capacity. Copilots, or seconds-in-command who are not rated for the aircraft may submit all time spent actually manipulating the controls or half the block time, whichever is greater. Holders of an ATP who are type rated in the aircraft, may submit the total block time when they are serving on the flight deck as crewmembers.
4. A reportable accident will affect only the pilot who was in command at the time of the accident. (Note: See General Rule #6 for exceptions.)
5. The 12-month period commencing January 1 and ending December 31 will be used for calculating yearly hours.
6. All applications must be postmarked no later than the published deadline.
7. The following specific flying times will not be honored:
a. Military (active or reserve).
b. Personal, private flying.
c. Time while receiving flight instruction, unless in direct support of employer’s
operations.
d. Scheduled revenue-producing flights (i.e., scheduled air taxi, air carrier, cargo, contract
mail, etc.).
8. Any applicant who is retiring from the flight department of a Member Company or terminating flying status for medical reasons may submit an application for a Pilot Safety Award regardless of the hourly requirements listed under number 1 in this section.
9. Use only flight hours that can be substantiated by company records or certified flight logs.
10. NBAA recommends rounding minutes off to the nearest hour. Do not estimate hours flown (i.e., 100 hours, 200 hours, etc.). NBAA reserves the right to request verification.
11. First-time applicants for Company or Pilot or Maintenance/Avionics Technician Awards
must have data to substantiate all hours/years claimed, including the current year. First-time applicants are required to complete the application where indicated. First-time
company applicants may use the application as a guide for submitting hours for previous years.
Maintenance/Avionics Technician Safety Award
1. In conjunction with the Aviation Maintenance Department Safety Award, maintenance/avionics technicians employed by NBAA Member Companies primarily for support of corporate flight operations whose aircraft are listed with NBAA are eligible for individual awards. Awards are granted for accident-free years of employment. Awards are given as follows:
| YEARS | AWARD DESCRIPTION |
| 3 |
Rhodium Tackette plus Certificate |
| 6 | Certificate |
| 9 | Gold Tackette plus Certificate |
| 12 | Certificate |
| 15 | Gold Tackette plus Certificate |
| 18 | Certificate |
| 21 | Gold Tackette with Emerald plus Certificate |
| 24 | Certificate |
| 27 | Gold Tackette with Ruby plus Certificate |
| 30 | Gold Tackette with One Diamond plus Certificate |
| 33 | Certificate |
| 35 | Gold Tackette with Two Diamonds plus Certificate |
| 38 | Certificate |
| 40 | Gold Tackette with Three Diamonds plus Certificate |
| 43 | Certificate |
| 45 | Gold Tackette with Four Diamonds plus Certificate |
| 50 | Gold Tackette with Five Diamonds plus Certificate |
(Note: Some awards consist of jewelry plus a certificate; the remaining awards consist of a certificate only.)
Maintenance technicians must have a valid “A” or “P” or “A&P” license to be eligible. Avionics technicians must have at least a general class license.
Only accident-free years of employment, primarily in support of corporate/business flight operations, may be counted. This does not include employment by the military, air carriers, commuters, personal employment and flight schools not specifically dealing with corporate/business flight operations.
2. Any maintenance/avionics technician who qualifies in accordance with #1 of this section and is retiring from company employment may submit an application for an award regardless of the yearly requirements under #1.
Aviation Support Services Safety Award
1. Aviation support services personnel, (i.e., flight attendants, dispatchers, schedulers, clerical assistants, aircraft refuelers/cleaners and repairmen, etc.) employed by NBAA Member Companies primarily for support of corporate/business flight operations may be eligible for individual awards in conjunction with the Corporate/Commercial Business Flying Safety Awards. Support Services Safety Awards are granted for accident-free years of employment. Awards are given every three years (as shown in the award description for the Maintenance/Avionics Technician Safety Award). Should the company not qualify for an award, the support personnel do not qualify and both must restart the process.
Only accident-free years of employment, primarily in support of corporate/business flight operations, may be counted. This does not include employment by the military, air carriers, commuters, personal employment and flight schools not specifically dealing with corporate/business flight operations.
2. Any support services person otherwise qualified for an award who is retiring from company employment may submit an application for an award regardless of the yearly requirements under #1 of this section.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
- Before filling out the applications, please review the General Rules and the Individual Award Rules in their entirety.
- Type or print legibly. Applications that cannot be clearly understood will be returned without action.
- Fill in all spaces. Applications with incomplete entries or without authorized signatures will be returned without action.
- Applicants should review the definitions prior to preparation of the application and submit statements of clarification for entries that might be questioned.
- Be sure to review General Rule #15.
- To download current applications in PDF format with data entry fields, visit the main NBAA Flying Safety Awards page.
- Return all applications to NBAA, Attn: Flying Safety Awards Program, either by mail to 1200 18th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036, tel: (202) 783-9000; by e-mail to fsa-app@nbaa.org; or by fax to (202) 331-8364.
- Applications postmarked later than the published deadline will not be considered for the current year’s awards.
