Standing Behind Safety

Chicago Business Aviation Community Underscores Safety Focus

April 6, 2010

A Chicago Area Business Aviation Association (CABAA) Safety Day originally scheduled for next month has been elevated to a Safety Stand Down, scheduled for this Friday, April 9 and moved to near Chicago Executive Airport (PWK). The elevated profile for the event follows the first fatal local accident at PWK in at least 48 years.

“We’ve always been about safety,” said Dennis Rouleau, PWK Airport Director. “But we had a Learjet roll inverted and crash just south of here in January. The aviation community needed to do something to re-affirm our commitment to safety and to highlight our focus on safety best practices.”

This year’s Safety Stand Down will concentrate on risk management, emergency response preparedness, safety management systems and balancing stress for flight crewmembers. The popular “FACTS” Training seminars for flight attendants and cockpit crew will be provided by AirCare Solutions.

“The decision to expand our safety-focused event was not only made for the benefit of the general aviation community here, but for the neighbors of PWK, too,” Rouleau continued. “We want them to know that aviation safety is our number-one concern here at the airport.”

The CABAA and Chicago Executive Airport Safety Stand Down will start at 8:30 AM on Friday, April 9 and run until 3:30 PM at the Hilton Hotel in Northbrook, Illinois, near PWK. Pre-registration for CABAA members is $50, or $75 at the door. Non-members will pay $150. Registrations are available on the CABAA web page, at www.cabaa.com.

For additional information, contact NBAA’s Central Regional Representative Bob Quinn at bquinn@nbaa.org.