Company-Wide Ground Safety Culture Is Key in Business Aviation

June 29, 2026

Although aviation remains the safest mode of transportation, too many people are injured each year in accidents on airport runways and ramps, underscoring the importance of providing safety training for all those who may find themselves near active aircraft areas.

“I think when people are being introduced to the company and its operating environment, it’s really important to immediately establish some kind of standardized and recognized form of ground safety training,” explained Jamie Santiago-Muñoz, general manager of the Galaxy FBO in Addison, TX. “The overall environment can be very confusing to many people.

“When a new employee starts here, our number one focus is on stressing safety, whether they are working on the ramp or as a CSR [customer service representative],” she continued. “We want them to understand that everything they do can impact safety, from taking the wrong fuel order or not receiving the correct readback from someone on the ramp – they need to understand these tasks and how they can lead to serious mistakes.

“There can be so much going on, so one of our big points is to stress situational awareness,” Santiago-Muñoz said. “Being continually vigilant and aware of what’s going on around you. Not just the aircraft, fuel trucks and tugs, but also passenger who have access to the ramp in their cars. They’re all added layers of complexity to an already busy and distracting environment.”

Regarding passenger vehicles being granted ramp access, Santiago-Muñoz emphasized that this convenience must have prior approval, and a member of Galaxy FBO’s staff must always be with them.

“The way our ramp is laid out here at Addison Airport [ADS], we can do it safely, but it has to be done correctly,” she added. “We teach all our CSRs to be aware of the environment and look for areas where there could be issues. If they see an aircraft firing up and a car is coming through the access gate, they make sure the pilot and the car’s driver see each other before proceeding. The aircraft always has the right-of-way.”

Related article: Procedures, Culture Drive Proper Response to Ground Safety

Leverage Safety Certification Programs

Galaxy FBO relies on the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) Safety 1st Certification Program as its primary training tool. “Formal safety training is an absolute necessity for anyone who either works or has any reason to be around any active aircraft or ground service equipment,” said NATA Manager, Safety and Training Brandon Popovich. “Working around aircraft is a skilled professional position, and every employee needs to be properly trained in the best safety practices for each situation.

“Also, the implementation of an SMS [safety management system] is growing throughout the business aviation industry,” Popovich added. “Even if a company or FBO does not have a formal SMS in place, they still need to provide some type of structured safety training program.

“People with any ramp or hangar access need to know what a flashing beacon on an aircraft means and the dangers of propellers, jet blast, FOD (foreign object debris), and all that plays into effective training for anyone who goes on the ramp, even if it’s not their primary job responsibility,” he said. “NATA’s Safety 1st program provides the BASS – Basic Apron Safety and Security Certification. When an NATA customer company puts a new employee in our online Safety 1st Training Center, they are automatically enrolled in the BASS program.”

Also, for operations personnel who have safety management responsibilities, NBAA’s Safety Committee – in collaboration with Advanced Aircrew Academy, Convergent Performance and Fireside Partners – developed the Safety Manager Certificate Program, which is designed to provide participants introductory to mid-level training on safety in business aviation operations. The course offers the tools to effectively manage a business aviation organization’s safety management effort, including its SMS.

Hold Informal Cross-Training Sessions

Also, both Popovich and Santiago-Muñoz encouraged operators to consider bringing together representatives from various teams – CSRs and aircraft fuelers for example – for informal information-sharing sessions with all the other members of their shift.

“Cross-training is becoming quite popular among the larger flight departments so they can all understand what others do on a daily basis,” Popovich said. “A scheduler or CSR can learn how long it takes to fuel an airplane or remove it from the hangar. A fueler can hear what types of things a pilot or maintainer will ask of an office person.

“It’s a very effective way for everyone to better understand all the different parts that make ground services work,” said Popovich. “And better understanding is a big step towards greater awareness and safety.”

“I would say that training is step one in the safety process,” said Santiago-Muñoz. “You really have to create a culture where people are not afraid to speak up when they see a potentially dangerous situation. That’s really the next key step after you have your training program in place.”

Review NBAA resources on hangar and ground safety.