Contact: Dan Hubbard, 202-783-9360, dhubbard@nbaa.org
Washington, DC, Oct. 1, 2020 – The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) will host the annual National Safety Forum on Oct. 8-9 in an all-new virtual setting, as part of a Safety Week included in an overall, weeklong focus on aviation excellence.
The free event examines fitness for duty and how aviation personnel can optimize their performance from the inside out. The forum will include the presentation of the association’s Flying Safety and Tony Kern Professionalism in Aviation Awards.
The week wraps up with a keynote from National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Robert Sumwalt, with his perspectives on enhancing safety in business aviation.
Register now to attend the National Safety Forum for free.
Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020
- Optimizing Your Personal Performance – Sleep
11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. (EDT)
The forum begins with opening remarks from NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen, who will present the Tony Kern Awards, followed by comments from Jeff Wofford, incoming chair of the NBAA Safety Committee. Dr. Daniel Mollicone will lead a discussion on sleep science and fatigue management.
- Optimizing Your Personal Performance – Mind
1 – 2 p.m. (EDT)
Licensed professional counselor Matt McNeil will show how to recognize changes in mental health that may impede safety.
Friday, Oct. 9, 2020
- Optimizing Your Personal Performance – Body
11 a.m. – Noon (EDT)
On the final day of NBAA’s Week of Aviation Excellence, the 50- and 60-year Flying Safety Awards will be presented. Dr. Quay Snyder will share the benefits of taking a more proactive approach to FAA Medical certification.
- Keynote by Robert Sumwalt and Panel Discussion: Creating a Supportive Organizational and SMS Structure
1 – 2:15 p.m. (EDT)
The NTSB’s Sumwalt will conclude the week with a final keynote highlighting his insights on enhancing business aviation safety. John Deere Director of Aviation Greg Farley will moderate a discussion with an industry-leading panel of experts on how an operation can utilize its safety management system to bring and monitor organizational change for fitness for duty programs.
Learn more about the National Safety Forum speakers:
Greg Farley
Director of Aviation, John Deere Global Aviation
With an aviation background spanning 20 years, Farley’s experience includes serving as the manager of aviation safety and security for John Deere Global Aviation, flying as a senior international captain, and serving on the NBAA Safety Committee as its fitness for duty working group lead. His prior work as a paramedic is what drives his passion for fitness for duty in aviation.
Daniel Mollicone, PH.D.
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Pulsar Informatics
Mollicone has played an active role in developing the field of fatigue risk management. As the chief scientist of the company he co-founded, Pulsar Informatics, he leads sleep science and alertness research for the aviation, trucking and other industries.
Mollicone has acted as principal investigator on studies for the FAA, U.S. Department of Transportation, NASA, Transport Canada, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Australia and others.
Matt McNeil
Licensed Professional Counselor, LiftAffect LLC
An 11,000-hour airline pilot, McNeil is a licensed mental health counselor and mental skills coach. His clinical practice and consulting firm, LiftAffect, assists flight departments, commercial air carriers, pilot unions and individuals with comprehensive services for mental health and professional performance.
McNeil holds graduate degrees from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and the University of Wisconsin.
Dr. Quay Snyder
President/CEO, Co-Owner, Aviation Medicine Advisory Service
A founding partner of AMAS, Snyder is the current aeromedical advisor to the Air Line Pilots Association – International, and has been a health and safety advocate for pilots and controllers since retiring from the U.S. Air Force in 2002.
Snyder served 25 years in the Air Force, Air National Guard and Reserves as a flight surgeon. With over 3,000 hours in 48 types of aircraft, he is a commercial pilot, a Master CFI, DPE and an aircraft owner. He has degrees from the Air Force Academy, Duke University School of Medicine and the University of Colorado.
Hon. Robert Sumwalt
Chairman, National Transportation Safety Board
A former member of NBAA’s Safety Committee, Sumwalt managed a small flight department in South Carolina before his appointment to the NTSB in 2006. He has served under three presidents and became chairman in August 2017. On the board, he has led on-scene investigations, including a Beechcraft Premier 1A accident in 2013 and a Phenom 100 accident in 2014.
Before his business aviation career, Sumwalt flew more than 14,000 hours with Piedmont Airlines and US Airways. He is a frequent speaker at NBAA safety events.
Jeff Wofford
Chief Pilot and Director of Aviation, Commscope
As the incoming chair of NBAA’s Safety Committee, Wofford helps set direction for the association’s focus on top safety priorities across the industry. With over 13,000 hours of accident-free flying, he holds an ATP and type ratings on three business jets, while maintaining his instrument and multi-engine instructor ratings.
A retired Navy veteran, Wofford worked as a Part 135 charter pilot and was chief flight instructor at an FBO before joining CommScope, where he has flown every model of Learjet and now flies the company’s Challenger 300s.
The National Safety Forum is part of NBAA’s Virtual Safety Week, which also includes the virtual Single-Pilot Safety Standdown and a brand new virtual Safety Town Hall.
# # #
Founded in 1947 and based in Washington, DC, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is the leading organization for companies that rely on general aviation aircraft to help make their businesses more efficient, productive and successful. The association represents more than 11,000 company and professional members and provides more than 100 products and services to the business aviation community, including the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), the world’s largest civil aviation trade show. Learn more about NBAA at nbaa.org.
Members of the media may receive NBAA Press Releases immediately via email. To subscribe to the NBAA Press Release email list, submit the online form.
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.