Tucson, AZ, May 9, 2007 — Richard Santulli, founder and CEO of NetJets, received the Business Aviation Meritorious Service Award at opening ceremonies for the Flight Safety Foundation’s 52nd annual Corporate Aviation Safety Seminar today. The Foundation also presented five Presidential Citations and two Professionalism Awards.
In presenting the Business Aviation Meritorious Service Award to Santulli, the Foundation noted that he “developed the innovative concept of fractional aircraft ownership” and has worked to ensure that “the safety of the aircraft owners and their traveling companions is paramount.”
Marty Grier, maintenance manager for Home Depot; Bill Grimes, director of safety and security for TAG Aviation; Brad Johnson, safety and loss control consultant for AIG Aviation; and Bill McBride, senior director of flight operations for Home Depot, received Presidential Citations for their contributions to the FSF Ground Accident Prevention program. Their work was instrumental in the production of instructional videos demonstrating best practices in aircraft towing.
A Presidential Citation was awarded also to Jeff Sands, director of flight operations for Altria Corporate Services. Sands was a pioneer in the development of the FSF Corporate Flight Operational Quality Assurance (C-FOQA) demonstration program. His dedication to this program helped convince many in the industry of the potential benefits of C-FOQA.
Professionalism Awards were presented to Capt. Annette Saunders and First Officer Mitchell Merchant of NetJets for their outstanding response after their aircraft collided with a glider at 16,000 feet. Despite a badly compromised airframe and barely operable flight controls, Saunders and Merchant safely landed the aircraft and evacuated their passengers.
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Flight Safety Foundation is an independent, non-profit, international organization engaged in research, auditing, education, advocacy and publishing to improve aviation safety. The Foundation’s mission is to pursue the continuous improvement of global aviation safety and the prevention of accidents. www.flightsafety.org
Contact: Emily McGee, Director of Communications, 1-703-739-6700, ext. 126; mcgee@flightsafety.org