The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a one-day hearing on air show and air race safety. The hearing, which is open to all and free to attend (there is no registration), will be held on Tuesday, January 10, 2012, and will begin at 9:30 am EST.
The NTSB has invited to the proceedings, entitled "Air Race and Air Show Safety Hearing", government agencies, aviation event trade associations, show organizers, and air show participants to serves as witnesses. During the hearing, they will give presentations on regulations and oversight and aviation event operations. Following each topic area presentation, there will be a question and answer discussion with Board Members.
The purpose of the meeting is to (1) bring public attention to the safety issues involved in aviation event operations; and (2) provide NTSB Members and investigative staff with a deeper understanding of regulations, protocols and practices used in the planning and operations of air shows and air races. Information gathered in the hearing will assist NTSB staff in the investigation of air show and air race incidents and accidents.
Webcast: NTSB public events are also streamed live via webcast. Webcasts are archived for a period of three months from the time of the meeting. Webcast archives are generally available by the end of the event day for public Meetings, and by the end of the next day for Technical conferences.
Hearing on Air Race and Air Show Safety Agenda
Panel 1: Regulatory and Oversight
- John McGraw, AFS -2, FAA
- Mike Umstead, National Aviation Event Coordinator, Office of Flight Standards, FAA
- John Cudahy, President, International Council of Air Shows (ICAS)
- Wayne Bogggs, ICAS Safety Committee
- Judy Willey, Chairman, ICAS Board of Directors
Panel 2: Aviation Event Organization
- Mike Houghton, President/CEO, Reno Air Race Association (RARA)
- Michael Major, RARA Board Member, Pilot and Aircraft Registration
- Rod Hightower, President/CEO, Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA)
- Sean Elliott, VP for Government Affairs, EAA
- George Cline, President, Air Boss Inc.
Panel 3: Aviation Event Operations
- Frank Sebastian, Airshow Coordinator and Chair, Seafair Air show Committee, Seattle, WA
- Edwin Dunham, USMC Air Show Director, MCAS Miramar
- Robert Stenevik, Vice President of Safety, Operations, and Maintenance, Commemorative Air Force, Dallas, TX
- Tim DiMatteo, Red Bull Air Racing - Former Race Director for San Diego and New York Events
- Sean Tucker, Performer, Team Oracle
FMI: http://www.ntsb.gov/news/events/2012/air_show/agenda.html