Sarasota, Florida-based Universal Flight Services (UFS) has joined the roster of more than 200 Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) member companies. The ACSF is a non-profit aviation safety organisation that provides programmes to enable the highest levels of safety in personal, charter and business aviation.

As a new ACSF member, Universal Flight Services and its crew members will be able to participate in the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP), which is administered by the ACSF in partnership with the Federal Aviation Authority. The ASAP makes use of employee input to identify significant safety concerns and issues, operational deficiencies, non-compliance with regulations, deviations from company policies and procedures and unusual events. Each report is investigated, and corrective actions are determined based on a non-disciplinary approach to flight safety.

“Being based in Florida, our clients are eager to fly south, whether that's to Key West or the Bahamas,” says UFS vice president and director of flight operations Jacob Kyser. “The data we gain from the Aviation Safety Action Program will help us to identify hazards that might occur at the more remote airports we service. We intend to use the findings from our flight crews and other ASAP participants to make measurable changes. This includes incorporating data into our initial and recurrent training events, and merging ASAP data with our upcoming Flight Operational Quality Assurance programme.”

While aviation safety programmes are common in the Part 135 and Part 121 air carrier world, Kyser adds that the company's participation in the ACSF's Aviation Safety Action Program will increase its safety margins and improve reliability: “You can't put a price on safety. The ASAP will help us run a safer operation.”

“On behalf of our growing membership, we welcome Universal Flight Services to the Air Charter Safety Foundation,” adds ACSF president Bryan Burns. “We are very much looking forward to UFS participating in the ASAP and contributing their valuable data to the system.”

Universal Flight Services offers fixed-price charter, customised membership programs, aircraft management maintenance services. Its fleet consists of a mix of piston and turbine-powered aircraft.