The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) has created the Ground Safety Alliance (GSA), which was announced at the virtual Ground Handling Safety Symposium. The GSA is a collaborative organisation dedicated to advancing business and general aviation ground handling safety.

“This year's Ground Handling Safety Symposium, with nearly 90 locations and hundreds of the most dedicated safety professionals in the industry in attendance, was the perfect venue to announce the formation of the GSA. Data is critical for aviation business success and has been used to improve safety in aircraft operations for years,” says Michael France, NATA managing director for safety and training. “The GSA will provide the foundation for ground handling operators and other industry stakeholders to collaborate on the collection, analysis and distribution of safety data and intelligence.”

The GSA will be led by a governing board of industry leaders including: Todd Smith, Atlantic Aviation; Bob Schick, TAC Air; Jennifer Bartenstein, Signature Flight Support; Kate Fraser, NetJets; Robert Cavetti, Sheltair Aviation Services; Angela Thurmond, American Aero FTW; Kevin Donnelly, Jet Aviation; Sean White, First Wing Jet Center; and Jessica Rowden, Cutter Aviation.

The GSA board is working to overcome the challenges of implementing a safety data collection programme that protects confidentiality while providing operational insights. The GSA will announce opportunities for FBOs, aircraft operators, safety consultants and others to join the alliance in driving safety improvements through data.