Jet Linx has completed its seventh consecutive Safety Summit, with more than 550 team members learning together nationwide. Since hosting the first summit in 2017, Jet Linx voluntarily grounds its fleet of over 100 aircraft and ceases retail flight operations for a full business day, enabling all team members in all roles to assemble for the examination and improvement of safety practices at the company and for the aviation industry at large.

The Safety Summit was conducted by Jet Linx’s executive leadership team, as well as key authorities in the industry, to assess and advance safety protocols, standards and practices. Presented under the theme of ‘5 to Fly: Shining a Light on Safety’, there were an annual safety performance review, keynote addresses on stress management and high performance execution strategy, as well as cyber security and other case studies relating to aviation safety.

“Our 5 to Fly initiative, a checklist system developed as a result of discussions at a previous Safety Summit event, focuses on critical details for each Jet Linx department to further ensure the safest of operations," says president and CEO Jamie Walker. “The Safety Summit provides a platform for our team to come together, exchange knowledge and reinforce our shared responsibility to safeguard our clients, team members and aircraft.”

Keynote speakers included Anthony ‘AB’ Bourke, a decorated F-16 fighter pilot and CEO and founder of Mach 2 Consulting; president of In-Scope Solutions Susan Sawatzky, an industrial psychologist who specialises in fatigue management and psychological health and safety in the workplace; and Mike Folkerts, regional air safety investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board.

“From what I have seen, Jet Linx is ahead of many in the industry in terms of addressing safety concerns and looking at risks not often addressed, such as mental health and wellness,” says Sawatzky.

Folkerts adds: “The company’s willingness to devote significant resources towards this forum highlights a strong commitment to safety, as gatherings like this are a fantastic way to share perspectives and best practices that will extend its already impressive safety culture. I’m very excited to contribute to the dialogue and eager to absorb the valuable insights.”

Having achieved an ARGUS Platinum Elite safety ranking in 2021, the company recently celebrated its Wyvern Wingman PRO certification on top of its IS-BAO Stage III, making it the first and only operator in the aviation industry to receive elite ratings from all three major third-party auditors.

“Safety is not just a checkbox at Jet Linx; our safety management system remains at the forefront of our every decision and our communications. The Safety Summit serves as an opportunity to recommit to always doing the right thing, which is engrained in our organisation’s cultural identity,” says vice president of safety RD Johnson.