Sonoma Aviation's Carlsbad Jet Center at Carlsbad's McClellan-Palomar airport and Sonoma Jet Center at Charles M Schulz Sonoma County airport in Santa Rosa have achieved IS-BAH Stage III accreditation. This prestigious recognition underscores Sonoma Aviation’s unwavering commitment to safety, professionalism and operational excellence at its California FBOs.

"We are incredibly proud of our team members at every level," says safety manager Joshua Foster. "Safety is our top priority and a core value. We’re very proud of the positive safety culture fostered and strengthened throughout this process."

CEO Josh Hochberg adds: "This is a significant milestone for our operations, demonstrating our consistent commitment to upholding the highest standards of safety and service. None of this would have been possible without the full engagement of every team member at the company."

IS-BAH, the International Standard for Business Aviation Handling, is an industry code of best practices established by the International Business Aviation Council. IS-BAH sets the standard for top-tier operational practices, further enhancing the stellar safety record already demonstrated by business aviation. It provides guidance to FBOs in establishing and maintaining robust safety management systems (SMS) and operational programmes, and fostering a performance-based and risk-averse culture.

This voluntary accreditation process included a rigorous in-person audit performed by MacPherson Aviation Audits. Stage III certification is the programme’s highest standard, marked by the full integration of safety management activities and the cultivation of a positive safety culture. Only a handful of FBOs in the United States have achieved this status.

Hochberg says: "As a company that lives our values, it is especially meaningful to us to achieve the IS-BAH Stage III safety standard at Carlsbad Jet Center and Sonoma Jet Center mere days after our highly successful Green Fuel Day, which raised awareness of the availability of sustainable aviation fuel at Sonoma Jet Center."