Carl Bennett, vice president of quality and safety for George J Priester Aviation, has been appointed to the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) board of governors. George J Priester is the parent company for US Part 135s Priester Aviation, Mayo Aviation and Hill Private Aviation, and Bennett brings with him more than 38 years of experience in Part 135 air operations, regulatory compliance and aviation safety leadership.

Throughout his career, Bennett has worked in close collaboration with key regulatory bodies including the FAA, TSA, DOT, ICAO, IATA and OSHA. He has led initiatives ranging from the development of comprehensive safety management systems to the oversight of emergency response and internal evaluation programmes. His strategic contributions have had a lasting impact on both domestic and international aviation operations.

“Carl is widely respected for his deep understanding of the regulatory landscape and his hands-on leadership in building safety-first cultures within Part 135 operations,” says Bryan Burns, president and CEO of ACSF. “We are honoured to welcome him to the board of governors and look forward to the valuable insight he will bring to advancing our mission of promoting safety and professionalism across the air charter industry.”

In addition to his leadership at George J Priester Aviation, Bennett is the founder of Transportation Resource Partners, a compliance consultancy specialising in complex regulatory matters. His work has helped reshape FAA guidance through his role on the Part 135 Aviation Rulemaking Committee and has opened new opportunities in specialised air transport markets, including radiopharmaceutical delivery.

His contributions to aviation safety were recognised in 2021 when he received the NBAA's Dr Tony Kern Professionalism in Aviation Award. He is also a certified private pilot.