Quest Diagnostics, a US diagnostic information services company, has successfully completed an ACSF Industry Audit Standard Lite (IAS Lite) audit, guided by John Cox, founder and CEO of Aviation Safety Compliance. The achievement reflects Quest Diagnostics' commitment to excellence in flight safety management and achieving FAA Part 5 alignment through a structured, value-driven approach.

Quest Diagnostics maintains a private fleet of nearly 20 aircraft in the United States to transport patient specimens collected from physician offices and the company's approximately 2,000 patient service centres.

IAS Lite was developed by ACSF as a streamlined pathway to Part 5 compliance for operators seeking more than basic regulatory conformance. The IAS Lite audit is designed for organisations that want practical insight, meaningful improvement and a higher level of safety management. At the end of the audit, operators will benefit from a more robust SMS and be ready to submit notification of Part 5 compliance to the FAA.

“IAS Lite gives operators a clear, efficient way to identify gaps and improve their SMS with real operational value,” says John Cox, founder and CEO of Aviation Safety Compliance. “Quest Diagnostics approached this process with focus and transparency. Its team used the audit as a working tool to strengthen safety processes, not just to check a box.”

“Quest maintains one of healthcare's most extensive logistics networks in order to empower timely testing for the one in three American adults who use our lab services each year,” adds Bob Severini, vice president, logistics operations at Quest Diagnostics. “IAS Lite provided us with a practical framework for us to assess our Aviation Safety Compliance and identify areas to enhance in our commitment to continuous safety improvement.”

“Quest Diagnostics flight operations' commitment to safety as a core value is key to our operational integrity and overall customer satisfaction,” states Nicholas Pagerly, flight operations safety officer. “Completing the IAS Lite audit prior to submitting our letter of compliance to the FAA was an excellent way to affirm the validity of our present policies and procedures and identify areas that needed improvement.”

IAS Lite focuses on clarity, efficiency and actionable outcomes that operators can apply immediately. “IAS Lite reflects ACSF's mission to make safety programmes accessible, meaningful and effective,” John Cox goes on. “By offering a structured yet streamlined audit pathway, we help operators move forward with confidence toward stronger safety performance. Whether or not you're considering a safety audit, we're encouraging every operator to get started on their SMS compliance and not to wait for the deadline in May of 2027.”