VAI hosts US Aviation Safety Team at Virginia headquarters VAI hosted the US Aviation Safety Team (USAST) at its headquarters last week for a meeting of USAST members and VAI staff. The USAST uses safety management system techniques to address potential systemic safety issues identified through ASIAS (Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing), industry forums, or FAA data. VAI President and CEO François Lassale welcomed the group and spoke about the importance of working together across the aviation community to address safety challenges and emerging risks. Such collaboration is especially important as the National Airspace System (NAS) evolves. At VAI, we are actively working on issues ranging from airspace safety and NAS modernization to the safe integration of advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems, all while ensuring that helicopter and other existing operators can continue to conduct critical missions safely. Thank you, USAST members and participants who joined us Jul. 8 and for the work you do to advance aviation safety. Editor’s note: The USAST is not to be confused with the USHST, the US Helicopter Safety Team, an organization VAI has always strongly supported and continues to support. The USHST has very clearly defined goals and objectives directly linked to the reduction of accidents and incidents in various sectors of our industry. The USAST, meanwhile, is a newly formed team that sits as an oversight or support team to all other industry safety teams, including the USHST as well as the Commercial Aviation Safety Team, the General Aviation Joint Safety Committee, and the Drone Safety Team.
