You're Invited: CFBAA 2nd Annual Safety Standdown

From Good to Great: Advancing Safety in Small Flight Departments

The Central Florida Business Aviation Association (CFBAA) is proud to invite you to our 2nd Annual Safety Standdown, taking place at the CAE &  SimCom by CAE Training Center in Lake Nona, Florida.

Following the success of last year's inaugural event, we're bringing the business aviation community together once again for a full day of education, collaboration, and networking focused on one common goal, making aviation safer.

Whether you're a pilot, maintenance technician, scheduler, dispatcher, flight attendant, safety manager, student, or aviation professional with a passion for safety, this event is designed for you.

Conference Schedule

7:30 AM – 8:00 AM – Continental Breakfast & Networking

8:00 AM – 8:20 AM – Conference Kickoff

8:20 AM – 8:50 AM – CFBAA Welcome, Conference Preview & Housekeeping

8:50 AM – 9:50 AM –Safety that Fits: Building a Scalable SMS for your Flight Department.  

Presented by Jason Starke , Ph.D., President/CEO, Business Aviation Safety Consortium (BASC)

Whether you operate one aircraft or five, your Safety Management System should fit your operation. Learn how to build and customize a practical, scalable SMS that strengthens risk management and safety without unnecessary complexity—and can grow alongside your flight department.

9:50 AM – 10:30 AM – Networking Break & Vendor Expo
Break Sponsored by: Available

10:40 AM – 11:40 AM – When the Plan Becomes Real: An ERP Activation

Fireside Chat with David Donovan, Chief Pilot, Hop-A-Jet

No flight department ever wants to activate its Emergency Response Plan—but when an aircraft accident occurs, preparation becomes reality in an instant.

In this candid fireside chat, David Donovan will share his firsthand experience navigating the activation of Hop-A-Jet’s ERP following the tragic accident involving one of its aircraft in Naples, Florida. The conversation will explore the first critical hours, how their ERP helped guide the organization through an extraordinarily difficult and emotional situation, lessons learned, and why having a plan in place before you need it can make an immeasurable difference.

This real-world discussion will offer flight departments a unique perspective on ERP preparedness, not from a manual or checklist, but from someone who has lived it.

11:50 AM – 1:20 PM – Lunch & Vendor Expo.  
Lunch Sponsored by: Cuisiniers Corporate Aviation Catering

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM –Ready When It Matters: Building an Emergency Response Plan for the Small Flight Department.

Presented by Gina Shealy, Emergency Operations Director, Fireside Partners

Emergencies don’t scale based on the size of your flight department and preparedness shouldn’t either. Gina Shealy will share practical guidance for creating an Emergency Response Plan (ERP) that works for a small flight operation with limited personnel and resources. Learn how to identify critical roles, establish clear first-response actions, coordinate with company resources and outside partners, and regularly practice your plan so your team is ready to respond when it matters most.

2:30 PM – 3:15 PM – Refreshment Break & Vendor Expo
Refreshment Break Sponsored by: Available

3:25 PM – 4:25 PM – Leadership Perspectives on Advancing Safety, People, and Performance

Panelists:  Wesley Treco: Director of Aviation NASCAR,  Scott Harris: Lead Captain and Safety Officer L3Harris, Greg Kinsella: Director of Aviation Fliteways. 

What takes a small flight department from good to great? Join a panel of business aviation leaders as they share practical strategies for strengthening safety culture, developing and retaining top talent, and using quality training to drive operational excellence. Panelists will offer real-world perspectives on leadership, continuous improvement, and achieving exceptional safety performance with limited resources. 

4:25 PM – Closing Remarks

5:00 - 7:00 PM – Safety Standdown Wind-Down Happy Hour at Canvas, 13615 Sachs Ave, Orlando.

More Than a Conference

Throughout the day, attendees will have opportunities to:

• Visit vendor displays and network with aviation professionals

• Tour the CAE, SimCom by CAE training facility

• Connect with industry experts and fellow safety professionals

• Enjoy complimentary continental breakfast, lunch, and refreshments

• 🔥 Live Demonstrations: Aircare FACTS® Fire Trainer

  Experience emergency training beyond the classroom.

  The Aircare FACTS® Fire Trainer will be onsite throughout the CFBAA Safety Standdown for live demonstrations, giving attendees an up-close look at realistic inflight fire-response training.

  Designed to replicate a business aircraft cabin environment, the Fire Trainer can produce smoke and live fire in multiple locations, including a galley, lavatory, and cabin seating area. Aircare FACTS® training allows crewmembers to develop the skills and confidence needed to respond to an inflight fire using protective equipment and fire extinguishers in a realistic training environment.

  Aircare FACTS® specializes in human-factors-based safety, medical, emergency, and evacuation training for business aviation pilots and flight attendants.

Registration

• Current Undergraduate Students: FREE

• CFBAA Members: $20

• Non-Members: $40

Space is limited, so early registration is encouraged.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Show your organization's commitment to aviation safety while gaining valuable exposure to business aviation professionals throughout Central Florida.

$250 Supporting Sponsor

• Company logo featured on conference materials, signage, and event displays

$500 Exhibitor Sponsor

• All Supporting Sponsor benefits

• Exhibit table in the Vendor Expo area

$750 Break Sponsor

• All Exhibitor Sponsor benefits

• Recognition as the sponsor of one networking break with refreshments

$1,000 Premier Sponsor

• All Break Sponsor benefits

• Opportunity to welcome attendees with a brief introduction during the conference opening

Join Us

Safety is a shared responsibility, and the strongest safety cultures are built through continuous learning and collaboration. We hope you'll join us for the 2nd Annual CFBAA Safety Standdown as we bring together aviation professionals from across the region for an informative and engaging day dedicated to improving safety in our industry.

We look forward to seeing you this September at CAE / SimCom in Lake Nona!