Medallion Foundation


New Program Manager for Medallion Foundation Single Pilot Operator Safety Program Anchorage, AK (Feb.1, 2012)—Using the standards developed by its successful Star and Shield safety programs, the Alaska based Medallion Foundation is offering a single pilot Part 135 aviation safety program. “Medallion has developed a special safety program for Part 135 operations that is being run by a very experienced member of our team Doug Ankney,” said Dennis Ward, executive director of the Medallion Foundation. “This program will help an operator develop their own safety program by repackaging the Medallion Foundation’s Star and Shield safety standards.” Ankney, who recently joined the Medallion Foundation, is a 10,000 hour commercial pilot, Director of Operations and Chief Pilot of a Part 135 operation, Chief Flight Instructor for a Part 141 Flight School and possesses multi-engine and single engine ratings with experience as a glacier pilot here in Alaska. Medallion’s Single Pilot Operator program combines aspects of all five of individual Star programs: Safety Program, CFIT (Controlled Flight Into Terrain) Avoidance, Operational Control, Maintenance & Ground Service, and Internal Audit. Ankney will provide support to existing and new Part 135 single pilot operations using Medallion’s experience with its Star program guidelines and audit points to help an operator craft their safety program. “We are proud to announce the revitalization of this program and are glad to have such an experienced program manager to help Part 135 single pilot operators develop safe operating guidelines,” said Ward. The non-profit Medallion Foundation was formed in 2002 to reduce aviation accidents through the use of systems enhancements. Medallion is actively looking for interested Part 135 single pilot operators to join the SPO Program to enhance business and improve aviation safety statewide in Alaska. The Medallion Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit 501c3 organization that offers aviation safety programs and training seminars to improve aviation safety statewide. The Medallion Foundation is located at 5520 Lake Otis Parkway, Suite 104 and offers 15 Aviation Training Devices at various locations in Anchorage, Bethel, Fairbanks, Homer Juneau, Ketchikan, and Palmer Soldotna and at Lake Hood. For more information about the program contact Doug Ankney at 907-743-8050 or visit the Medallion Foundation website at: http://medallionfoundation.org/Single-PilotOperatorProgram.asp Medallion Foundation Program Credited for Reducing Aviation Accidents Fatal controlled flight into terrain (CFIT), accidents among commercial air carriers have been reduced 57 percent from 2000 to 2009, according to a newly released public health report. The Medallion Foundation’s CFIT program developed and used by its Star and Shield carriers was cited as a positive contributing factor to reducing crashes and saving lives. “This study found that after accounting for the type of flying, region of operations, and company size, companies with Medallion stars were more likely to have lower fatal crash rates than those without,” the report states. The reduction in CFIT related fatalities in Part 135 operation was the result of a multifaceted public health approach by using technology, providing education to pilots and consumers and by encouraging voluntary changes to improve safety within the aviation industry. The paper recently released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reports that the Alaska Internagency Aviation Safety Initiative a multi-disciplinary partnership of government and industry to focus on ways to improve commuter and air taxi flight safety. In the 1990s being an Alaskan pilot was listed as the most hazardous occupation in the U.S. Programs such as the Medallion Foundations CFIT have aided in the decrease in accidents. The non-profit Medallion Foundation was formed by the Alaska Air Carriers Association in 2001 and has over 40 voluntarily participating air carrier members. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Report on CFIT Accidents 2000-2009 http://asrs.arc.nasa.gov/publications/callback.html For more Medallion Foundation information go to: www.medallionfoundation.org Medallion Foundation contact: Dennis Ward, Executive Director (907) 743-8050