The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ASCF.aero), a non-profit organization which supports the highest safety standards for more than 320 business, charter and fractional operators in the aviation industry, today announced that four certificate holders owned and operated under the parent company Intermountain Health will participate in the ACSF’s Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP).
The Intermountain Health rotor wing companies include Classic Helicopter Group, LLC, in Woods Cross, Utah; Classic Aviation Services, LLC – dba Classic Air Medical, based in North Salt Lake, Utah; Classic Service Center, LLC – dba Helicopter Services of Utah, in Woods Cross, Utah, and IHC Health Services, Inc. dba Intermountain Life Flight, based in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Kent Johnson, director of operations for Intermountain Life Flight, expressed his enthusiasm for all four companies’ participation in the ASAP.
“Safety is the foundation of everything we do,” Johnson said. “We are thrilled to be part of this FAA safety program that aligns so seamlessly with our core values. It really speaks to our dedication to maintaining the highest safety standards for our patients, flight crews and the communities we serve.”.
The ASAP is a voluntary, self-reporting program that enables participating companies to identify and reduce possible flight safety concerns, as well as to mitigate risk. In cooperation with the FAA, the ACSF serves as a third-party manager of the ASAP for its members, including rotor wing operators, on-demand charter operators, fractional operators and corporate flight departments. The ACSF’s members represent more than 67 percent of all participating organizations in the ASAP program (including airlines).
Intermountain Health’s ASAP participation is a direct benefit of its membership in Helicopter Association International (HAI), an Alexandria, Virginia-based organization that provides support and safety-related services for the international helicopter community.
“As we enter this new chapter of collaboration with the Air Charter Safety Foundation and the FAA, we’re poised to learn from the invaluable insights and shared experiences of other industry leaders,” noted Kory Hale, director of operations for the Classic Helicopter Group, LLC (dba: Classic Air Medical). “Our participation in the ASAP program not only reinforces our commitment to operational transparency, but also underlines our continual drive to set new benchmarks in air medical transportation safety.”
ACSF’s President & CEO Bryan Burns is delighted that the ASAP is being extended to aviation organizations of all sizes and missions, including helicopter certificate holders. “There’s no doubt that these four organizations remain steadfast in their pursuit of excellence, and their decision to join the Aviation Safety Action Program signifies an unwavering dedication to fostering a safer and more secure air charter service for their clients, patients and partners,” Burns said.
To learn more about the Aviation Safety Action Program for HAI members, and/or to submit an interest form, visit rotor.org/resources/asap/. Or, visit acsf.aero/ASAP-program.
