Athens, Greece, March 15, 2006 — More than 220 aviation professionals from 37 countries gathered in Athens, Greece, this week for the 18th annual European Aviation Safety Seminar (EASS). Sponsored by the Flight Safety Foundation and the European Regions Airline Association, the seminar brought together numerous aviation safety experts to present papers and discuss the findings.
“We look forward to EASS each year as an opportunity to hear updates on various safety initiatives and programs that are being studied and implemented throughout Europe,” commented Stuart Matthews, President and CEO of the Flight Safety Foundation. “We have attendees from all over the world who will use this knowledge when they return home.”
The aviation safety community addressed the issue at this seminar that while there exists an impressive collection of safety tools for operators and regulators, without proper training and implementation, the efficacy of these tools is limited.
“The list of safety initiatives — both completed and ongoing — discussed at these seminars is impressive, and the Flight Safety Foundation is involved in nearly every single one,” Matthews stated. “But we must bring our message directly to the operators, and seminars like this are a vital first step in this process.”
In addition to the seminar presentations, Capt. Akrivos Tsolakis, chairman of the Hellenic Air Accident Investigation and Aviation Safety Board, was the featured speaker at the Newsmaker Breakfast for the media present at the seminar. His talk centered on the investigation process in Greece and the challenges faced in recent investigations.
The 19th annual European Aviation Safety Seminar is scheduled for Amsterdam, Netherlands, in March of 2007.
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Flight Safety Foundation is an independent, non-profit, international organization engaged in research, auditing, education, advocacy and publishing to improve aviation safety. The Foundation’s mission is to pursue the continuous improvement of global aviation safety and the prevention of accidents. www.flightsafetstg.wpenginepowered.com
Contact: Emily McGee, 1-703-739-6700, ext. 126; mcgee@webdeva.flightsafety.org
