This is my last column for 2010, so I thought I would relate some impressions from my last couple months of travel.
Let’s start in Istanbul, Turkey, where I spoke at a conference hosted by Airports Council International Europe. Attitudes were upbeat, reflecting that region’s improving economy. Things also were upbeat in the safety arena, as several airport operators showed a real sense of responsibility and sophistication when it came to safety management systems.
St. Petersburg, Russia, was another great stop. I participated in an implementation meeting of the Global Aviation Safety Roadmap. Operators from across the Commonwealth of Independent States at that meeting accepted some challenging jobs, including requiring loss-of-control training and implementing a SAFA (safety assessment of foreign aircraft) ramp inspection program. These are difficult technical and political challenges, but the industry there is ready to step forward. The only worry is tha…
