WEST CHICAGO, Ill. — NationAir Aviation Insurance has added in-house IS-BAO audits to its range of client services.
“Safety management systems are becoming increasingly important not only to the underwriting community as they assess risk, but also to our clients, who are paying increasing attention to safety programs and cultures,” said NationAir President Jeffrey Bauer said. “By extension, IS-BAO is gaining in significance for those with international itineraries and operations.”
NationAir’s Tom Surgalski, who also serves as NationAir’s claims advisor, is now an accredited IS-BAO auditor. Surgalski, part of NationAir since 2002, is a commercial pilot with more than 6,000 hours. He has worked as a charter pilot and corporate flight department manager. He is a CFI, holds an Air Traffic Control certificate and also serves as chairman of the Zelienople Airport Authority outside of Pittsburgh.
Among the new services NationAir will offer are:
- Stage I, II and III IS-BAO audits
- Gap audits
- General consulting on IS-BAO standards and SMS
“As the international standard for flight safety, IS-BAO is on its way to becoming a significant part of both flight safety culture and a favored program with major underwriters,” Bauer said.
While IS-BAO is a voluntary standard, companies that operate internationally must prepare for the time when countries require SMS plans or IS-BAO registration, he added.
Interest in IS-BAO continues to rise with U.S.-based aviation entities. Currently, the International Business Aviation Council lists 478 U.S. companies as registered IS-BAO operators. Sales of the official IS-BAO program from the IBAC have risen dramatically in the last six years, from 60 sold to NBAA members in 2006 to 400 in 2010, according to IBAC reports.
For more information: NationAir.com
