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Chaired By Former Director of the Office of Accident Investigation for the FAA
Will Also Include Former FAA Administrator, NTSB Senior Investigator and Representatives of Leading Private Jet Operators
Board is Unique for the Private Aviation Industry
Norwell, MA, March 10, 2005 - Sentient Jet, the leading provider of private jet membership, today announced it has formed an independent safety advisory board that is unique in the private aviation industry. The Sentient Jet Safety Advisory Board will bring together a coalition of highly-regarded aviation industry experts focused on enhancing Sentient's already-strong safety practices and standards.
The five member Board will be chaired by Dave Thomas, former Director of the Office of Accident Investigation for the Federal Aviation Administration. Mr. Thomas has over 34 years of aviation experience involving all aspects of accident investigation and prevention, safety management, and aviation emergency planning. His career includes 14 years in senior management positions with the FAA and 13 years with the National Transportation Safety Board, where his experience included leadership of safety studies and accident prevention programs. Most recently, he was Director of Safety for an international insurance broker. Joining Mr. Thomas will be:
- Jane Garvey, the former Administrator of the FAA. Ms. Garvey is a member of the Sentient Board of Directors and is also executive vice president of APCO and chairman of the company's transportation consulting practice. Ms. Garvey was previously the first-ever FAA Administrator appointed by the President for a five-year term and was responsible for leading the nation's aviation system into the 21st century. Under her leadership, the FAA successfully established a risk management approach across the entire aviation community to improve safety and made aggressive strides to expand the capacity and capabilities of the air traffic control system.
- Larry Hecht, Chief Pilot for Flightworks, Inc., an Atlanta-based aircraft charter and management company which is rapidly expanding, having recently opened a facility outside of Washington, D.C. in Manassas, Virginia. Flightworks has a strong reputation for safety and customer service and is Wyvern-recommended and ARG/US Platinum rated.
- Andrew Richmond, President of TWC Aviation, Inc. TWC Aviation is a fast-growing leader in worldwide jet charter services and aircraft sales, management, and maintenance. Under Mr. Richmond's leadership, TWC has achieved both Wyvern-recommended and ARG/US gold rated status.
- Greg Phillips, a former lead investigator for the NTSB. With over 26 years in the aviation industry, Greg brings a wide range of experiences and expertise in aircraft safety. During his 16 years as an NTSB investigator, Greg participated in many major aviation investigations as an engineering specialist, U.S. Accredited Representative, and Investigator in Charge (IIC). In addition to his role on the advisory board, Greg will also serve as an expert advisor to Sentient to ensure successful implementation of all safety standards in daily operations.
The Board will report its recommendations directly to Sentient CEO Steven Hankin. "Safety is Sentient's absolute number one priority, which is why we wanted to take a unique approach in the private aviation industry by forming an independent safety advisory board," said Hankin. "We will look to this incredibly well-respected, highly experienced group of industry leaders for their expert perspective as we continually review and enhance Sentient's already-strong safety program."
"I am extremely pleased to be associated with a private aviation company that has the foresight to create an independent safety advisory board," said Dave Thomas. "Sentient already represents a strong standard for safety in private aviation by taking a rigorous approach that extends well beyond the strict FAA requirements for Part 135 operations. My goal as chairman is to provide proactive safety insights and recommendations that will help Sentient take every step possible to build on its safety program in the best interests of its members."
Sentient's current safety standards exceed the FAA Part 135 regulations that govern private jet travel in a host of categories, including total pilot time in a particular aircraft type and flight hours as a pilot in charge. Every flight for a Sentient member undergoes multiple, real-time safety evaluations using the TripCHEQ program. If an operator, crew or aircraft does not pass 100% of Sentient's safety requirements, that jet is not permitted to operate and Sentient will assign an alternate aircraft to complete the trip. Sentient will continue to work with ARG/US, the leading private authority on aviation safety, as part of its safety program. ARG/US conducts evaluations on every pilot, jet and operator within the Sentient network. Sentient will also continue to retain safety expert Wyvern Consulting to support its program. All Sentient operators currently undergo independent, comprehensive evaluations to insure compliance with Sentient's strict internal standards. This also includes on-site review by Sentient's expert field staff. Only a portion of all private jets approved for Part 135 operation have been certified to participate in Sentient's program.
"The Sentient model provides our members tremendous flexibility for private jet travel," Hankin continued. "Critical to our business are strong partnerships with top-tier jet operators. We have consistently worked to ensure safe operations in every aspect of our flights and we will continue to partner only with those operators who are committed to meeting our exacting safety standards."
About Sentient Jet
Sentient Jet, Inc., headquartered in Norwell, MA, is the leader in private jet membership. Members enjoy access to premium executive class aircraft with a guaranteed response time anywhere in the continental United States in ten hours or less. Sentient Jet Membership is a jet membership program of Sentient Jet, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sentient Jet Holdings, LLC. All flights are operated by FAR Part 135 air carriers ("Operators"), who shall maintain full Operational Control of charter flights at all times. Operators providing service for Sentient Jet Membership must meet both FAA safety requirements and additional standards established by Sentient Jet, Inc. Some flights will be operated by Sentient Flight Group, LLC or by one of the wholly-owned subsidiaries of Sentient Jet Holdings, LLC, each as an individual FAR Part 135 air carrier with full Operational Control of their respective charter flights and each operating in full compliance with all FAA requirements and Sentient Jet, Inc. standards. The Sentient Program is the flexible, safe, convenient and economically prudent approach to private jet travel. More information on Sentient is available at www.sentient.com
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