Connecticut Aviation Community Comes Together for CBAG’s Inaugural S.T.A.R.T. Safety Stand-Down
The Connecticut Business Aviation Group was proud to host the inaugural S.T.A.R.T. (Safety Trend Awareness & Risk Topics) Safety Stand-Down at the New England Air Museum, welcoming over 70 aviation professionals from across Connecticut and the Northeast for a full day dedicated to strengthening aviation safety.
Designed to foster collaboration, share knowledge, and promote continuous improvement, the event brought together pilots, maintenance professionals, safety managers, operators, and aviation stakeholders for engaging discussions around today’s most relevant safety challenges.
A Full Day Focused on Safety
The day began with networking over a light breakfast before opening remarks from CBAG President John Gabriel, setting the tone for a program built around practical safety insights and real-world experience.
“At CBAG, we strive to be educational, impactful and valuable to every role and profession in business aviation, and the same can be said about aviation safety – you have an impact no matter what role you work in. We all should strive to have a positive impact on aviation safety across all roles and this event is representative of this synergy. This event is designed to educate, demonstrate and collaborate so that you can help start the safety conversation in your world.” - John Gabriel, S.T.A.R.T. Opening Remarks
Throughout the morning and afternoon, attendees heard from a distinguished group of speakers representing a wide range of aviation safety expertise. Topics covered the full spectrum of aviation safety—from regulatory oversight and safety management systems to accident investigation, maintenance human factors, and operational risk assessment.
Patrick Moylan of West Star Aviation opened the educational sessions with a presentation on West Star’s “Safety 24/7” - a program improving ground safety and communication through Safety Management Systems (SMS), highlighting how large organizations implement structured safety programs to manage complex operational environments.
FAA representatives also played a key role in the day’s discussions. Daniel Lucia of the BDL FAA Safety Team provided an overview of FAASTeam programs, airworthiness initiatives, and presented great data and insights on drone operations in Connecticut. Next, retired FAA Aviation Safety Inspector Max Schmitter offered his unique experiences and lessons learned over the course of his career while providing valuable insight into how the FAA and NTSB coordinate during accident and incident investigations.
In the afternoon sessions, attendees explored the importance of human factors in aviation maintenance with FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector David Cardullo, who brought some key points on how effective communication is an essential part of the safety equation. He also brought emphasized how human performance considerations affect aircraft safety both on and off the flight line.
Risk assessment in dynamic flight operations was examined by Bombardier Senior Demonstration Captain David Strassburg, who shared lessons learned from OEM flight operations and the importance of structured risk mitigation. He outlined wonderful strategies for flight crews to assess risk, utilize all resources and manage the efforts of all crew members to maintain a safe operation. David also dove into important topics such as fatigue and sleep and how they contribute to flight crew performance.
Following Captain Strassburg with an insightful, engaging presentation was FAA accident investigator Melanie Folcik Barillaro, who presented on operational safety culture and lessons learned from accident investigations. She pointed to some notable, landmark business aviation accidents, the initial findings from her and her team as well as some insight on how to prevent future occurrences.
The day concluded with a panel discussion where presenters and attendees exchanged questions and perspectives on current safety trends impacting the aviation industry.
Thanks to the support of the Federal Aviation Administration, attendees were able to earn FAA WINGS and AMT credit for participating in the program. We are grateful to the FAA for their continued partnership in promoting aviation safety education and supporting initiatives like S.T.A.R.T. that bring the aviation community together.
CBAG would also like to extend a special thank you to Brittany Davies of the National Business Aviation Association for helping secure approval for attendees to earn Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) credit, further enhancing the professional development value of the event.
Collaboration Beyond the Classroom
In addition to the presentations, attendees had the opportunity to connect with safety-focused aviation vendors and colleagues throughout the day. A complimentary lunch provided time for continued discussion, networking, and engagement with sponsor exhibits.
The collaborative atmosphere was a highlight of the event, reinforcing the idea that aviation safety is strengthened when professionals from across the industry come together to share experiences and insights.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Events like S.T.A.R.T. would not be possible without the support of dedicated industry partners. CBAG extends a special thank you to our sponsors:
Their commitment to aviation safety and support of the business aviation community helped make this event a success.
A New Signature Event for Aviation Safety
The strong turnout and active participation throughout the day demonstrated the importance of continued safety dialogue within the aviation community. CBAG is grateful to the speakers, sponsors, and attendees who contributed to the success of this inaugural event.
S.T.A.R.T. was created with a simple mission: to bring the aviation community together to share knowledge, strengthen safety culture, and advance operational safety across business aviation.
Based on the engagement, collaboration, and enthusiasm shown throughout the day, CBAG looks forward to building on this momentum and continuing to grow S.T.A.R.T. as a signature aviation safety event for Connecticut and the broader Northeast aviation community. We look forward to doubling down on the success of this year’s event to create an even bigger, better S.T.A.R.T. in 2027!
