Like many of you who have spent your lives in aviation, looking at the devastating effects of Covid-19 on the industry, especially its workers, has been heart-wrenching for me. And if things do not improve soon, the worst fallout is yet to come as the government assistance that has kept many of our aviation workers employed runs out. Without another bailout, the layoffs from the largest airlines to the smallest mom 'n pop repair shops will be staggering, along with similar consequences at all the industries large and small that rely on aviation to generate their own revenues.
While some private flying has seen a resurgence—and that’s a wonderful thing—that resurgence in a limited part of the aviation industry is not enough to maintain an industry critical to large swaths of the population that cannot afford to fly privately. The airline industry needs to come back for all of aviation and the country to prosper again.
With more than 40 years experience in the aviation industry, The Honorable John Goglia, was the first and only Airframe and Powerplant mechanic to receive a presidential appointment to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). He served from August 1995 to June 2004.
As a Board Member, Mr. Goglia distinguished himself in numerous areas of transportation safety. In particular, he was instrumental in raising awareness of airport safety issues, including the importance of airport crash fire and rescue operations and the dangers of wildlife at airports. He played a key role in focusing international attention on the increasing significance of aircraft maintenance in aviation accidents. He pressed, successfully, for greater integration of civilian and military safety information, becoming a featured speaker at national aviation symposiums attended by military leaders and major defense contractors. He is a leading proponent of airplane child safety seats.
Prior to becoming a Board Member, Mr. Goglia held numerous positions in the airline industry. He started as a mechanic for United Airlines and eventually joined Allegheny, which became USAir. Additionally, he was involved for more than 20 years as a union flight safety representative on accident investigation teams. There, he developed a safety program for his union, the International Association of Machinists, and was its representative for NTSB investigations. For twelve years, he operated his own aircraft service company.
Numerous prestigious groups have recognized Mr. Goglia’s contributions to aviation safety. Aviation Week & Space Technology awarded him a coveted 2004 Laurel for his outstanding service as an NTSB Board member. The Society of Automotive Engineers presented him with the Aerospace Chair Award for outstanding leadership in 2003 and the Marvin Whitlock Award for outstanding management accomplishment in 2002.
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