Cockpit Smoke and Fire Events a Hot Topic at BASS 2026 | Aviation International News

Smoke and Fire Events a Hot Topic at BASS 2026

Training is needed to prepare pilots for these high-risk challenges

Lisa Sasse, David Wroth, Nate Klatt, Jim Zanino — (Left to right) Lisa Sasse, founder and chairman of FlightStart Solutions, moderated the BASS 2026 session on smoke and fire issues. Panelists included David Wroth, senior director, technology and operations at Underwriters Laboratories Standards and Engagement; Nate Klatt, CEO of Klatt Works; and Jim Zanino, head of sales for VisionSafe. © AIN/Matt Thurber

By Matt Thurber • Editor-in-Chief

May 15, 2026

During a session on smoke and fire issues at the 2026 Flight Safety Foundation Business Aviation Safety Summit (BASS), panelists highlighted concerns about the growing number of hazardous events and how pilots can mitigate hazards and land safely after the cockpit fills with smoke.

Coincidentally, a few days after the session (“Navigating Smoke, Fire, Fumes, and Lithium Battery Risks in Aviation”), the NTSB released three safety recommendations for realistic, scenario-based training to prepare pilots for smoke-in-cockpit emergencies.

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