This article was suggested to me via an email sent from a reader at a repair facility who read my June column in AIN, Pilots and Mechanics Must Communicate after Critical Maintenance. He thanked me for the link to the NTSB’s recent safety video about misrigged flight controls and indicated he had forwarded it to his manager for inclusion in the company’s training of mechanics.
Of course, I was glad to see that my article was helping to get the NTSB’s safety information to the hangar floor, at least at this particular organization. I thought it was a particularly powerful video because the pilots told a harrowing story of trying to control an aircraft whose controls were not responding as they should and because the mechanic who made the mistake spoke so openly about what occurred. But it got me thinking about the age-old problem of how to get training to the people who need it most when there is no training department. How do you get people to watch safety videos or even read safety bulletins? The NTSB and other organizations, certainly NBAA, AOPA and the FAA, have produced their share of excellent safety materials–many now in video and online format–but producing them and getting them seen are two different things. You can’t produce the information and just hope it will be seen.
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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