I’ve been thinking about writing this article for several months, ever since we invited a special agent from the Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General to speak to our students at Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology about the role of his office. One of the courses I co-teach at Vaughn College is aviation safety, and the OIG has a little-known but critical role in the aviation safety equation: investigating and helping U.S. Attorneys prosecute criminals whose conduct can affect air safety. Among its functions, the OIG investigates aviation crimes and works with the FBI and other federal, state, and local law enforcement to prosecute those crimes. According to the OIG’s website, one of its roles is “conducting criminal, civil, and administrative investigations of fraud and a variety of other allegations affecting DOT, its operating administrations, programs, and grantees [grant funds].” Among its top priorities are crimes affecting public safety.
The students who heard the outstanding presentation that day were surprised at the number of criminal statutes that apply to aviation, but more than anything, they—and even some of the faculty—were shocked by the types of crimes committed by people who should have been trustworthy aviation professionals, some of which occurred in their own local area. Their reaction got me thinking that maybe others are not aware of the criminal statutes that apply to some aspects of aviation or of the criminal element that lurks among us. And if we’re not aware of these criminal statutes, we may unwittingly get ourselves in more trouble than we anticipate. And if we’re not aware of the criminal element, perhaps we’re not doing enough to protect ourselves from them, when possible.
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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