As all of us in aviation know, much government, industry, and media time has been spent on the two Boeing 737 Max accidents that took the lives of 346 people in less than a five-month period between October 2018 and March 2019. In addition to so many lives lost, the accidents have called into question Boeing’s safety culture and whether the Federal Aviation Administration’s delegations of authority to manufacturers have limited its ability to perform effective oversight. At the same time, the accidents have shone a harsh light on pilot training in developing countries, with many aviation experts believing that notwithstanding the issues identified with the aircraft’s certification, better-trained pilots would have been able to save the aircraft from their fatal descents. Analyses of these accidents will continue for many months and years. The economic fallout on Boeing and the airlines whose fleets relied heavily on the 737 Max will also continue for months and even years, as will passenger impacts from delayed and canceled flights.
But while the 737 Max story continues to be written, other intractable aviation issues remain that also deserve focused attention by government and industry. For that reason, I was glad to see Canada’s recent Transportation Safety Board (TSB) special report on air-taxi safety issues. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada—officially the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board—is Canada’s equivalent of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board. Its mission—like our NTSB’s—is to conduct independent accident investigations and provide safety recommendations. Like the NTSB, it does not assign fault or determine liability for an accident.
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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