Writer

Amy Wilder

Textron Aviation held its 2026 Flight Operations Safety Standdown on February 11, gathering more than 200 employees and industry partners to review safety protocols and operational lessons following more than 17,500 flight hours logged in 2025.
The agenda included safety updates on flight operations with an overview of air safety investigations, a status report on the company’s design and manufacturing safety management systems, and an interactive session on pilot mental focus. Additional topics covered the relationship between pilots and air traffic control, self-reflection and learning through reporting and safety data review, pre- and post-flight briefings, and crisis management.
The event brought together the company’s flight department, quality and air safety teams, the FAA, and other industry groups for a day focused on collaborative learning and safety reinforcement. Textron described the standdown as a pause to refocus on protecting every flight through reflection and shared learning that strengthens employee mindset and operational habits.
“The Standdown is an important day for our team to reflect on lessons learned and reinforce the importance of a safety mindset,” said Ron Draper, Textron Aviation president and CEO. “Safety is a collaborative effort that requires all of us to emphasize the importance of quality and working diligently to prevent avoidable incidents.”

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

Textron Aviation Standdown Addresses Pilot Mental Focus, Manufacturing SMS

FAA joined for a collaborative safety review

Textron Aviation’s Safety Standdown brought together flight operations staff, FAA officials, and industry partners to reinforce safety protocols and lessons learned.

Textron Standdown Drills Down on Pilot Performance, SMS

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Charlotte Bailey

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Feedback request informed by safety discussions held at October event

EBAA and IBAC Initiate Ground Handling and Ramp Survey

Matt Thurber

New developments and products in avionics, specifically about aircraft electronics in the cockpit.

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Dispute centers on ADS-B In equipage and alerting requirements

Stakeholders Express Support, Opposition to ALERT Act

Stuart “Kipp” Lau

Issues regarding financing of aircraft; aviation insurance; tax issues for aircraft operators; new companies and people in the aviation financing and insurance industries.

Operational incidents cost money and can be avoided

AINsight: Better Pilot Training Saves Money

AIN Staff

AIN 2026 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit, West—safety-focused roundtable sessions, insurance

Managing Risk at the Enterprise Level: A New Framework for Business Aviation

AIN 2026 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit, West—safety-focused roundtable sessions, generational differences

Bridging the Gap: Managing Generational Differences in Business Aviation

AIN 2026 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit, West – safety-focused roundtable sessions, compliance

Beyond Compliance: Rethinking Safety Culture in Business Aviation

Charles Alcock

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News about commercial airlines, including regulations, aircraft orders, safety, acquisitions, and mergers.

Pilot reported concern after flight from London to Bengaluru 

Air India Grounds a 787-8 After Fuel Switch Report

News and developments about aviation fuel, including jet fuel, aviation gasoline, and biofuel.

In this article

Textron Aviation

More In Safety