Gary Braman,
Systems Safety Manager,
Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation

Mr. Braman is a System Safety Engineer with Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation in Huntsville, AL. He is a retired Master Army Aviator with over 25 years in the aviation and safety professions. While on active duty, he served in varying positions of responsibility as an Aviation Safety officer, from the flight detachment level through the Department of the Army level including six years at the United States Army Safety Center (USASC). While at the USASC, he served as a US Army Accident Investigator and as a Primary Instructor for the US Army Aviation Safety Officer Course. He has a Master of Aeronautical Science (MAS) Degree in Aviation/Aerospace Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) and a Master of Science (MS) Degree in Industrial Engineering Technology and Safety Management from Texas A&M University. Mr. Braman is a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) and holds certifications in hazard control management; environmental auditing in health and safety; and environmental, safety, and health management. He is an Assistant Adjunct Professor for ERAU in Huntsville, AL certified to teach all safety-related course including graduate- and undergraduate-level accident investigation, human factors, and system safety. Mr. Braman is active in various professional organizations including the International Society of Air Safety Investigators (ISASI), the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), and the System Safety Society.

Fred Brisbois,
Director of Aviation and Product Safety,
Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation

Fred Brisbois is the Director for Aviation and Product Safety for Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation located in Stratford, CT. He is responsible for system safety engineering, fleet support of product safety issues, accident investigations, the Flight Safety Parts Program and safety oversight of flight operations at all Sikorsky and supplier facilities. Fred is also Co-Chair of the Safety Implementation Team for the International Helicopter Safety Team. His education includes a Master of Science in Management from Rensselaer’s Hartford Graduate Center and a Bachelor of Professional Aeronautics with a concentration in Aviation Safety Technology (Summa Cum Laude) from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Helicopter Pilot’s course, Advanced and Senior Warrant Officer Career Courses and the University Of Southern California’s Safety Officer Course. Fred became involved in safety as a helicopter pilot in an air cavalry combat unit while serving in Vietnam. His Army career spanned twenty-five years, split between active duty and the Army National Guard. Throughout his Army career, he served as an Aviation Safety Officer from Detachment through Division levels. After leaving active duty, Fred was a Senior System Safety Engineer on the Peacekeeper (MX) nuclear missile program for Martin Marietta responsible for Fault Tree Analyses and System Interface Analyses. He has been with Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation for twenty four years serving in increasing levels of program, system and operational safety responsibilities.

Joan Devine,
Safety Culture Manager,
FAA Air Traffic Organization

Joan Devine leads safety culture activities for the FAA Air Traffic Organization. Her group recently published a Safety Culture Improvement Resource Guide for the multi-agency group charged with planning the next generation air transportation system in the U.S. She is also co-lead of the Civil Air Navigation Service Organization Safety Culture Working Group, which is developing tools for Air Traffic service providers around the globe to improve safety culture. She joined the FAA in 1997, where she has led several user teams in independent assessments of new systems being deployed for air traffic control. These assessments evaluate the safety and operational readiness of the systems and are used by FAA management for national deployment decisions. She holds a Master Degree in Mathematics from Villanova University.

Rhett Flater,
Executive Director,
American Helicopter Society (AHS) and Secretariat, International Helicopter Safety Team

Jim Linney,
Program Manager,
Central Service Area, Surveillance Broadcast Services, FAA

Jim Linney is the Program Manager for the Central Service Area under the FAA's Surveillance and Broadcast Services (SBS) Office. He is responsible for overall management of the design, integration and acceptance of the Automatic Dependent Surveillance services within the Central Service Area as well as supporting the Director of SBS in the National program, policy and contract management. Mr. Linney has been working in the arena of Air Traffic Control (ATC) technology since 1990. He has managed development, testing, deployment, and maintenance of various Military and FAA surveillance and automation systems. Prior to his current position, Mr. Linney was an FAA Division Manager responsible for modernization, enhancement, and operational performance of Terminal Automation systems at over 450 Terminal facilities.

Colonel Pete Mapes,
USAF, MC, CFS;
Office of the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Readiness; Readiness Programming and Assessment

Col. Mapes is assigned as the Pilot Physician, Readiness Programming and Assessment, in the office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness at The Pentagon in Washington, D.C.  His portfolio includes the epidemiological study of military mishaps and the development of targeted interventions to reduce mishaps, save lives and preserve equipment.  Col Mapes serves as a member of the Aviation Safety Technology Working Group of the Acquisition & Technology Programs Task Force (A&TPTF).  He also serves with the Human Systems Integration Task Force (HSITF).  The A&TPTF and the HSITF are two of nine Task Forces supporting the Defense Safety Oversight Council.

Col Mapes developed the methodology, which made the business case for Automatic Collision Avoidance Technology (ACAT).  He teamed with the Aviation Safety Technology Working Group to produce the formal business case report which brought the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System back as a funded program and targeted it to fighter aircraft.  He also superintended a twenty-one year analysis of all DoD rotary wing mishaps and developed targeted interventions designed to preserve lives and equipment. Col Mapes vision for safety throughout DoD includes Joint oversight of Service mishap data collection, Joint analysis of systems common to more than one Service in DoD and the inclusion of safety analysis and human system integration in the acquisition process – including the development and funding of requirements based on safety experience.

Col Mapes is both a Command Pilot and a Chief Flight Surgeon.  He has logged over 10,500 hours as a pilot and nearly 1,000 hours as a flight surgeon.  He was awarded his Air Force pilot wings at Craig AFB in July of 1977 and was an Outstanding Graduate from B-52 Combat Crew Training School.  In 1981 he was the Junior Officer of the Year in the 379th Bombardment Wing and he was a distinguished graduate from Squadron Officer School.  He graduated from the Uniformed Services University, F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine in 1986 and completed a Transitional Internship at Andrews AFB.  He served as Chief of Flight Medicine and Chief of Aeromedical Services at the base level from 1987 to 1990 after which he was accepted into the Pilot Physician Program.  As a Pilot Physician he continued to serve in B-52s and was awarded the Mackay Trophy in 1994 with the rest of his B-52 crew E-21 for the outstanding military flight of the year and the Malcolm Grow Award as the Air Force Flight Surgeon of the Year.  He completed a Master of Public Health Degree in 1995 and residencies in both Aerospace and Occupational Medicine in 1996 and 1997 respectively, passing boards in each.  He has served as a Squadron Commander in Air Combat Command, Operations Staff Branch Chief and instructor pilot at Air Education and Training Command and researcher both at the European Office of Aerospace Research and Development and the Air Force Research Laboratory.  He is a Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association and received both the Harry C. Moseley Award for 'significant contribution to flight safety' in 2006 and the Kent Gillingham Award for ‘significant contributions in the fields of spatial disorientation and situational awareness related to flight’ in 2008.

Col Mapes has completed both Air Command and Staff College and Air War College by correspondence.  He is married to Colonel Nona Irene Mapes, USAFR and they have three children.  The Mapes family hails from Oscoda, Michigan.

Corporal Dan Megna,
Lead Instructor Pilot,
San Diego County Sheriff’s Aerial Support Detail (ASTREA)

In 29 years with the San Diego Sheriff’s Department, (SDSD), Dan Megna has worked a number of assignments, including detentions, patrol and swat. For the past eighteen years he has been assigned to the department’s air support division. He spent three years as a tactical officer, and in 1993, became a commercial pilot for the unit, flying MD500 series helicopters on law enforcement and search and rescue missions.

A tragic helicopter crash in 1997 was the catalyst for sweeping change for SDSD Aviation. The resulting dynamics within the unit thrust Dan into assuming the role of instructor pilot. He became responsible for implementing new programs and procedures to address many operational shortcomings identified as a result of the crash. One such program was the SDSD’s use of Night Vision Goggles (NVG). 

In the wake of the 2003 Southern California firestorms, SDSD partnered with the state fire agency, Cal Fire, to create a dedicated firefighting program for the county. Along with three other pilots, Dan was selected to help create and launch the new program. For the next three years, he flew the department’s newly acquired Bell 205s on wild land firefighting and SAR missions while continuing to oversee much of the unit’s flight training needs.

While the new firefighting program was an overwhelming success, there were growing pains in other areas of SDSD’s operation. It became apparent the law enforcement pilot training was becoming less consistent. With several new pilots in the program and operating a mixed fleet of four models of helicopters, a shift in priorities had to occur. In 2008, Dan was given an opportunity to step away from the fire program and dedicate his attention towards the mounting training issues facing the unit.

Today, Dan’s primary assignment is lead instructor pilot for the unit’s fourteen helicopter pilots. He has logged over 5500 hours in helicopters as pilot in command, with 1000 hours on NVGs and nearly 600 hours conducting primary, recurrent and advanced helicopter and NVG instruction.

Huan H. Nguyen,
Director, Safety Management System,
FAA Air Traffic Organization

Mr. Huan H. Nguyen is the Director of the Office of Safety Management System (SMS) in the Air Traffic Organization (ATO) Office of Safety with the Federal Aviation Administration. He is responsible for leading the implementation and execution of the SMS and managing the safety risk management processes within the ATO.  He is also accountable for the operational readiness and safety assessment of designated National Air Space systems prior to their operational deployment

His previous experience in the FAA includes serving as Deputy Director and Program Manager in the Office of Independent Operational Test & Evaluation, Deputy Program Manager for Weather and Flight Services, and Project Manager for Advanced Weather Processing Systems.

Prior to joining the FAA, he served in various acquisition management and system engineering positions with the Naval Sea Systems Command of the Department of the Navy. 

He received his undergraduate degrees from the George Washington University and George Mason University, and his master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Johns Hopkins University.  He is also a graduate of the Federal Executive Institute and the Defense Systems Management College.