The Medallion Foundation, Inc.: "aviation safety through systems enhancement.".

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"The mission of the Medallion Foundation is to reduce aviation accidents in Alaska by fostering a new safety culture and by promoting safety standards through research, education, auditing and advocacy."

As a nonprofit aviation safety organization, the foundation is a source of resources, training and support to the Alaska aviation community that is provided essentially without cost to members of the industry. Through its Five Star Safety Management System, a business-like approach to safety is taken that includes goal setting, as well as planning and measuring performance in specific areas of established safety procedure.

Participation in the Medallion program is voluntary. Because its standards far exceed those required by regulations, its guidelines and Five-Star Program have been enthusiastically endorsed by both the FAA and the insurance industry as a positive step for safety performance in the aviation industry in Alaska.

Aviation Safety is Not an Accident

Richard Harding is Senior Vice President for PenAir and is President of The Medallion Foundation. "All of the programs in the Medallion are designed for the new era, the new culture, and are essential for survival," Harding says, adding "the program also provides a basic foundation for transition from Part 135 to Part 121 operations."

"From a strictly business point of view," says Jerry Dennis, Executive Director, "aviation safety is very cost effective. Recently, Part 135/121 accidents have been down by 23 percent, and all aviation accidents have been reduced by 10 percent. Not long ago, most accidents were the result of mechanical failure. With the technological advancements in those operations, we are now directing our attention to concentration on human factors. This is why the Medallion Foundation's Five Star Program Shield is in such demand here. In fact, because of it, two insurance companies have started to offer policy reductions in Alaska."

The Medallion Five-Star Program

The focus of the Five-Star Program is on establishing and sustaining superior safety performance...