Top row: OmniSafe managing director Mark Lilley, INAEC corporate services head Glenn Perez, maintenance head Jowe Dano and flight operations head Capt. Clark Carreon; Middle row: INAEC president Benjamin R. Lopez, flight safety officer Capt. Jonahs Liwag, GM Dexter Ampong and OmniSafe’s Cyndi Liang; Bottom row: INAEC North GM Capt. Gilbert Tabberrah, quality and safety head Cons Cano and quality and safety officer Ian AlvarezINAEC Aviation Corporation in January 2021 successfully achieved its Stage 2 certification for the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) following a rigorous audit of its aviation operations.

IS-BAO is a code of best aviation practices developed by the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) aimed at establishing systems and procedures to ensure professionalism, safety and excellence among business aircraft operators. INAEC remains the sole Philippine commercial aviation operator to have garnered this distinction.

The audit was conducted by OmniSafe International, an Australian company that specializes in safety risk management, auditing and other services for the international aviation community.

INAEC president Benjamin R. Lopez said: “This IS-BAO audit is a welcome opportunity because we understand the high stakes involved in aviation safety. Our commitment to safety translates to protecting the lives and property of our people and passengers. Especially during these times, this gains even greater urgency when the continued delivery of services by our clients is so essential to our nation’s recovery.

This IS-BAO Stage 2 certification is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our people and proves, without a doubt, that safety is indeed our passion.”

The IS-BAO Stage 2 certification requires meeting recognized standards to prove that safety management activities are appropriately targeted and that safety risks are effectively managed. A Stage 2 certification requires a thorough review of an operator’s safety management system (SMS), organization, training, flight operations, maintenance and emergency response processes, among others.

Notwithstanding the current COVID-19 pandemic, INAEC continued the Stage 2 certification process via remote audit as part of its continuing commitment to adopt, and meet, the highest standards of safety and excellence in its aviation operations. The remote audit was conducted in accordance with the procedures and guidelines set by IBAC in 2020.

Glenn Perez, INAEC’s head of corporate services, noted: “The conduct of the remote audit involved a monthlong preparation, from document review to audit proper. It was a positive experience as we demonstrated our systems and safety performance through a video conference platform. Personnel interviews, technical inspections and document reviews were successfully performed online.”

“The IS-BAO assists operators to reach safety standards based on a recommended code of best practices designed to help flight departments worldwide achieve high levels of safety and professionalism. The standard is accepted worldwide as the benchmark for safety and efficiency in business aircraft operations.

We are truly pleased with the outcome of our audit with INAEC. They exhibited both readiness and willingness in showing their ongoing commitment in implementing and progressing their safety risk management systems and processes,” said Mark Lilley, managing director of OmniSafe International.

INAEC earned its IS-BAO Stage 1 certification in 2019 after demonstrating that its SMS has been documented, approved, resourced and implemented at the time of audit. (Story/Photos by: Maila Banaag)

Maintenance head Jowe Dano conducts a virtual tour of the facilities, equipment and procedures to facilitate OmniSafe’s remote audit of INAEC’s operations