Montreal – October 5, 2021 – The International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) have announced the selection of Andrew Karas as the new IS-BAO™ Programme Director. Andrew is replacing former director, Bennet Walsh, who recently became the safety and security director for Hawaiian Airlines. 

As a licensed Airline Transport Pilot, Certified Flight Instructor, and Unmanned Aircraft/Drone pilot, Andrew has over 20 years’ experience in the US Air Force and with business aviation operations. His significant aviation expertise includes flight training, standardization, compliance, and the managing and application of Safety Management Systems. He is type rated in Gulfstream V, Bombardier Global Express, King Air 200, and Lockheed C130 and has logged more than 4000 hours total flight time. Most recently, Andrew was a GV Captain for a Stage 3 IS-BAO-registered Part 91 and 135 operator in Florida where he was responsible for SMS administration and standard procedure adherence. He is a Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP) specializing in risk management, a graduate of Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree in Aviation, and he earned a master’s degree in International Relations from St. Mary’s University.

 “Andrew has an impressive background in military and civil aviation along with a strong commitment to safety, professionalism and teamwork, all important attributes for his new role,” commented IBAC Director General, Kurt Edwards. “We welcome Andrew aboard and look forward to working with him to expand the success of our IS-BAO programme around the world.”

Andrew Karas said, “I am honored to join IBAC and anxious to work with the IS-BAO team to support and discover more ways to cultivate this highly respected safety standards program. My experience in the business aviation community over the last several years has been very rewarding and I look forward to working with the global community of operators.” 

Andrew will join IBAC on 18 October, in time for the annual meeting of the IS-BAO Programme Standards Board the same week. 

IBAC first introduced the IS-BAO programme in 2002 and has enrolled more than a thousand operators since it all began. Recent additions to the internationally recognized programme include FlightPlan Stage 1, an all-inclusive rapid path to Stage 1 for small operators, and the Progressive Stage 3 option for operators with a mature SMS looking for more. For additional information about IS-BAO go to https://ibac.org/is-bao. Pease visit IBAC at NBAA-BACE 2021, October 12-14 in Las Vegas at booth #3966. 

About IBAC 

IBAC represents the interests of business aviation worldwide. IBAC is a non-profit, international trade association with official observer status at the International Civil Aviation Organization, the UN Specialized Agency for aviation matters, in Montreal, Canada. IBAC promotes and manages the industry-leading standards for best safety practices through its International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAOTM); International Standard for Business Aviation Handling (IS-BAHTM); Safety Management Tool Kit; SMS eLearning training; and Aircrew Identification Card. Recently introduced in partnership with CTX, the IBAC Carbon Credit Exchange provides the business aviation community a reliable resource for real-time offsetting to reduce its carbon footprint. www.ibac.org