Three weeks after welcoming the world for the Olympic Games, one of the world’s largest flight safety conferences lands in Vancouver on March 22, attracting more than 500 delegates to hear aviation safety experts from all over the world.

The CHC Safety and Quality Summit is a non-profit event dedicated entirely to flight safety that attracts aviation companies ranging from international airlines to small helicopter operators.

“The CHC Safety and Quality Summit started as an internal training event but our focus on safety resonates so well throughout this industry that others started asking to participate,” said Greg Wyght, VP of Safety and Quality for CHC Helicopter. “Safety is not a competitive issue – we welcome everyone.”

The summit, which tends to focus on the human factors that contribute to aviation safety, also appeals aircraft manufacturers who use the event to educate their pilots, engineers and others who help design safety into the operation of their aircraft. The speaking roster includes perspectives from people like astronaut Gene Cernan, the last man to walk on the moon, as well as authors and researchers who have helped define the science of aviation safety.

CHC Helicopter’s core business is transporting workers to offshore oil rigs, but the company also provides civilian search and rescue services in several countries, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia. “Our customers put a lot of faith and trust in the safety of our operation and we will not settle for anything less than perfection,” said Mr Wyght. “Safety is the core value of this company.”

CHC Helicopter’s subsidiary Heli-One, based at Boundary Bay Airport in Delta, BC, is one of the largest helicopter maintenance providers in the world and also subscribes to a total commitment to safety. “Safety is just as important in maintenance as it is in operations,” said Mr Wyght. “The two go hand-in-hand.”

CHC Helicopter is one of the largest helicopter services companies in the world, with a fleet of some 270 aircraft operating in 35 countries around the world. “Championing safety makes sense,” said Mr Wyght. “Our colleagues, our friends and our customers fly on our machines. We take this business very seriously.”