Dan Boedigheimer honoured for aviation safety leadership as Bombardier Safety Standdown marks 30 years. The Advanced Aircrew Academy chief safety officer receives the 2026 award at a Wichita gathering focused on passing safety knowledge to the next generation of aviation professionals. Key takeaways. * Dan Boedigheimer received the 2026 Bombardier Safety Standdown Award for his longstanding contribution to aviation safety. * More than 400 aviation professionals gathered in Wichita for the programme's 30th anniversary. * The chief safety officer of Advanced Aircrew Academy has spent more than 30 years in aviation and aerospace. * The free November 10-12 seminar explored how safety knowledge and experience can be transferred across generations of aviation professionals. (NEWS) WICHITA, Kansas, United States, 2026-Nov-12 - /Travel PR News/ - Three decades after a group of Learjet pilots in Wichita began sharing lessons about flight safety, the initiative they founded is recognising a career built around helping aviation professionals learn from human error. Dan Boedigheimer, chief safety officer and founding partner of Advanced Aircrew Academy, has received the 2026 Bombardier Safety Standdown Award. Bombardier announced the award on November 12, as its annual safety education programme marked its 30th anniversary. The recognition was presented at a gala dinner associated with the three-day event, which brought more than 400 aviation professionals to Wichita, Kansas, according to the aircraft manufacturer. The award recognises sustained contributions to aviation safety rather than achievements in aircraft design or commercial performance. For business aviation operators, the work represented by this year's recipient spans pilot proficiency, training standards and the human decisions that underpin safe flight operations. From cockpit experience to safety education. Boedigheimer has worked in aviation and aerospace for more than 30 years. He spent nearly 18 years as chief executive of Advanced Aircrew Academy before moving into his current safety leadership role. Earlier positions included lead human factors instructor at Convergent Performance LLC and manager of aircraft standards and training at Flight Options. His professional biography also lists experience as a pilot examiner, check airman, instructor and flight standards manager. He holds an airline transport pilot certificate and has accumulated more than 5,000 flight hours in business jets. His academic qualifications include a master's degree in aviation safety and a doctorate in aerospace science. His research has explored how training can improve pilots' understanding of human error. Inspired by safety specialist Tony Kern and his work on error prevention, Boedigheimer undertook FAA-sponsored doctoral research. A paper based on that work appeared in Transportation Research Record in 2010, examining changes in knowledge and attitudes towards reducing pilot errors following a human factors training programme for corporate and commercial on-demand flight operations. Beyond his training work, Boedigheimer recently concluded his tenure as chair of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Safety Committee. He remains involved with the International Business Aviation Council's IS-BAO Standards Board, reviews academic work for the Embry-Riddle Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education and Research and serves on the Colorado Aviation Network board, Bombardier said. Chris Milligan, Bombardier's vice president of pre-owned aircraft services and flight operations, praised Boedigheimer's longstanding support for Safety Standdown and his contribution to professional standards throughout the industry. Boedigheimer, in turn, credited the programme's mentors and professional community with shaping his career, stressing the importance of going beyond minimum safety requirements. Preserving safety knowledge across generations. The anniversary edition took place from November 10 to 12 at the Hyatt Regency in Wichita. Under the theme Evolution Fueled by Legacy, the seminar examined how experience gained by established aviation professionals can inform the next generation of flight crews, maintenance specialists and operations staff. In its anniversary statement, NBAA highlighted the programme's origins in 1996 and its expansion beyond the manufacturer's own demonstration teams. The free event now welcomes professionals regardless of the aircraft they operate and offers online participation for those unable to travel to Kansas. The 2026 agenda also addressed workforce development, risk assessment and organisational safety practices. According to Aviation International News, workshops covered maintenance staffing pressures, preventing loss of control during post-maintenance flights and the role of artificial intelligence in leadership. As the programme reaches its fourth decade, the award highlights the importance of retaining and sharing practical safety expertise. For passengers and businesses relying on private and corporate aviation, that work takes place largely behind the scenes, in the training and operational practices designed to prevent errors before they become incidents. Further information about Bombardier's aviation activities is available on its corporate website. 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