MONTREAL – May 18, 2020 – The International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) has extended to Europe the new International Standard for Business Aircraft Operators (IS-BAO) Progressive Stage 3 (PS3) programme and is pleased to announce the recent enrollment of Shell Aircraft LTD, the first in the region.

The Progressive Stage 3 option officially launched last year after the beta leadership team of operators designed and tested the programme over the last two years. The PS3 was built by operators, for operators, that are looking for a way to advance their Stage 3 safety system, share data, and take advantage of opportunities to mentor and share their best practices with others. One of the key benefits that comes with PS3 is the innovative one-day progressive auditing process that features a specific credentialed Progressive Auditor that is based in the operator’s region of the world. The audit is low impact and allows the operator to focus on relevant areas that might have more room for improvement.

As one the first companies ever to use aircraft for business flight operations, the Shell Aircraft LTD flight department’s roots can be traced back to 1927. The department consists of pilots, technicians, attendants, dispatch and line personnel. Shell became IS-BAO Stage 1 in 2004 and progressed to Stage 3 in 2007.

“We are so glad to see this new PS3 concept come together and excited about integrating it into our department,” commented Stan Medved, Director of Corporate Aviation for Shell Aircraft LTD. “We are delighted to be the first European based operator to enroll in the PS3. Sharing important safety data and spending more time with the progressive auditor will provide more learning opportunities on both sides, providing a more collaborative environment that will allow us to further strengthen our safety culture. Although the progressive audit is one-day annually, we do expect to invest more time with this PS3 programme, but it will be more quality time,” added Medved.

Kurt Edwards, IBAC Director General stated, “Stan and the entire Shell team have been outstanding role models for our industry and demonstrate their commitment to continuous improvement in everything they do. Stan currently serves as our IS-BAO Standards Board Chairman and we commend his leadership in the IS-BAO Programme as well as thank him and his team for being the first European operator to transition to the PS3 programme. We look forward to growing a truly global PS3 community and further enhancing business aviation safety.”

Shell Aircraft operates three Dassault Falcon 8X aircraft based in the Netherlands and they offset their emissions using high-quality carbon credits.

An informative PS3 webinar is available to view at https://ibac.org/is-bao/ps3. It provides more details about the programme, including input from representatives from the PS3 leadership team of operators and auditors. Contact the IS-BAO team for details on how to get started now at isbao@ibac.org.

Media contact: Marj Rose, IBAC Communications Consultant, comms@ibac.org

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-BAO™); International Standard for Business Aviation Handling (IS-BAH™); Safety Management Tool Kit; SMS eLearning training; and Aircrew Identification Card. www.ibac.org