Airbus senior accident investigator Seth Buttner drew from more than 600 accident investigations to illuminate the hard truths behind many preventable tragedies in the Day 2 keynote address at the 2025 VAI Air Tour Safety Conference. Beyond the Hangar: Day 2 of VAI Air Tour Safety Conference Drives Home Lessons in Vigilance, Transparency, Post-Accident Readiness Powerful firsthand accounts of incident response and preparation mark presentations, addresses. Las Vegas, Nevada, Oct. 22, 2025 – Day 2 of the second annual Vertical Aviation International (VAI) Air Tour Safety Conference in Las Vegas opened with a sense of purpose and reflection. After a recap of Day 1 from Mark Schlaefli, VAI 2024–25 chair and owner–operator of Dakota Rotors, Nicole Battjes outlined the day’s agenda. Battjes, VAI 2023 –24 VAI chair and CEO and director of operations for Rainbow Helicopters, explained how the second day’s focus would be squarely on real-world lessons, human factors, and the discipline required to prevent the next accident before it happens. The morning’s keynote, delivered by veteran accident investigator Seth Buttner, set a powerful tone. In his presentation, “If You Could See What I’ve Seen,” the Airbus senior accident investigator drew from more than 600 accident investigations to illuminate the hard truths behind many preventable tragedies. While human factors remain a consistent contributor to helicopter accidents, Buttner warned of an increasing number of system failures linked to maintenance practices. He reminded attendees that the smallest lapses can have catastrophic results. “I’d say just being patient, never being afraid to say no, and paying attention to detail,” Buttner said when asked how to overcome the problem. “Maintenance is an emerging area where there’s a lot of distraction—whether it’s what goes on in the hangar, the iPhone, or social media. Training is important. Helping bring the next generation of maintenance aviators with as much tenacity as pilots is very important. Go slow and pay attention to detail.” Following the keynote, J.C. “Murph” Murphy took the stage for a straight-talk session offering candid insights from his work with the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) following a fatal accident that his company, Safari Aviation, experienced in 2019 in which seven people were lost. He focused on how operators can better prepare for and respond to accident investigations while strengthening their organizational resilience. “I would say that honesty, integrity, and transparency—those are the things you want to open up about during an investigation,” Murphy said. “The initial reaction is to close ranks and clam up, but what you need to do is the opposite. Open up. The intent of the NTSB investigation is to find the root cause, not to assign blame.” That theme of preparation carried into the next session, led by Michael Benton, who shared best practices for on-scene helicopter accident investigations. Benton, president and CEO of VyClimb Consulting, drew from his extensive experience with major investigations and collaboration with the NTSB and the FAA emphasizing the importance of readiness and procedural familiarity. “Preparation is the key,” he said. “And then regular exercise of the process—so you know what that process looks like.” Later on in Day 2 of the conference, Battjes shared an operator’s perspective on post-accident communications and crisis leadership. Drawing on her own experience managing complex operations, Battjes urged operators to prioritize empathy, preparation, and support when dealing with affected families and staff. “The families deserve really good communication. And the operators deserve good support,” Battjes said. “Give yourself the time and preparation to have the support you need.” The discussion of emergency preparedness and communication continued with Donald Chupp, who brought a broader lens to crisis response. Reflecting on the past two years of high-profile incidents and demanding response operations, Chupp, president and CEO of Fireside Partners, urged operators to simplify and strengthen their emergency response plans (ERPs) to better align with their stated values. “Simplify your ERP,” he said. “If people are truly your No. 1 priority, then fortify and resource your ERP in that direction. You deserve it.” The conference concluded with the Air Tour Operators Panel, which brought the conference’s themes full circle. The operator-led discussion reflected on the most significant takeaways from the two-day event, underscoring the industry’s shared commitment to continuous improvement, collaboration, and proactive safety management. Panelists encouraged operators to begin implementing safety management system (SMS) practices well in advance of the upcoming FAA SMS mandate. The conversation throughout Day 2 made one thing clear: safety isn’t a static goal but an ongoing commitment that depends on culture, discipline, and communication at every level of operation. As the event drew to a close, VAI President and CEO François Lassale offered a reminder that resonated with everyone in the room. “Safety’s not a destination, safety is a discipline,” Lassale said. “We’re larger than the sum of our parts. It’s about people, it’s about family, and it’s about trust.” With that, attendees left not just with insights, but with renewed motivation to strengthen the foundation of safety across the air tour industry—one operation, one person, and one flight at a time.
