November 14, 2019

Michael Ott Named 2019 Recipient of Prestigious Bombardier Safety Standdown Award

  • Captain Michael Ott of the Phoenix Air Group, Inc. has demonstrated exceptional safety leadership during a wide-ranging 35-year career
  • Influential award recognizes exceptional efforts to improve aviation safety throughout the industry
  • More than 450 aviation professionals attended the award presentation at the 23rd annual Bombardier Safety Standdown

Michael Ott has been named the 2019 winner of the prestigious Bombardier Safety Standdown Award, as selected by the Safety Standdown Advisory Council members. Captain Ott, who is Director of Government Contracting as well as lead international captain/instructor pilot for worldwide air ambulance provider Phoenix Air Group, Inc., accepted the award at the 23rd annual Bombardier Safety Standdown on November 13, 2019, during a gala awards dinner. The Safety Standdown award is presented annually to an aviation professional who has demonstrated exemplary dedication to improving aviation safety through the Safety Standdown principles of learn, apply and share. Nominations for the annual Safety Standdown Award were vetted by the Bombardier Safety Standdown Advisory Council members.

Michael Ott was nominated by Jeff Wofford for his outstanding leadership in aviation safety management over the course of a 35-plus year career. At the Phoenix Air Group, Inc., Michael served for more than a decade as a line captain on theLearjet 35/36, among other types, and was responsible for designing and implementing the company’s Safety Management System. Certified as an Airline Transport Pilot in both multi-engine airplanes and helicopters with four type ratings, the former Marine has accumulated more than 14,200 flight hours, half of these on international missions including challenging evacuation flights out of North Korea and out of West Africa during the Ebola crisis. He is a designated IS-BAO auditor, a member of the International Business Aviation Council’s IS-BAO standards board and the communications and events team lead for the NBAA Safety Committee.

“On behalf of Bombardier, I wish to congratulate Michael Ott for his great passion and his exemplary leadership in promoting aviation safety and professionalism in our industry,” said Andy Nureddin, Vice President, Customer Support, Bombardier Aviation. “With Safety Standdown, we’ve created a forum where aviation professionals can acquire up-to-date tools and information with which to elevate their standards and reduce aviation safety risks. The Safety Standdown Award furthers this endeavour by celebrating individuals who are role models in the field and have made a real difference day-to-day.”

Bombardier’s Safety Standdown is one of the most comprehensive safety conferences in the industry. This year’s 23rd annual event is taking place November 12-14 in Fort Worth, Texas, with the theme of “Elevate Your Standards,” prompting aviation professionals and organizations to establish new standards to put them on the path for a safer, more productive future. Attendance to the Safety Standdown is free to all aviation professionals as safety is a top commitment to the flying public. Next year’s event will be held in Wichita, Kansas.

About Safety Standdown
Originally conceived in 1996 as a human factors safety-training event for the Learjet flight demonstration team, the conference quickly garnered a reputation for excellence beyond Bombardier’s customer base. In 1999, in response to growing interest within the industry, Bombardier opened the seminar to all pilots. In 2010, Safety Standdown expanded beyond the seminars into a year-round global human factors program offering online resources. Since 1996, more than 10,000 corporate, commercial and military aviation professionals have attended Safety Standdown seminars around the world, live and through the webcast, including in Brazil, Canada, China, Mexico, Switzerland and the USA.

About Bombardier

With over 68,000 employees across four business segments, Bombardier is a global leader in the transportation industry, creating innovative and game-changing planes and trains. Our products and services provide world-class transportation experiences that set new standards in passenger comfort, energy efficiency, reliability and safety.

Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Bombardier has production and engineering sites in 28 countries across the segments of Transportation, Business Aircraft, Commercial Aircraft and Aerostructures and Engineering Services. Bombardier shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, Bombardier posted revenues of $16.2 billion US. The company is recognized on the 2019 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World Index. News and information are available at  bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter  @Bombardier.

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For Information

Matthew Nicholls
Bombardier Aviation
+ 1 514-243-8214
matthew.nicholls@aero.bombardier.com