Sean Broderick covers aviation safety, MRO, and the hardware side of the airline business from Aviation Week Network's Washington, D.C. office.
Broderick's aviation career started in 1991, working for Airbus in Toulouse. His industry experience includes four years with an aviation consultancy, where he helped launch a U.S. Part 121 carrier; 12 years with the American Association of Airport Executives, where he served as editor of Airport Magazine; and 20 years in full- and part-time roles with Aviation Week writing primarily about safety and the aftermarket.
Broderick was named the 2020 Aerospace Journalist of the Year by the Aerospace Media Awards. He also shared in a 2020 Neal Award for Best News Coverage with Aviation Week Network colleagues. Broderick and Aviation Week colleague John Croft shared the 2015 Flight Safety International Cecil A. Brownlow Publication Award recognizing "significant contributions by journalists to aviation safety awareness."
He graduated from James Madison University with a B.S. in Communications ('91) and earned an M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communications ('13) from West Virginia University.
Maintenance providers are under-represented in FAA’s push to leverage safety-related data as part of risk oversight—a trend that the agency is willing to dedicate resources to change, says FAA Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety (AVS) Peggy Gilligan.
Inflight connectivity provider Gogo has added two approvals that clear the way for expansion of its intercontinental aircraft installations under deals with Delta Air Lines and Japan Airlines (JAL). The FAA has granted Gogo supplemental type certificates for installing its Ku-band satellite service on certain Boeing 777s and Airbus A330s. The 777 approval was accompanied by Japan Civil Aviation Bureau certification, clearing the way for Gogo to outfit JAL’s 18 777-200s. The carrier also has signed up for Gogo service on its domestic fleet.
An FAA-led review of the Boeing 787 design, certification and manufacturing process will speed the agency’s push to adapt its oversight to so-called manufacturer “risk-sharing” business models that place more than just financial risk with subcontractors. The review’s results, released in report form March 19, found that Boeing’s processes—while not perfect—are producing a safe and reliable aircraft. Review team members also confirmed that FAA’s production approval oversight focuses too much on the top level of the supply chain.
