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.
Preaching the benefits of safety management systems (SMS) is easy. Convincing skeptics that the programs -- done right -- are worth their effort in time and money is another matter. Nothing speaks to fence-sitters and naysayers like real-world examples. Thanks to a new report out of the airport world, we have a fresh batch.
Maintenance human factors training requirements are coming to the Federal Aviation Regulations, and FAA is taking what some might consider an atypical approach to developing the new rules: It is busily preparing guidance and its own inspector workforce in advance of even a draft rule.
Back in February, this space featured primers on four publications, all of which are available for free on the Web, that could be useful to organizations building human factors or safety management systems (SMS) programs. It's time to fatten the bookshelf -- or at least add a few more files to your online library.
