Air Charter Safety Foundation Announces New Chairman & Vice Chairman

ALEXANDRIA, VA. – The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) has selected David Hewitt, Executive Vice President, Safety of Wheels Up, as its new chairman, and Greg Kinsella, President and CEO of Key Air, as its new vice chairman, effective July 1, 2014. Hewitt succeeds Jeff Baum, President and CEO of Wisconsin Aviation, Inc. in Madison, Watertown and Juneau, Wisconsin, whose term expired June 30.

Hewitt is a founding member of the ACSF, and participated in the development of the ACSF Industry Audit Standard. He most recently served as the ACSF Vice-Chairman and Board of Governors since the foundation’s inception.

Hewitt is the Executive Vice President, Safety of Wheels Up, the revolutionary membership-based private aviation company, launched in August 2013, that reduces the upfront investment needed to fly privately and provides its members the first total private aviation solution. Hewitt has held various positions within NetJets spanning a 13-year career. He has also been an FAA Aviation Safety Inspector at the Cincinnati Flight Standards District Office and a chief pilot/check airman/instructor for an on-demand charter operator in the Midwest.

Kinsella joined Key Air, a national aircraft management and global charter service provider in January 2012. Prior to his appointment to President and CEO, he held the position of Vice President Business Development, where he was instrumental in the expansion of Key Air’s managed aircraft fleet.

A 20-year industry veteran, Kinsella has held key positions at major airframe and engine manufacturers (including British Aerospace/BAe Systems, Saab Aircraft and Rolls-Royce), global financial institutions and business aviation operations.

Previous to joining Key Air, Kinsella held the position of Chief Operating Officer for a national aircraft management company, where he was successful in expanding the business.

The vision of ACSF is to enable on-demand charter providers and fractional program managers to achieve the highest levels of safety in the aviation industry. This goal is achieved through the promotion of risk management programs, adoption of one common industry audit standard, through the dissemination of safety information, and the creation of additional programs that advance the goals of the foundation.

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