A Little About John Cox

For the last 15 years, John Cox has been the aviation analyst for NBC, MSNBC, CNBC and the Weather Channel. He regularly appears in the news media worldwide regarding aviation safety, and is a regular contributor to the television show “Air Disasters”. John wrote the column “Ask the Captain” for USA Today’s website until 2022.

John is a 53-year aviation veteran with experience as a corporate pilot, commercial airline pilot, and test pilot, as well as instructor pilot and aviation safety professional. He has played a key role in introducing Safety Management Systems in the aviation, gas and electrical utilities industries, and the media since the 1990s.

 

Following his retirement in 2005 from US Airways, after a 25-year career logging 14,000 flying hours, he founded Safety Operating Systems and became a safety auditor for the International Business Aircraft Council. He is the co-founder of Aviation Safety Compliance, LLC.

and CEO of Safety Operating Systems. Over the years, SOS has become a leading aviation consulting firm. Clients worldwide include a wide range of industries, from airlines and business flight operations, to legal firms and manufacturers, as well as public utilities and government regulators.

 

John holds a Masters in Business Administration from Daniel Webster College and is a graduate of the University of Southern California’s Aviation Safety Program. Since 2006 he has been an instructor in Aviation Safety and Safety Management Systems at the University of Southern California.

 

Capt. Cox is also a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and a member of their Flight Operations Group, a Liveryman in the Honorable Company of Air Pilots, a Certified Registered Safety Professional and a member of the International Society of Air Safety Investigators.

 

John's awards include:

 

John K. Lauber Safety Award from the University Aviation Association

FAA Wright Brother Master Pilot Award

Edward R. Murrow Award

Flight Safety Foundation’s Laura Taber Barbour Award

The Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators’ Sir James Martin Award

The ALPA Air Safety Award

US Airways Air Safety Award

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Programs

Expectations of Safety – Aviation’s Journey

From 1783 to today, aviation has experienced a remarkable journey. That journey began with daredevils defying gravity, losing their lives frequently, and now having the safest form of transportation ever created by humankind. How did we do it? This presentation highlights critical times, essential elements, and key successes along that journey. Underlying is the continual increase in society’s expectation that aviation will be safer. No matter how safe we are today, it is expected that we will have to be safer tomorrow and the day after that. How do we do it?
Length: 30 minutes to 1 hour
 

Does Aviation Hold the Key to Safer Industries?

Aviation’s safety record is nothing short of remarkable. What can other “High Consequence” industries learn from aviation? Can other “Error Intolerant” industries, where an error can have serious or catastrophic consequences? Are the tools of risk assessment and management universal? Looking at the last 50 years of aviation, in which the presenter has been a part, viewing the successes and failures, powerful lessons emerge. Those lessons can and should be applied in other safety-critical industries. Society constantly demands the improvement of safety for all industries. How do we meet that demand? There is a way.                                                                                  
Length: 45 minutes – 1 hour
 

High-Performance Planes Need High-Performance Pilots

Increasingly, general aviation is seeing more high-performance airplanes in the fleet. Are the pilots of these high-performance machines ready for the new environment in which they fly? Do they understand the critical skills to fly high-performance airplanes in inclement weather? The presenter is a pilot with 54 years in aviation and 10,000+ hours in command of jet airliners in all types of weather. Learn the lessons to keep your flight safe.                                                                         
Length: 45- minutes to 90 minutes

Recognizing Bias Before It Blindly Leads to an Accident
Cognitive bias can be insidious. Failing to recognize and properly respond to a bias can result in an accident. The presentation shows some examples of bias and how to recognize it before it results in tragedy—using actual examples of accidents with a focus on how one or more biases resulted in catastrophic accidents. The lessons learned and tools for the audience to take away to avoid the same mistakes. The presenter is a veteran accident investigator who collaborated with human factors experts to assemble this presentation for aviation and other high-consequence industries.
Length: 30-45 minutes

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