President's Bio

Summary/Background

Bob Baron, Ph.D
President/CEO
The Aviation Consulting Group

Dr. Bob Baron is the President and CEO of The Aviation Consulting Group (TACG). He learned how to fly in 1988 at Long Island's Islip MacArthur Airport and realized that aviation was his career calling. He quickly earned his flight ratings to become a Commercial pilot and Certified Flight Instructor for Airplane Single and Multi-Engine Land and Instrument. In 1989 he started a flight school and air charter company called BaronAire which was based at Brookhaven Airport in Shirley, New York. Due to challenging economic times he decided to cease operations of BaronAire in 1992. During the BaronAire tenure he built considerable flight time by flying charters and flight instructing. He also earned his ATP Rating for Airplane Multi-Engine Land.

In 1992 Dr. Baron decided to move to Fort Lauderdale, Florida since "the weather was fantastic and there was tons of aviation there." Upon arriving in Fort Lauderdale he immediately began working as a freelance flight instructor. In 1996 he decided to invest in type ratings for Learjets (LR-JET series) and Citations (CE-500 series). Once typed in the Citation he was hired as a First Officer on a brand new Citation 560 Ultra for a Part 135 operator. In 1998, just after upgrading to Learjet Captain, he decided to become a professional contract pilot and flew various model Learjets for both Part 135 and Part 91 operators (some contract flying in the Citation as well). In 1999, as he continued to fly as a contract pilot, he was hired to teach the Lear 35A as a simulator, flight, and ground instructor at a major Part 142 training academy. He was also hired as a company check airman in the Lear 20/30 series for a Part 135 operator in Fort Lauderdale. In 2000 he launched TACG, an aviation safety training and consulting firm with worldwide clientele. He continued to work as a safety consultant and fly Lears and Citations out of the Fort Lauderdale area until 2006. At that point Dr. Baron decided he wanted to pursue his aviation safety consulting career with full-time dedication.

Today, TACG is a respected global leader in aviation safety training and consulting with offices in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA. TACG works with domestic and international airlines, business and corporate aviation operators, Part 135 charter operators, MROs, flight schools, airports, manufacturers, CAAs/Regulators, and more.

Areas of Specialization

Safety Management Systems
State Safety Programs
Safety Culture
Organizational Factors
Safety Audits
Safety Investigation
Human Factors
Line Operations Safety Audit
Crew Resource Management
Crew Performance
Training Methods
Training Course Development
Research Methods
Corporate/Business Aviation Operations
Part 135 Operations

Education

Ph.D- Industrial/Organizational Psychology (Dissertation topic: Measuring Safety Climate at an Aircraft Maintenance Facility: Can Training Change Attitudes?)
M.S. Degree- Aeronautical Science (Dual specializations in Aviation/Aerospace Safety Systems and Human Factors in Aviation Systems). (Graduate Research Project: Drinking and Flying: The Effects of Blood Alcohol Levels on a Pilot's Cognitive and Motor Functioning Skills)
B.S. Degree- Professional Aeronautics (Minor in Aviation Safety)

Professional Speaker

Dr. Baron is a recognized speaker on aviation safety issues, and on a recurring basis he is requested to make aviation safety presentations at various venues worldwide. These venues include safety conferences, symposia, safety events, and much more.

Dr.Bob Baron at NASA's Annual Safety Conference

Presenting on Human Factors at NASA Safety Conference

Dr.Bob Baron at South Carolina Aviation Association Conference
Presenting on SMS at South Carolina Aviation Association Conference

Dr.Bob Baron at AIB Aviation Safety Conference, Lagos, Nigeria
Presenting on Human Factors at Nigeria Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) Safety Conference

Presenting on Human Factors at Ground Handling International Conference

University Professor

Dr. Baron was an adjunct assistant professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University from 2009-2012. He taught the Graduate Capstone Project and Research Methods for Aviation/Aerospace courses. He was also a full-time faculty member at Everglades University from 2004-2011, where he taught Safety Management and Human Factors courses at the Graduate and Undergraduate levels.

In addition to teaching, he was also an online course developer, served on thesis committees, and was highly instrumental in the development of EU's Graduate Aviation Degree program in 2004/2005.

Editorial Consultant

FAA International Journal of Applied Aviation Studies (IJAAS) (no longer in publication)
Journal of Airport Management (JAM)
Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education and Research (JAAER)

Aviation Safety Expert Witness

Dr. Baron provides expert witness services to law firms throughout the United States. Available on behalf of Plaintiff or Defendant, Dr. Baron provides case analyses, consulting, depositions, and trial testimony. Dr. Baron is known for taking complex safety issues and making them easy to understand to a jury.

Flight Ratings and Licenses

Airline Transport Pilot: Airplane Multiengine Land (CE-500, LR-JET)
Flight Engineer: Turbojet (B-727)
Commercial Privileges: Airplane Single Engine Land
Ground Instructor: AGI, IGI

International Aviation Safety Consultant

Dr. Baron consults with, and provides training to, hundreds of aviation organizations on a worldwide basis. Projects range from short workshops all the way up to, and including, full safety program implementation at some of the largest airlines and aircraft manufacturers in the world. He also works with civil aviation authorities and accident investigation bureaus to improve safety at the very highest levels of the aviation system.

Project Examples

Dr. Baron worked with a Caribbean airline (400+ employees) as its primary safety instructor and consultant for a continuous four year period. He was responsible for teaching CRM courses to the airline's pilots and flight attendants as well as human factors courses to its maintenance engineers.
Dr. Baron developed and implemented Cessna Aircraft's human factors training program for 2300+ employees. This was a six month project that was conducted on a highly collaborative basis with Cessna safety personnel. The consulting engagement included development of customized training media, train-the-trainer courses, and assessment methods. He received excellent feedback on this major project and Cessna Aircraft has been cited as having a world class human factors training program for its employees (cited in Aviation Maintenance Magazine, January 2009).
Dr. Baron and his team are providing high-level training and consulting to Civil Aviation Authorities on a global basis. Training and consulting includes SSP development, inspector training, and SSP gap analyses, IASA pre-audits and consulting, and USOAP pre-audits and consulting.

Professional Affiliations

Featured AeroSafety World Articles

By TACG President Dr. Robert Baron

Cockpit Discipline

The Toxic Captain

Double Trouble

Revisiting Human Factors

Flight Path-ogens

Data Delirium

Do The Right Thing

Speaking Of Errors

The Safety Space And Practical Drift

Partial List of Dr. Baron's Articles, Papers, and Presentations

Many of these articles, papers, and presentations can be viewed here.

Dying to Save a Life.
High-Profile Passengers, Acts of God, and Preposterous Defenses in Civil Litigation.
Human Factors Training: How do you Know it's Working? Appeared in the December 2020 issue of Aviation Maintenance Magazine.
Human Factors Training: Think Outside the Box.
Pathogens at the State Level: Look out Below.
Managing Safety During a Global Crisis.
Tabula Rasa.
Violated.
Are we Connecting the Links?
Winds and Words. Appeared in the May 2021 issue of AeroSafety World, a publication of the Flight Safety Foundation.
Incorrect Entries. Appeared in the December 2020 issue of AeroSafety World, a publication of the Flight Safety Foundation.
Approach With Caution.
This, Too, Shall Pass.
Human Factors Training: Why the Stigma? Appeared in the May/June 2020 issue of Aviation Maintenance Magazine.
Managing Change in High-Risk Environments.
The Voluntary Reporting System. Appeared in the March 2020 issue of AeroSafety World, a publication of the Flight Safety Foundation.
The High-Reliability Organization. Appeared in the December 2019-January 2020 issue of AeroSafety World, a publication of the Flight Safety Foundation.
Human Factors Hotspots. Appeared in the January 2020 issue of Aviation Maintenance Magazine.
The Little Things. Appeared in the September 2019 issue of Aviation Maintenance Magazine.
Is Safety Part of Your Organization’s DNA? Appeared in the September 2019 issue of AeroSafety World, a publication of the Flight Safety Foundation.
Safety Risk Management: Unplugged. Appeared in the June 2019 issue of AeroSafety World, a publication of the Flight Safety Foundation.
The CEO as a Top-Level Hazard. Appeared in the December 2018-January 2019 issue of AeroSafety World, a publication of the Flight Safety Foundation.
SMS or SM Mess? It's Your Choice!
Brace for Turbulence.
Procedural Noncompliance: Why Pilots Don’t Always Play by the Book. Presented at The 2018 Air Charter Safety Symposium on March 13, 2018, Ashburn, VA.
Procedural Drift: Causes and Consequences. Appeared in the March 2018 issue of AeroSafety World, a publication of the Flight Safety Foundation.
The Organizational Accident. Or not. Appeared in the September 2017 issue of AeroSafety World, a publication of the Flight Safety Foundation.
Managing Aviation Safety in the Growing Caribbean Region. Presented at The 2nd Annual Caribbean Aviation Meetup on June 15, 2017, St. Maarten, Caribbean.
Dana Air Crash: Case Study.
One-Two-GO Airlines Crash: Case Study.
Applying Leadership Models in the Cockpit.
Failure to Follow Procedures/Procedural Noncompliance.
Is Your Safety Policy Truthful?
Moving LOSA to the Cabin.
The Safety Space and Practical Drift. Appeared in the May 2016 issue of AeroSafety World, a publication of the Flight Safety Foundation.
Just Culture and Human Factors in Ground Handling. Presented at The 1st Americas Ground Handling International Conference on September 24, 2015, Miami, FL.
Making it a Just Culture. Presented at The 1st Americas Ground Handling International Conference on September 24, 2015, Miami, FL.
A Cure for Data Delirium. Appeared in the October 2013 issue of AeroSafety World, a publication of the Flight Safety Foundation.
Complacency in the Work Environment and how it Affects SMS.
Pathogens, Violations, and Unsafe Events. Appeared in the September 2012 issue of AeroSafety World, a publication of the Flight Safety Foundation.
Perceptions of Safety.
Are we Really Preventing the Same Accident From Happening Again? Appeared in the May 2012 issue of AeroSafety World, a publication of the Flight Safety Foundation.
The Toxic Captain: Remediate or Terminate? Appeared in the March 2012 issue of AeroSafety World, a publication of the Flight Safety Foundation.
Airplane Crashes and Media Spin: This Just Needs to Stop.
Cabin Safety: Is Complacency and Carelessness the new Norm?
The End of an Error. Appeared in the November 2011 issue of Flying Magazine.
Some Truths About SMS (Don’t Shoot Me, I’m Just the Messenger). Appeared as an exclusive online article (06/13/2011) on Aircraft Maintenance Technology's website.
Shaping Professionalism and Integrity in Aircraft Maintenance. Appeared in the February 2011 issue of AeroSafety World, a publication of the Flight Safety Foundation.
The Human Factors Funnel Model (HFFM): Another Window on Error Causation.
Introducing the Human Factors Funnel Model (HFFM). Presented at the FAASTeam Regional Safety Seminar on January 26, 2011, Myrtle Beach, SC.
Contributing Factors in Current-Day Aircraft Accidents and Incidents. Presented at the Nigeria AIB Annual Safety Conference on October 18-20, 2010, Lagos, Nigeria.
Managing the "Final Four" With Effective Crew Resource Management. Presented at the Nigeria AIB Annual Safety Conference on October 18-20, 2010, Lagos, Nigeria.
Making Human Factors Training More Than Just Lip Service. Presented at the Nigeria AIB Annual Safety Conference on October 18-20, 2010, Lagos, Nigeria.
Writing Tips for Theses and Dissertations. Academic distribution.
Rethinking Human Error Statistics in Aircraft Accidents. Appeared in the April 2010 issue of Director of Maintenance Magazine.
Beyond the Initial Human Factors Course: A Little Science…A Little Anecdote. Appeared in the April 2010 issue of AeroSafety World, a publication of the Flight Safety Foundation.
Northwest Flight 188: When Pilots Become Passengers.
Failure to Follow Procedures: Deviations are a Significant Factor in Maintenance Errors. Appeared in the July/August 2009 issue of Director of Maintenance Magazine.
Fatigue Risk Management in Aircraft Maintenance: An Update on a Complex Issue. Appeared in the May 2009 issue of Aviation Maintenance Magazine.
An Exploration of Deviations in Aircraft Maintenance Procedures. Appeared in the Winter 2009 issue of the International Journal of Applied Aviation Studies (IJAAS), a publication of the FAA Academy.
Development of the Safety Culture Assessment Tool (SCAT).

Human Factors on the Ramp.
Improving Corporate Safety Communication.
Approaches to Safety.
How to get Your CEO Onboard.
A Summary of Major Industrial Accidents.
The Management of Change.
Building a Strong Safety Culture.
Safety Promotion is key to an Effective SMS.
A Practical Introduction to Human Factors.
Qantas Flight 32: A Dirty Dozen Perspective.
Building a High-Reliability Organization (HRO).
Human Error as a Learning Tool.
Looking Forward to Your Next Accident.
Us and Them.
Feedback is key to a Successful Hazard Reporting System.
My Work is so Meticulous, There's no Need to Check it.
Getting Fresh With CRM.
SMS Artists.
When National Culture Supersedes Safety Culture.
Teaching Safety Culture in Human Factors Courses.
When Defenses Fail, Airplanes can Crash.
Flying Under the Influence of Fatigue.
The Safety Squeeze.
What About all the Things That go Right?
Why did you go Around? You Wasted a lot of Fuel!
Can you Live With it?
Be Honest With Your Gap Analysis.
The Four Pillars of Safety Management.
What's Lurking Beneath?
A Poisoned Safety Culture.
A Just Culture.
Do you Really Have a Safety Management System?
Impediments to Reporting.
You Can't Have an SMS Without SRM.
When V1 Cuts Just Don't Cut It.
Using an Eight-Factor Model to Measure Error Attitudes at a Regional Airline. Appeared in the October 2009 issue of AeroSafety World, a publication of the Flight Safety Foundation.
The Human Factors Ladder Still Needs to Extend Higher. Appeared in the March 2009 issue of Aviation Maintenance Magazine.
Error Prevention Strategies for the Aircraft Maintenance Technician. Presented at the Minnesota Aviation Maintenance Technician's 40th Annual Conference on March 17, 2009, Minneapolis, MN.
Measuring Safety Climate at an Aircraft Maintenance Facility: Can Training Change Attitudes? Doctoral dissertation completed July 2008.
Transformational Leadership in Aviation Operations.
What the Media Should Know About Aircraft Accidents.
SOS for Your SMS: A Brief Look at Airport Safety Management Systems. Presented at the South Carolina Aviation Association's 31st Annual Aviation Conference on February 12, 2009, Myrtle Beach, SC.
The Challenges of an Error Reporting System. Appeared in the March/April 2008 issue of Aviation Maintenance Technology Magazine.
Is the Climate Right for a Major air Disaster?
Understanding Human Factors in High-Risk Industries. Presented at Wood Group Power Operation's Annual Health and Safety Conference on September 26, 2007, Alpharetta, GA.
Current Trends in Aviation Human Factors. Presented at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center on January 23, 2007, Edwards Air Force Base, CA.
Aircraft Accident Investigations: Have we Lost Touch With the Behavioral Approach? Appeared in the April-June 2007 issue of ISASI Forum, the journal of the International Society of Air Safety Investigators.
What Ever Happened to Cockpit Discipline? A Dissection of Corporate Airlines Flight 5966. Appeared in the December 2007 issue of AeroSafety World, a publication of the Flight Safety Foundation.
Human Factors in Aviation Maintenance: A Look at the Fundamental Concepts.
Understanding the Role of Safety Culture in the Aviation Environment.
Why are Routine Flight Operations Killing Pilots and Their Passengers? Presented at the Human Performance, Situation Awareness, and Automation Conference (HPSAA), March 24, 2004, Daytona Beach, FL.
Human Performance Limitations in Medicine: A Cognitive Focus.
Drinking and Flying: The Effects of Blood Alcohol Levels on a Pilot's Cognitive and Motor Functioning Skills.
Pilots and Memory: A Study of a Fallible Human System.
Safety Culture and Profit: Aviation's Continuing Organizational Dilemma.
Monovision Contact Lens use and the Crash of Delta Airlines Flight 554 at LaGuardia Airport, October 1996.
Why On-Demand Jet Charter Needs CRM...Now!
Conflict in the Cockpit: Can't we all Just get Along?
A Review of the Literature Pertaining to Decision Making in Aviation. Presented at the State Bar of Georgia (Aviation Law Section) Meeting on January 06, 2006, Atlanta, GA.
CRM From the Instructor/Facilitator Viewpoint: Observations we can all Learn From.
The Cockpit, the Cabin, and Social Psychology.
Barriers to Effective Communication: Implications for the Cockpit.
Runway Incursions: Where are we?
Aviation Training: Methods and Anecdotes to Help Understand how we Learn.
Psychology of the Cockpit: The Pros and Cons of the MMPI in Pre-Employment Screening.

Media Interviews and Consultation

Mayday! Air Crash Investigations
Court TV
Fox News
Associated Press
Business and Commercial Aviation
Air Safety Week
Baltimore Sun
Dallas Morning News
Real Simple Magazine
Tokyo Broadcasting System
AvWeb.com
Overhaul and Maintenance Magazine

New York Times
New York Newsday
Bloomberg News
Time Magazine
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Winnipeg Free Press
National Post (Canada)
Aviation International News
British Broadcasting Corporation
AirlineSafety.com
WPDE News 15 (ABC)
WMBF News 10 (NBC)