Matt Johnson
Event Organizer / FAA DPE, FAASTeam Rep
United States Helicopter Safety Team
Greater Cincinnati
Helicopter Operator Safety Forum 2026
A one-day gathering of pilots, crews, mechanics, and safety professionals dedicated to advancing rotorcraft safety in the region.
About the forum
Sharper skills. Safer skies.
The 2026 Greater Cincinnati Helicopter Operator Safety Forum brings together the rotorcraft community for a full day of candid discussion, lessons learned, and practical training focused on reducing risk in everyday operations.
Whether you fly air ambulance, law enforcement, fire, utility, news, instruction, or private, you'll leave with actionable takeaways, fresh connections, and a renewed commitment to the safety culture that keeps our crews and communities protected.
Attendance is open to pilots, maintainers, operators, tactical flight officers, medical flight crews, safety program leaders, dispatchers, and anyone invested in helicopter safety.
This year, this amazing event will be held at the Clermont County Airport (I69) in Batavia, Ohio, home of the world-famous Sporty's Pilot Shop.
Who you'll hear from
Speakers
Sixteen presenters from the agencies, manufacturers, and operators who investigate, regulate, and fly this equipment every day.
Jason Forshey
FAASTeam Safety Manager
FAA
Stanley Swank II
Supervisory Aviation Safety Inspector, Cincinnati FSDO
FAA
Bruce Landsberg
Vice Chairman (Ret.)
NTSB
Justin Cromer
Aviation Commander
Ohio State Highway Patrol
Chris Baur
Industry Co-Chair
United States Helicopter Safety Team
Lee Roskop
Aviation Safety Coordinator (Rotorcraft)
FAA
Bruce Webb
Director of Aviation Education and Community Outreach
Airbus Helicopters
Scott Minnick
Lead Aviation Meteorologist
NWS Aviation Weather Center
Seth Buttner
Sr. Manager of Accident Investigation
Airbus Helicopters
Don Lambert
Technical Compliance Director
Metro Aviation Inc.
Dr. Hannah Baumgartner
Engineering Research Psychologist
FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI)
Ben Miller
PO / Drone Squad
Cincinnati Police Department
Matt Monson
CVG ATC Manager
FAA
Jonathan Sellers
CVG ATC Controller
FAA
Bob Francis
Single Pilot IFR Captain
Thursday, November 5, 2026
Schedule
0730
Sign-in
Lanyards and networking
0800
Welcome & awards
Matt Johnson, Jason Forshey, Stanley Swank II
0845
Breakfast break
Stretch, eat, and network
0900
Keynote address
Bruce Landsberg — NTSB Vice Chairman (Ret.)
0935
OSHP Aviation Unit: a look at the unit and its capabilities
Justin Cromer
1010
Accident statistics and industry updatesSpeaker TBC
Lee Roskop or Chris Baur
1045
Postmortem: a detailed exam of the human factors influencing a flight
Bruce Webb
1135
Helicopter instrument procedures: design and implementation
Chris Baur
1205
Working lunch
Sponsored by Metro Aviation Inc.
1220
All about AWC: informing flight with weather wisdom
Scott Minnick
1305
Lessons learned and lives saved
Seth Buttner
1355
The Dirty Dozen: human factors for maintenance technicians
Don Lambert
1445
Benchmarking fatigue in US helicopter air ambulance pilots
Dr. Hannah Baumgartner
1535
UAS operations in the CVG area
Ben Miller
1610
Updates from CVG ATC
Matt Monson & Jonathan Sellers
1640
Open floor & closing remarks
Matt Johnson & Bob Francis
All times local (EST). Program ends at 1700.
Getting there & signing up
Attend
Registration is required, free, and quick.
We're nearing our 120-seat capacity. Register soon to secure your spot.
The venue
Hawk Building Clermont County Airport (I69)4184 Taylor Rd
Batavia, OH 45103
The Hawk Building is not the FBO. It sits on Taylor Rd,
off the threshold of Runway 4. Set your GPS to the street address rather
than to the airport.
- DateThursday, November 5, 2026 Add to Google Calendar
- Doors0730 — sign-in, coffee, lanyards
- Program0800 to 1700
- CostFree. Breakfast and lunch provided.
- CreditFAASTeam WINGS credit available
- Flying inTell us your make and model in the form and we'll sort out parking
Save a seat
In-person only There is no virtual option and no livestream — the forum happens in the room at the Hawk Building in Batavia, OH.
One person per form. Only your name and email are required.
From the organizer
History
The Greater Cincinnati Helicopter Operator Safety Forum began more than a decade ago with a simple idea: bring our helicopter community together in one room for real conversations—open, candid dialogue that allows us to learn from one another and become better and safer at what we do.
From the beginning, my vision has centered on three things: fellowship, education, and networking. I wanted to give people throughout our region an opportunity to build relationships, learn from one another and from outstanding guest speakers, and make connections that last long after the event ends.
Eleven years ago, our first gathering drew just 14 people to a training room at the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office. Today, the forum attracts more than 100 aviation professionals, and I'm continually searching for larger venues to accommodate everyone who wants to attend. Our speakers come from across the country and represent a wide range of expertise, offering something of educational value for nearly everyone in attendance. And one of the things I'm most proud of: thanks to the generosity of our supporters, the event remains completely free to attend.
This forum is entirely a volunteer effort. After more than a decade of planning—and a fair amount of lost hair, with considerably more gray in what remains—I can sincerely say every minute has been worth it. The friendships, collaboration, and professional relationships that have grown from this event have exceeded anything I imagined when those first 14 people gathered in that room.
Most importantly, everyone in our rotorcraft community is welcome: pilots, mechanics, air medical flight crews, law enforcement aviation professionals, news-gathering crews, agricultural operators, educators, safety professionals, UAS operators, and anyone else connected to this incredible industry. And yes, we even welcome our fixed-wing brethren!
At its core, this forum has never been about any one company, organization, or individual. It's about bringing people together, sharing what we know, and strengthening the relationships that make our aviation community safer.
That was the vision more than a decade ago, and it remains the mission today.
Matt Johnson Event Organizer
Made possible by
Sponsors
The 2026 forum is free because these organizations cover the facility, the food, the coffee, and the swag.
