News Release

HAI chairman, Gale Wilson, leads Hillcrest Aircraft Company to IS-BAO Stage 1 registration

March 4, 2015:

ARGUS International, Inc. (ARGUS) is pleased to announce that Hillcrest Aircraft Company has achieved IS-BAO Stage 1 registration. The IS-BAO registration is awarded by the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) only to those aircraft operators who have demonstrated a commitment to establishing an effective and appropriate safety management system.

“It gives our operation great pride knowing that we have achieved IS-BAO Stage 1 registration,” said Gale Wilson, president of Hillcrest Aircraft Company. “I am proud that our team stepped up to meet the requirements of IS-BAO. The involvement of our employees through our SMS program has enriched not only the safety of our operations but our organization as a whole. In particular, our safety manager, Gary Groff, was very instrumental in leading those efforts. ”

“It is great to see a longtime industry leader and diverse aviation service provider like Hillcrest Aircraft Company acknowledge the importance of building an organization focused on safety and achieving IS-BAO Stage 1,” said ARGUS president and ceo, Joseph Moeggenberg. “As one of the first rotary wing exclusive operators to achieve IS-BAO Stage 1, we hope Hillcrest has helped to set the bar for others in the industry by accepting the challenge of meeting this enhanced commitment to safety.”

ARGUS PROS (Partners and Resources for Operational Safety), a wholly-owned subsidiary of ARGUS International, is the worldwide leader in on-site safety audits and is the only audit organization that has developed its own industry-leading Platinum audit standard for charter operators and also holds authorizations from numerous world-recognized standards organizations, including the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Flight Safety Foundation, and IBAC to perform audits utilizing their respective standards, IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), Basic Aviation Risk Standard (BARS) and the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO).

Founded in 1956 at the regional airport in Lewiston, Idaho, Hillcrest Aircraft Company enjoys a rich heritage. Established as a privately held corporation to provide aviation services with the highest professional and safety standards in the industry, Hillcrest Aircraft Company customers have come to value the organization's ongoing commitment to customer service, stringent operational goals and strict business ethical standards.

Hillcrest Aircraft's impeccable safety record, encompassing thousands of safe flight hours, is empirical evidence of the company's insistence on excellence in providing aircraft management and maintenance.