Reflecting on the John Saull Memorial Lecture 2025

The International Federation of Airworthiness (IFA) was pleased to host the John Saull Memorial Lecture 2025 on Wednesday 19th November, bringing together aviation professionals for an insightful and collaborative event focused on the progress and future of global airworthiness.

This year’s lecture, “Improvements in Safety from Aircraft Accident Investigations over the Last 40 Years,” was delivered by Philip Sleight, Deputy Chief Inspector of Air Accidents at the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB). His presentation offered a compelling review of how accident investigations have shaped safety improvements over four decades, highlighting enduring lessons and the evolving challenges faced by today’s industry. Attendees responded extremely positively, valuing both the depth of insight and the clear perspective on past and future developments.

Watch the Video of Philip Sleight’s Lecture here: https://youtu.be/4fdjcxXb5JM

Following the lecture, delegates participated in a facilitated group exercise exploring the question:
“What do we need to be doing now to prepare us for Airworthiness in the future?”
This session encouraged wide-ranging discussion on emerging technologies, organisational preparedness, regulatory evolution, and the capabilities required to sustain and enhance global safety. Contributions were thoughtful, forward-looking, and highly collaborative — reinforcing the value of bringing diverse expertise together.

Recognition of Excellence: The IFA Whittle Safety Award and John Saull Scholarship

Although unable to attend in person due to being overseas, this year’s Whittle Safety Award recipient, Dr. Tony Kern, and the John Saull Scholarship recipient, Abenazer Tasissa, were formally recognised during the event through remote presentations.

Dr. Tony Kern was honoured for his exceptional contributions to aviation safety, leadership, and human factors.
Abenazer Tasissa received the John Saull Scholarship in recognition of his dedication to advancing airworthiness knowledge and his promising future within the field.

Both recipients expressed their appreciation and shared brief remarks virtually, and IFA was delighted to celebrate their achievements with the wider community.

The event was widely considered a success, with attendees highlighting the value of the lecture, the collaborative group exercise, and the recognition of outstanding contributions to airworthiness.

IFA extends its sincere thanks to all who attended, engaged, and supported this important event, as well as to our award and scholarship recipients and to Philip Sleight for delivering such an insightful lecture. We remain committed to promoting global airworthiness, advancing aviation safety, and fostering open discussion on the challenges and opportunities ahead for our industry.