Four-time space shuttle astronaut, retired U.S. Air Force test pilot and chair of the Citation Jet Pilots (CJP) Safety Committee Charlie Precourt received the Flight Safety Foundation’s 2025 Business Aviation Meritorious Service Award during the group’s 70th Business Aviation Safety Summit (BASS) that took place May 6-8 in Charlotte, NC.
Precourt was recognized for his lifetime of championing safety and, in particular, his work with CJP, where he has led the development and implementation of multiple safety initiatives including CJP’s lauded Safe to Land® program.
“This award is truly reflective of the great work of the entire CJP community and the culture we’ve created of making safe operations front-and-center,” Precourt said. “I thank our members for their overwhelmingly positive response to the efforts of the entire CJP Safety Committee.”
Past CJP Chair Kirk Samuelson recalled the February 2017 conversation in which Precourt agreed to lead CJP’s Safety Committee and help launch the CJP Safety & Education Foundation. “That will be a day I never will forget,” he said. “My thanks to Charlie for his tireless leadership and unrelenting willingness to spend his personal time on these efforts.”
The Flight Safety Foundation Business Aviation Meritorious Service Award has been presented annually since 1975 to recognize outstanding service and contributions to business aviation safety. Precourt received the award on the opening day of BASS 2025 as part of the theme, “Bridging Divides: Elevating Safety Through Communication.”
Read more about Charlie and the FSF Meritorious Service Award at nbaa.org.