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International Aviation Emergency Response Planning for Aircraft Operators
Watch the video discussion below
On-Demand Webinar • Security & Emergency Response
Real-world guidance on building, exercising, and activating an emergency response plan when an aviation incident occurs in an international context.
In this two-part on-demand discussion, MedAire Vice President of Security John Cauthen and GoCrisis CEO Elmarie Marais examine what aircraft operators of any size need to have in place before, during, and after an international aviation incident. From ERP foundations and family assistance to crisis communications, legal coordination, and injured survivor support, this conversation draws on decades of real-world response experience — then applies it to a notional business aviation accident scenario.
Emergency Response Planning: Frameworks, Best Practice & Real-World Challenges
What Part 1 Covers
Part 1 establishes the strategic and operational framework for international aviation emergency response. John and Elmarie discuss how operators of any size can build an ERP that holds up across jurisdictions, cultures, and worst-case scenarios — and what real-world responses have taught them about what actually works when things go wrong.
✓ERP foundations: what to do, how, and who
✓Mental health considerations beyond direct victims
✓Establishing a central crisis management team
✓Disaster assistance, repatriation, and personal effects
✓Contact centers and victim accounting
✓How international jurisdictions create unique complexity
✓Family assistance center setup and management
✓Navigating media attention and VIP incidents
✓Caring for injured survivors and their families
✓Legal, insurance, and criminal investigation exposure
"If you've got a solid ERP which tells you what to do, how to do it, who's going to do it, and checklists to follow — you've got the foundations in place. No incident or accident is the same. But if those foundations are there, you can focus your energy on the curveballs."
Elmarie Marais, CEO, GoCrisis
Part 2 of 2
Scenario Exercise: Applying Your ERP to a Business Aviation Accident
The Scenario
Part 2 applies the frameworks from Part 1 to a notional accident that many business aviation operators will recognize. As you watch, interrogate your own plans and procedures. If you can identify three things to check or update when you return to your desk, the exercise has done its job.
Notional Scenario Details
Aircraft
Gulfstream G650ER, Part 91
On Board
CEO and guests + 2 pilots and flight attendant
Route
Teterboro (TEB) → Le Bourget (LBG), France
Incident
Hard landing, gear collapse, post-crash fire
Purpose
High-profile industry conference, Paris
Outcome
2 immediate fatalities • 3 serious injuries • 1 subsequent fatality at medical facility
What Part 2 Covers
John and Elmarie walk through how the response to this scenario should unfold, phase by phase, from the moment of notification. Apply the framework to your own organization as you follow along.
✓ERP activation and call-out tree in the first hour
✓What to do when the CEO is one of the victims
✓Passenger manifest verification and why you cannot assume you know who boarded
✓Next-of-kin notification: involvement vs. status — a critical distinction
✓Holding statements and crisis communications coordination
✓Deploying a go-team and establishing visible leadership on site
✓Family assistance center logistics: travel, accommodation, visas, briefings
✓NTSB involvement and multi-jurisdictional investigation exposure
✓Contingency360 flight following and situational awareness in the lead-up to an incident
✓French criminal investigation running alongside the technical investigation
"If this was my family, what would I need? If you think about the people most affected, what would they want your CEO to say in the next media briefing? You can be sure you will be doing the right thing — and automatically taking care of your organization too."
Elmarie Marais, CEO, GoCrisis
The First 24 Hours: Aviation Emergency Response Checklist
Use the framework below to benchmark your own ERP against real-world best practice. No two incidents are the same, but having clear role ownership, deputy structures, and pre-approved checklists for each phase gives your organization the foundation it needs to focus on the complexity that cannot be predicted.
Timeframe
Phase
Priority Actions
0–1 Hour
Immediate Activation
Confirm incident via ATC and relevant authorities Activate ERP and call-out tree Notify NTSB (US-registered aircraft) Establish leadership continuity if CEO is on board Engage legal counsel immediately Freeze crew, maintenance, and flight data records Assess fleet implications — consider precautionary stand-down
1–3 Hours
Verification & First Contact
Formally verify passenger manifest — do not assume who boarded Confirm names, nationalities, dates of birth, and passport numbers Identify and locate next-of-kin contacts Issue holding statement through designated communications lead Begin coordination with local authorities on site Activate contact center for inbound family and media inquiries
3–6 Hours
Communications & Mobilization
Notify next of kin — notification of involvement only, not status Align communications: flight dept, corporate PR, and on-site responders Designate separate spokespersons for families and for media Begin mobilizing go-team: humanitarian, legal, insurance, engineering Decide on leadership travel to site — understand criminal investigation exposure Begin internal employee communications
6–12 Hours
On-Site Response
Go-team en route or on site Confirm site is secure — do not assume authorities have done this Locate all injured survivors — may be at different facilities or already discharged Establish medical liaison for survivor status, treatment, and information release Arrange trauma counseling for responders and staff CEO or deputy message to employees Secure crew training records
12–24 Hours
Family & Investigation
Families may begin arriving — meet at departure point or destination Establish family assistance center: briefing areas, childcare, police liaison, mental health Support non-traveling families with equivalent information and care remotely Confirm insurance coverage and begin advance payment process Legal team prepares for US litigation and jurisdiction-specific criminal procedures Prepare for investigation access limitations and judicial inquiry
Key Takeaways for Operators
Plan, then exercise
An ERP that has never been exercised is not a plan. Run tabletop scenarios, test your 3 a.m. call-out, and involve legal counsel before something goes wrong.
Families first, always
Every response decision should be filtered through one question: if this was my family, what would I need? Do right by affected people and your organization will follow.
Know your jurisdictions
International operations introduce legal, regulatory, and logistical complexity that can sideline operators who have not mapped their destinations in advance. Plan for the worst case.
Say what you do
Communications must align with what is happening on the ground. If your PR team issues a statement your responders cannot explain to families on site, trust is immediately lost.
Medical liaison matters
Injured survivors may be dispersed, face privacy restrictions, or be discharged before you locate them. Medical support must be in your response chain from the start.
Engage legal before the day
Legal counsel should understand your aviation operation, its terminology, and its regulatory context before an incident occurs. You do not want them learning on the day.
Who This Is For
This resource is designed for anyone with a role in aviation emergency planning, response, or oversight, regardless of the size or scale of the operation.
›Flight department leaders and directors of aviation
›Aviation safety and security teams
›Corporate risk and crisis management leads
›Legal, insurance, and compliance teams
›Corporate communications and PR teams
›Aircraft operators and charter management companies
›Flight operations and dispatch teams
›Medical directors and crew support teams
Presented By
MedAire
John Cauthen
Vice President of Security
John leads MedAire's security division, overseeing operational security and crisis response services for commercial and business aviation clients globally. He brings extensive experience in aviation security, emergency coordination, and the integration of medical and security support in crisis situations.
GoCrisis
Elmarie Marais
Chief Executive Officer, GoCrisis
Elmarie has more than 20 years of experience in aviation emergency response, family assistance, and crisis management. GoCrisis works with operators globally to build response readiness and then provides on-the-ground resources to navigate difficult circumstances when incidents occur.
Related MedAire Services
The capabilities discussed in this webinar are supported by MedAire's aviation medical and security services.
