Mike Rioux
Chief Operating Officer
Mike Rioux is Chief Operating Officer at JDA Aviation Technology Solutions, where he has full P&L responsibility and day-to-day decision-making authority for JDA's aviation technical services and consulting business. Mr. Rioux led the JDA team that created the firm's System Safety Management and Virtual Safety Office programs.
As Senior Vice President of Operations & Safety at the Air Transport Association, Mr. Rioux directed the safety and operations staff-including air traffic control experts, flight and cabin operations, flight safety, engineering, maintenance, and material logistics support for major passenger air carriers. He served as a member of the FAA Aging Aircraft & Systems Safety Task Force and FAA Research & Development Advisory Committee. He was also ATA's primary operations and technical representative before the DOT, NTSB, FAA and legislative branch of the U.S. government.
Mr. Rioux helped establish the joint industry-government Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST) and was awarded an Aviation Week and Space Technology Laurel in Operations in 1998. CAST was cited by the White House as the best method to reduce the commercial airline accident rates.
He served as principal analyst for responding to FAA-proposed airworthiness directives and dispatch policies. By demonstrating the non-viability of one proposed rule, he saved the airline industry over $5.5 million. Following his joint industry team leadership investigation of a TWA accident, his recommendations led to the immediate adoption of procedures and a subsequent $10 million savings in potential operational disruptions.
Mr. Rioux has also served as President of IDEA, Inc., a B2B data content and communications Service Company with offices in Arlington, Ontario and Boston. During a high-profile career in the United States Navy, he flew 4,000 hours with 975 carrier landings on five different aircraft carriers without incident.
Mr. Rioux holds a Masters in Systems Engineering Management and a BS in Business Management from the University of Southern California and University of Maryland, respectively.