Karolyn Darrell-Burgess is the Director of Safety Oversight at the Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA). With over 20 years in the aviation industry, she has spent the last decade at the BCAA, where she leads Bermuda’s efforts in enhancing aviation safety. In her role, she oversees the State Safety Programme (SSP) and the National Aviation Safety Plan (NASP), ensuring Bermuda not only complies with but exceeds the highest global aviation safety standards.
Karolyn’s passion for aviation safety was sparked during her time in safety and quality management at the Bermuda Department of Airport Operations. She later transitioned to the BCAA Flight Operations section, where she leveraged the discipline and expertise gained as a military pilot to support regulatory oversight.
Her aviation safety management expertise includes Human Factors and Emergency Response Planning, key areas that contribute to proactive risk mitigation and crisis preparedness. She has played a pivotal role in integrating human performance principles into safety strategies, ensuring that regulatory frameworks and operational practices address both technical and behavioural factors. Additionally, she has contributed to the development and refinement of national emergency response protocols, strengthening Bermuda’s resilience in crisis situations.
Karolyn actively engages with international aviation organisations such as the Safety Management International Collaboration Group (SM ICG) and the International Society of Air Safety Investigators (ISASI). She holds a commercial pilot license with multi-engine and instrument ratings from Seneca College and served in the Canadian Air Force for three years.
To complement her practical experience, Karolyn earned a Master’s degree in 2024 in Aviation Safety Management, Risk, and Regulation from Cranfield University, UK.