Southern California Safety Institute

What Southern California Safety Institute does

Southern California Safety Institute (SCSI) is a private aviation safety training organization founded in 1987 and headquartered in Torrance, California, with a primary training academy at the Redondo Beach Hotel. The company delivers certificate programs and individual courses covering aircraft accident investigation and prevention, Safety Management Systems (SMS), human factors in accident investigation, helicopter accident investigation, fire and explosion investigation, gas turbine accident investigation, aviation maintenance investigation, cabin accident investigation, aeromedical investigation, electronic systems investigation, flight data analysis, aircraft recovery, unmanned aerial systems (UAS/BVLOS), and aviation legal aspects, among others. SCSI maintains a catalog of 25+ specialized courses aligned with ICAO Annex 13/19, FAA Part 5, EASA, and IBAC standards, and holds IS-BAO Programme Support Affiliate (PSA) certification from the International Business Aviation Council. Its customer base spans commercial airlines (American Airlines, Lufthansa, Southwest Airlines), OEMs and defense (Boeing, Sikorsky, Bombardier Aerospace, NATO), government regulators and agencies (FAA, NASA, Australian government, Nigerian Press Corps), and educational institutions (Seneca College School of Aviation).

The underlying delivery platform combines in-person instruction at a physical crash laboratory housing real aircraft wreckage exhibits with a hybrid online format (live Zoom sessions plus an interactive virtual crash lab with five major exhibits) that was introduced in 2020. The company monetizes through course tuition ranging from $1,895 to $4,200 USD per course, certificate program fees, and customized contract/on-site training delivered worldwide. Go-to-market is primarily enterprise field sales supplemented by content marketing (blog, email newsletter, LinkedIn), Learn-at-Lunch webinars with discount codes, and event-driven annual course series in Redondo Beach (multiple times per year), Vienna, Ljubljana, Sydney, Zagreb/Croatia, and Oslo (2026 onward). Partnerships with Fraport Aviation Academy, Regional Express (REX), the Slovenian Military Aircraft Accident Investigation Board, the University of Zagreb, the International Crisis Academy, and AeroXpert extend delivery capacity without proportional fixed-cost expansion. Leadership comprises Christine Schmitz (CEO), Matt Robinson (President of SCSI and Air Group), Alan Pendleton (CFO), Eric Foulk (Director of Operations), and Aimee Schmitz (Registrar).

Name

Southern California Safety Institute

Legal name

Southern California Safety Institute

Website

https://scsi-inc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Southern California Safety Institute is a private aviation safety training firm founded in 1987 in Torrance, California, delivering 25+ ICAO- and FAA-aligned courses and certificate programs in accident investigation, SMS, and human factors to airlines, regulators, militaries, and OEMs globally via in-person and hybrid Zoom delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aviation Safety Training

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDABALAC

Aviation & Aerospace

Education/Corporate Training & Professional Development/Industry-Specific Professional Training (e.g., Healthcare, Manufacturing, Construction)

SECONDARYEDAOAFAN

Regulatory, Compliance & Type Training (FAA/EASA/ICAO, Part 147/145)

Education/Vocational, Technical & Trade Education/Aviation Maintenance & Repair (AMT)

SECONDARYIMAIAJAL

Fire Safety Compliance, Risk Assessments & Training (Code Consulting)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Industrial Services & Facility Operations/Fire Protection & Life Safety Services (Inspection/Testing/Sprinklers)

Keywords

• Aviation safety training
• Accident investigation courses
• Safety management systems
• Human factors training
• Aviation certification programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Torrance

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Course Tuition: Fees charged for open enrollment and contract aviation safety training courses. Tuition varies by course length and specialization, ranging from $1,895 to $4,200 USD per course.
2. Certificate Program Fees: Fees for certificate programs including Aircraft Accident Investigation and Prevention, Safety Management Systems Certificate, Human Factors in Aircraft Accident Investigation, and ICAP Aviation Safety Officer.
3. Contract Training: Customized on-site training delivered at client organizations worldwide, tailored to specific needs and requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Southern California Safety Institute provides specialized aviation safety training and consultation services through certificate programs and individual courses covering aircraft accident investigation, safety management systems, human factors, helicopter accident investigation, fire and explosion investigation, gas turbine accident investigation, and related aviation safety domains. Courses are delivered through open enrollment at multiple global locations, customized contract training at client sites, and live online/hybrid delivery via Zoom with a virtual interactive crash lab.

Product overview

The Southern California Safety Institute (SCSI) is an aviation safety training organization with over 35 years of experience offering a portfolio of certificate programs and individual courses. The core certificate programs include Aircraft Accident Investigation, Safety Management Systems, Human Factors in Aircraft Accident Investigation, and ICAP Aviation Safety Officer. The flagship Aircraft Accident Investigation Certificate encompasses required and elective courses covering specialized investigation domains. Individual courses include Aircraft Performance Investigation, Aviation Maintenance Investigation, Air Traffic Control Investigation, Cabin Accident Investigation, Emergency Response Planning, Aeromedical Investigation, Electronic Systems Investigation, Flight Data Analysis, Aircraft Recovery and Salvage, Gas Turbine Accident Investigation, Helicopter Accident Investigation, Fire and Explosion Investigation, Human Factors in Accident Investigation, Human Factors in Aviation Maintenance, Investigation Management, Safety Risk Management, and others. Courses range from 2.5 to 9.5 days in duration. Training is delivered through open enrollment at Redondo Beach, California (primary), Vienna, Slovenia, Sydney, Australia, and Croatia; contract courses at client locations worldwide; and fully online via Zoom with virtual crash labs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Aircraft Accident Investigation and Prevention Certificate Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Training available in hybrid (online and in-person) format for all courses
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International Crisis AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for crisis management training in aviation. Located in Germany (Butzbach) with global expertise combining experience from experts in different countries.
• Business Aviation Safety ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry consortium focused on business aviation safety. Collaborative partner for safety standards and best practices.
• Regional Express (REX) AirlinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustralian regional airline partnership providing annual open enrollment courses in Sydney, Australia. Training held at Branksome Hotel near Sydney Airport.
• Fraport Aviation AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSlovenian aviation training academy partnership for annual course series in Ljubljana. State-of-the-art facilities with classroom equipment and crash lab exhibits.
• Slovenian Military Aircraft Accident Investigation BoardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment aviation investigation body partnership for Slovenia course series. Provides military accident investigation expertise and exhibits.
• University of ZagrebminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for 2024 European Aircraft Accident Investigation course in Croatia.
• Thon Hotels (Norway)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDiscounted hotel rate secured for AAI course attendees in Lillestrøm, Norway during 2026 European course series.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University: Specialized aviation and aerospace university offering degree and continuing education programs in aviation safety, aeronautics, and unmanned systems. Comparable to SCSI in delivering aviation-focused professional education, though anchored in academic credentials.
• FlightSafety International: Global aviation training company offering pilot, maintenance, and safety training with a large simulator fleet. Comparable to SCSI in providing aviation professional training to airlines, OEMs, and governments, though focused primarily on flight crew rather than accident investigation.
• CAE Inc. Largest aviation training provider globally, serving airlines, business aviation, and defense with simulators and crew training. Comparable to SCSI in delivering aviation professional training to enterprises and governments worldwide, but with broader scope and significantly larger scale.
• Airbus Training Center: OEM-affiliated training organization offering type-rated pilot training, maintenance, and safety courses. Comparable to SCSI in delivering aviation professional training aligned with manufacturer and regulatory standards.

Direct peers

• Lufthansa Aviation Training: Aviation training subsidiary of Lufthansa Group offering pilot, cabin crew, and safety training across multiple international locations. Comparable to SCSI in providing aviation professional training with international delivery footprint.
• IATA Training: International Air Transport Association's training division offering aviation safety, security, and operations courses aligned with IATA standards. Comparable to SCSI in delivering aviation safety and SMS training to airlines and regulators globally.

Others

• Jeppesen (a Boeing Company): Aviation data, charts, and training content provider serving airlines, operators, and crews. Comparable to SCSI in delivering aviation training materials and curriculum to professional aviation audiences, with adjacent rather than direct overlap in accident investigation training.
• NBAA (National Business Aviation Association): Business aviation industry association that promotes IS-BAO standards and provides safety resources, training events, and guidance to operators. Comparable to SCSI as an ecosystem participant focused on business aviation safety, though primarily an association rather than a training provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southern-california-safety-institute
• Xx.com/SocalSafetyInst
• Facebookfacebook.com/SocalSafetyInst

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Southern California Safety Institute