Ben Lafargue

Ben Lafargue is the Advanced Qualification Program (AQP) Section Manager for the Training and Simulation Group – AFS-280, part of the FAA Air Transportation Division within the Flight Standards Service. Ben manages a team of 10 AQP experts who have direct oversight and management responsibilities over 29 US carriers with Pilot AQPs and 6 carriers with Cabin Safety AQPs.

Ben started his FAA career 15 years go as a General Aviation Safety Inspector before transitioning to Air Carrier Safety Assurance as Aircrew Program Manager, then Principal Operations Inspector (POI) on the Envoy Airlines certificate.

Following his tenure as Envoy POI, Ben served as an AQP specialist with AFS-280 for a few years until his current role as AFS-280 AQP Section Manager.

He has been intricately involved in the launch of 14 CFR 121.423 Extended Envelop Training (EET) and its implementation in various AQP and non-AQP carrier’s Training Programs. As an Airbus A330 adjunct instructor at the FAA Academy, Ben has trained and continues to train many FAA inspectors and Industry Check Pilots providing hands-on experience on upset recovery techniques.

Ben flew CRJ series aircraft and ERJ145 as a Captain and Check Pilot for a US carrier. He ended his airline pilot career as an A319/320 Captain, at the end of 2007 with over 15,000 hours.

Ben was born and raised in France and moved to Texas 30 years ago.

He currently resides in the Dallas-Fort Worth area with his wife and two daughters.