Silver Air Private Jets Promotes Hansford Smith to Vice President of Risk Management

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 7, 2026--

Silver Air Private Jets today announced the promotion of Hansford Smith to Vice President of Risk Management. Smith, who has served Silver Air for more than six years in safety leadership roles, will now advise leadership across all levels of the organization while continuing to provide oversight of the company's Safety Management System (SMS).

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Smith most recently served as Director of Safety and Organizational Development, where he administered Silver Air's SMS and advised the CEO on safety strategy, performance, and continuous improvement initiatives. In his expanded role, he will take on a broader advisory function across the business, supporting both operational decision-making and the overall client and owner experience.

"Hansford's promotion reflects the importance we place on safety at every level of Silver Air," said Jason Middleton, CEO of Silver Air Private Jets. "His leadership has been instrumental in building the safety culture that defines how we operate, and his expanded role ensures that culture continues to shape everything we do as we grow."

"Safety is the backbone of our operation," said Smith. "In addition to full compliance with FAA regulations, Silver Air adheres to rigorous third-party standards from organizations including WYVERN and the International Business Aviation Council. Maintaining the highest ratings from these organizations is a priority, and my focus is on continuing to raise that standard."

Smith's promotion follows Silver Air's recent renewal of its WYVERN Wingman PRO Certification, one of the aviation industry's highest standards for safety excellence. The certification is awarded only to operators that demonstrate exceptional performance across all elements of their safety management system, effectively manage human factors and organizational safety culture, and consistently meet international standards through robust internal audit processes.

Prior to joining Silver Air, Smith served 24 years in the United States Air Force, first as an enlisted airman and later as an officer, including roles at U.S. Strategic Command, where he briefed the President, Secretary of Defense, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on strategic operations. His military background spans command and operational roles across the U.S. and Europe, bringing a level of discipline and risk management experience that is rare in private aviation.

About Silver Air Private Jets

Silver Air Private Jets, based in Santa Barbara, is a private aircraft management company and charter operator. Founded in 2008, the company provides aircraft management, charter, sales, and acquisitions with an owner-first approach. Its invitation-only Flight Club™ program offers flexible access to private aviation with transparent pricing and a high-touch service model.

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Hansford Smith, Vice President of Risk Management, Silver Air Private Jets

LONDON (AP) — A man has been arrested on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon after reports that the former Prince Andrew was threatened by a masked man while walking dogs near his home.

Norfolk Constabulary said that the arrest came Wednesday evening after a man was reported “behaving in an intimidating manner” near the home of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in eastern England.

“Officers attended, and the man was arrested on suspicion of a public order offense and possession of an offensive weapon,” the force said Thursday.

The suspect is being held for questioning at a nearby police station. The term offensive weapons covers knives, truncheons and other items used to cause injury. Police didn’t specify what type of weapon was involved.

The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported that a man wearing a ski mask ran toward the former royal while shouting abuse. It said the incident occurred near the Sandringham Estate while the former prince was out walking his dogs, and that Andrew and his protection officer got in their car and sped away.

Mountbatten-Windsor, the younger brother of King Charles III, moved to the king’s private Sandringham Estate, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of London, after he was evicted from his longtime home near Windsor Castle following revelations about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.

Andrew, 66, now lives at Marsh Farm, a property on the Sandringham Estate, after leaving Royal Lodge last year.

He was stripped of all his honors and titles and banished from public view by the royal family after years of scandal over his money woes and links to questionable characters, including Epstein.

One of Epstein’s accusers, Virginia Giuffre, alleged that she was forced to have sex with the then-prince three times starting when she was 17. He denied it, but eventually settled the case for an undisclosed sum and acknowledged Giuffre’s suffering as a victim of sex trafficking. Giuffre died by suicide in April 2025, aged 41.

In February, he became the first senior British royal in almost 400 years to be arrested when he was held for hours by British police on suspicion of misconduct in public office in a case related to his links to Epstein. It was an extraordinary move in a country where authorities once sought to shield the royal family from embarrassment.

Police previously said they were “assessing” reports that Mountbatten-Windsor sent trade information to Epstein, a wealthy investor and convicted sex offender, in 2010, when the former prince was the United Kingdom’s special envoy for international trade.

Correspondence between the two men was released by the U.S. Justice Department along with millions of pages of documents from the American investigation into Epstein.

FILE - Britain's Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, looks round as he leaves after attending the Easter Matins Service at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, England, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)