The core message: security, once viewed as the domain of large multinationals or governments, must now be decentralised
With civil unrest, criminal activity and armed conflict on the rise, business aviation is being forced to confront a new era of risk — one where the cost of unpreparedness can be measured not just in financial terms, but in lives.
At EBACE 2025 in Geneva, former Dutch intelligence officer Eric Schouten issued a sobering reminder: that while the world may seem increasingly volatile, secure travel is still possible — provided companies treat security as a critical operational function, not an afterthought.
“People are now more scared, and that can make them freeze when making travel decisions,” Schouten said in a discussion with AIN. “But mitigation is possible with intelligence, preparation and training.”
Schouten, who now heads the Netherlands-based Dyami Security Intelligence, spoke ahead of a Wednesday panel session titled Navigating the Chaos, where he and other experts will address practical steps business aviation can take to fly safely in unstable regions. His company has also partnered with the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) to develop a tailored training programme for operators.
The core message: security, once viewed as the domain of large multinationals or governments, must now be decentralised. Small and mid-sized operators, particularly those flying into high-risk zones, can no longer afford to treat risk mitigation as optional. “With the right preparation, flight crew at small companies can be their own security managers,” Schouten noted.
Dyami works with clients such as Shell Aircraft to deliver global risk oversight, including intelligence briefings, route planning, and pre-departure protocols. Schouten says comprehensive travel planning now involves more than just airspace analysis — it must cover a wide spectrum of risks, from espionage threats to hotel security and ground transport vulnerabilities.
“Operators flying near places like Kashmir need to ask what happens if something goes wrong,” he said. “How do you assist a crew in trouble, or recover an aircraft that’s been grounded unexpectedly?”
To close the knowledge gap, Dyami has launched the Dyami Academy — a hybrid learning platform that incorporates immersive training, including virtual reality scenarios accessed via employees’ own devices. The idea, said COO Charlotte Bakker, is to make security training both engaging and accessible, particularly for operators who can’t afford to pull staff away from daily duties for extended periods.
The VR format, she explained, is not a replacement for in-person training but rather a supplement — helping crew members internalise procedures through realistic simulations while also easing the logistical burden on teams already stretched thin.
In Schouten’s view, the growing threat landscape is not just a liability — it also presents an opportunity. Those operators that commit to a well-defined security strategy can offer a premium product to anxious travellers, and gain a competitive edge by accessing destinations that less-prepared rivals avoid.
For years, he said, the industry has treated security as a box-ticking exercise. “But that’s changing. The companies willing to lead on risk management are the ones that will continue flying — when others are grounded.
