Nicholas Sabatini, a long-time FAA official whose career culminated as associate administrator for aviation safety, died on November 27. He was 88.

In his roles with the agency, Sabatini became an influential leader, serving as a mentor to those within the FAA as well as in the industry, NBAA said in marking his loss. NBAA credited Sabatini with helping to pioneer the concept of a “just culture” approach to safety during his time with the FAA.

“Nick Sabatini was passionate about aviation safety, with a tireless focus on understanding the root causes of accidents, so that meaningful steps can be taken to avoid similar future tragedies,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. “He leaves a legacy of leadership on safety that will benefit the industry for years to come.”

Born in Vasto, Italy, in 1936, Sabatini emigrated to the U.S. in 1938, living in the Bronx, New York, according to his Legacy obituary information. As a young man, he served in the U.S. Army before joining the New York Police Department in August 1958, initially as a patrol officer. He later joined the mounted division and in 1966 the aviation unit, where he served until he retired from the NYPD in 1976.

Passionate about flying, Sabatini then moved on to the U.S. Customs Drug Interdiction Air Unit in Brooklyn before embarking upon a 30-year career with the FAA in 1978. Initially serving as an operations inspector in Charleston, West Virginia, Sabatini would move into multiple roles, including as flight standards division manager for the Eastern region in New York and later director of flight standards in Washington, D.C.

In 2001, he was named associate administrator for aviation safety, managing 7,000 FAA employees that regulated more than 7,300 commercial airlines and operators. Retiring in January 2009, Sabatini served on the board of directors for JetBlue Airways, Advanced Aviation and Positioning Corp., and Wyvern Consulting. He also served on the Auburn University Aviation Management Board and Flight Safety Foundation's board of governors.

A Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award recognized for his more than 50 years of flying, Sabatini had amassed more than 7,000 flight hours. He had earned type ratings in the Cessna Citation I, Douglas DC-9, Embraer EMB-110, and Bell BH-20.