NTSB Report Gets Two Thumbs Up From AOPA, Air Safety
Foundation
A new study of
weather-related aviation accidents adopted by the NTSB
this week re-affirms that pilots with higher levels of training and
experience are less likely to be involved in fatal accidents in
which weather is a factor. However, several of the study's nine
recommendations - such as giving flight instructors access to
pilots' records - could potentially lead to costly and complex
regulation.
"The NTSB study itself helps highlight the need for ongoing
pilot training, but some of its conclusions raise serious
concerns," said Phil Boyer, president of the Aircraft Owners and
Pilots Association (AOPA). "If the FAA were to implement any of the
recommendations, pilots could be faced with burdensome new
requirements that might not significantly improve safety." So while
AOPA's Air Safety Foundation staff reviews NTSB's findings for
their potential to enhance safety, the Association's Government and
Technical Affairs department is also involved to assure than any
recommendation with regulatory implications meets a reasonable test
in terms of cost and complexity. "As always, we will work
with the FAA to make sure that whatever is done truly benefits
pilots and their safety, said Boyer."
"The study's findings are not surprising to those of us involved
in aviation safety education, or to the pilot community at large,"
said Bruce Landsberg, executive director of the AOPA Air Safety
Foundation.
"But the NTSB study
does an excellent job of using the data, and as a result, the
findings provide more statistical support for the importance of
continuing training."
The NTSB study examined 72 fatal weather-related accidents that
occurred over a seven-month period and compared them to 135
non-accident flights operating under the same weather conditions
within the same general area at the same time. It found that pilots
who earned their first certificates before the age of 25 and those
who obtained advanced certificates or instrument ratings are at a
reduced risk compared to other pilots.
"That makes perfect sense," said Landsberg.
"We've known from our own studies that the accident rate
generally goes down as training and experience levels go up. That's
why the aviation industry in general, and the AOPA Air Safety
Foundation in particular, put so much effort into pilot
education."
The Air Safety
Foundation conducts more than 100 safety seminars across the
country each year, reaching tens of thousands of pilots in person.
A recent seminar, Weather Wise: Practical Tips and Tactical Tricks,
drew on the experiences of pilots themselves to share practical
advice on flying in weather. Weather Wise is also available as a
Seminar In A Box � kit that allows pilot groups anywhere in
the country to benefit.
The AOPA Online Safety Center (www.aopa.org/safetycenter)
includes two online courses, Single Pilot IFR and IFR Adventure (an
instrument refresher course) specifically devoted to flying in poor
weather conditions, as well as a mini-course on avoiding
thunderstorms. There's also the SkySpotter� online course on
filing pilot reports.
"The weather information pilots get in their preflight briefings
is all based on forecasting models," said Landsberg. "It's pilot
reports that let forecasters and other pilots know what actual
conditions are and make changes to forecasts and flight plans
accordingly. The Pirep system does not work very well for a variety
of reasons and it needs to be improved."
All of the AOPA Air Safety Foundation's educational materials are
available to all pilots - not just AOPA members - free of charge or
at nominal cost.