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FAA Follows Recent Industry Safety Meeting With Letter Offering Summer Tips
May 23, 2013
As pilots across the United States prepare for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend – and, with it, the unofficial start to the summertime flying season – Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Michael Huerta made a personal appeal to the general aviation (GA) community to stay safe, and “make sure you're ready – really ready – to fly.” Review Huerta's letter to the GA community.
FAA Meets With NBAA, Other Groups About Cutting Accident Rates
May 20, 2013
With better training practices and cockpit instrumentation, the general aviation (GA) community saw accident rates fall to record lows over the last decade. But to the frustration of operators and regulators, rates have not continued their downward trend. To stay ahead of this trend, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is meeting with NBAA and other organizations included in a General Aviation Coalition to refocus on safety efforts. The FAA's goal is a 10-percent reduction in the accident rate. In 2012, the rate for all general aviation was 1.1 accidents per 100,000 flight hours. The agency's goal is to reach 1.0 accidents per 100,000 flight hours by 2018. Read more about efforts to improve safety.
Safety a Major Focus at EBACE2013
May 15, 2013
As business aircraft operators gather at the Palexpo Convention Center in Geneva, Switzerland from May 21 to 23 for the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE2013), safety will be a major focus of EBACE programming. On Monday, May 20, the EBACE Safety Workshop will provide critical safety information corresponding directly to human performance. "Eight out of 10 aviation accidents are caused not by mechanical failures, but by human failures. This workshop focuses specifically on human performance issues," said Brian Humphries, president of the European Business Aviation Association, which along with NBAA, hosts EBACE. Read more or listen to this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
Mayors Echo Congressional Call For Keeping Towers Open
May 6, 2013
Community leaders from around the country have written FAA Administrator Michael Huerta to ask that he reconsider closing air traffic control towers at airports in their communities. The letter, released last week by the Alliance for Aviation Across America, was supported by 70 officials who wanted "to express our deep concerns about the FAA's current plans to close air traffic control towers at our community airports in order to comply with sequestration, or mandatory budget cuts to agencies. The closing of these towers will have a significant impact on our economy and local communities." The mayors and community leaders said the closure of control towers would not only impact the economies of their cities, but also would set back critical services. Read more or listen to this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast.
EBACE Safety Workshop to Address Human Factors in Reducing Accidents
May 2, 2013
A one-day seminar before the upcoming European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE2013) will challenge common perceptions about industry safety and best practices, and provide critical information and training related to human performance factors. The EBACE Safety Workshop will take place on May 20, the day before EBACE2013 launches at the Palexpo convention center in Geneva, Switzerland. The EBACE Safety Workshop will include sessions presented by experts on the various subjects and safety methodologies, offering their insights, knowledge, critical information and training directly related to human performance factors. Read more about the EBACE Safety Workshop.
FAA: Contract Air Traffic Control Tower Closures to Begin April 7
March 29, 2013
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced its schedule to end funding to 149 federal contract towers (FCTs) in three phases over the next six weeks, with the first set of closures to occur April 7. According to the FAA, 24 FCTs will lose federal funding on that date, followed by 46 additional facilities on April 21. The remaining towers on the list will be shuttered on May 5. FAA officials took into account some of the concerns raised by NBAA and other stakeholders, as 40 towers originally slated for closure will now remain open. Read more about the upcoming FCT closures.
Planning Is Key for Handling In-Flight Emergencies
March 25, 2013
With more than 600 million flight operations worldwide annually, and an increase in medical tourism, flight crews must be prepared for medical emergencies, according to Paulo Alves, president-elect of the Airlines Medical Directors Association and vice president of aviation health for MedAire. "This is a dynamic situation," Alves said. In 2012 alone, MedAire responded to more than 24,000 in-flight medical emergencies on commercial, charter, business and other types of flights. Listen to this week's edition of the NBAA Flight Plan podcast to learn more about responding to in-flight medical emergencies.
EASA Revises Safety Guidance on Volcanic Ash Clouds
March 22, 2013
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) recently issued updated guidance for flying in airspace contaminated with volcanic ash. The European Union authority revised its previous May 2011 safety information bulletin, taking a more assertive stance after aircraft manufacturers expressed concerns about potential ash-related engine or other aircraft damage. "Manufacturers have determined that aircraft engines are by far the most susceptible aircraft parts to volcanic ash," according to the most recent EASA guidance. Read more about the new safety guidance.
Operating Into a Non-Towered Airport? Tips and Tools Are Available
March 18, 2013
As the aviation community confronts the closure of ATC towers resulting from sequestration, some business aviation pilots may find themselves in a circumstance that they've trained for time and again, yet may also find unfamiliar: operating to and from airports they've flown to hundreds of times before, but now without an operational tower. A new white paper from NBAA offers tips and resources that could be useful if flying into a non-towered airport is part of your next mission. Review the tips here.
NTSB Issues New Safety Alerts on Decision-Making and Risk Management
March 14, 2013
On March 12, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued five new safety alerts for general aviation, with two focused on decision-making and risk management for pilots and maintenance technicians. “We think that, in particular, these two NTSB safety alerts can be helpful for small business flight departments and light business aircraft members of NBAA,” said Doug Carr, the Association's vice president, safety, security, operations & regulation. “They don’t always have a support mechanism for difficult safety-driven decisions. For them, the entire flight or maintenance responsibility relies on one person." Read more about the new safety alerts.
Solar Activity Peak in Mid-2013 Could Impact Aviation
March 8, 2013
Experts say solar activity could reach its cyclical peak in the second half of 2013, causing a possible increase in space-weather-related events. Space weather refers to solar activity like geomagnetic or solar radiation storms that can affect the performance of certain aerial navigation systems, including ground stations and satellites. Solar activity runs in 11- to 14-year cycles, and "space-weather forecasting is still in its infancy, so we don't always have much warning for specific events," said Emilien Robert, an expert on space weather with Eurocontrol, the European organization for the safety of air navigation. "But we do know that the probability of a special event happening is higher during this period." Read more about the coming space weather peak.
Flight Safety Foundation Promotes Global Information Sharing
February 13, 2013
For years, operators in the U.S. have collected and used flight operations quality assurance (FOQA) data to improve safety. Now, the Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) has launched a new program to promote sharing aviation safety information derived from operational data – just like FOQA – worldwide. The program was announced in November 2012, and already organizations in Singapore, Indonesia, Brazil and some Caribbean countries have expressed interest in gathering this kind of data and sharing it with FSF. Read more about FSF’s program.
Mixed Picture for General Aviation Fatalities in 2012
February 4, 2013
Though U.S. business jets flown by full-time crew last year added a fourth year to their fatality-free run, a new preliminary analysis of business aviation accidents showed that the total number of business jet accidents inched up, according to Bob Breiling, of Robert E. Breiling & Associates. During the same period, the total number of U.S. turboprop accidents decreased, noted Breiling. Also recently released was the National Transportation Safety Board's preliminary statistics for 2011, which showed some marked improvements in business aviation safety. Read more of the latest safety statistics.
NBAA Weighs in on OSHA Proposals for Business Aircraft
January 28, 2013
NBAA submitted comments on Jan. 22 raising questions about a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposed-policy to allow Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) oversight of aircraft cabin workplace safety issues. The proposed policy, required by the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, could potentially establish OSHA oversight of certain occupational safety and health requirements such as recordkeeping, blood borne pathogens, noise, sanitation, hazard communication, anti-discrimination and access to employee exposure/medical records for employees on aircraft in operation, other than flight deck crew. Read more about the FAA’s proposal.
NBAA Helping EASA Develop On-Demand Crew Rest Rules
January 23, 2013
In a move that could change the way crew rest is regulated in the European Union, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has invited NBAA to take part in the formulation of new rules that would, for the first time, differentiate rest requirements for charter operators from those that cover scheduled air carriers. Right now, EASA regulations on crew rest have a one-size-fits-all flavor, said NBAA Vice President for Safety, Security, Operations & Regulation Doug Carr. They make no allowances for the very different nature of the on-demand charter business when compared to scheduled airline operations. Carr is one of 10 people in the working group, which has been created to tackle the issue of creating crew-rest regulations for European on-demand operators between now and the end of October. Read more about the issue of crew rest regulations.
NBAA Supports NTSB Battle Against Distraction
December 13, 2012
Eliminating distractions in all forms of transportation is one of the National Transportation Safety Board's Top 10 priorities for 2013, and NBAA fully supports the effort, said Doug Carr, NBAA's vice president, safety, security & regulation. Distractions are never-ending temptations, and resisting each of them depends on "discipline and professionalism, which are the hallmarks of what we in business aviation do," said Carr. Read more about combating distractions.
GAO Study Lauds Data-Driven Approach to Improving GA Safety
October 16, 2012
A general aviation safety study conducted by the Government Accountability Office showed the safety record for business aviation led other GA segments, and "was the least common type of operation to be involved in general aviation accidents." Corporate operations accounted for less than 1 percent of fatal general aviation accidents despite comprising 14 percent of annual GA operations, according to the study. "These numbers are examples that while our industry is held to the same regulations as general aviation, corporate operations, as defined in the report, have an accident rate equivalent to the scheduled airlines, which have to deal with a substantially higher regulatory burden," said Doug Carr, NBAA vice president of safety, security, operations & regulation. Read more about the safety study.
FAA Clarifies Definition of Aircraft Approach Categories
October 1, 2012
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has released SAFO 12005 to ensure aircraft operators and pilots are aware that an aircraft is certified for only one approach category – according to maximum certificated landing weight – and that the category remains fixed despite day-to-day operational changes in landing weight. The aircraft approach category used during an instrument approach is determined by the aircraft's Vref at the maximum certificated landing weight or 1.3 Vso at the maximum certificated landing weight, and pilots must not use lower-than-certificated categories when conducting instrument approaches. Review further details and view the SAFO.
DOT Asks FAA to Do More to Reduce Bird Strikes
September 21, 2012
A recent Department of Transportation report says collisions between birds and airplanes occur five times more often now than in 1990, and calls on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to do more to solve the problem – offering the agency 10 recommendations to ensure it is working to reduce wildlife hazards at or near airports. The FAA said it agreed with most of the recommendations, but did not concur with a request to change the reporting of bird strikes from voluntary to mandatory. The agency said it will continue to perform spot checks of airports’ strike records during annual inspections. Wildlife strikes are not new threats to aviation safety, but in the past two decades wildlife strikes have steadily increased from 1,770 reported in 1990 to 9,840 reported in 2011. Read more about bird strikes.
IS-BAO Session Slated the Day Before Seattle Regional Forum
August 24, 2012
Anyone planning to attend NBAA's Regional Forum on Sept. 20 in Seattle, WA, is invited to attend an International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) open forum on Sept. 19, to learn about IS-BAO audit preparation, the registration process, safety management systems and more. The IS-BAO event will be held from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the King County International Airport/Boeing Field (BFI) Terminal Meeting Room in Seattle, WA. Learn more about the IS-BAO session.
Regular Safety Checks a Best Practice in GA Catering
July 30, 2012
Needles found in turkey sandwiches on recent commercial airline flights highlight the need for safety checks when it comes to catering on all flights, including general aviation. “Commercial aviation caterers have stringent regulations that cover food preparation, handling and safety,” said Paula Kraft, founder and managing partner of Atlanta-based Catering Consultants. In general aviation, there are no regulatory standards to meet or to be complied with, she added. Business aviation-specific trained flight attendant/flight technicians can mitigate these risks associated with food safety, as they understand its importance. Listen to this week's NBAA Flight Plan podcast for more about safety measures needed in GA catering.
Key Jet and Turboprop Segments Report Zero Fatalities in First Half of 2012
July 19, 2012
During the first half of this year, business jets and turboprops flown by professional crews suffered no fatalities, not just in the United States but worldwide, according to the latest figures compiled by Robert E. Breiling Associates, of Boca Raton, FL. In addition, the total number of accidents involving U.S.-registered business aircraft declined during the first half of 2012, but the overall number of related fatalities increased, according to the report. Read more about the report.
OEI Planning – There's Another Way
July 16, 2012
Many operators are unaware there are alternative procedures for OEI takeoff planning, but NBAA's Domestic Operations Committee has authored a white paper titled, "One Engine Inoperative Takeoff Planning and Climb Performance." Its objective: "To promote operator knowledge, operator application and operator training issues surrounding transport airplane takeoff performance, Part 91 and 135 operators alike, specifically showing that the current practice of planning for OEI takeoff obstacle avoidance and compliance with TERPS criteria is inadequate and potentially dangerous." Read more about OEI planning.
Safety Alert Issued on Cockpit Weather Radar Displays
June 25, 2012
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued a safety alert warning pilots of potentially misleading age indications of weather radar images displayed in cockpits. These mosaic radar images are created by weather service providers using data collected from various NEXRAD ground sites. The age indicator associated with the mosaic image and displayed in the cockpit does not show the age of the actual weather conditions as detected by the NEXRAD sites, but instead shows the age of the mosaic image created by the service provider. Weather conditions depicted on the mosaic image will always be older than the age indicated on the display. The NTSB warns that in some extreme situations, the actual age of the displayed radar mosaic could reach 15 to 20 minutes. Review the NTSB safety alert.
ASRS Marks 1 Million Anonymous Reports
June 18, 2012
The NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) recently marked its 1 millionth report - a testimony to the system's ability to keep a promise and its worth in improving air safety. ASRS, which has been in existence for 36 years, is an anonymous reporting system that sometimes allows flight crew, cabin crew, controllers, dispatchers and mechanics the ability to not only point out safety issues, but in some cases, mitigate FAA punitive action. ASRS Program Director Linda Connell said aviation professionals also can use the reports in familiarizing themselves with new airports and procedures, discovering safety challenges before they become critical. Learn more.
This Storm Season, Watch for Hurricane Updates from NBAA Air Traffic Services
June 11, 2012
As hurricane season begins to intensify, now is a good time to review what information and guidance to expect from NBAA Air Traffic Services (ATS) before, during and after these storms. Once the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) begins to have its hurricane telephone conferences (telcons) among aviation stakeholders to coordinate response procedures, NBAA ATS will begin issuing hurricane updates to the business aviation community via the Association's Airspace Alerts subscriber list, as well as via its new @NBAA_ATS Twitter account. Read more about ATS's role in hurricane updates.
Start of Hurricane Season a Good Time to Review Emergency Plans
June 4, 2012
Even before the Atlantic hurricane season officially got underway June 1, two named storms were formed, with one – Tropical Storm Beryl – dumping rain over much of the Southeast over Memorial Day weekend and into the last week of May. Fortunately, Michael Peery, general manager of Signature Flight Support at Georgia's Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV), was prepared. As he watched the remnants of Beryl dump sheets of rain on his ramp, ground crews handled incoming and departing traffic efficiently despite of the deluge. Beryl was a great opportunity for Peery to test the latest iteration of his emergency operations plan before hurricane season officially got underway. Read more about hurricane preparedness.
Incident Demonstrates Importance of Sterile Cockpit Procedures
May 9, 2012
An April 2012 Australian Transport Safety Bureau report on a May 2010 incident involving an Australian airliner has once again reinforced the importance of following "sterile cockpit" procedures and minimizing distractions during critical phases of operations. According to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau's report, the cockpit crew of the Jetstar Airbus A320 became distracted by the captain's cell phone during an approach to land in Singapore. Learn more.
NBAA Comments on Proposed Changes to Emergency Certificate Actions
April 23, 2012
Due to the work of NBAA and a coalition of aviation associations, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is working to revise several regulations dealing with its review of emergency certificate actions taken by the FAA. While some of the proposed changes are positive, in comments on a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) issued in February, NBAA expressed concern that the NTSB still assumes FAA allegations to be true during emergency proceedings. To ensure a fair review and due process, NBAA believes that it is unfair for NTSB to make a factual presumption of FAA allegations in advance of the hearing. Learn more.
NBAA Opposes FAA's Opinion On 'Controlled Crew Rest' for Part 91 Operators
February 6, 2012
NBAA is alerting Members to a recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) opinion on Part 91 crew rest procedures that is in "stark disagreement" with international guidelines, and scientific findings. The Association notes that the FAA's ruling runs contrary to a large body of scientific research on effective fatigue mitigation, that has determined a "controlled cockpit rest" period can raise crew alertness when normal rest periods are compromised. "We would like the opportunity to discuss this issue with you and your staff as soon as reasonably possible to identify a path forward, balancing the regulation, as written and interpreted, with aviation safety," NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen said in a January 30 letter to the FAA. Learn more.

Other Web Sites

FAA Office of Accident Investigation (AAI)
Provides preliminary accident and incident reports during the last 10 business days.
FAA Accident Lessons Learned Site
Features lessons learned from airline/air transport accidents that have occurred.
NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Search for aviation accidents and selected incidents within the United States from 1962 and later.
FAA Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing (ASIAS) System
Allows operators to search through numerous government databases and aviation safety studies.
NASA Icing Training Online Courses
This web site contains free icing training courses and resources for pilots who want to learn more about aircraft icing and what they can do about it.
Flight Safety Foundation
An independent, nonpolitical, nonprofit, international organization offering an objective view of aviation safety developments.
Robert E. Breiling Associates, Inc.
Compiles and analyzes business aircraft accidents dating to the introduction of business jets. Offers summaries of aircraft accidents and analysis of aircraft from specific aircraft manufacturers.

  • Safety Management Systems (SMS)

    Through the use of safety management systems (SMS), business aircraft operators can proactively identify and manage risks. NBAA advocates that flight departments of all sizes implement a SMS for aircraft operations. Learn more.

  • NBAA Safety Committee

    The Safety Committee provides NBAA Members with advice and guidance on all matters relating to the safe operation of aircraft. Learn more.

  • NBAA Flying Safety Awards

    The NBAA Flying Safety Awards recognize Member Companies for exceptional achievement in maintaining safe flying operations. Only Members may apply. Learn more.

  • Flight Risk Awareness Tool (FRAT)

    This free online tool presents operators with an easy-to-understand summary of the risks associated with each flight operation.

  • Safety Statistics

    The safety record for business aviation has historically been comparable to that for the major passenger airlines.

  • Response to an Aviation Accident

    NBAA provides information and guidance for company management and public affairs personnel to help them respond to press and public inquiries in the event of an accident involving company-operated aircraft.

  • Safety Frequently Asked Questions

    Safety-related questions frequently asked of NBAA staff.

  • Aviation Safety Reporting System

    A cooperative program established by the Federal Aviation Administration's Office of the Assistant Administrator for System Safety, and administered by NASA.