Page 13 - Volume 11 Number 1

Also, in all areas of aviation, including general aviation, the NTSB has found that inadequate evacuation procedures have placed crew and passengers at unnecessary risk following an accident. Pilots should consider reviewing with passengers before each flight what to do in case of an emergency or crash.
Expand Recorder Use to Enhance Safety
Per the NTSB, data, audio/voice and video recorders capture and store critical information that can assist investigators in determining the cause of aircraft accidents, which helps companies and operators take proactive steps to prevent them. Recorders can also aid companies and operators to establish effective safety management strategies. Data from recorders can be used to adjust procedures and enhance crew training to prevent accidents from happening in the first place.
Even though recorders are readily available, easily installed and largely affordable, the NTSB says there are still some aircraft that aren’t equipped with the recorders. It has stated that the benefits of recorders are many, and both regulators and operators should do more to see that these technologies – in all their forms – are installed and used to improve aviation safety.
Individual and Industry Actions Needed
“General aviation has seen enormous gains in terms of safety in recent years,” said George Perry, senior vice president of AOPA’s Air Safety Institute. He cited data showing the fatal accident rate has dropped from 1.73 per 100,000 flight hours in 1994 to 0.89 in 2015.
The NBAA states that it views its most important responsibility as advancing business aviation safety and fostering development of industry safety best practices. Its Safety Committee identifies the association’s Top Safety Focus Areas every year, which highlight the priorities to support business aviation safety. The safety issues are developed from the committee’s data­driven annual risk assessment, with the NTSB’s Most Wanted list regarding aviation being some of that data. According to the NBAA Safety Committee, “the focus areas are intended to help promote safety­enhancing discussions and initiatives within flight departments and among owner­flown operations.”
AOPA’s Perry says it will continue to advocate on behalf of aircraft owners and pilots, including pushing for friendlier policies and regulations that make it easier to install safety equipment on the existing GA fleet.
The various aviation groups are doing what they can to assist aircraft owners and operators in terms of safety. Are you taking advantage of what they are offering and doing all that you can? KA
JANUARY 2017
KING AIR MAGAZINE • 11