Manufacturer Mandates

Readers likely are familiar with the role product liability plays in general aviations history. It shares responsibility for the industrys collapse in the 1980s and it wasnt until federal legislation was enacted-the General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994, which limited manufacturer liability-that some piston-engine airplane production was restarted. Separately, patterns were identified involving accidents of specific aircraft types, and addressing them became another way to minimize the risk of successful liability claims.

Robert Wright

Monday, October 24, 2016 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

General aviation manufacturers are driven by product liability concerns to implement rigorous training, maintenance, and operational requirements for their aircraft to enhance safety and mitigate risk.
Historical examples, including Robinson Helicopters, Mitsubishi MU-2, Cirrus, and Eclipse 500, demonstrate that mandatory, type-specific training programs—often formalized through FAA regulations—have significantly reduced fatal accident rates.
New entrants like Icon Aircraft are exploring aggressive, manufacturer-imposed operational requirements and training for their products, aiming to proactively manage unique risks and liability, though such approaches can generate controversy.

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Readers likely are familiar with the role product liability plays in general aviation’s history. It shares responsibility for the industry’s collapse in the 1980s and it wasn’t until federal legislation was enacted—the General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994, which limited manufacturer liability—that some piston-engine airplane production was restarted. Separately, patterns were identified involving accidents of specific aircraft types, and addressing them became another way to minimize the risk of successful liability claims.

So it’s no secret general aviation manufacturers are motivated to prescribe training, maintenance and other requirements involving their products as a way to prevent accidents. It’s worthwhile studying how effective these risk mitigations have been, especially as a new entrant seeks to significantly expand manufacturer-imposed operational requirements on its products.