FAA Issues Alert on Visual Approach Risks

Agency points to ‘concerning’ number of high-profile incidents during flight operations.

Ryan Ewing

Saturday, April 12, 2025 at 07:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Boeing 737 on approach. [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA issued Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) 25001, targeting Part 121 and 135 air carrier operators, to address safety risks associated with visual approaches following recent high-profile incidents.
The alert emphasizes critical pilot-ATC communication and reaffirms the pilot-in-command's authority to declare "unable" for clearances that may compromise safety.
It recommends strategies for pilots, such as considering instrument approaches, increasing vigilance, maintaining active visual scans, and for aviation personnel to apply Safety Management System principles and encourage safety reporting.

See a mistake? Contact us.

The FAA has released a new Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) addressing the risks associated with visual approaches during flight operations. This alert, SAFO 25001, comes in response to several recent high-profile incidents in the National Airspace System (NAS) that have raised concerns about flight safety, according to the agency.

The SAFO, issued on April 2, specifically targets air carrier operators and pilots conducting operations under Part 121 and 135 operations.