For the second year in a row, the National Transportation Safety Board cited general aviation safety as one of its “10 Most Wanted” improvements. Too many pilots and passengers are “dying due to human error and inadequate training,” the NTSB said. The GA accident rate is six times higher than for Part 135 operations and the GA fatal accident rate has increased 25 percent over 10 years. The board said better training is needed for pilots and maintenance workers. AOPA said the industry has made progress, with fatalities down overall from 596 in 2001 to 444 in 2011.
An argument over airline pilot pay and working conditions continues to play out in the mass media. New rules are expected to take effect next summer requiring first officers to have 1,500 hours, and airline officials say they will be forced to cut back on regional flights for a lack of qualified applicants. Pilot advocates quickly took to the airwaves to respond that there are plenty of qualified pilots who would fill those seats if airline pay, benefits and working conditions would improve. The rule changes stem from the fatal Colgan Air crash in 2009.
