Experimental Aircraft Fatals, New Advisory Circulars, and Avgas 2.0

Fatal accidents involving experimental, amateur-built aircraft (EABs) during the 2015 federal fiscal year-October 2014 through September 2015-fell 20 percent from the previous 12-month period. The FAA has published for public comment draft revisions to two ACs, as well as a handful of others useful to GA and other operators. The FAAs efforts to approve a new, unleaded aviation gasoline are continuing, with an ongoing series of lab tests being conducted at the agencys Atlantic City, N.J., research facility.

Editorial Staff

Wednesday, January 20, 2016 at 12:00 AM ET

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Key Takeaways:

Fatal accidents involving experimental, amateur-built aircraft decreased significantly by 20 percent in 2015, indicating improved safety trends in homebuilt aviation.
The FAA has released draft revisions for several important Advisory Circulars, including those covering Aviation Weather and Flight Information Services, updating their content and graphics.
The FAA's Piston Aviation Fuels Initiative (PAFI) is progressing, with Phase 1 testing of candidate unleaded aviation fuels nearing completion and Phase 2 testing scheduled to begin in 2016.

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According to EAA, homebuilt aircraft safety improved in late 2015, with the number of fatal accidents dropping significantly over a 12-month period covering much of 2015. Fatal accidents involving experimental, amateur-built aircraft (EABs) during the 2015 federal fiscal year—October 2014 through September 2015—fell 20 percent from the previous 12-month period the association said. The specific totals indicate 40 fatal accidents in those aircraft during the period, compared to 51 during the prior year.

“This is excellent news to see this type of reduction in fatal accident numbers, which are already smaller than other types of popular recreational pursuits, such as paddle sports, horseback riding, and driving all-terrain vehicles,” said Sean Elliott, EAA’s vice president of advocacy and safety.