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 new Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) 25001, targeting Part 121 and 135 air carriers and pilots, to address risks associated with visual approaches following recent high-profile safety incidents.
The SAFO emphasizes critical communication between pilots and air traffic control (ATC), reaffirming the pilot in command's authority to declare "unable" if clearances compromise safety margins.
Key recommendations for pilots include increasing vigilance, considering instrument approaches, and communicating "unable" if there's insufficient time or resources for a stable and safe approach.
The alert also calls for aviation personnel to enhance safety reporting, apply Safety Management System (SMS) principles, and review risk mitigations in the growing and complex National Airspace System.

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.