Fly-In Safety Highlighted

As the summer fly-in season kicked off in the U.S., the NTSB published the latest in its ongoing series of Safety Alerts, with discussions and tips for pilots arriving at fly-in events. Focused primarily on the Sun n Fun and the Experimental Aircraft Associations (EAAs) AirVenture events but applicable to many others, the Boards new advisory (SA-053) emphasizes the unique challenges arrivals at heavily attended fly-ins can present to pilots of all experience levels but especially those who arent prepared.

Editorial Staff

Tuesday, April 19, 2016 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The NTSB issued a Safety Alert emphasizing the critical importance for pilots to thoroughly study event NOTAMs and prepare for the unique challenges, high-density traffic, and special procedures at fly-in events.
The FAA warned against the unauthorized use of RTV sealants on Continental Motors engines, noting they can lead to engine failure by affecting component mating or blocking internal oil passages.
The FAA clarified that changes to a manufacturer's maintenance requirements are generally not mandatory for in-service Part 91 aircraft unless voluntarily adopted, mandated by an Airworthiness Directive, or required by an existing maintenance program.

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As the summer fly-in season kicked off in the U.S., the NTSB published the latest in its ongoing series of Safety Alerts, with discussions and tips for pilots arriving at fly-in events. Focused primarily on the Sun ‘n Fun and the Experimental Aircraft Association’s (EAA’s) AirVenture events but applicable to many others, the Board’s new advisory (SA-053) emphasizes the unique challenges arrivals at heavily attended fly-ins can present to pilots of all experience levels but especially those who aren’t prepared.

Those challenges, according to the NTSB, include “extremely high-density traffic, special flight and communication procedures, a rapidly changing environment, and changes to air traffic control (ATC) separation standards.” Highlighting the procedural changes and associated Notices to Airmen (Notams), the NTSB said planning far enough in advance to obtain and understand relevant Notams is “critical to ensuring flight safety because they contain special operational procedures, including arrival and departure routes, communication procedures, and other crucial safety information.”