The National Transportation Safety Board’s 2014 “Most Wanted” list of transportation safety concerns includes, “General Aviation: Identify and Communicate Hazardous Weather,” and “Address Unique Characteristics of Helicopter Operations,” as two of 10 issues the Board says deserve increased focus in the coming year.
In the 2014 Most Wanted list released today, the NTSB stated: “The first line of defense in preventing a GA weather-related accident is the GA pilot. He or she makes the decision of when and where to fly the aircraft. Therefore, appropriate training on how to obtain and use the proper information to address hazardous weather is critical.”
Another key line of defense, the NTSB said, is air traffic controllers who provide weather data to pilots prior to and during flight, as well as improvements in pilot reports.
Bruce Landsberg, president of the AOPA Foundation and Air Safety Institute, said of the list, “We are heartened that the NTSB has chosen to focus on how weather information is used by pilots today. We’ve seen some incredible advances in the weather information that is actually available to pilots in the cockpit and on the ground. Better use of this technology — and a better understanding of this information by pilots — will drive the accident rate down further.”
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