FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford indicated this week that the agency is open to considering alternatives that could restore single-pilot operations in certain legacy Cessna Citation jets. Speaking at the NBAA-BACE, Bedford responded to proposals involving additional pilot training and aircraft modifications.
The discussion follows the FAA’s Sept. 29 decision to rescind exemptions that allowed certain Citation 500-series aircraft, including the Citation I, II, V, Ultra, Bravo and Encore, to operate with one pilot despite their two-pilot certification. The agency cited widespread noncompliance among training providers and safety concerns identified during its review of the program.
FAA Defends Decision
According to the FAA’s recent policy notice, a review of 18 years of accident data found affected Citations that were operated by a single pilot experienced approximately twice the accident rate of comparable Part 23 Citation models approved for single-pilot operations.
The FAA’s comparison was based on aircraft counts rather than flight hours. NBAA and the Citation Jet Pilots Association have both questioned the underlying data and have requested a temporary suspension of the rescissions while alternative safety measures are evaluated.
“In order to achieve any exemption, the FAA asks one question: Can we find an alternative that will give us an equivalent level of safety?” Bedford said. “If we can’t get to at least an equivalent level of safety, we shouldn’t be entertaining it.”
Potential Path Forward
“We all stress that collaboration is key to safety, and that open dialogue is important,” NBAA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Kristie Greco Johnson said. “We believe that there’s some compelling data that might provide a path to allowing single-pilot operations with some training, with an STC.”
Bedford described the supplemental type certification approach as deserving further examination, although the FAA has not announced any changes to its existing policy or a timeline for restoring single-pilot privileges.
Double the accident rate along with multiple accidents due to single pilot incapacitation should be enough evidence to say NO to single pilot operations of a high performance and altitude aircraft. Once again Bedford endorses a reduction of safety margins to grant relief to a rather small segment.