NBAA Proposes Changes In VLJ Pilot Training

While the crowds at this week's NBAA Convention in Orlando, Fla., are busy out on the convention floor and on the flight line checking out all the latest and greatest technology, a lot is also going on in the meeting rooms, as movers and shakers get together to discuss issues of importance to the industry. One of the groups that met in Orlando was NBAA's Safety Committee, and this week the committee said it will revise its guidelines for training pilots of very light jets. Changes will attempt to address the basic instrument proficiency lacking in some prospective VLJ pilots, the committee said. Also, efforts will be made to better define training outcomes, to explain the concept of "personal minimums" and to address the unique challenges of operating into airports with short runways and inhospitable nearby terrain. The committee said it will work with the General Aviation Manufacturers Association and others to produce a rewrite of the training guidelines by the end of this year.

The guidelines also may be applicable to single-pilot certified aircraft other than VLJs that share similar levels of automation. The committee said it will also work with the FAA to update the agency's advisory circular on how to plan for sporting events that draw large numbers of aircraft, in an effort to enhance safety at smaller airports not accustomed to handling a large number of aircraft in a short period of time.