The FAA is holding a meeting today at its headquarters involving all U.S. operators of the Mitsubishi MU-2 aircraft, apparently to provide updated information designed to enhance the type’s safety. In a lengthy Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) published Sept. 28, the FAA announced it is seeking to create a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) applicable to the Mitsubishi MU-2B series. According to the NPRM, the proposed SFAR would establish new pilot training, experience and operating requirements. The FAA says the proposed SFAR follows “an increased accident and incident rate in the MU-2B series airplane”; the proposed SFAR would implement a series of training requirements similar to those developed several years ago for the Robinson R-22 helicopter series. According to sources, attendance by MU-2 operators at this meeting was “strongly advised.” Meanwhile, attendance by FAA inspectors with responsibility for one or more MU-2 operators is reportedly “mandatory.”
According to the FAA, a safety evaluation it conducted prior to issuing the proposed SFAR examined more than 20 MU-2B pilot training programs, including three offered by commercial training providers. It found little standardization in how the programs addressed normal, abnormal and emergency procedures. Further, only a few training programs emphasized the type’s “different handling characteristics” or any “specialized operational techniques.” As part of these findings, the FAA determined that all MU-2 flight training should be conducted with a single standardized training program reflecting piloting procedures found in the type’s Airplane Flight Manual. In response, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of America distributed Revision 1 of the training program in August, although its initial distribution apparently did not include all MU-2 operators.
MU-2 Subject Of “All-Hands” Meeting At FAA
Key Takeaways:
- The FAA is proposing a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) for Mitsubishi MU-2 aircraft due to an increased accident and incident rate, leading to a mandatory meeting for operators and inspectors.
- The proposed SFAR aims to establish new, standardized pilot training, experience, and operating requirements for the MU-2, similar to those for the Robinson R-22 helicopter.
- An FAA safety evaluation revealed a lack of standardization in existing MU-2 pilot training, with programs often failing to emphasize the aircraft's unique handling characteristics or specialized operational techniques.
- The FAA advocates for all MU-2 flight training to follow a single, standardized program based on the Airplane Flight Manual, a process Mitsubishi has initiated by distributing a revised training program.
See a mistake? Contact us.
