Flight Safety

AVweb’s Flight Safety section offers in-depth coverage of aviation safety topics, including accident analyses, risk management strategies, regulatory updates, and pilot training insights. Designed for pilots, instructors, and aviation professionals, this section provides timely information to enhance situational awareness and promote best practices in flight operations.

The Tough Job of Being an FAA ASI

One of the most thankless jobs in aviation has to be that of an FAA Aviation Safety Inspector (ASI). This cadre of experienced aviation professionals has made the choice to work for the government bureaucracy that is the FAA and by doing so, are in many cases the front line for safety in aviation. But […]

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Homebuilt Flight Testing: The First Flight

In previous installments of this short series (in Kitplanes magazine), we have discussed the importance of planning your first flight thoroughly, and then preparing yourself for the flight-test environment with specific training. Let’s assume then that you have a good plan and have also “warmed up” your flying skills to be ready for the unexpected. […]

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Seven-Year-Old Sole Survivor In Seneca Crash

A7-year-oldgirl was the sole survivor of the crash of a Piper Seneca in a remote area of Kentucky Friday night that killed four others, according to Kentucky State Police. The aircraft had been en route from Key West, Florida, to Mount Vernon, Illinois, authorities reported. On Saturday, authorities identified the girl as Sailor Gutzler. In […]

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Thirty Bodies Recovered From AirAsia Wreckage

Thirty bodies of the 162 on board AirAsia QZ8501 have been recovered, and searchers found what appears to be the A320’s tail at the bottom of the Java Sea, the L.A. Times reported Friday.A U.S. Navy MH-60R Seahawk helicopter took eight bodies to Borneo island while four more bodies remained on the Sampson, a San […]

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Asian Air Carriers Face Shortages, Safety Concerns

The crash of AirAsia 8501 on Sunday has raised questions about the safety record of Indonesia’s fast-growing aviation industry. While investigators search the Java Sea for clues to the cause of the crash, a New York Times report this week said Indonesia ranks low among other nations in airline safety practices and is one of […]

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Two Killed in Arizona Sheriff’s Helicopter Crash

A law enforcement helicopter crashed in southeastern Arizona Wednesday, killing the pilot and a mechanic, the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office said. The helicopter was returning from Phoenix after routine maintenance when it crashed. The two on board were pronounced dead at the scene. The helicopter, leased by the sheriff’s office, is assigned a civilian crew […]

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Las Vegas Police Helicopter Crashes

Two Las Vegas police officers were injured Wednesday when their helicopter crashed on a road near the city’s downtown, the Las Vegas Sun reported. The Hughes 369, owned by the city’s police department, landed on the road about 1:30 p.m. and emergency responders arrived, the newspaper said. The two officers were able to walk away […]

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Official: Steep Climb By AirAsia Flight Suspected

Investigators of the AirAsia jet crash are looking at evidence the A320 might have flown an “unbelievably” steep climb before crashing into the Java Sea, a Reuters report said Wednesday, quoting an unnamed official. Radar data transmitted before the aircraft disappeared Sunday indicate “this rate of climb is very high, too high. It appears to […]

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Weather Slows AirAsia Search

Nine bodies have been recovered so far from the wreckage of the AirAsia jet that crashed in the Java Sea as bad weather continues to hamper the search for more bodies and the A320’s fuselage, Bloomberg reported Thursday morning.Sonar imaging had identified an object about 150 feet beneath the ocean surface which officials at first […]

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Cessna 404 Down In Colorado Neighborhood, Pilot Dead

A Cessna 404 Titan crashed in Centennial, Colorado, early Tuesday, killing the pilot. The wreckage stopped about 10 feet from a house in a suburban area about 4:30 a.m. The aircraft took off from Centennial Airport at 4:27 a.m., according to local media reports, and crashed five minutes later. The NTSB told a news conference […]

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