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.

NTSB Issues “Most Wanted” List

On Jan. 16 the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued its annual Most Wanted list of needed improvements in transportation safety. The aviation-related items are a need to identify and communicate hazardous weather conditions to pilots, address the unique characteristics of helicopter operations, strengthen occupant protection, improve fire safety and eliminate pilot distractions. At a […]

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Bomb-Carrying Teen Gives Up Bomb, Allowed to Board Flight

Canadian authorities are investigating the case of n teenager who was apparently allowed to board a flight even after security found a pipe bomb in his carry-on. Using gunpowder obtained from an undisclosed source, 18-year-old Skylar Murphy of Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada, and a buddy made two pipe bombs. Boys being boys with explosives, they […]

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Real-World Nordo

With all the literal and figurative bells and whistles in todays cockpits, something as mundane as losing communications with ATC is rare. One reason is the stuff we have in the panel these days is a couple of light years ahead of even two decades ago in reliability. But loss of communications-going no radio, or […]

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New Technology May Help Convict Laser Attackers

Even as the number of laser attacks on aircraft has shot up, convictions of the accused have been difficult to achieve. Now, as reported by Phys.org, new, reasonably priced technology may help. In 2006, 384 laser attacks on flight crews were reported-that number shot up to 3482 in 2012 and, while all data has not […]

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FAA Works To Enhance Model Aircraft Oversight

As the FAA is creating new rules to govern unmanned aircraft systems, questions have arisen about the proliferation of model aircraft, which can have wingspans up to 20 feet and run on multiple small jet engines. Inexpensive, ready-to-fly toy UASs, many controlled by smartphone apps or tablets, have expanded the attraction of the hobby. The […]

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Battery Issue Grounds JAL 787

A Japan Airlines Boeing 787 was grounded early Wednesday because of an overheated cell in one of its lithium ion batteries. According to the Puget Sound Business Journal, the incident occurred about 4 a.m. local time at Tokyo’s Narita Airport. The aircraft did not have any passengers aboard but was scheduled to fly to Bangkok […]

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100LL Research May Get Congressional Boost

GAMA says Appropriations Committee leaders have called for a slight increase in funding for the FAA to research alternatives to 100LL. The administration included $5.571 million for the fuel research in its spending estimates but the committees agreed on $6 million. If it’s approved by Congress, it will be one of only a handful of […]

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FAA Makes Its Case For SMO Airport

The FAA has asked a California court to dismiss a lawsuit that aims to close Santa Monica Airport, and AOPA this week said the government’s arguments are “compelling.” Ken Mead, general counsel for AOPA, said the FAA argued that the city signed the property over to the federal government more than 65 years ago, and […]

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Bird Strike Caught On Video

Pilot Keith Baird was flying his Cessna 210 with a new video camera on board for the first time, just after Christmas, when a Canada goose crashed through the windscreen, and he caught it on camera. Baird said he had just taken off from Brookeridge Airpark in Downers Grove, Ill., on Dec. 28 with one […]

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China Blog: Why GA Is Picking Up

The smog in some Chinese cities is too severe to fly these days, but two new general aviation policies recently coming into play may hopefully clear the forward vision a little for the market players in China. First, the Chinese regulator Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) loosened licensing requirements for private pilot licenses (PPL). […]

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