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.

FCC To Propose Cell Phone Use On Planes

The Federal Communications Commission will reportedly propose lifting a ban on passenger use of cellular phone use – both for voice and data connections – above 10,000 feet. Doing so would shift the approval decision to airlines, which would still be restricted from offering that utility while their aircraft operate below 10,000 feet. The FCC […]

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Podcast: ASA’s Checkride Apps

Educational training supply company ASA launched six new apps in October designed to aid pilots in preparation of a checkride. AVweb speaks with ASA curriculum director Jackie Spanitz to learn more. Duration: File Size: download here

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Dreamlifter Makes It To McConnell

A Boeing 747 Dreamlifter reached its final destination of McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita Thursday afternoon after it landed at the wrong airport late Wednesday. The Dreamlifter, which has an expanded fuselage to accommodate large aircraft parts, was supposed to land on McConnell’s 12,000-foot runway to pick up parts at Spirit Aerosystems. Instead, the […]

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Land at the Wrong Airport? Why, I’d Never Do That

There are lots of ways for pilots to earn 30 seconds on the evening news, some good, but most not. The descriptors that begin or end with phrases like he was a good, careful pilot are the unfortunate ones, since the airman in question isnt likely to be breathing so he cant see himself on […]

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Podcast: Sleep Apnea Policy ‘Crazy,’ Says Senior AME

Dr. Brent Blue is a senior FAA air medical examiner from Wyoming who says the new policy on sleep apnea announced by Federal Air Surgeon Dr. Fred Tilton is “one of the craziest things to come out of the FAA in many years.” AVweb’s Russ Niles spoke with him. Duration: File Size: download here

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Embraer Evacuation Slide Inflates In Flight

Passengers aboard JetBlue Flight 1266, an Embraer ERJ-190 out of Fort Myers, Fla., for Boston’s Logan Wednesday afternoon, heard a large bang and looked to see that an emergency slide had deployed in flight, inside the cabin. The inflation pinned a flight attendant to his seat and led the cockpit crew to declare an emergency […]

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EAA, AOPA Demand Sleep Apnea Rule Be Suspended (Corrected)

EAA (link) and AOPA (PDF) each wrote strongly worded letters to FAA Administrator Michael Huerta “demanding” that a new policy regarding sleep apnea in pilots and controllers be suspended (and ultimately killed) because it addresses a problem that hasn’t been proven to exist, exceeds the Federal Flight Surgeon’s mandate and could cost the pilot community […]

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Medevac Learjet Down Off Fort Lauderdale

Two people are confirmed dead and two others are missing after a Learjet headed for Mexico from Fort Lauderdale went down off the coast of Florida late Tuesday. According to the Miami Herald, the aircraft was on a medevac flight from Cozumel to Fort Lauderdale and was on the return flight after dropping off a […]

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FAA Defends Sleep Apnea Rule (Corrected)

The FAA is showing no signs of backing off a controversial new policy to detect and treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). As we reported in an exclusive story on Monday, Federal Flight Surgeon Dr. Fred Tilton is ordering Aviation Medical Examiners to automatically refer pilots (and at some point in the future, controllers) with a […]

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Russian Officials Blame Crew In Fatal Crash

Just three days after 50 people died in the crash of a Boeing 737 in Russia, a government panel said the pilots climbed too steeply after their first missed landing attempt, then lowered the nose to try to gain speed, but they overcompensated and sent the airplane into a near-vertical dive. The Interstate Aviation Committee […]

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