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.

Report Says Biden Set To Nominate Mike Whitaker As FAA Administrator

Former FAA Deputy Administrator Mike Whitaker is expected to be nominated by President Joe Biden to become the agency’s next administrator. The Wall Street Journal said sources told it the announcement will likely come this week but talks have not been finalized. Whitaker was second-in-command under Administrator Michael Huerta from 2013 to 2016 and focused […]

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AD Affects 41,000 Turbocharged Aircraft

An AD that takes effect July 17 affects more than 41,000 turbocharged piston aircraft in service in the U.S. They’ll all have to be checked to see what kind of clamp is used to connect the turbocharger to the tailpipe. If it turns out to be a spot-welded, multi-segment exhaust pipe v-band coupling that has […]

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Six Die When Citation Crashes In Fog

Six people killed in the crash of Cessna 550 were apparently heading home on an early morning flight from Las Vegas on Saturday. CBS is reporting all six, ranging in age from 25 to 51, were from the immediate area of Murrieta, California. Authorities told CBS the aircraft was on its second attempt to land […]

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Normalizing Deviance

Humans are really good at rationalizing. We do it all the time, every time when we cut corners, break rules or ignore evidence in pursuit of a successful outcome. We continue because it often has no consequences. The thing about rationalizing, though, is it can change our behavior. What once seemed wrong starts to feel […]

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Unlicensed Helicopter Pilot Died After In-Flight Breakup

The pilot of an amateur-built helicopter involved in a fatal crash didn’t have a helicopter license but that’s not what killed him according to Canada’s Transportation Safety Board. In a final report issued this week, the agency said a rotor blade delaminated when the RotorWay Exec helicopter was less than 150 feet above the ground […]

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Accident Probe: Systems Knowledge?

As new aircraft and avionics become more sophisticated and capable, a pilot’s learning curve becomes more complicated. Understanding how and why things work the way they do is a critical part of our training and study. Brian Sagi’s article for Aviation Safety, “Automation Misbehavior,” explores some of the ramifications and remedial actions pilots should know […]

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ATP Orders 40 More Skyhawks

ATP Flight School has signed an agreement with Textron Aviation to add 40 Cessna 172 Skyhawks to its fleet. The aircraft, which will be used for the school’s Airline Career Pilot Program, are slated for delivery in 2025. The purchase agreement follows an order for 55 172s placed by ATP in October 2022. “With 95 […]

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FAA Calls For Comment On Environmental Assessment For Replacement Towers

The FAA is seeking comments from the public on the environmental assessment associated with replacing 31 aging air traffic control towers across the U.S. Intended to “replace towers functioning beyond their intended design life,” the new facilities will include features such as all-electric building systems, materials and products free from chemicals known to pose health […]

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Delta 717 Lands With Nosegear Up

There were no injuries when a Delta Boeing 717 crew put the aircraft down in Charlotte with the nosegear retracted. Flight 1092 was on final after a flight from Atlanta when the crew got a nosegear light. They flew a couple of inspection flights over the tower and learned the front gear doors were open […]

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Not-So-Gentle-T-Storms

On a warm summer afternoon, a two-ship flight consisting of a Beech A-36 Bonanza and a Piper PA-31 Navajo lifted off from Newport, Rhode Island. One made it through a looming storm; one didn’t. Short Trip The two airplanes made a gradual right turn to the southwest out over the grayish-blue waters of Rhode Island […]

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