NTSB Releases Alert on Circling Approach Risks
At the ACSF Safety Symposium, NTSB Member Michael Graham discussed a Challenger 605 crash, and released a circling approaches alert. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released a safety alert advising on the risks and preparation necessary to perform circling instrument approach procedures and maneuvering. The alert, “Circling Approaches: Know the Risks,” was released […]
NTSB’s Graham: Scalable SMS a Must for Smaller Aircraft Ops
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) member Michael Graham stressed his belief that there should be no exceptions for size from the FAA’s safety management system (SMS) rulemaking but did say the final regulation must be scalable for small operators. During the Air Charter Safety Foundation’s Safety Symposium on Wednesday in Daytona Beach, Florida, Graham noted that the NTSB […]
ACSF Stepping Up Spotlight on FDM Program
Flight data monitoring is slated to be a key topic at the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) annual Safety Symposium this month as the organization hopes to build momentum for its recently launched program and encourage others to adopt such practices. The ACSF Safety Symposium will be held March 20-22 at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, […]
Russell Lawton Remembered
Russell Stuart Lawton1953 – 2023 Russell Stuart Lawton (Russ) passed away at the age of 70 on January 14, 2023, following a long illness. He was born in New Britain, Connecticut, the only child of Richard and Madeline (Pepe) Lawton, who preceded him in death. He is survived by his wife, Sherryl Marshall, his stepdaughter, […]
ACSF Safety Symposium To Spotlight Bizav Careers
The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) is returning to the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) campus in Daytona Beach, Florida, for its annual Safety Symposium from March 20 to 22. It will have a slate of speakers that includes General Lloyd “Fig” Newton and, for the first time, a business aviation career panel session. ACSF brought […]
NATA To Seek Comment Extension on SMS Proposal
The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) is eyeing a request for an extension of the comment period on the FAA’s notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to extend safety management system (SMS) mandates to on-demand and air tour operations, as well as manufacturers. Published in the Federal Register on January 11, the much-anticipated proposal is open […]
Industry Leaders Review Proposals Mandating SMS for Charter
A proposed rule is intended to improve aviation safety by requiring organisations to implement a proactive approach to managing safety. Operators have one or two years to comply. The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a rule that requires charter, commuter and air tour operators and aircraft manufacturers to implement a […]
The Importance of a Flight Data Monitoring System
Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) is becoming a best practice for business aircraft operators, but it is often costly to implement. For years, FDM programs have mostly benefited medium-to-large cabin aircraft operators – that is, those operators with bigger budgets, and/or whose equipment comes built-in with FDM-capable devices. This limited range leaves operators of piston, turbo- […]
P-FOQA Offers Lower-cost Safety Analysis
FOQA or flight operations (or operational) quality assurance is a buzzword in aviation, promising safety benefits based on analysis of flight data to identify issues and trends that are headed in the wrong direction. Many flight operations use SOPs (standard operating procedures or practices) to establish consistency in flying and consequently improved safety. But how […]
NTSB Roundtable Highlights Benefits of Using FDM
The benefits of flight data monitoring (FDM) systems were examined in depth during the NTSB Roundtable at the 2022 NBAA Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (NBAA-BACE). Citing Boeing’s definition of FDM as “objective analysis of aircraft operational systems that provide actionable data for continuous improvement,” panel moderator NTSB Vice Chair Bruce Landsberg noted that such […]
