The NTSB report on the Bedford G-IV crash has been released, and “pilot error” doesn’t even begin to describe it. How do respected, well-trained, experienced pilots screw up so badly? And could it ever happen to us? Sadly, the answer is “yes”. Read more →
Flying is a considerably safer today than it was when the NTSB was first established. But the Board’s safety recommendations have picked most of the low-hanging fruit over the past ninety years, and the things they suggest nowadays are sometimes divorced from reality because they don’t consider the cost their proposed enhancements place on an overburdened industry. Perhaps it’s time to change that. Read more →
Are airline standards a laudable goal for general aviation? Is there such a thing as “too safe?” The NTSB wouldn’t think so. But then, they’re not necessarily concerned with the time, money, or effort required to comply with their own recommendations. Read more →