FAA Says 2007 Safety Improved, but is Concerned About 2008

By Rob Stapleton, Alaska Journal of Commerce, Anchorage

May 18–Flying in Alaska was safer in 2007 than in previous years, according to a top Federal Aviation Administration official.

“Fiscal ?07 was Alaska’s safest year ever ? with just 92 accidents,” said Mike Cirillo, FAA regional administrator for Alaska. “That’s about half the number of a decade ago. In fact, the improvements in your safety record have been nothing short of dramatic.”

Cirillo spoke to the Alaska Airmen’s Association at the Alaska State Aviation Trade Show and Conference held in Anchorage May 3.

The regional administrator, who was a stand-in for Acting Administrator Bobby Sturgell, said most accidents in Alaska are attributed to takeoffs and landings.

“In a majority of the cases, I’d say 80 to 85 percent, there were few or no injuries and no deaths,” Cirillo said. “It’s mostly been a case of nosing over Super Cubs or fender benders, things like that. But as we sift through the data, we’ve found some disturbing trends.”

For example, about two-thirds of the accidents in Alaska happen during takeoffs and landings, but a closer look shows that accidents occur twice as often on landings.

But while Alaska saw a 50 percent drop in accidents in 2007, this year is proving to tell a different story.

Cirillo said this year’s goal is to have fewer than 105 accidents.

This year, the state has already had seven small-craft accidents, said Cirillo. Three of the seven accidents involved fatalities.

While FAA Administrator Bobby Sturgell credited the Alaskan-based nonprofit Medallion Foundation for curbing aircraft accidents, a new effort is being developed.

Cirillo said the FAA and Medallion believe that most of the accidents, such as with aircraft breaking through ice, overrunning airstrips, running into snowberms and clipping trees on landing, can be prevented through other means.

“We’ve launched a certified flight instructor/designated pilot examiner initiative to improve those basic pilot skills through the instructors and examiners,” said Cirillo. “This undertaking requires the formation of self-directed CFI associations.”

The FAA has held meetings with certified flight instructors and designated pilot examiners in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Kenai and Wasilla.

Rob Stapleton can be reached at rob.stapleton@alaskajournal.com.

—–

To see more of the Alaska Journal of Commerce, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.alaskajournal.com.

Copyright (c) 2008, Alaska Journal of Commerce, Anchorage

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.