FAA urges safety first

May 2, 2006

By MARY AMES/Frontiersman

MAT-SU - While the April 23 mid-air collision was tragic for many people throughout the Valley, it was an unusual event, according to John Duncan, flight standards division manager with the Federal Aviation Administration.

&#8220It's one we hate to see,” Duncan said. &#8220We've had six like that in Alaska since 1993.”

The last one was in 1998 in Juneau, when a flightseeing helicopter collided with a Cessna 172, he said. That mid-air crash was fatal to the two people in the Cessna, but the helicopter was able to land safely, he said.

More typical issues this time of year are mechanical problems in aircraft that have been sitting all winter, and take-off and landing &#8220events,” Duncan said.

&#8220Those are not usually fatal, but they could be,” he said.

Pilots should get themselves and their aircraft prepared for the season, which is the theme of the FAA's Double Check safety program.

&#8220Get with a mechanic, make sure there's no water in the fuel and it's ready to fly,” Duncan said. &#8220And get with a flight instructor and review your skills.

This summer, FAA employees will be heading out to airports for more face-to-face contacts.

&#8220Not from a regulatory standpoint, but from a safety standpoint,” he said. &#8220Not everybody makes it to our safety meetings.”

Employees from the flight standards division have committed to making about 600 contacts at local airports, and the flight service division will make about 200 to 300 contacts with pilots, he said.

As far as lessons from Sunday's mid-air collision involving two experienced pilots, Duncan wants aviators to remember there are hazards out there.

The whole premise of separation of aircraft is to see and avoid.

&#8220All pilots are trained to scan the area around them and avoid other aircraft,” he said.

&#8220The message is there are hazards out there that can't be ignored. Be aware of where you are, lighting conditions and where other aircraft are.”

That includes an awareness of areas commonly used for training maneuvers and flight routes, and concentrating on those areas.

&#8220Under certain atmospheric conditions, other airplanes are difficult to see,” he said.

&#8220It depends on the paint and the background. Look for motion.”

But, of course, a plane on a collision course doesn't make easily detectable motion, so FAA regulations separate aircraft by compass heading and altitude above 3,000 feet.

In the Valley, with so many airplanes flying in uncontrolled airspace, Duncan sees a drawback to everyone using Global Positioning System instruments to

navigate.

&#8220GPS has done great things,” he said. &#8220But it means everyone might be on the same straight line and could be driven together by the same technology.”

For pilots getting ready for flying season, Duncan recommends starting with the Medallion Foundation, www.medallionfoundation.org/Flyer_Program.htm.

The foundation offers education and training for pilots, including a flight-simulator program in 11 locations around the state, including one at Talkeetna Aero Services.

Contact Mary Ames at

352-2284 or mary.ames@

frontiersman.com.