General Aviation Safety PDF Download

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) oversight of general aviation safety, focusing on the: (1) extent to which mountainous areas present higher risks than nonmountainous areas for general aviation; and (2) FAA actions to reduce the risks associated with mountain flying and the impact of those actions on general aviation. GAO also examined the legal and safety issues involved with the prohibition imposed on general aviation night operations at Aspen Airport. GAO found that: (1) mountain flying poses greater accident risks to general aviation pilots; (2) engine output and propeller efficiency decrease at higher elevations; (3) FAA alerts pilots to mountain flying risks during the pilot certification process and at subsequent safety seminars; (4) pilots involved in fatal general aviation accidents were not familiar with the hazards of mountain flying; (5) FAA should issue guidance identifying airports in mountainous areas that present unique challenges and recommend routes for approach and takeoff at those airports under visual flight rules; (6) FAA should encourage pilot training by approving mountain flying courses and allowing pilots who complete such training to receive a "mountain endorsement" that can be used in lieu of the biennial flight review requirement; (7) FAA should develop certification test questions that highlight mountain flying risks, since the current test does not include any; (8) FAA has legal authority to resolve the dispute concerning the restriction of night operations at Aspen Airport; and (9) FAA has several options to consider in resolving the dispute at Aspen Airport.