FAA Safety News and Updates

We all know how important it is to stay aware of industry news and regulatory announcements. To make your busy life a little easier, here’s some of the latest safety-related information you should know from the Jan/Feb issue of the FAA Safety Briefing magazine.

New Safety Alert on Intersection Takeoffs

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued Safety Alert 071-17 to highlight the potential hazards associated with conducting intersection takeoffs and the need for general aviation (GA) pilots to use all the runway available to them for takeoff.

Intersection takeoffs — where only a portion of the runway is used for takeoff instead of using the entire length — are a common practice in GA operations and often associated with a desire to save time.

However, pilots may not fully understand the potential risks associated with conducting intersection takeoffs. The NTSB has investigated at least 10 accidents between 2000 and 2015 where pilots were attempting intersection takeoffs. By reducing the amount of runway used during takeoff, pilots have less runway available to them in the event of a system or engine malfunction during takeoff to abort the takeoff, or to perform an emergency landing. This increases the risk of injury, death, and aircraft damage.

The safety alert emphasizes the need for pilots to:

• Know their airplane’s takeoff and landing performance limitations
• Not feel obligated to accept an intersection takeoff if offered by air traffic control
• Use all available runway length to increase the margin of safety

Read more here.

New Course on Using NOTAMs to Reduce Risk

Every year, the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization issues a “Top 5” list of hazards in the National Airspace System (NAS). In 2017, two identified hazards were issuance/cancellation and prioritization/filtering of Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs).

In response, the FAA developed a new course, “NOTAM 101 — Getting Back to Basics” to provide a high-level overview of the NOTAM system and a reminder about its importance.

The FAA assembled a task force to address these two issues and other areas where there are gaps in the current NOTAM system. The goal is to improve NOTAM policy, management, and training, as well as to address changes that will improve timely NOTAM coordination and dissemination.

The NOTAM 101 course is for use by pilots, air traffic control, airport operators, flight dispatch, flight service stations, the Department of Defense, and others. It outlines NOTAM components, types of NOTAMs, common issues and best practices, NOTAM search tool guidance, online resources, and FAA reference documents.

Read more information.

New User Guide for Aeronautical Charts Published

There’s a revised and expanded FAA Chart User’s Guide available via web and PDF formats. The updated version is a great training and study aid for experienced and novice pilots alike and is recommended for anyone wanting to familiarize themselves with the information and symbology found on FAA charts and chart publications.

View the guide.

View New PRM Approach Training Aid

The FAA, together with industry leaders, recently completed an extensive overhaul of Precision Runway Monitor (PRM) training material. PRMs are simultaneous, independent approaches to closely spaced, parallel runways.

The centerpiece of this effort is a newly developed training aid titled, “Precision Runway Monitor (PRM) Pilot Procedures.” Although the core elements of the training remain unchanged, this new version has been streamlined to reduce completion time and provides the most up-to-date information on how to safely conduct PRM approaches.

View the material.

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