Avionics News August 2014 - 4

Educating beyond
the industry
T

ments imaginable. It was simplistic journalism to write
he August edition of Avionics News has often
such an extensive piece that focused only on tragic
served as the publication's annual education
instances without the balance of citing some of the
issue, and this year is no different. It is dedicated to
cooperative efforts to combat general aviation accidents.
the importance of higher education and professional
It is clear the author was intent on slanting his story
development in the general aviation electronics industry.
and distorting facts and figures to produce a highly senIn fact, the Aircraft Electronics Association has several
sational article. For example, how could the
academic and affiliate members dedicated to
author not have included information about
developing and training our future workour nation's most aggressive paths to increase
force and the industry's next generation of
safety and efficiency in our skies through
leaders, and the AEA Educational FoundaNextGen and the 2020 ADS-B Out mandate
tion has awarded more than $1.5 million to
for all airplanes flying in controlled airspace
students seeking industry careers.
to be equipped with the latest technology?
The professional instructors within the
According to a fact sheet on general aviaindustry's academic community do a magPaula Derks
tion safety recently published by the Federal
nificent job preparing aviation students for
Aviation Administration, "Reducing GA fatalities is a
future employment. But after reading the three-part
top priority of the FAA ... Similar to commercial aviaarticle written by Thomas Frank and published in USA
tion, the FAA is focused on reducing general aviation
Today on June 18, it is apparent that our industry, as a
whole, must do a better job telling our story and educat- accidents by using a primarily non-regulatory, proactive and data-driven strategy to get results ... Over the
ing the general public about general aviation's ongoing
past three years, fatal accidents from controlled flight
efforts to improve safety.
into terrain have been reduced by more than 50 percent
USA Today's irresponsible and biased article largely
compared to the previous three years."
ignored the tremendous efforts made by the various
The USA Today article also did not make readers
stakeholders in the general aviation industry to improve
aware that safety was a primary concern when President
safety. The spirit of the article was misleading and did
Barack Obama placed his signature on the Small
not give credence to the ongoing safety-enhancing
Aircraft Revitalization Act of 2013 just a few months
efforts being undertaken by the entire general aviation
ago. The bill was passed with bipartisan congressional
industry in conjunction with governmental agencies in
support after months of a collaborative industry effort
the United States.
took place through the FAA Part 23 Reorganization
The loss of life and injuries is not something the
Aviation Rulemaking Committee. The bill updates and
industry takes lightly. The men and women in the general aviation industry strive daily to pursue accidentContinued on page 64
free results in one of the most highly regulated environ-

4

avionics news

*

august 2014
august 2014
Avionics News August 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News August 2014
