AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2019 - 6

PRESIDENT'S POSITION

'Traffic, 12 o'clock'

BY MARK BAKER
President and CEO

Tech and training make us all safer
I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I heard that Siri-like voice
announcing through the headsets: "Traffic, 12 o'clock,
same altitude, one mile."
Alarmed but fascinated at the same time, I quickly
changed course and looked at the illuminated panel
before me. Within seconds, I spotted the traffic inbound
for landing, now several hundred feet below me. Three
miles east, the pilot of a small Cessna was practicing
maneuvers; and I got a glimpse of what was likely a commercial airliner enjoying a brisk tailwind at FL200. As I
continued to fly, I was stunned by the scores of aircraft
zipping through my selected five-mile radius.

Despite advanced technology, avionics,
and electronics, we must remain vigilant.

AOPA President
MARK BAKER

had no cockpit
traffic displays in
the 1968 Cessna 150
in which he learned
to fly.

6 | AOPA PILOT July 2019

Transmitting position, altitude, speed, and intended
flight track, Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast
(ADS-B) has made significant contributions to general aviation safety, and has transformed our situational
awareness as pilots. To this day, I'm still amazed at the
accuracy and sophisticated technology behind ADS-B and
the FAA's Next Generation Air Transportation System.
So far, nearly 59,000 fixed-wing general aviation aircraft have been equipped with ADS-B Out ahead of the
January 2, 2020, mandate, and it's paying off for safety.
Aircraft equipped with both ADS-B Out and the optional
ADS-B In can take advantage of traffic and weather services, and a recent study found a 53-percent reduction in
the likelihood of an accident for aircraft equipped with
ADS-B In. It also found the likelihood of a fatal accident
decreased by 89 percent for aircraft using the technology.
But it's not just ADS-B that has transformed our
safety culture. New, ambitious safety devices are constantly being introduced (see "Safety Logic," p. 66). All
this new equipment gives pilots peace of mind when
taking to the skies, especially as our national airspace
system continues to become more congested.
As we've progressed into the modern age, we've
ditched handheld mics and tinny ceiling-mount speakers for modern headsets. Unless you're a nostalgist or
a student pilot, few of us continue to fly with sectional
charts sprawled out across our laps, instead favoring
innovative navigation apps and the convenience of GPS.
Even major manufacturers have made significant

headway with safety features. Take industry leader
Cirrus with its Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS)
equipped on all its aircraft-even the 6,000-pound Vision
Jet. The airframe parachute is perhaps one of the most
impressive innovations in more than a half-century of
general aviation, having saved around 400 lives. Its popularity will likely continue to grow.
Thanks to the introduction of non-TSO avionics,
pilots can choose capable, relatively low-cost options
that increase safety and save them money. AOPA was
pivotal in working with the FAA and manufacturers on
certification changes to bring modern equipment to the
legacy fleet of GA aircraft. Now, pilots can benefit from
the reliability, situational awareness, and workload savings of new solid-state flight displays and autopilots.
Despite advanced technology, avionics, and electronics, we must remember to remain vigilant and
understand that aeronautical decision making always
lies with the pilot in command. That's where the AOPA
Air Safety Institute (ASI) comes in. As the worldwide
leader in GA safety education, with its free educational
resources and seminars all across the country, ASI aims
to improve safety, reduce the fatal accident rate, and
grow the pilot population.
No matter your skill level, all pilots can benefit
from ASI's safety-related content, including its in-person seminars, podcasts, online courses, and multitude
YouTube videos, including the very popular Accident
Case Study series, ASI Safety Tips, and Ask ATC.
One of ASI's most recent additions to its library of
safety materials is the Focused Flight Review, which
gives pilots an opportunity to sharpen their skills, proficiency, and knowledge through flight scenarios. Built
into each scenario are ways to improve fundamental
stick and rudder skills, decision making, understanding of aircraft operating envelopes, technologies, aircraft
performance capabilities, and loss-of-control avoidance.
Whether you're a student pilot behind the controls
of a Cessna 152 or a 20,000-hour captain of a Boeing 747,
a good pilot is always learning. Remarkable advances in
flight deck technology and safety-enhancing equipment
have significantly improved our situational awareness.
But there will always be a place for a well-trained pilot.
After all, the most important thing is to "fly the airplane." Aviate. Navigate. Communicate.
AOPA
EMAIL mark@aopa.org

AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2019