Simple Clues

Pilots violating standard operating procedures (SOPs) — plus poor or missing SOPs — and pilots with inadequate flying skills are insidious problems that continue to kill many. This was the opinion of several speakers at Flight Safety Foundation’s 24th European Aviation Safety Seminar in Dublin on Feb. 29–March 1.

While the world’s airline community chalked up a record safety year in 2011, it was barely better than the previous high-water mark, said David Learmount, operations and safety editor, Flight International magazine. However, historical accident patterns persisted; “all the serious accidents, even over the past several years, have been preventable,” Learmount said.