The long-term improvement in accident rates is a gratifying reflection of the work done daily by all of aviation’s professionals. Yet every year, we suffer fatal accidents with causes that predate pandemic concerns, generational demographics and recent headlines about management failures. Of course, none of these are root causes for loss of life, but pilot training is a root cause candidate.
In 2021, despite better airplanes, technologies and capabilities, 20 fatal airline accidents killed 176 people. In these 20 accidents, legally proficient and qualified crews operating flyable aircraft somehow found themselves in unsafe states. The valuable lessons learned from these events indicate that we can, and must, do better.
Despite evolutionary improvements that likely have prevented many accidents, including, for airlines, the advanced qualification program, upset prevention and recovery training and extended envelop…
