FAA, Partners Stress GA Pilots' Weather Awareness
A host of organizations are partners in the Got Weather? campaign that is focused this month on pre-flight weather.
The Federal Aviation Administration's Got Weather? campaign aims to help general aviation pilots prepare for potential weather challenges they may encounter. For September, the campaign is focused on pre-flight weather: Know before you go. In a new video, FAA Administrator Michael Huerta discusses pre-flight weather planning with pilot Kristen Seaman.
The campaign launched in May 2014 at the Great Alaska Aviation Gathering in Anchorage.
The campaign has a host of partner organizations: the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA), Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), FAA FAASTeam, GA Joint Steering Committee, General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), Helicopter Association International (HAI), National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA), National Air Transportation Association (NATA), National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO), National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI), National Business Aircraft Association (NBAA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Weather Service (NWS), Soaring Society of America (SSA), Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE), University Aviation Association (UAA), and the U.S. Parachute Association (USPA).
According to information on the campaign's website, weather is the most lethal of all major causes of GA accidents, with AOPA reporting nearly 75 percent of weather-related accidents are fatal. "Have you fine-tuned your pre-flight decision-making skills? Are you confident that you can safely complete a flight if you suddenly find yourself in changing weather conditions? The United States has the busiest and most complex airspace in the world," FAA points out there. "You are part of an outstanding community of 188,000 general aviation pilots who can make a real difference in improving safety this season. You have an opportunity to take advantage of enormous resources to make you the best pilot you can be. I'm asking YOU, the GA pilot, for your help. Get involved in the GA community this flying season. Share your knowledge and skills with your fellow pilots. Talk to your friends and family about decision making and weather. Improve your skills and knowledge by signing up for a safety seminar, read important weather information, participate in a proficiency program, take online training, or train for a new certificate or rating."