…But Accidents Also Are Up

Thirty-nine people died in general aviation aircraft in October, EAA reported last week. That’s the second-deadliest October in over six years, and should be a “wake-up call” for aviators, EAA said. With winter ahead, and the extra challenges of icing, darkness and marginal weather, pilots need to be extra-vigilant to bring the accident rate down. All pilots should take advantage of the available safety initiatives such as EAA’s Technical Counselor and Flight Advisor programs for homebuilders, and safety programs offered by the FAA, AOPA and other organizations. “Fly in good weather, and practice superior airmanship,” EAA says, and that’s a good start for advice on how to avoid becoming a statistic.