Agency Delays 2021-22 'Most Wanted List' Meeting

The Society of Aviation and Flight Educators has noted that the NTSB has postponed the March 9 unveiling of its 2021-2022 Most Wanted List (MWL) of transportation safety improvements, with no future announcements set.

The agency said only it will post the new date on the NTSB Board Calendar. SAFE has long advocated for flight training reform based on educator improvement. SAFE convened the GA Pilot Training Reform Symposium in 2011 (which was extensively documented by ANN's video teams). This event led to the creation of the FAA ACS. SAFE members including Rich Stowell and Doug Stewart, testified at NTSB hearings.

"The MVL press release says the postponement is to let them 'further refine' the safety items on their next two-year MWL," said Kevin D Murphy, SAFE Communications Director.

"Thanks to that Hawaii King Air crash with skydivers last year, I think that questions about flight instructor competence will show up on the new MWL." He noted that the NTSB has already recommended closer FAA surveillance of CFIs, with an automatic alert to the FAA when a local CFI's 'pass rate' for initial certification falls below 80 percent. SAFE advocates for a less statistical and more systemic approach to improving CFI professionalism.
 
"We hope for a more nuanced approach to improving aviation educator professionalism, not a statistical tripwire," said SAFE Executive Director David St George.

"So far the NTSB has offered a knee-jerk solution to the FAA that could be counterproductive and viewed as punitive. We encourage a more comprehensive approach. Both Rich Stowell and Doug Stewart have testified in front of the NTSB supporting and defining SAFE's view of flight training reform."

FMI: www.safepilots.org/