Airplane Disasters Encourage Flight Safety Regulations

After airline tragedies and flight disappearances, the industry is taking action to increase security measure and protocols. While these changes may not be immediately visible to passengers, these regulations are an important step in preventing future tragedies. This particular safety measure stems from the Colgan Air Flight 3407 crash in 2009.

The Federal Aviation Administration announced all flights carrying more than 10 passengers will now be required to have formalized safety protocols. This includes increased monitoring of past flight records and more vigilance on board. Once safety concerns are presented, the airlines must address the issues through training and management protocols. Features of the new Safety Management System include increased pilot training and data analysis.

According to Skift.com, the FAA reports 123 accidents could have been prevented by this increased vigilance. The Safety Management System has already been adopted by some corporate airlines and, as of Jan. 8, became standard practice.

While these safety measures are commendable, the FAA regulations are focused on the United States. In order to create the safest possible flight environment, international safety regulations must be standardized and put in place. Since aviation is an international industry, it only makes sense all carriers operate on the same basic safety protocols — something which will, hopefully, happen sooner rather than later.