News Archive

Post-accident survey finds most student and freshly minted pilots undeterred following JFK, Jr. tragedy

A survey of student and low-time private pilots by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association has found new aviators realistic but largely undeterred by the highly publicized John F. Kennedy, Jr. accident.

“It’s encouraging that these new aviators are taking this tragic accident for what it is, and not a reason to stop flying,” said AOPA President Phil Boyer. “Moreover, they report their friends and loved ones still largely support their decision to become a pilot.”

Some 84 percent of new pilots surveyed said the accident had not increased their concerns about safety “at all” or only “to a small extent.” The majority (61.5 percent) reported “not at all.”

The effect of the accident on family and friends has been the subject of much speculation. But only 29.5 percent of these pilots said the accident had been a “substantial” topic of discussion with loved ones and friends. Fully 43 percent reported “to a small extent” or “not at all.”

Some 65.6 percent of these pilots said the accident had not increased the concerns of loved ones or friends “at all” (39.6 percent) or only “to a small extent” (26 percent).

Some 94 percent said the accident either caused no change in their commitment to becoming a pilot or had actually “somewhat” or “substantially” increased their commitment to flying.

Thirty-six percent of the group reported the accident has caused them to want more instruction before becoming a pilot, but some 52 percent said “not at all.” Of those planning increased training, 55 percent cited instrument procedures, 31 percent night operations, 24 percent weather, and 18 percent flying over unusual terrain including over-water operations.

Fully 78 percent said the accident should cause no change, or only changes to a small extent, in current flight training procedures. More than 84 percent said no change at all was required in FAA regulations on flight instruction or VFR flying.

Some 95 percent of these new pilots rated general aviation either safe or very safe.

The telephone survey was conducted by AOPA during late July soon after the JFK, Jr. accident. Most new pilots interviewed were student pilots, although 15 percent of the group had achieved a private pilot certificate. The median pilot interviewed had logged just 25 to 49 hours in the previous year.

The survey covered 96 pilots of representative ages, 88.3 percent male and 11.7 percent female, and had a plus or minus five percent margin of error. No pilot surveyed had yet reached 200 hours total flight time.

Be-A-Pilot program stats also up

Public interest in information on becoming a pilot is also up since the accident.

The industry-wide Be-A-Pilot program reports recent inquiries to 888/BE-A-PILOT and its Web site hit all-time records for an individual day and week.

In one week in August, more than 2,000 people contacted Be-A-Pilot for information on flying. Earlier in August, nearly 500 prospects contacted Be-A-Pilot in a single day.

99-3-039

August 19, 1999