Very Light Jet Aircraft Certification and Training Best Practices

“Very Light Jet Aircraft Certification and Training Best Practices,” Royal Aeronautical Society, London, March 2008.

Very Light Jets (VLJ) may revolutionize regional air travel around the world for both business and pleasure by providing an affordable alternative for thousands of owner-pilots, small companies, and potential customers of on-demand air services. Unfortunately, there are also concerns that the VLJ may experience a surge of early deliveries and rapid growth followed by a series of tragic and preventable human-caused accidents. The early identification of industry best practices relating to VLJ human factors issues seems to be essential for ensuring uniform VLJ pilot competence. This paper focuses on the need for and development of such best practices.

Topics include: FAA Human Factors Certification Policy; Operational considerations; Not a regulation; the VLJ is different; Minimum flight crew; Recent VLJ certification practice; What should be done? The VLJ requires new thinking; Are changes to General Aviation pilot training practices needed? Is regulatory change needed?

(File: Barnes, VLJ Cert and Trng Best Practices, RAeS, Mar 08, incl slides)