Don’t Believe the Outrageous Allegations About Recent Airplane Crashes
All Pilots Undergo Rigorous Training That Makes Flying the Safest Mode of Transport
By Capt. Jason Ambrosi, ALPA President
Editor’s note: “Don’t Believe the Outrageous Allegations About Recent Airplane Crashes” was first published on usnews.com for U.S. News & World Report and is reprinted with permission.
The airplane crashes and mishaps of the past several weeks have shaken some people’s confidence in air travel. At airports and on flights across the country, many passengers may be wondering: Is flying still safe? The answer is yes—thanks to rigorous pilot training standards that serve as the foundation of aviation safety.
On January 29, American Eagle Flight 5342 and a Black Hawk helicopter collided in midair as the airliner was preparing to land at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., killing all 67 people on board both aircraft. Just weeks later on February 17, a Delta Air Lines regional jet, Endeavor Air Flight 4819, crashed and flipped over at Toronto Pearson International Airport. Thankfully, all 80 passengers and crew survived.
As investigators from the U.S. NTSB and Canada’s Transportation Safety Board (TSB) do their critical work investigating these accidents, travelers should remember that aviation safety isn’t a fixed achievement but rather an ongoing commitment to upholding our highest standards.
In the aftermath of the two accidents, there were allegations that corners were cut or that qualification standards for pilots had been lowered. Those claims are unfounded and outrageous and steeped in ignorance. As both Delta and ALPA noted after the Toronto crash, the first officer’s “flight experience exceeded the minimum requirements set by U.S. federal regulations. Assertions that she failed training events are false.”
There are no shortcuts to get your wings to join the flight deck. Pilots refine their skills through annual training, helping them to prepare for the unexpected. To earn the airline transport pilot certificate that’s required to fly an airliner, first officers, who serve as copilots, must have logged at least 1,500 hours of flight time or received credit toward those hours from previous experience flying military aircraft or earning structured college degrees in aviation. To be promoted from a first officer to a captain, pilots must have logged at least another 1,000 hours of flight time in commercial service. In addition, pilots must meet a complex series of requirements that include a medical exam as well as practical and knowledge tests.
Pilots also undergo yearly training on the type of aircraft they fly, ensuring they’re up to date on its unique systems. Every airline pilot must meet this same set of standards regardless of age, identity, or background. It’s thanks to this commitment that U.S. airline safety is the gold standard worldwide, ensuring that pilots are ready for any scenario and reinforcing the industry’s already strong safety record.
Despite recent public misperceptions that flying has become riskier, airliners are rarely involved in air crashes. Nevertheless, every challenge and tragedy that does occur sparks a review process dedicated to making aviation safer. Just as previous accidents led to necessary safety reforms so, too, will these recent crashes.
It was 16 years ago that NTSB investigators traveled to the scene of the last major airline disaster prior to this year. That investigation began on Feb. 12, 2009, after Colgan Air Flight 3407 crashed, killing 50 people, and revealed gaps in pilot training and other safety-related areas that drove Congress to pass what remains the most effective aviation safety law of the past century.
That 2010 legislation, the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act, imposed a new qualification rule for airline first officers that increased the minimum flight experience to fly an airliner. The law also established science-based regulations that limit pilot flight time and duty hours, requiring more rest between shifts to prevent fatigue-related errors.
The skies almost immediately became safer. Between 2010 and the end of 2024, the U.S. saw a 99.8 percent reduction in airline passenger fatalities, according to NTSB data.
Just as we did 16 years ago, ALPA is assisting investigative authorities to understand exactly what happened that night over the Potomac River in D.C. and, just weeks later, what happened on the runway in Canada. It’s still early in what will be thorough investigations, and it’s imperative that we let this critical work proceed without interference or speculation. Investigators with the NTSB and the TSB will identify the factors that led to both accidents and make recommendations for meaningful improvements in safety regulations and operational procedures to prevent future accidents.
As we give investigators the time and space to uncover the facts, the public should feel confident that pilots embark on every single flight to ensure and strengthen aviation safety. Safety always comes first.
The accidents in Washington and Toronto reinforce why we pilots train relentlessly, hold ourselves to the highest standards, and work every day to ensure that airline travel remains the safest mode of transportation.
As pilots, we place the safety of our passengers and fellow crewmembers front and center every time we fly, training for life to protect the flying public and the communities under our wings. That’s our mission—one that my fellow pilots and I recommit to every day. It’s also why passengers can continue to trust in the safety of air travel, even in the face of recent events.
