NATA and NBAA Join Coalition Supporting a National Pause for General Aviation Safety

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The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and the National Air Transportation Association (NTAT) have joined more than a dozen aviation associations in the launch of the “National Pause for General Aviation (GA) Safety,” an FAA Safety Team-supported initiative, also backed by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), which focuses on continually enhancing the safety of GA operations.

The online initiative encourages all GA pilots to take 15 to 60 minutes over the next six months to sharpen their focus on flying safely by reviewing carefully curated safety videos, articles and other resources.

In addition to NBAA and AOPA, the organizations involved in the National Pause for General Aviation Safety include the Experimental Aircraft Association, Vertical Aviation International and NATA (formerly the National Air Transportation Association). The groups are asking their members to visit the dedicated GAsafe.org website to review the aviation safety content. Participants can choose from dozens of resources and find those best related to the type of flying they enjoy.

Despite several high-profile accidents this year, GA has never been safer thanks to improved cockpit technologies, training methods, programs and tools, regulatory frameworks and industry collaboration. Over the past 30 years, the GA fatal accident rate has fallen by 60% from 1.73 fatal accidents per 100,000 flight hours in 1994, to 0.68 fatal accidents per 100,000 flight hours in 2023. Early data suggest the accident rate continued to decline in 2024.

“The NATA team encourages pilots and other aviation stakeholders to take this opportunity to pause and enhance GA safety training, cultivating a safety 1st mindset in every mission,” stated NATA President and CEO Curt Castagna. “Safety starts on the ground and continues throughout each successful journey. That’s why NATA is pleased to support free online training and other initiatives to prevent aviation misfueling incidents found at www.nata.aero and also at www.GAsafe.org.”

“As always, NATA is here for you—on the ground, in the air, and at the Hill—working towards the continuous improvement of aviation safety for all users of the national airspace and in support of environments in which you can have confidence in the services you receive,” added Castagna. “NATA is proud to be a part of this vital Pause for GA Safety alongside our industry partners—as pilot and aviation stakeholder safety is something we all stand for and support.”

“We all know that aviation is the safest mode of transportation, but it is under intense focus right now,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “This is not a time to pat ourselves on the back, but to roll up our sleeves and recommit ourselves to doing what we do with excellence. This initiative is all about working together, to focus on safety every day, in every way.”

NBAA is offering numerous resources to business aviation pilots, operators and flight departments in support of the National GA Safety Pause, including:

  • NBAA Loss of Control-Inflight Web Resource. Loss of control-inflight accidents result in more fatalities than any other category of accident over the last decade. It is one of NBAA’s top safety focus areas for improvement.

  • NBAA Runway Safety Resource. Resources and best practices to assist operators in reducing the risk of runway incursions – including takeoff and landing performance planning, runway incursions and wrong-surface events.

  • NBAA Small Flight Department Safety Guide. This guide serves as a roadmap for small flight departments to begin taking steps toward improving the safety of their operation and could ultimately open the door to a fully operational Safety Management System.

  • NBAA Safety Data Collection, Analysis and Sharing Resource. Collecting, analyzing and sharing safety data is critical to sustainable business aviation operations. This promotes industry best practices related to business aviation safety programs.

  • NBAA Single-Pilot Operations Resource. NBAA’s Single-Pilot Operations resource page is meant to serve as an introduction to a host of valuable resources and offer access to a variety of industry professionals ready to help you learn to safely navigate the world of flying alone in a cockpit.

  • NBAA Managing Risks in Diverse Fleet Operations. This resource outlines the common human factors issues faced by operators with multiple aircraft types, and provides guidance for reducing risks associated with these operations.

  • In addition, GAsafe.org offers safety resources divided into 12 categories, with one or more of these relevant to pilots operating in every facet of GA. Participants are encouraged to view any and all content that can help make them a safer pilot. They can also earn FAA Wings credit, download a digital badge to post on their social media accounts, and share the link with fellow pilots.

Below is the full list of organizations that are part of the initiative:

  • NATA (National Air Transportation Association)

  • Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA)

  • American Bonanza Society (ABS)

  • Civil Air Patrol (CAP)

  • Coalition of Airline Pilots Association (CAPA)

  • Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA)

  • FAA Safety Briefing

  • FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam)

  • Flight School Associations of North America (FSANA)​​​​​​

  • National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA)

  • North American Trainer Association

  • National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI)

  • National Business Aviation Association (NBAA)

  • National Flight Training Alliance (NFTA)

  • Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF)

  • Seaplane Pilots Association (SPA)

  • Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE)

  • The Ninety-Nines, Inc., International Organization of Women Pilots (99's)

  • United States Parachute Assoc. (USPA)\

  • Vertical Aviation International (VAI)