Inquiry into flight training as collisions soar

Pat Smallman. Photo / Supplied

A huge increase over the past decade in the number of midair collisions and near misses, nearly half involving trainee pilots, has sparked an inquiry into whether there could be widespread problems with flight training.

The Transport Accident Investigation Commission is calling for public submissions on flying training as it examines civil flying training safety, and the fatal midair collision near Feilding, which killed Palmerston North flight instructor Jessica Neeson, 27 and Waikanae trainee pilot Patricia Smallman, 64, in July.

Civil Aviation figures show the reported number of near misses has increased significantly in the past five years, but the number involving trainee pilots has been more pronounced.

Between 1990 and 1999 there were 17 reported near misses, with just three involving training aircraft. Since 2000 the number of reports of near misses had skyrocketed to 131, 60 of them involving training flights.

Recorded pilot training hours have doubled in the last 15 years to nearly 300,000 hours a year.

"The commission has become concerned that systemic or widespread matters may be affecting civil flying training safety," said its chief investigator of accidents Tim Burfoot.

"It has decided to invite public submissions alongside current investigations to help determine whether its concern is substantiated or not."

Submissions close on February 21 and the commission hopes to complete its inquiry by the end of September.

- NZPA