Compared to commercial aviation, general aviation is confronted with a significantly higher accident rate. A recent Australian meta-study shows this: Over 90 per cent of fatal accidents involve light aircraft. Pilot error, inadequate training and a lack of situational awareness are considered to be the main causes. Experts are therefore calling for a fundamental reform of pilot training in general aviation, regular refresher training and the increased use of simulators and modern learning methods.

A recent systematic analysis of 46 studies on accidents in general aviation (GA) reveals five key risk areas: human factors, training deficits, aircraft characteristics, pilot-related characteristics and the flight phase. Particularly critical are flights in low visibility (IMC/night) and at low altitude, where the margin for error is small and stall/spin incidents are often fatal. The findings are clear: recurrent training - targeted, practical and data-supported - reduces the risk. Effective levers are sufficient

Flying is considered one of the most fascinating activities, but also one with inherent risks. In pilot circles, it is often said that "the most dangerous thing about flying is the journey to the aerodrome". But how reliable is this saying? US glider pilot Clemens S. Ceipek has systematically got to the bottom of this question in his blog www.chessintheair.com - with a well thought-out and comparable risk calculation.

A first solo flight is a significant step for every student pilot - a moment that requires self-confidence and flying maturity. But what happens when technical errors, mental exhaustion and incomplete decision-making skills come together? The serious accident involving a student pilot at the Oerlinghausen special landing site (EDLO) in October 2023 provides tragic illustrative material - and important insights for training in general aviation.

The Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) has published a comprehensive analysis of the safety situation in Swiss civil aviation in its Annual Safety Report 2024. The figures show a significant increase in reported safety-related incidents - to 12,751 reports, which corresponds to an increase of around 20 % compared to the previous year. The increases in GPS malfunctions, incidents involving conspicuous passengers and near-collisions are particularly striking. The report shows: Air traffic is becoming more complex - and the FOCA

Aviation is one of the safest modes of transport in the world - and that is no coincidence. Behind this record is a comprehensive system for recording, analysing and preventing safety-related incidents. A central component of this system is the reporting system in accordance with EU Regulation No. 376/2014, which was introduced by the European Union in order to recognise potential hazards at an early stage and derive preventive measures from them. In general aviation in particular, where the operation of

Emergency and safety landings are among the exceptional situations that every pilot can be confronted with. Whether it's a technical defect, a sudden change in the weather or another unforeseeable incident - the right response at such moments can be crucial. But what happens after a successful outlanding? Can you simply take off again, or do certain regulations need to be observed? This report sheds light on a real incident, draws important lessons from it and provides an overview of the legal regulations