Mark Huber is an aviation industry veteran who has worked in the flight training, aircraft sales, aircraft component, and airport development businesses. He has flight time in more than 50 different and diverse aircraft, including helicopters, aerobatic aircraft, vintage warbirds, jet fighters, business jets and turboprops, and transport-category aircraft. He has jumped out of several of these—on purpose—with a parachute. His defense and aviation journalism has been published in a variety of national and international periodicals.

Contributor

Mark Huber

The fatal flight training accident rate improved by nearly 50 percent between 2000 and 2019, according to a study released by the AOPA Air Safety Institute and Liberty University’s School of Aeronautics. The accident rate per 100,000 flight hours dropped from 0.49 in the 2000 to 2004 period to 0.26 for the aggregate years of 2015 to 2019. The total number of fatal accidents over the period from 2000 to 2019 was 287.
The study partially credited the progress to the incorporation of more affordable advanced technologies and better aircraft crashworthiness as driving these reductions. Items cited included modern avionics with features such as angle of attack indicators, flight envelope protection, traffic displays, moving map displays, and terrain overlays as well as occupant safety devices such as shoulder harnesses and airbags.
&nbsp;

The leading causes of training accidents ranked in order were loss of control inflight (LOC-I), midair collisions, and controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). Loss of control accidents were primarily stall- or spin-related, Vmc rolls in twin-engine aircraft following loss of power in one engine or asymmetric power settings, spatial disorientation, and structural load exceedance. The most fatal flight phase for loss of control was takeoff/climb/go-around, accounting for 48 of the 155 accidents, followed by maneuvering and emergency procedures.
Report data included both solo and dual instructional operations in piston single and twin aircraft with engines under 500 horsepower. It excluded amateur-built, light-sport, twin-engine with more than six seats, and single-engine aircraft with more than 500 horsepower.

News about simulators and training procedures, as well as workforce.

Flight Training Fatal Accidents Drop 50 Percent from 2000 to 2019

Study shows 20-year reduction in flight training fatal accidents

The leading causes of training accidents were loss of control-inflight,  midair collisions, and controlled flight into terrain.

Flight Training Fatal Accidents Drop 50 Percent

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Charles Alcock

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

The Dutch air force will receive eight of the two-seaters in 2027

Pilatus PC-7 MKX Basic Trainer Makes First Flight

Matt Thurber

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Why not teach new pilots to go around before learning how to land?

AINsight: You Can (and Should) Always Go Around

Kerry Lynch

Most major manufacturers will be at static this year

NBAA-BACE Taking Shape with Expanded Program, Most OEMs

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

First step toward licensing could encourage youth to seek aviation careers

GAO Wants High Schoolers To Take Mechanic General Test

Charlotte Bailey

Evolving AI-augmented simulator-based approach to ‘gamify’ learning 

Saab Shaking Up Gripen Training with Project Skynapse 

Howard Hardee

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

Spirit AeroSystems workers give Leeham News and Analysis the inside track 

Cutting 'Traveled Work' Delays At Spirit Critical To 737 Output

Jessica Reed

Michel Denis was named CEO of Daher,  Steve Varsano president of Flexjet, and Robert Sumwalt was the next Wright Trophy recipient

People in Aviation —September 2026

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

More In Training and Workforce

Pilatus PC-7 MKX Basic Trainer Makes First Flight

The Dutch air force will receive eight of the two-seaters in 2027

AINsight: You Can (and Should) Always Go Around

Why not teach new pilots to go around before learning how to land?

NBAA-BACE Taking Shape with Expanded Program, Most OEMs

Most major manufacturers will be at static this year

GAO Wants High Schoolers To Take Mechanic General Test

First step toward licensing could encourage youth to seek aviation careers

Saab Shaking Up Gripen Training with Project Skynapse

Evolving AI-augmented simulator-based approach to ‘gamify’ learning

Cutting 'Traveled Work' Delays At Spirit Critical To 737 Output

Spirit AeroSystems workers give Leeham News and Analysis the inside track

People in Aviation —September 2026

Michel Denis was named CEO of Daher, Steve Varsano president of Flexjet, and Robert Sumwalt was the next Wright Trophy recipient

Axis Announces Plans for Helicopter Training Systems

Austrian manufacturer has yet to say which rotorcraft types it will support

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN