Focus on aviation safety

North Otago pilots have learnt more about flying over mountainous terrain after a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) seminar held at the North Otago Aero Club on Thursday night.

CAA spokeswoman Emma Peel said 36 pilots attended, the same number as at last year's event.

The seminar was aimed at improving awareness of the challenges of flying over mountainous terrain.

In the past 15 years, 29 people have been killed in mountain flying accidents.

The seminar, not specifically aimed at North Otago, covered real accidents to illustrate the key challenges of flying in such terrain.

Pilots learnt the value of being able to superimpose an art-ificial horizon on to their surroundings, the fluid effects of air flows over terrain and how pilots of light aircraft should deal with flying over steeply rising ground.

It also covered visual illusions, weather, turbulence and cloud.

The same seminar was held in Ashburton last night and two are planned in Christchurch next week.

- david.bruce@odt.co.nz

 

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