AOPA ASI Awards Cirrus Aircraft the Inaugural Joseph T. Nall Safety Award
FREDERICK, MD - The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Air Safety Institute (ASI) honored Cirrus Aircraft this year with the first annual Joseph T. Nall Safety Award.
“Over the past decade Cirrus has earned one of the best safety records in the industry, and we are proud to acknowledge their work with the Joseph T. Nall Safety Award,” said ASI Senior Vice President George Perry. “Cirrus has doubled down on safety, working with its owners group and making investments in training and transition courses, to lower the accident rate for Cirrus aircraft to less than half the industry average.”
Cirrus created a video-intensive, type-specific training program called “Cirrus Approach” that emphasizes deciding in advance when to use the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS). At the same time, the company and its tight-knit pilot group, the Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association (COPA), set out to create a culture in which pilots who pulled the chute were applauded — not criticized or second-guessed — for their actions. The results have been remarkable. In 2015, with more than 6,000 aircraft flying, the number of fatal accidents involving Cirrus airplanes fell to the lowest level since 2001 when fewer than 300 Cirrus aircraft had been produced.
ABOUT THE AIR SAFETY INSTITUTE
AOPA’s Air Safety Institute is dedicated exclusively to providing continuing pilot education and safety programs for general aviation. It is funded by donations from individual pilots and organizations, which support the cause of improved general aviation safety. Since 1950, ASI has served all pilots and aviation enthusiasts — not just AOPA members — by providing free safety education, research, and data analysis. ASI offers award-winning online courses, nearly 200 live seminars annually throughout the U.S., flight instructor refresher courses, safety videos, accident case studies, and other materials to keep pilots safe and well informed. To learn more, visit ASI at www.airsafetyinstitute.org.
ABOUT AOPA
Since 1939, AOPA has protected the freedom to fly by creating an environment that gives people of all ages the opportunity to enjoy aviation and all it has to offer. As the world’s largest community of pilots and aviation enthusiasts with representatives based in Frederick, Md., Washington, D.C., Wichita, Kans., and seven regions across the United States, AOPA’s events, initiatives, and services bring current and future pilots together and make aviation more accessible to everyone. To learn more, visit www.aopa.org.
