The annual Idaho Aeronautics Safety Stand Down drew more than 200 Idaho pilots and aviation enthusiasts to the Riverside Hotel in Garden City March 8 to share best practices and learn tips, tricks and strategies for small-plane operators.
This event is sponsored by the Idaho Division of Aeronautics. Every year they take a day to focus on safety for light-aircraft pilots in Idaho. Each year they hear from key speakers and groups from around the state and nation specializing in aviation safety and education. This years’ speakers taught several classes about risk assessment in different types of flying, including how to prepare and plan and train for the busy flying season. We had our nation’s foremost general aviation safety expert give an analysis of recent aviation accidents. The Idaho event was used to make the first public announcement of a new nationwide safety “pause” program to lower accident rates. Additional classes dug into the most common types of aircraft accidents and how to prevent them.
A portion of the program each year covers improvements to aviation infrastructure, including new construction, projects and volunteer opportunities.
“Getting this many pilots together in one room also leads to important networking that helps build an awesome safety culture,” said Aero’s event organizer and chief pilot, Tim Steffen.
“Tim keeps improving the event every time,” Aero Administrator Tom Mahoney said. “This year, we had national-level experts and a real-time search-and-rescue event that drove home key takeaways. I am looking forward to safer flying this year!” Mahoney also said a few of the presentations made similar points, which reinforced key messages.
Mike Ginter, the Air Safety Institute Senior Vice President, was so impressed with Tim’s search-and-rescue session that he asked Tim to present this summer at the nation’s largest aviation event in Oskhkosh, Wisconsin.
The Idaho Division of Aeronautics exists to “encourage, foster, and assist in the development of aeronautics in the state.” This includes managing 32 state-owned airports, helping Idaho airports with state and federal grants for maintenance and construction, assisting communities with zoning decisions near airports, promoting aviation safety, inspiring kids to enter careers in aviation, and coordinating aviation search and rescue.
Photo: Tim introducing a new electronic Airport Directory developed within ITD.