Air Force Class A flight mishaps for all aircraft occurred at a rate of 0.90 in Fiscal 2006, compared to 1.50 for Fiscal 2005, according to end of year statistics provided by the Air Force. That rate, which represents the number of Class A mishaps per 100,000 flying hours, is the best USAF has seen over the past 10 years. (See Data Point: Flying Safer.) And for 2006, the Air Force’s mishap rate was lower than all the other services. The Navy posted a year-end rate of 1.51, while the Army had 1.72 and the Marine Corps 1.86.
A legislative standoff has led to a lapse in a $4.26 billion small business innovation contracting program widely used by the Air Force and could spell the end of it entirely, industry sources warned Air & Space Forces Magazine.
