FAA Completes MU-2 Rules

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) finalized a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) that creates new pilot training, experience and operating requirements to increase the safety of the widely used Mitsubishi MU-2B airplane. The move was prompted by accidents stemming from icing problems with the...

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) finalized a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) that creates new pilot training, experience and operating requirements to increase the safety of the widely used Mitsubishi MU-2B airplane. The move was prompted by accidents stemming from icing problems with the aircraft. Related Story
The final rule mandates a comprehensive standardized pilot training program for the MU-2B. The regulation requires use of a standardized cockpit checklist and the latest revision of the Airplane Flight Manual. MU-2B operators also must have a working autopilot onboard except in certain limited circumstances. Owners and operators must comply with the SFAR within a year.
“The FAA studies enormous amounts of data looking for trends,” said FAA Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety Nick Sabatini. “When we saw the rising accident rate for the MU-2B, we decided to take appropriate actions to bring the plane up to an acceptable level of safety.”
The MU-2B turboprop is a complex aircraft that has unique flight characteristics, said the agency, which added that fully understanding the aircraft’s complexity is much more critical during an emergency situation.
Following an increase in MU-2B accidents and incidents in 2004-05, an FAA safety evaluation of the aircraft in late 2005 found that changes in training and operating requirements were needed. The safety evaluation produced a number of recommendations, including proposal of an SFAR. The SFAR, originally proposed in September 2006, is part of a larger program to improve MU-2B safety. This rule has widespread support from owners and operators, the manufacturer, commercial operators and safety groups.