Fiscal Year 2009, which ended Sept. 30, was the safest flying year in the 62-year history of the USAF with only 17 Class A mishaps.

The next best year was FY 2006 with 19 Class A mishaps. (A Class A mishap is one where there is loss of life, an injury resulting in permanent total disability, the destruction of a USAF aircraft or property damage or loss exceeding $1 million.)

As regards destroyed aircraft specifically, the Air Force matched its safest year - FY 2006 -- with eight destroyed aircraft, down from 15 in FY 2008.

"At the commander level, at the airman level, at the maintenance level, supervisors and the command and wing safety teams are really doing their jobs." USAF officials said. "It's back to basics and compliance is king from what we are seeing."

USAF Col. Sidney Mayeux, Air Force chief of flying safety, echoed these thoughts.

"For years we have been saying at Air Force level 'go back to basics,' It's a culture of discipline and compliance, By paying close attention to mission training rules, rules of engagement and adherence, we're finding that airmen with 1,000, 2,000 or 3,000 flying hours are taking the time to go back to basics, to remember the basic rules. It helps them remember what they should be doing and when they should be doing it, to reinforce the basic standards and requirements. But it also provides a basic foundation that helps them to smartly recognize those rare occasions when deviating from the rules might be the better option," Mayeux believes

What happens, Mayeux said, is that "we end up with smarter aviators. They are following the rules up to when they have to make a risk decision and are making smarter risk decisions. I'm very proud of the Air Force's performance this year in aviation safety."

The USAF also saw mission preparation and systems knowledge improve over the previous years. It was a factor in only three fiscal 2009 mishaps.

Mayeux noted that there was a tremendous improvement in between FY 2008 and FY 2009 in knowing personal limits and ejection decisions.

Interest in safety with respect to unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) is growing. The USAF is systematically institutionalizing and beginning to codify unmanned aircraft systems. "As the UAS become a major part of our operations, with the varied number of platforms and the effects on how we work, we're trying to grow a system safety culture that meets the UAS responsibilities just like we have for the manned aircraft," safety center officials said.

"It takes a new approach, not a new approach to safety, but a very solid approach to systems safety and an individual look at UAS from a human factors perspective to meet the requirement for what those future crews are going to be. We're pretty excited about that," they added.