FAA ends single-pilot operations for older Cessna Citation models
The FAA will no longer permit single-pilot operations across several Cessna Citation 500-series and 560 variants, citing safety and compliance problems. Existing single-pilot authorisations will lapse, and a qualified copilot will be required.
The US Federal Aviation Administration will stop allowing single-pilot operations on several models in the Cessna Citation family. The affected series are the Citation 500, 550, S550 and 552, along with a number of Citation 560 versions, among them the V, Ultra, Bravo, Encore and Encore+.
The agency points to safety and compliance problems. In a review of 14 training organisations, 13 lost their authority to grant exemptions for single-pilot operations. The FAA also states that the accident rate for the affected Part 25-certificated Citation 500 series flown by a single pilot is roughly twice that of comparable Citation models certificated under Part 23.
Existing single-pilot authorisations will no longer be valid. Operators of the listed aircraft will need a qualified copilot going forward.
Sources
- aerotelegraph.comFAA verbietet Ein-Piloten-Betrieb bei älteren Cessna Citation