Aviation community committed to safety

First, AOPA believes the prudent approach to assigning responsibility for any accident is to wait for the NTSB to assess the facts and determine the causes of what happened. The aviation community can then take steps to prevent future accidents. Anything other than this approach is simply not being responsible. We join organizations representing airline, charter, business, and recreational aviation in reaffirming our collective commitment to safety.

Second, independent of whether the NTSB finds that staffing levels at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport contributed to the accident in Washington, D.C., we acknowledge that there are meaningful staffing shortages throughout the country within air traffic control as well as in other key aviation roles (including pilots and mechanics) that must be filled to maintain the level of safety and efficiency we all expect.

And third, at AOPA, we believe in meritocracy and that everyone, no exceptions, should be judged fairly based on their capabilities and their accomplishments, not on their gender, race, or any other attribute. Our goal is to grow general aviation and fill key roles in aviation with talented and driven individuals, regardless of their background. This is what we stand for, and it is important we base our decisions on filling roles in aviation with the best and brightest.