Flash Cards for Runway Safety

Flash cards, a decidedly low-tech teaching tool, are being revived by the FAA and the AOPA’s Air Safety Foundation (ASF) to help prevent runway incursions. The FAA Office of Runway Safety has selected ASF to produce a new runway incursion training program in conjunction with a change in the practical test standards for private and commercial pilot licenses. The new standards, which took effect last month, require examiners to place greater emphasis on ground operations and avoiding runway incursions.

The front of each card displays a typical airport sign or pavement marking. The back not only explains it, but also what action the pilot should take. The ASF is producing 130,000 sets of flash cards for the FAA’s runway safety office and an additional 20,000 for the foundation to distribute. In addition, the FAA has ordered 80,000 copies of ASF’s updated Operations at Towered Airports booklet.