Using the Aviators Model Code of Conduct

Be safe! Be good! Be careful! Have fun! We cheerfully chirp such well-meaning phrases to one another multiple times a day, reducing them to cli-chés and robbing them of any practical meaning. It’s nice to “be” or to “have,” but the key is to do by taking whatever actions are required to achieve the desired state. However, as with many human endeavors, the challenge lies in knowing what should be done.

Fortunately, the aviation community — and your personal aviation “kaleidoscope community” — can all benefit from the Aviators Model Code of Conduct (AMCC). The AMCC is actually an entire family of documents intended to help pilots and aviation maintenance technicians (AMTs) master the ever-expanding body of knowledge and technique required to be safe, good, and careful while also having fun in aviation activities. The AMCC documents:

• Promote flight and ground safety, professionalism, and pilot contributions to the aviation community and society at large,
• Encourage the development and adoption of good judgment, ethical behavior, and personal responsibility, and
• Support improved communications between pilots, regulators, and others in the aviation industry.

As described by its creators, the AMCC is based on ethics, because:

Ethics complements all the regulations, instruc-tional material, and experience we gain in avia-tion. It helps us to think more effectively about how to fly. … Ethical behavior, constructive attitudes, and a positive culture add to safety for individual pilots and foster a healthy aviation community.

AMCC Construction

Each document in the AMCC family — which now includes a Code for remote (drone) pilots — defines goals to help airmen improve performance and achieve potential. The Codes seek to provide practical guidance for implementing the range of operational, practical, ethical, policy, and legal considerations. They include techniques and pro-cedures that will help GA pilots become better avia-tors; actions to enhance flight safety; pilots’ ethical responsibilities; training, airmanship, and pilot conduct; and effective decision-making. Of special interest in this community-focused issue of FAA Safety Briefing, the AMCC documents also address pilots’ roles within the larger GA community and society at large; the need for self-regulation by the GA community; and ways to promote GA and make flying a more rewarding experience for everyone.

The basic Aviators Model Code of Conduct presents its vision of aviation excellence in seven specific areas: (1) General Responsibilities of Aviators; (2) Passengers and People on the Surface; (3) Training and Proficiency; (4) Security; (5) Environmental Issues; (6) Use of Technology; and (7) Advancement and Promotion of Aviation.

For each of the seven areas, the AMCC offers recommended practices resulting from:

• Analysis of widespread GA practices and applicable laws and regulations
• Evaluations of diverse aviation codes of conduct and ethics
• Considerations of ethical issues affecting GA and other flight activities
• Examinations of airport rules and regulations
• Reviews of foreign and international laws and practices
• Considerations of various risk-mitigation principles

The AMCC family has been developed via extensive deliberations by aviation experts, aviation groups, and the broader aviation community. While each AMCC is designed for easy “as is” use, the AMCC creators invite use of this approach as a foundation for individual airmen, associations, schools, clubs, and other aviation entities to create documents tailored to specific needs. So check it out (secureav.com), and bring the appropriate AMCC document(s) into your personal aviation community. (FAA Safety Briefing – SepOct2018)