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Factual Information On May 4, 1999, the FAA stated that it had evaluated the requirements for the display of angle-of-attack information to obtain the maximum airplane climb performance. The FAA indicated that angle-of-attack information during an escape maneuver could provide some improvement in climb performance but that the prevention of terrain escape maneuvers would provide much greater safety benefit than the climb performance improvements gained by the display of angle-of-attack-information.

The FAA indicated that it had reviews CFIT accidents and analyses of CFIT accident data prepeared by various organisations. The FAA stated that its review found that accdients haveonly rarely been cuased by failure to obtain the maximum possible airplane climb performance during the ground proximity escape maneuver. Thus, the FAA believed that more effective prevention of CFIT accidents would yield the greatest saftey benefit.

The FAA cited initiative to prevent CFIT accidents, including TAWS and the use of FMS with VNAV capability for constant angle of descent approaches. The FAA believed that these initatives would greatly improve pilots' situational awareness with regard to terrain and would directly reduce the likelihood that pilots using these systems would need to perform a ground proximity escape maneuver. Further, the FAA belived that the safety gains from improvements in escpae maneuver climb performance, gained by the intorductionof angle-of-attack information, would be overshadowed by the safety gains from the implementation of TAWS, especially when that system is combined with other technologies, such as FMS with VNAV capability and GPS.

Reagrding the training position of Safety Recommendation A-86-94, the FAA stated that it was revising air carrier pilot training requirements contained in 14 CFR Part 121 to include mandatory training in the ground proximity escape maneuver recommended by manufacturers for their specifc airplane(s). The FAA indicated that one objective of this training would be to improve pilot actions in achieving maximum airplane climb performance during the escape maneuver. In addition, the FAA stated that the regulatory proposal would refer to the guidance in the CFIT Education and Training Aid, which provides instructions on how to achieve the optimum angle-of-attack (given the indications available in the airplane) and the manufacturers' recommended ground proximity escape maneuvers.


 * Saftey Recomendation A-96-95 asked the FAA to
 * Develop a controlled flight into terrain training program that includes realistic simulator exercises comparable to the successful windshear and rejected takeoff training programs and make training in such a program mandatory for all pilots operating under 14 CFR Part 121.

On April 23, 1997, the FAA stated it agreed with the intent of Safety Recomendation A-96-95 and that it had completed its efforts to evaluate terrain avoidance procedures. The FAA stated that, in January 1997, it developed and published the CFIT Education and Training Aid along with Boeing. The FAA also stated that, on February 25, 1997, it issued Change 2 to AC-120-51B Appendix 3, paragraph 2(1) to