WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held an Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security Subcommittee hearing today on the Reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA): Perspectives of Aviation Stakeholders.

Witness List*

PANEL I

Mr. Chip Barclay, President, American Association of Airport Executives

Ms. Marion Blakey, President and Chief Executive Officer, Aerospace Industries
Association

Mr. Jim May, President and Chief Executive Officer, Air Transport Association of America

Mr. Edward M. Bolen, President and Chief Executive Officer, National Business Aviation
Association

PANEL II

Mr. Patrick Forrey, President, National Air Traffic Controllers Association

Captain John Prater, President, Air Line Pilots Association International

Mr. Robert Roach, Jr., General Vice President – Transportation, International
Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers

Mr. Ken Hall, Vice President at Large, International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Mr. Tom Brantley, President, Professional Aviation Safety Specialists

Mr. William McGlashen, Executive Assistant to the International President, Association of
Flight Attendants – CWA, AFL – CIO

*not necessarily in the order of appearance

Key Quotes from Today’s Hearing:

“Modernization of Air Traffic Control will fundamentally transform the way we travel. More efficient use of airspace will cut costs for everyday fliers, while also accommodating millions of additional passengers with less congestion and fewer delays. It is imperative that we take this opportunity to reauthorize the FAA to make certain NextGen is adequately funded for implementing key programs.”
Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller, IV, Chairman of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

 “As we work to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration, I'm going to push the FAA to accelerate the modernization of the nation's air traffic control system. The antiquated system we're currently using doesn't allow for improvements in safety, congestion, or environmental impact of aviation. On the critical issue of safety, and we have seen with the tragic crash of Flight 3407 in Buffalo, there is a pressing need to make sure our aviation infrastructure provides safety for our passengers. I'm going to hold a hearing on aviation safety in early June."
 Senator Byron L. Dorgan, Chairman of Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security Subcommittee

“Passenger levels will undoubtedly rebound again as they did after the terrorist attacks in 2001. The FAA is predicting that enplanements will climb from just over 700 million this year to more than 1 billion passengers by 2021- almost a 43 percent increase.”
Mr. Chip Barclay, President, American Association of Airport Executives

“The cost to the airlines and the cost to the environment are simply unacceptable, especially when we all know they can be significantly reduced. Delays cost the traveling public as well – billions of dollars in lost productivity. And consider, too, that these are unnecessary costs to consumers. Manufacturers are designing and building 21st century aircraft. However our air traffic system has not moved into the 21st century – it is virtually the same system in which the noisier, dirtier aircraft of the 1960s flew.”
Ms. Marion Blakey, President and Chief Executive Officer, Aerospace Industries Association

“U.S. commercial aviation ultimately drives more than $1 trillion per year in U.S. economic activity and more than 10 million U.S. jobs. By any measure, the U.S. airline industry is a valuable national asset and its continued economic health should be a national priority.”
Mr. Jim May, President and Chief Executive Officer, Air Transport Association of America

“There are more than 5,000 public use airports in the United States- fewer than 500 have commercial airline service- making business aviation an economic lifeline for thousands of communities. Last year, over 100 communities in the United States lost some or all scheduled airline service.”
Mr. Edward M. Bolen, President and Chief Executive Officer, National Business Aviation Association

“Not only are controllers working longer on position, but the workload during that time has increased as well. A controller working without an assistant is responsible not only for communication with aircraft, but also for coordination with other controller positions and facilities, as well as updating flight progress information.”
Mr. Patrick Forrey, President, National Air Traffic Controllers Association

“One of the many hardships that the post-9/11 era brought to airline flying was pilots flying right up to the FAA regulatory limit. This has resulted in adverse safety impacts, fatigue, and more stress. Sixteen-hour domestic duty days are facts of life for many airline pilots.”
Captain John Prater, President, Air Line Pilots Association International

“The aviation industry is at a crossroads. Thirty years of airline deregulation, reckless management decisions and more than a hundred bankruptcies have left it hobbled. Airline workers have shouldered more than their fair share to help revitalize their employers and their industry.”
Mr. Robert Roach, Jr., General Vice President – Transportation, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers

“U.S. air carriers have ever-increasing amounts of significant maintenance performed on their aircraft by FAA-certified foreign repair stations or their contractors that are not subject to the same safety and security standards as domestic repair stations. This trend has eroded passenger safety, increased homeland security risk, and decimated a skilled workforce of American aircraft mechanics.”
Mr. Ken Hall, Vice President at Large, International Brotherhood of Teamsters

“Over the past several years, labor-management relations within the FAA have been largely dysfunctional. This has resulted in low employee morale, stressful working conditions and overwhelming tension between labor and management—all of which impact the productivity of FAA employees and the efficiency of the aviation system.”
Mr. Tom Brantley, President, Professional Aviation Safety Specialists

“I am here to tell you that fatigue is a very real and serious concern for the flight attendant workforce in this country as well.  As the deep concessions demanded of flight attendants during the recent and ongoing financial turmoil of the airline industry have taken hold it has become clear that airline management hopes to keep our members working for as long as possible with greatly reduced time off between duty.” 
Mr. William McGlashen, Executive Assistant to the International President, Association of Flight Attendants – CWA, AFL – CIO

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