Hearing Summary: Aviation Safety: FAA’s Role In The Oversight Of Air Carriers
June 11, 2009
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a subcommittee hearing yesterday on Aviation Safety: FAA’S Role in the Oversight of Air Carriers.
***The Committee will hold a second hearing on Aviation Safety:
The Role and Responsibility of Commercial Air Carriers and Employees on Wednesday, June 17, 2009***
Witness List:
The Honorable J. Randolph Babbitt, Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration
The Honorable Calvin L. Scovel III, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Transportation
The Honorable Mark V. Rosenker, Acting Chairman, National Transportation Safety Board
Mr. John O’Brien, Board Member, The Flight Safety Foundation
Key Quotes:
“America has always had the premier aviation system in the world and it is vital to the economic future of our nation that we maintain our proud reputation. Preserving the public trust in the system means that safety must always be the paramount goal of all aviation professionals.”
Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV
“In this country, we have a remarkably safe air system. And it’s not my intention here to scare anyone considering taking a flight on a regional carrier. But I do think we have a responsibility to examine crashes when they occur and ensure that we do all we can to prevent further accidents.”
Senator Byron L. Dorgan, Chairman of U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security
“While aviation has incorporated many technologies over the years to prevent accidents by addressing findings from NTSB accident investigations, human factors remain a source of risk. Improving human performance is a central element to improving safety. Thus, the FAA proposal is aimed at using best practices and tools to help pilots, flight attendants, and dispatchers (1) avoid the mistake and (2) respond better if there is a mistake made.”
The Honorable J. Randolph Babbitt, Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration
“Safety is a shared responsibility among FAA, aircraft manufacturers, airlines, and airports. Together, all four form a series of overlapping controls to keep the system safe. The past several years have been one of the safest periods in history for the aviation industry. This is largely due to the dedicated efforts of the professionals within FAA and throughout the industry as well as significant advances in aviation technology.”
The Honorable Calvin L. Scovel III, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Transportation
“Human fatigue is another issue that has been on the Most Wanted List since it was created 19 years ago. In 1995, the FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that addressed many of the issues identified by the NTSB. That NPRM was controversial and encountered considerable opposition. The FAA later withdrew the NPRM and has not proposed any further revisions to existing flight and duty time regulations.”
The Honorable Mark V. Rosenker, Acting Chairman, National Transportation Safety Board
“I’m encouraged when I consider all the progress that the aviation industry, in working with the FAA and other safety professionals, has made over the past decades. While we have achieved great levels of safety, the FAA needs to continue to work with the industry in encouraging the latest efforts to improve safety.”
Mr. John O’Brien, Board Member, The Flight Safety Foundation
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