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Nominee to head FAA vows renewed...

Old 05-19-2009, 10:56 AM
  #1  
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Default Nominee to head FAA vows renewed...

Nominee to head FAA vows renewed look at air safety : Home: The Buffalo News

WASHINGTON — President Obama's nominee to head the Federal Aviation Administration today vowed to take a renewed look at airline safety in wake of the Feb. 12 crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407 in Clarence.
J. Randolph Babbitt, who is expected to win easy confirmation as Obama's FAA chief, told senators at his nomination hearing that he will work to implement the safety lessons of the crash once the National Transportation Safety Board issues its report on the tragedy, which claimed 50 lives.
"We need to ensure that the world's safest skies become even safer and that we are recognized as the world leader of aviation safety," Babbitt told the Senate Commerce Committee.
Babbitt faced questioning from senators of both parties who were clearly furious in wake of revelations about the crash at safety board hearings last week.
Noting that the co-pilot in the crash, Rebecca L. Shaw, earned about $16,000 a year and commuted from Seattle to the east coast to catch the flight to Buffalo, Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., said: "I was really staggered trying to understand all that."
Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., also said he was gravely concerned about the Buffalo-area crash.
"I think the families deserve an explanation so something like that doesn't happen again," Isakson said.
The committee is expected to approve Babbitt's nomination tomorrow, with full Senate confirmation to follow.
Babbitt, a former head of the Air Line Pilots Association, is expected to bring a much less industry-friendly approach to aviation regulation than his predecessors under President George W. Bush.

Once again, we can only hope there's some change out there...
-MJ
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Old 05-19-2009, 11:01 AM
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I just hope they paid their taxes!
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Old 05-19-2009, 01:29 PM
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Originally Posted by mjarosz View Post
Babbitt, a former head of the Air Line Pilots Association, is expected to bring a much less industry-friendly approach to aviation regulation than his predecessors under President George W. Bush.
The problem with political appointees is that they make all kinds of grand announcements and plans while the career buearaucrats just continue to do business as usual. Same Stuff, Different Day.
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Old 05-19-2009, 03:24 PM
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Yea, they'll look "anew" allright


---future excerpt from FAA board meeting ~mid 2009~---
-J. Randolph Babbitt
"hey..lookie here..reg 121.471, oh yea
hahaha yea look how awful their duty requirements are...hahahaha look at it (points out reduced rest regulation to other FAA executives in board room)..WOW look at this one....'a rest required under paragraph (b)(1) of this section may be scheduled for or reduced to a minimum of 8 hours if the flight crewmember is given a rest period of at least 10 hours that must begin no later than 24 hours after the commencement of the reduced rest period'...WOOO whoever wrote this one was a real comedian." (entire room erupts in jolly laughter).

Maybe we'll get lucky, and they'll save us the aggravation and just look at the FAR/FC upside down.
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Old 05-19-2009, 10:34 PM
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1995 proposal
In 1995, the FAA proposed a rule to change flight time and rest limits. The agency received more than 2,000 comments from the aviation community and the public. Most of those comments did not favor the rule as proposed, and there was no clear consensus on what the final rule should say. Highlights of the 1995 proposal:

Reduce the number of duty hours (the time a flight crewmember is on the job, available to fly) from the current 16 hours to 14 hours for two-pilot crews. It would have allowed up to 10 flight hours in the 14 duty hours. Current rules allow up to 16 hours continuous duty time.
Additional duty hours would be permitted only for unexpected operational problems, such as flight delays. In no event could such delays add more than two hours to the pilot’s duty day.
Airlines could no longer schedule pilots in advance in a manner that exceed the duty time.
To ensure that pilots have an adequate opportunity to rest, off-duty time would be increased from eight hours to 10 hours under the proposal.
Pilots would have to be given at least one 36-hour off-duty period every seven days. Current rules call for a 24-hour period.

******************************************
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Old 05-19-2009, 10:59 PM
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Default European Duty Limits and Rest

COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
ANNEX III
Common technical requirements and administrative procedures applicable to commercial transportation by aircraft
EU-OPS: Commercial Air Transportation (Aeroplanes)
- - -
SUBPART Q
FLIGHT AND DUTY TIME LIMITATIONS AND REST REQUIREMENTS

OPS 1.1100
Flight and duty limitations

1.1. Cumulative duty hours
An operator shall ensure that the total duty periods to which a crew member is assigned do not exceed:
(a) 190 duty hours in any 28 consecutive days, spread as evenly as practicable throughout this period; and
(b) 60 duty hours in any seven consecutive days.

1.2. Limit on total block times
An operator shall ensure that the total block times of the flights on which an individual crew member is assigned as an operating crew member does not exceed
(a) 900 block hours in a calendar year;
(b) 100 block hours in any 28 consecutive days.

1.3. The maximum basic daily FDP*** is 13 hours. (***Flight Duty Period:
A Flight Duty Period (FDP) is any time during which a person operates in an aircraft as a member of its crew. The FDP starts when the crew member is required by an operator to report for a flight or a series of flights; it finishes at the end of the last flight on which he/she is an operating crew member.***)

1.4. These 13 hours will be reduced by 30 minutes for each sector from the third sector onwards with a maximum total reduction of two hours.
1.5. When the FDP starts in the WOCL, the maximum stated in point 1.3 and point
1.4 will be reduced by 100% of its encroachment up to a maximum of two hours. When the FDP ends in or fully encompasses the WOCL, the maximum FDP stated in point 1.3 and point 1.4 will be reduced by 50% of its encroachment.

2. Extensions:

2.1. The maximum daily FDP can be extended by up to one hour.

2.2. Extensions are not allowed for a basic FDP of 6 sectors or more.

2.3. Where an FDP encroaches on the WOCL by up to two hours extensions
are limited to up to four sectors.

2.4. Where an FDP encroaches on the WOCL by more than two hours extensions are limited to up to two sectors.

2.5. The maximum number of extensions is two in any 7 consecutive days.

2.6. Where an FDP is planned to use an extension pre and post flight minimum rest is increased by two hours or post flight rest only is increased by four hours. Where the extensions are used for consecutive FDPs the pre and post rest between the two operations shall run consecutively.

2.7. When an FDP with extension starts in the period 22:00 to 04:59 hours the operator will limit the FDP to 11.45 hours.

OPS 1.1110

Rest

1. Minimum rest

1.1. The minimum rest which must be provided before undertaking a flight duty period starting at home base shall be at least as long as the preceding duty period or 12 hours whichever is the greater;

1.2. The minimum rest which must be provided before undertaking a flight duty period starting away from home base shall be at least as long as the preceding duty period or 10 hours whichever is the greater; when on minimum rest away from home base, the operator must allow for an 8 hour sleep opportunity taking due account of travelling and other physiological needs;

1.3. An operator will ensure that effects on crew members of time zone differences will be compensated by additional rest, as regulated by the Authority subject to the provisions of Article 8.

1.4.1. Notwithstanding 1.1 and 1.2 and subject to the provisions of Article 8, the Authority may grant reduced rest arrangements.

1.4.2. Each operator will have to demonstrate to the Authority, using operational experience and taking into account other relevant factors, such as current scientific knowledge, that its request for reduced rest arrangements produces an equivalent level of safety.

2. Rest periods

2.1. An operator shall ensure that the minimum rest provided as outlined above is increased periodically to a weekly rest period, being a 36-hour period including two local nights, such that there shall never be more than 168 hours between the end of one weekly rest period and the start of the next. As an exception to OPS 1.1095 point 1.9, the Authority may decide that the second of those local nights may start from 20:00 hours if the weekly rest period has a duration of at least 40 hours.

OPS 1.1120

Unforeseen circumstances in actual flight operations - commander's discretion

1. Taking into account the need for careful control of these instances implied underneath, during the actual flight operation, which starts at the reporting time, the limits on flight duty, duty and rest periods prescribed in this Subpart may be modified in the event of unforeseen circumstances. Any such modifications must be acceptable to the commander after consultation with all other crew members and must, in all circumstances, comply with the following:

1.1. The maximum FDP referred to in OPS 1.1105 point 1.3 above may not be increased by more than two hours unless the flight crew has been augmented, in which case the maximum flight duty period may be increased by not more than 3 hours;

1.1.2. If on the final sector within a FDP unforeseen circumstances occur after take off that will result in the permitted increase being exceeded, the flight may continue to the planned destination or alternate;

1.1.3. In the event of such circumstances, the rest period following the FDP may be reduced but never below the minimum rest defined in OPS 1.1110 point 1.2 of this Subpart;

1.2. The Commander shall, in case of special circumstances, which could lead to severe fatigue, and after consultation with the crew members affected, reduce the actual flight duty time and/or increase the rest time in order to eliminate any detrimental effect on flight safety;

1.3. An operator shall ensure that:

1.3.1. The Commander submits a report to the operator whenever a FDP is increased by his/her discretion or when a rest period is reduced in actual operation and

1.3.2. Where the increase of a FDP or reduction of a rest period exceeds one hour, a copy of the report, to which the operator must add his comments, is sent to the Authority no later than 28 days after the event.

OPS 1.1125

Standby

1. Airport Standby

1.1. A crew member is on airport standby from reporting at the normal report point until the end of the notified standby period.

1.2. Airport standby will count in full for the purposes of cumulative duty hours.

1.3. Where airport standby is immediately followed by a flight duty, the relationship between such airport standby and the assigned flight duty shall be defined by the Authority. In such a case, airport standby shall be added to the duty period referred to in OPS 1.1110 under points 1.1 and 1.2 for the purposes of calculating minimum rest.

1.4. Where the airport standby does not lead to assignment on a flight duty, it shall be followed at least by a rest period as regulated by the Authority.

1.5. While on airport standby the operator will provide to the crew member a quiet and comfortable place not open to the public.

2. Other forms of standby (including standby at hotel)

2.1. Subject to the provisions of Article 8, all other forms of standby shall be regulated by the Authority, taking into account the following:

2.1.1. All activity shall be rostered and/or notified in advance.

2.1.2. The start and end time of the standby shall be defined and notified in advance.

2.1.3. The maximum length of any standby at a place other than a specified reporting point shall be determined.

2.1.4. Taking into account facilities available for the crew member to rest and other relevant factors, the relationship between the standby and any assigned flight duty resulting from the standby shall be defined.

2.1.5. The counting of standby times for the purposes of cumulative duty hours shall be defined.

OPS 1.1130

Nutrition

A meal and drink opportunity must occur in order to avoid any detriment to a crew member's performance, especially when the FDP exceeds 6 hours.

OPS 1.1135

Flight duty, duty and rest period records

1. An operator shall ensure that crew member's records include:
(a) block times;
(b) start, duration and end of each duty or flight duty periods;
(c) rest periods and days free of all duties;
and are maintained to ensure compliance with the requirements of this Subpart; copies of these records will be made available to the crew member upon request.

2. If the records held by the operator under paragraph 1 do not cover all of his/her flight duty, duty and rest periods, the crew member concerned shall maintain an individual record of his/her
(a) block times;
(b) start, duration and end of each duty or flight duty periods; and
(c) rest periods and days free of all duties.

3. A crew member shall present his/her records on request to any operator who employs his/her services before he/she commences a flight duty period.

4. Records shall be preserved for at least 15 calendar months from the date of the last relevant entry or longer if required in accordance with national laws.

5. Additionally, operators shall separately retain all aircraft commander's discretion reports of extended flight duty periods, extended flight hours and reduced rest periods for at least six months after the event.
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Old 05-20-2009, 05:05 AM
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Originally Posted by mjarosz View Post
J. Randolph Babbitt, who is expected to win easy confirmation as Obama's FAA chief, told senators at his nomination hearing that he will work to implement the safety lessons of the crash once the National Transportation Safety Board issues its report on the tragedy, which claimed 50 lives.
"We need to ensure that the world's safest skies become even safer and that we are recognized as the world leader of aviation safety," Babbitt told the Senate Commerce Committee.
No doubt shake ups are coming. Babbitt will probably hold off for a while but sooner or later he will resort to his old ALPA arsenal and strongly worded letters will be coming out of his office. (scoff)
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