It may not pick up steam until a cargo accident kills people on the ground, but there's plenty of fodder for it.
The DOT said the proposal was science based, and would significantly increase public safety.
"This is a major safety achievement," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "We made a promise to the traveling public that we would do everything possible to make sure pilots are rested when they get in the cockpit. This new rule raises the safety bar to prevent fatigue."
"This new rule gives pilots enough time to get the rest they really need to safely get passengers to their destinations," said FAA Acting Administrator Michael Huerta.
The DOT, Mr. LaHood and Mr. Huerta claim it's o.k. for freight pilots to NOT get enough rest. When you choose not to apply the rules declared necessary to ensure proper rest you're saying cargo pilots don't really have to be rested. Over and over again they say the new rules are based on science. I'm pretty sure cargo pilots are affected by scientific factors as much the pax guys. I don't remember any sort of special "cargo" sleep cycle test during my FAA checkrides.
Keep telling cargo we're required to show up as rested as the passenger guys. Stating it's the pilot's responsibility to show up rested really hasn't worked very well, has it? That's why the pax guys now have new rules. When you abdicate your responsibility to regulate I guess that's the best you can come up with.
The promise that was made to "do everything possible to prevent fatigue" and make air travel safe (not my words) has not been kept despite the claim it was. Is LaHood secretly trying to tell us he failed to prevent the fatigue that puts passengers in danger? Anybody watch the news conference? Was he blinking his eyes to communicate an S.O.S.?
They're literally asking for a lawsuit.