FAA Chief Faces Test on Commuter Safety - WSJ.com

The February crash has heightened scrutiny of the personal stresses confronting many commuter pilots, from chronic fatigue to long-distance commutes. Mr. Babbitt already has indicated he plans to review training requirements for flight crews at commuter airlines. He is expected at Wednesday's hearing to provide more details about stepped-up oversight efforts.

The union contends that turnover of commuter pilots tends to be high and many accept jobs with the goal of moving to larger carriers as soon as possible. As a result, union officials argue many commuter carriers have little incentive to exceed the minimum requirements for federally-imposed training, or to improve the working conditions or lifestyles of their pilots.




Wednesday's hearings should be big, in my opinion.