FAA Orders Regional Crackdown
 

FAA orders review of regional airlines' training - CNN.com


Ruh Roh! :eek:

Who is going to get shut down first?

Did anyone see the piece CNN showed on Gulfstream Int'l about 215p today?. Please tell me somebody else watch those weasels (their Mgmt and Training academy) justify putting 300 hrs wonders into ANY cockpit?. I'm still boiling.

This is all a bunch of crap, it is politics as usual.

The first line in the article says the FAA will make sure "regional airlines' training programs are in line with federal regulations." Hello, airline are in line with federal regulations, the problem is with the federal regulations.

There is not any regulation that states a maximum busts and still fly 121.
The addressed that Shaw was tired on 3407, but Colgan was well within the duty regs.

This drips with irony that the FAA is looking for what the problem is. Like when OJ said he was going to look for the real killer.

Of course, this is just political posturing. Once the media craze dies down and the politicians can't get support using this, they'll go back to ignoring the airlines and making corny one-liners about airline peanuts and added fares.

Video - Breaking News Videos from CNN.com

the people there are disgusting to listen to. :cool:

wooo, im shaking in my boots!! :D politics.. you gotta love it!

Colgan was guilty of a lot of that stuff when I was there

If you've done your job as a professional aviator, you have nothing to worry about. In fact, you should probably welcome an audit from the FAA of your company's training department...there would probably be some good to come out of it.

I haven't read the papers in a while so forgive me if my question has already been answered, but did O.J. ever find the real killer?

according to OJ's twitter page, the killer is sharing a pina colada with borat!

The word is called, CORRUPTION. At the highest levels of the FAA and DOT. The FAA is merely covering their asses with this nonsense. In a year or two when the dust settles after the 3407 findings are released. It will be back to business as usual. In the meantime, competent, dedicated and professional airline pilots will be nit-picked to death by the FAA, company check airman with personal agendas, managment looking to make a name for themselves and FAA inspectors that are also trying to get a good job. It's freaking BS.

CNN missed the big story. It is not about mx or duty time, it is about an airline who allows 50% of their flightdeck crew to be "training" while they work as a "paid first officer." I think the public would crap if they knew that Gulfstream Acdemy was selling First Officer seats for the bargain price of $29,999

And just like the pilot pay issue, they'd forget about it just as quickly as they were outraged.

Yeah, I did, Did anyone see when they interviewed the guys from 'ask a pilot' the newscaster was really digging anything, but he didnt give her much.

Congress is holding hearings tomorrow on the issue:

FAA Chief Faces Test on Commuter Safety - WSJ.com

How Safe Are Regional Airlines? : NPR

The Associated Press: Buffalo crash opens window into pilots' life

There's a lot of aviation outfits in this country that ought to be shutdown. Take a look at a lot of the freight companies out there, in addition to the mentioned commuter operators. Unfortunately the FAA is beyond salvage at this point. Incompetent at best, corrupt at worst.

The way I see it, they (FAA) have to make an example out of someone to put the public at ease. Nevermind they monitor and sign off all training at all regionals. They approved it in the first place but the blame cannot fall on them in any way. :eek:

A little bird told me that the FAA/Management are looking into the right to listen to the CVR and prosecute pilots for the 10,000' sterile cockpit rule.
That should stop airplanes from crashing. Cause accidents have nothing to do with poor schedules, short overnights, low pay and long work days.

I suggest if you know of one of those aviation outfits, call the FAA. Otherwise, keep your fear-mongering to yourself.

No, that will cause a lot of CVR circuit breakers to pop for indeterminate reasons :rolleyes:

JSH,
Nothing personal my friend, but he does have a point about the Feds. I think that there are many people working in the field that try to their very best. However, the failings at management and politically appointed positions are in stark contrast. I flew for a 135 cargo outfit, and the Feds couldn't have cared less about us, even with a half-dozen accidents during my time there ( none fatal, thank goodness ). Simply not enough inspectors, and not a priority. It is, what it is I reckon.

Well said FlyJSH.... We have to stop pointing fingers to each others

Usual BS coming from the FAA after the fact. No surprise here. Part 121 training programs are FAA approved and all of a sudden the FAA is hereby questioning its own decision. Training costs money and unless obligated to do so, airlines are not willing to spend more than the minimum amount of money required in order to to meet the standards set by the FAA. I agree that previous flying experience matters. However, european operators are also dealing with low time pilots (250 -300 hours in average). One of the key difference is that european operators have no choice (per regulation) but to invest huge amounts of money in order to provide their new hires with much more than 6 or 8 sim sessions. No secret in aviation, you get what you pay for. The FAA knows it very well but when you are in bed with someone you do not want to give him/her hard time.

something happens.
public outrage demands action.
faa takes action.
public then outraged on increased ticket prices/flight delays.
faa recends/reduces the amount of action.

a vicious cycle nonetheless...

maybe they should throw on a piece on commutair hiring mins right now.

Haha...yeah we would have heard of that one :wink:

Important Article on Pay and Fatigue.
 

Regional carriers, including American Eagle, face pilot training review | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Dallas Business News

The last paragraph: Unions have argued that the regional pilots – whose annual salaries start around $20,000 on average – can become fatigued as they try to accumulate hours.

Regulators said the quick response stemmed in part from White House concern about revelations of regional carriers' reliance on inexperienced and low-paid pilots.


I do believe that pay and fatigue are tied together. How many regional pilots are kept up at night thinking about paying bills and making ends meet.... or working second or third jobs? I do.

Everything in the media is good momentum for our cause. Write your reps and spread the word!

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.

Not cracking down? They yanked Air Tahoma's cert. They were a pretty ******** operation IMO. Not all freight companies are bad. In fact, I'd fly on some of the operators I deal with anyday over a few 121 Airlines.

Not to be confused with thecurrent topic at hand, there cert. was yanked in Jan. 2009. ;)

The Columbus Dispatch : Air Tahoma grounded by FAA

He was saying that alot of freight operators are crap and that the FAA isn't cracking down on them. I made the point that they are.

Right.;)

You just scared me. I thought this just hapened as you did not attach a date. I thought the FAA was already making an example or sacrifice of a carrier for the public.

I've written many letters with only a few responses since the Colgan incident. I am now CALLING my senator's office. You are definitely correct in regards to the momentum, and we need more pilots to take action on this issue in order to push it forward.

In order to contact the offices of your representative, call the White House switchboard at 202-224-3121 and request that office. Once connected, request to speak to someone in regards to the hearings in congress today on regional airline safety, and that you are a pilot. Make it known, that change must occur.

Also, please pass that phone number on to other fellow crewmembers, either in the cockpit or in the crew room (excluding management). The more people we have in on this, the better this may turn out for us in the future.

I like this WSJ article.
That sounds like the best answer to me. Don't worry about revising duty/rest limitations, just start doing "fatigue tests":rolleyes:

I'm sure Roger Cohen will personally conduct that test and the end result will be that our per diem is too high, and should be cut in half, of which 25% should be applied to his paycheck as a non-taxable negotiating charge on behalf of the airlines.

I've always been told the first thing you do after you shutdown is erase the CVR. Is this possible to do any more?

Testimony

Official prepared statement for the FAA hearings today.

You could conceivably do it any time. That's why there is an erase button on most aircraft.

On the CRJ we have the erase button.
But how long does it have to be pressed?

roger cohen is a dushbag