Kinda reminds me of good old TSA (airline).

 

I want to know who decides the amount of the fine. Eagle was recently fined $2.9 million for flying 1100 flights with improperly repaired gear doors while Chautauqua was fined 348,000 for flying 27,700 flights with various inspections missing.

In other words Eagle was fined $2,636 per flight and Chautauqua was fined $12.56 per flight.

 

Spot on. When you are flying and you miss a crossing restriction, think of it as scoring a demerit. When you mess up interpreting how to schedule, perform or document a repetitive maintenance task, the demerits keep racking up until someone fixes your foul up.

For example, when ASA missed some engine borescope inspections on 90-something CRJs at C-check last year, I was riding the crew bus with a flock of hens, I mean flight attendants, and roosters, I mean pilots, who were clucking and crowing about the situation. They wanted our new Maintenance management team to get the ax.. immediately. It turns out, for whatever reason, our computer software didn't include the engine borescope inspection as part of the C-check work package, so it wasn't done... for a long time. The new guys discovered the glitch, self-disclosed it to the Feds to minimize financial impact and got on the ball fixing things.

From all appearances, Chataqua could have had an identical problem. They just didn't handle the recovery as we did.

Again, not condoning anything, just trying to lend a little bit of insight that the furlough has given me. When I was flying the line, I used to get paired up with captains who thought every segment of the company was out to get us. As a pilot, I've learned that it's just not so. Every working stiff is bent over the barrel in one way or another in this industry.

 

Again the numbers don't support a simple "foul up", your interpretation of the events seems to point the finger at maintenance's record keeping. Yet I ask again, how is it that other CRJ and ERJ carriers are able to comply without any "foul ups"? Is it possible that there is actual accountability at those other carriers? The problem here is that you're only addressing a symptom not the disease.

Well, apparently the administrator does not agree with your assessment. You see the corporate culture of most regional carriers now (mine included) is to save money where ever they can to maximize profits. The problem is that this has every indication of Bedford taking shortcuts to save a few bucks.

I would agree with your theory if it encompassed a year or less of mx records, but in talking to our own MX, they agree that there's no way that such mistakes can go unnoticed for as long as they did in this case and in two different types. You working in maintenance yourself should know that. The bottom line is that the administrator determined that the inspections had not been done, and someone simply looked the other way.

Folks, just remember, it could always be your family in the back of these aircraft, there is no excuse for this level of stupidity.

 

Was Eagle caught or did they self disclose?The FAA usually gives a discount on the fine if you submit by self discloser.

 

This is very disappointing. I should never have to question my own safety when it comes to these planes. I think RAH is lucky this is the only setback(financial) they will suffer. The worst case scenario would be truly tragic.

 

I agree with you 100%, I would feel the same way if something like that would happen here.

Is the union doing anything about it for you guys?

 

No offical word from the union yet. Would I be suprised if they said nothing? No. I hope that is not the case.

 

Public memory is short. It was only last year the FAA was being slapped upside the head for being too cozy with the airlines. Babbitt, as a former airline pilot, can't be seen as ignoring those allegations.

How many here are comfortable with airlines being allowed to do maintenance inspections only when they feel like it?

 

Think about this:

$348,000 for 27,700 flights with unairworthy aircraft

OR

$1,350,000 for ONE 50 pax flight that took over three hours to get airborne.

Just shows safety takes second to convenience.