STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
The Tonawanda News
— —
Congress this week is expected to pass tough new airline safety measures — legislation that was precipitated by the deadly crash of Continental Connections Flight 3407 in Clarence last year — members of the Western New York congressional delegation said Wednesday.
Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minnesota, who chairs the House Transportation Committee, said the new safety provisions will be attached to a broader bill that is required for the Federal Aviation Administration to continue its operations.
The House is expected to pass the FAA bill today, with Senate passage anticipated soon afterward, Oberstar said.
“With the passage of these much-needed reforms, there will now be one level of safety in the skies, and the flying public can have confidence that there will be experienced, well-trained and prepared pilots in each and every cockpit,” Rep. Chris Lee, R-Clarence, said.
The new provisions will drastically increase the minimum flight hours required for pilots, who, upon passage of the bill, will need a minimum of 1,500 hours to obtain their certification. Currently, pilots need 250 hours.
Pilots also will be required to receive better training for a variety of flight conditions, including icing. Pilot error in response to icing conditions was among the main causes of the Feb. 12, 2009 crash of Flight 3407, which killed all 49 people on board and one person on the ground. A National Transportation Safety Board investigation faulted errors by the flight’s two pilots and deficiencies in pilot hiring and training by Colgan Air Inc., the regional carrier that operated the flight for Continental Airlines.
The NTSB report said the flight’s captain incorrectly responded to the stick shaker activation, which warned the flight crew of an impending stall. Moreover, the flight crew failed to adhere to sterile cockpit procedures, meaning crewmembers aren’t supposed to engage in non-essential conversation during landing.
The investigation also revealed the accident was the byproduct of a financially strapped industry seeking to cut costs by farming out short-haul flights to regional carriers. Those carriers often hire inexperienced pilots at low wages, assign them exhausting schedules and look the other way when they commute long distances to work because they can’t afford to live in the cities where they are based. The last six airline accidents in the United States all involved regional carriers.
Friends and families of Flight 3407 victims worked with local lawmakers in the aftermath of the crash to push for the inclusion of permanent safety measures that they hope will prevent similar tragedies. As a group, they have made more than 30 lobbying trips to Washington at their own expense in the 17 months since the crash.
They’ve met with dozens of senators and House members or their staffs, and attended every congressional hearing with any connection to aviation safety. They’ve also pressed their case in private meetings with President Barack Obama, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt.
The safety measures Congress is preparing to pass are “everything we asked for,” said Kevin Kuwik, a spokesman for the families, who lost his girlfriend, Lorin Maurer, in the accident. “The bill cuts right to the core of what caused Flight 3407 to crash.”
“The lessons we learned about regional airline industry training and standards have been shocking, not only for Western New Yorkers but for the millions of Americans who step onto an airplane each day,” said Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-Fairport.
“We needed strong, meaningful and timely legislation to make sure tragedies like the crash of Flight 3407 never happen again, and I’m delighted that day will finally come,” she said, adding that the provisions are “long overdue.”
In addition to raising the minimum flight hours, the new FAA bill will:
• Create a Pilot Records Database to provide airlines with fast, electronic access to a pilot’s comprehensive record, including licenses, aircraft ratings, check rides, notices of disapproval and state motor vehicle driving records. The 3407 pilot had failed several check rides prior to being hired by Colgan Air, the regional carrier operating the flight. The airline said it was never made aware of that fact.
• Direct the FAA to update and implement new pilot flight and duty time rules within one year to cut down on pilot fatigue.
• Mandate truth in advertising measures that require websites that sell airline tickets to disclose the air carrier that operates each segment of the flight. That information will have to be made available to the purchaser on the first page of the website.
The provisions also include a measure put forth by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., which requires the FAA to report back to Congress on all new safety recommendations issued by NTSB investigative reports.
“This is a major step forward in our efforts to strengthen the safety of all airline passengers,” Gillibrand said. “Time and time again, the FAA has ignored safety recommendations and put innocent lives at risk. My provision will change the culture of inaction and make air travel safer for all of us. Without the steadfast dedication of the Families of Flight 3407, we would not be making any of these safety improvements.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
