Fri, May 09, 2008
737 Type-Rating Worth $15,000
Allegations of a cozy relationship between airlines and
their FAA inspectors have been somewhat abstract...
until now.
USA Today reports the manager of the federal office that
oversees Southwest Airlines accepted thousands of dollars in free
pilot training from the carrier. The FAA told the paper Wednesday
the arrangement violates rules of conduct.
This is not a case of a single rogue employee. The FAA admitted
the training program had been approved by regional officials and
had been in place for years. FAA spokeswoman Diane Spitalieri says
the agency has now stopped the program, and the individual
supervisor's training is a matter under investigation.
The paper identified the supervisor as FAA manager Bobby
Hedlund. According to recent testimony before Congress from three
current and former FAA officials, Hedlund was promoted last year to
head the Southwest office, and received months of training in 2005
that qualified him to fly the Boeing 737.
FAA inspectors often receive training to stay current is
normally done at the FAA's expense. Robert Naccache, who worked in
the Southwest office until he retired last year, called the free
training provided Hedlund "...the most flagrant conflict of
interest that I have ever witnessed in my 20-year career in the
federal government."
USA Today got estimates from flight schools the 737 type-rating
would have cost a private citizen $15,000 or more. Its career value
as a resume line is an additional benefit, somewhat harder to
quantify.
The paper says Hedlund did not return phone calls, but Southwest
spokeswoman Beth Harbin confirmed the training, adding "we
certainly don't agree" the program created a conflict of
interest.
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