Outlines Call To Action On Airline Safety And Pilot
Training
FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt testified Wednesday before the
U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
Subcommittee on Aviation, to explain the agency's "Call to Action"
on airline safety and pilot training.
Babbitt said the Call to Action came June 15, and was designed
to encourage the aviation industry in the U.S. to come together to
share their best practices across the board and implement actions
known to improve safety. The FAA received a wealth of information
from the Call to Action, he said, and is taking several steps to
use that information to make the industry and traveling public
safer.
FAA made the creation of a new flight and rest rule based on
fatigue science a high priority, Babbitt said, with an aggressive
timeline. FAA chartered an aviation rulemaking committee
(ARC), which began meeting in July 2009. The ARC, which
consisted of representatives from FAA, industry, and labor
organizations, was charged with producing recommendations for a
science-based approach to fatigue management by September 1, 2009.
"I am pleased to report to you that the ARC met its charge and that
we are currently reviewing its recommendations," Babbitt told the
committee. "Although our review is ongoing, I would also like to
share with you how pleased I am with the work that we accomplished
in the ARC. While some details remain unresolved, the ARC
gave us a broad philosophical framework that will form the basis
for our NPRM."
FAA Administrator Babbitt
He also discussed in depth a two part "Focused Inspection
Initiative" which required FAA inspectors to meet with the
carrier’s director of operations, director of safety, and
company officials responsible for flight crewmember training and
qualification programs. The purpose of these meetings was to
determine the carrier’s ability to identify, track, and
manage low-time flight crewmembers and those who have failed
evaluation events or demonstrated a repetitive need for additional
training. Inspectors also looked at whether the carrier adopted the
suggestions in Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) 06015 to
voluntarily implement remedial training for pilots with persistent
performance deficiencies.
The second part of the initiative, which is currently underway,
has inspectors conducting additional inspections to validate that
the carrier’s training and qualification programs meet
regulatory standards in accordance with FAA guidance materials,
including, among other items:
- Review the entire performance history of any pilot in
question;
- Provide remedial training as necessary; and
- Provide additional oversight by the certificate holder to
ensure that performance deficiencies are effectively addressed and
corrected.
Babbitt said he expects the second part of the focused
inspection initiative to be completed by September 30.
Other items in the "Call to Action" included training program
review guidance and mentoring. Babbitt reiterated the call for air
carriers to require pilots to disclose all FAA records, and for
labor organizations to foster a climate of professionalism. Babbitt
also outlined a series of regional safety forums which have already
held around the country to discuss the Call to Action initiatives,
listen to stakeholder comments, and seek ideas for and commitments
to additional actions in the areas in which FAA is already taking
specific action.
Babbitt said a final report is due out December 31st based on
the Call to Action meeting, regional safety forums, results of the
focused inspection initiative, and other actions. The report will
include performance metrics for auditing and assessing progress.
But, he said the biggest factor affecting safety:
professionalism in the workplace. "Safety begins at the top, but
whether one has a wrench in his or her hand, sits at a yoke or
carries a clipboard, wears a headset or works in the galley, safety
is everyone’s responsibility," Babbitt told the committee.
"In spite of this, we have not seen the required level of
professionalism consistently from the aviation industry across the
board. Although professionalism prevails in the vast
majority of the aviation workforce, it is not uniform throughout
the industry. The standards are the same, the training is the same,
but the mentality is not the same, and this is what we have to
change."