One Step Up, Two Steps Back?

Just when it appeared things were maybe getting better between the European Union and the United States over the issue of unfair government subsidies of its aircraft manufacturers, comes word out of Brussels that no agreement can be reached with the US until the questions surrounding foreign ownership of US airlines is clarified.

"The NTSB has done a lot of good work that has tremendously improved the safety of air travel... and in fairness to the NTSB, I must point out that this accident was its first big investigation. I know their procedures have improved in the years since. But in fairness to the people who died in this accident and their families, I must also make the point that the NTSB should admit if mistakes were made. It's the right thing to do." Source: Paul Houle, whose initial curiosity into a 1967 midair collision involving a Piedmont Airlines 727 and a Cessna 310 evolved into an exhaustive research effort into the initial NTSB ruling on the accident that the Cessna pilot was to blame for the loss of 82 lives -- which was perhaps compromised by the fact the