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.

FMI: www.southwest.com, www.faa.gov