GAO Criticizes "Weak Oversight" Of 13,000 Contractors

The FAA isn't keeping a close enough eye on the 13,000 contractors it uses to inspect and certify repairs to aircraft in the US civil fleet, according to a new report from the General Accountability Office.

The GAO says the FAA needs to take another look at all its designee contracts and improve the way they're managed. The investigation leading to the report began in March 2003, at the request of Congressman Peter DeFazio. He was concerned about reports that an entertainment system had been properly installed in a Swissair MD-11, consequently causing a fire that sent the aircraft plunging into the Atlantic off the coast of Nova Scotia.

The GAO report criticized the FAA, saying...

• Surveillance of designees is inadequate
• Interpretations of safety rules are inconsistent
• Records on FAA oversight are inadequate
• FAA staffers don't get enough training
• When a designee is inactive or performs poorly, the FAA doesn't move fast enough to remove that person or company from its list of approved vendors.

The report also hinted that some designees were chosen because of their relationship with FAA employees.

The FAA itself was rather cool upon news of the GAO report. In a statement, the FAA said, "The continually improving US safety record speaks for itself, due in large part to the work of the nation's designees."

FMI: www.faa.gov