Democrat Rick Larsen Says Completion Of The Rules Should Be A High Priority

In a letter sent to Secretary of Transpiration Anthony Foxx just after he was sworn into his new position, Washington State Democratic Congressman Rick Larsen (pictured) told the new secretary that he should make final rules for commercial pilot qualifications and training a high priority.

"Congress enacted the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010 with the expectation that the FAA would expeditiously comply with the bill's mandates for rulemaking to ensure that airline pilots have a proper level of experience and are qualified to work effectively as professional members of a well-functioning, highly-proficient crew," Larsen wrote. He cited the Colgan Air Flight 3407 accident as a "tragic indication of the need for updated requirements in these areas." Larsen said that he was "pleased that the FAA published a notice of proposed rulemaking in response to these mandates early last year," adding that "a final rule satisfying these mandates will be overdue next month."

Larsen reminded the new secretary that former secretary LaHood was a "champion of a number of safety-related initiatives over the past four years. I hope that you will continue in that spirit, and that you will work towards the issuance of the final rule on airline pilot qualifications and training as swiftly as possible."

FMI: http://larsen.house.gov