Administrator

Report Cites Lack of Training in ‘Surprise Situations’; Hauntingly Similar to Flight 3407 Findings

Buffalo, New York- July 10, 2012 – Responding to last week’s release of a final report on the causes of the fatal 2009 Air France crash that claimed 228 lives, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ continued to press officials in the Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation, and the White House Office of Management and Budget to pick up the pace in finalizing critical pilot training improvements that would address a recurring problem of pilots improperly responding to emergency situations. The timeline for these safety reforms, which were unanimously approved by both houses of Congress in 2010 and directed to be completed by October 2011, has recently been pushed back to October 2013 by the FAA and the Obama Administration. Citing a process which already dates back to 1999, and which includes heavy industry pressure to delay the FAA’s efforts, the family group called on acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta to come through for the flying public and put safety ahead of the industry’s bottom line.

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Proposed Two-Year Delay and Five-Year Period to Comply Will Pose Significant Safety Risk

Buffalo, New York- June 26, 2012 – Responding to Thursday’s Senate confirmation hearing for Michael Huerta, President Obama’s nominee as Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration and the current acting Administrator, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ praised Senators John D. ‘Jay’ Rockefeller (D-WV) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) for their relentless questioning of Huerta on the FAA’s recently-announced delay in instituting Congressionally-mandated new requirements for airlines’ pilot training programs. The group called on Huerta, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, and the Obama administration to pick up the pace on implementing the critical safety rule that was supposed to be completed in October 2011, and was recently pushed back by the Administration until October 2013.

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Critical NTSB Safety Recommendations Would Not Take Effect Until Ten Years After 2009 Crash

Buffalo, New York- June 19, 2012 – In response to a recently-published Department of Transportation report that set October 19, 2013 as the new target date for the issuance of a critical final rule to enhance commercial air carrier pilot training plans, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ expressed their frustration with the DOT, FAA, and the White House Office of Management and Budget for dragging their feet on this rulemaking project, which was initiated back in 1999. These critical safety reforms, mandated by Congress in the landmark 2010 Airline Safety Act, were required to be completed by October 1, 2011. Even more egregious, publishing this training rule in late 2013 would mean that airlines would not be required to comply with the new training guidelines until the year 2019, more than ten years after the crash of Continental Flight 3407, due to a five-year compliance window written into the most-recently proposed version of the rule. This debate takes on heightened significance as acting FAA Administrator and Obama Administration nominee Michael Huerta is scheduled to appear in front of the Senate’s Commerce Committee for a confirmation hearing this Thursday. (Link to DOT Report: http://regs.dot.gov/rulemakings/201206/report.htm)

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The ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’, will join together in honor of their loved ones for a dedication ceremony of a memorial at the crash site on Saturday, June 2 at 1:30pm, Long Street, Clarence, NY. The ceremony will include the reading of each victim’s name and words from Karen Read more…

Condemn Industry Pushback on Fuel Tank Safety Fix and Opposition to Pilot Training Reforms

Buffalo, New York- May 22, 2012 – In response to recent media coverage of aviation safety-related issues, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407′ sought to keep focus on the FAA’s continuing efforts to fully implement the landmark aviation safety legislation signed into law in August 2010. The group reacted strongly to a May 8th Wall Street Journal report that detailed efforts by the major airlines and their lobbying arms to fight FAA safety initiatives. In particular, the families derided the airlines’ opposition to a safety fix on a fuel tank issue that dates back to a 1996 fatal crash, as well as recent efforts to derail FAA rulemakings that would institute higher standards for initial pilot hiring qualifications as well as initial and recurrent pilot training requirements.

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Challenge FAA to Deliver on Rulemakings That Will Enhance Training Requirements

Buffalo, New York- April 24, 2012 – With the House Aviation Subcommittee scheduled to hold an aviation safety oversight hearing on Wednesday, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ kept up the pressure on the government and industry to work towards higher safety standards, with a spotlight on raising the safety standards for the nation’s regional airlines. The group highlighted the recent statement by Pinnacle Airlines in its bankruptcy filing, where it blamed the airline industry’s ‘Race to the Bottom’, as regional carriers compete to shave operating expenses in a desire to provide the lowest bids to mainline carriers for their regional routes.

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Buffalo, New York- March 21, 2012 – The ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ issued the following statement in response to testimony by Thomas Hendricks of the Airlines for America (A4A), the high-powered lobbying organization representing the nation’s major air carriers, at Tuesday’s Senate Aviation hearing on ‘Commercial Airline Safety Oversight’: (more…)

Rulemakings on Training and Pilot Qualifications; Pilot Record Database; Commuting Loom as Key Issues

Buffalo, New York- March 20, 2012 – With group members set to attend Tuesday’s Senate Aviation Subcommittee hearing on Commercial Airline Safety Oversight, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ renewed their push for the Federal Aviation Administration to follow through on the key remaining safety initiatives from the landmark aviation safety legislation passed in August 2010. This plea comes on the heels of continued industry pressure, from both major and regional carriers, to obstruct efforts related to raising standards in the areas of pilot training and entry level hiring qualifications, the creation of an electronic training records database, as well as gathering further information regarding the potentially dangerous practice of pilot commuting.

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Airline Industry’s Efforts Were Successful in Watering Down Final Rule on Flight and Duty Times

Buffalo, New York- February 28, 2012 – With the third anniversary of the tragic crash of Continental Flight 3407 operated by Colgan Air just weeks past, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ reacted positively to Monday’s release by the Federal Aviation Administration of a proposal to significantly upgrade the initial certification requirements for commercial airline pilots. However, in anticipation of a powerful behind-the-scenes campaign by regional airlines to weaken the resulting final rule, the group pressed the Obama administration to stand firm in the interests of achieving an elusive ‘One Level of Safety’ and forcing regional airlines to bring their commitment and investment in safety and training up to the level of the major airlines.

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Group Pledges to Make Sure Public Never Forgets Responsible Parties Buffalo, New York- February 10, 2012 – Just two days prior to the third anniversary of the tragic crash of Continental Flight 3407, operated by Colgan Air, the “Families of Continental Flight 3407” denounced various industry members associated with the Read more…