Press Releases

Comment Period Closed Monday on Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

Buffalo, New York – July 1, 2020 – With Monday’s closing of the comment period for the Federal Aviation Administration’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the Pilot Record Database, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ submitted their group’s comment and called on Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao and FAA Administrator Stephen Dickson to move quickly to finalize the rule and start the clock on bringing the industry into full compliance with it.  The group cited the National Transportation Safety Board’s December release of information from its investigation of the fatal Atlas Air/Amazon cargo crash back in February 2019 which revealed that the first officer was hired by Atlas without a full review of his previous training record, which included multiple failures and washouts at three regional carriers (https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-air-atlas-crash-pilot-unsafe-ntsb-2019-12).

Will Work Hand-in-Hand with Enhanced First Officer Standards; Pilot Database is Final Milestone Remaining from Safety Law

Buffalo, New York – February 25, 2020 – The ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ recognized the Federal Aviation Administration’s release of a final rule on ‘Pilot Professional Development’. The rule was mandated by the ‘Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010,’ and marks another step towards full implementation of the law.

Buffalo, New York – February 12, 2020 – Wednesday, February 12th, 2020 will mark the 11th anniversary of the tragic regional airline crash of Continental Flight 3407 operated by Colgan Air that took the lives of all on board and one man on the ground. It will also mark 11 years without any fatal crashes of U.S. commercial flights, the safest such period in our nation’s aviation history (previously, the U.S. had never gone more than thirty consecutive months without a fatal crash). This is a testament to the efforts of so many, and a powerful tribute to those who were needlessly lost. In conjunction with the anniversary, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ issue the following statement:

Another year has passed. We continue to struggle with the elusive ‘new normal’. There are old photos, boxes of newspaper clippings, old clothes, and other mementos. Memories of sights and sounds and smells that we hold near and dear to our hearts, that we fight to keep from fading away as time marches on.

(more…)

Press DOT/FAA on Database, Applaud Tough Questioning of Dickson, Remain Focused on FAA Oversight

Buffalo, New York – May 22, 2019 – Over ten years removed from the regional airline crash that tragically took the lives of their loved ones, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ continued their aviation safety advocacy in Washington last week by attending two congressional hearings, including the Senate confirmation hearing for Stephen Dickson to be FAA Administrator. The group also highlighted a bipartisan House letter to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and Acting FAA Administrator Daniel Elwell addressing continued delays in the Pilot Records Database, led by the Western New York House delegation and signed by members representing ten different states. (more…)

Hearings to Shine Spotlight on Importance, Effectiveness of FAA Oversight

Buffalo, New York – May 14, 2019 – With aviation panels in both chambers scheduled to hold key hearings on Wednesday, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ announced that group members would be in attendance at both events. The Senate Commerce Committee will be holding a confirmation hearing for Stephen Dickson, President Trump’s nominee to be FAA Administrator, while the House Aviation Subcommittee will be holding an oversight hearing on the status of the Boeing 737 Max. Besides a continuing focus on the full implementation of Public Law 111-216, the Airline Safety Act of 2010, the group is zeroing in on discussions of FAA oversight in the context of potential conflicts between industry interests and the safety of the flying public. (more…)

Transportation Secretary Offers Key Assurances on Pilot Qualifications, Database

Buffalo, New York – April 18, 2019 – After meeting with Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao on Wednesday, members of the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ were encouraged by her statements addressing two key provisions of the 2010 aviation safety law that was unanimously passed by Congress in response to the 2009 regional airline crash. (more…)

Highlight Delayed Pilot Records Database Implementation, Importance of Congressional Follow-Thru

Buffalo, New York – March 26, 2019 – With the Aviation Subcommittee of the Senate’s Commerce Committee scheduled to hold an aviation safety oversight hearing on Wednesday, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ announced that they would be in attendance at the hearing. The group hailed Subcommittee Chairman Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Ranking Member Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) for holding the hearing, but challenged them to put actions behind words in the follow-up to the hearing, and highlighted the continued delays by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the implementation of the Pilot Records Database (PRD), a provision adopted nearly 10 years ago in response to the fatal crash of Flight 3407. (more…)

Buffalo, New York – February 12, 2019 – Tuesday, February 12th, 2009 will mark the 10th anniversary of the tragic regional airline crash of Continental Flight 3407 operated by Colgan Air that took the lives of all on board and one man on the ground. The families and friends of those lost will gather in Buffalo to commemorate the victims in a series of events at the crash site on Long Street, at Forest Lawn Cemetery, and at the Flight 3407 Memorial at the Clarence Library. Additionally the entire Western New York community will recognize the anniversary as the Peace Bridge, Niagara Falls, Buffalo City Hall, Erie County Hall and other portions of the downtown skyline will be lit in red on the evening of the 12th.

In conjunction with the anniversary, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ issued the following statement:

(more…)

Call on Chao, Elwell to Provide Leadership in Rule Making Process on Critical Safety Initiative

Buffalo, New York – January 29, 2019 – With the 10 year anniversary of the tragic regional airline crash just weeks away, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ expressed their disappointment with repeated delays by DOT and FAA in the implementation process of the Pilot Records Database (PRD). This common-sense bipartisan reform, designed to ensure that air carriers have full access to a pilot’s complete training record when making a hiring decision, has the full support of the airline industry. Unfortunately, the target date for the release of this rule has pushed back four times since August 2017, and is now currently slated for this May.

(more…)

Congress Rebuffs Regional Airlines and Lobbyists’ Attempts to Water Down Safety Standards

Buffalo, New York – October 3, 2018 – The ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ hailed today’s passage of a five-year FAA Reauthorization Bill by the Senate that left intact stronger entry-level experience requirements for regional airline first officers. This safety initiative was the cornerstone provision of landmark aviation safety legislation unanimously enacted by Congress in 2010, and had been the subject of an aggressive and well-financed lobbying campaign by the nation’s regional airlines and their lobbying arm that sought to relax its requirements. (more…)