Press Releases

On the Tenth Day of Christmas, Flight 3407 Victim Darren Tolsma’s Family Wishes for FAA to Complete Rulemaking on Pilot Mentoring and Leadership Training

Wants FAA to Set New Generation of Regional Airline Pilots Up For Success

Buffalo, New York- December 28, 2011 – Three holiday seasons after they lost their father and husband in the crash of Continental Flight 3407, the family of Darren Tolsma called on Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta to continue forward with a rulemaking covering the critical areas of pilot mentoring, professional development and leadership training. This rulemaking project also includes a key component of sterile cockpit training, one of the glaring issues revealed by the NTSB’s post-crash analysis of the cockpit voice recorder.

(more…)

By Administrator, ago

On the Ninth Day of Christmas, Flight 3407 Victim Doug Wielinski’s Family Wishes for FAA to Finally Take Action on Low Airspeed Alerters

Similar Recommendation Made After Crash That Claimed Life of Senator Paul Wellstone; NTSB Rates FAA Response ‘Unacceptable’

Buffalo, New York- December 28, 2011 – In the midst of their third holiday season without their father and husband after Continental Flight 3407 crashed into their house on Long Street in Clarence Center, New York, the family of Doug Wielinski called on Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, to finally take action on a long-standing NTSB safety recommendation to require the installation of low airspeed alerters in all commercial airplanes. This recommendation, which dates back to 1982 and was reiterated in the 2005 crash which took the life of Senator Paul Wellstone of Minnesota, seeks to address the issue of pilots being surprised by aerodynamic stalls and not being able to execute a recovery from that condition.

(more…)

By Administrator, ago

On the Eighth Day of Christmas, Flight 3407 Victim Kristin Safran’s Family Wishes for FAA Adoption of All Safety Recommendations in NTSB’s Flight 3407 Report

Focus on FAA’s Recently-Released 200 Page Annual Report to Congress on NTSB Recommendation Status

Buffalo, New York- December 20, 2011 – Approaching the third Christmas after the crash of Continental Flight 3407, the family of thirty-seven year old Kristin Safran, a bottled water industry executive, wife, and mother of two, urged the FAA under the direction of acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, to fully implement all safety recommendations put forth by the National Transportation Safety Board in its final report on the crash. The group’s push comes on the heels of the FAA’s report to Congress on the status of all open safety recommendations, including the twenty-eight recommendations associated with Flight 3407.

(more…)

By Administrator, ago

On the Seventh Day of Christmas, Flight 3407 Victim Ernie West’s Family Wishes for FAA to Expedite Creation of Pilot Record Database

Computerized Training Records Will Aid Airlines in Hiring the Best-Qualified Pilots

Buffalo, New York- December 19, 2011 – Approaching the third Christmas after the crash of Continental Flight 3407, the family of fifty-four year old Ernie West, one of four victims employed by Northrop Grumman, urged Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta to speed up the implementation of a computerized pilot training records database. With the NTSB investigation revealing that Colgan Air, the regional airline operating Flight 3407, was not aware of prior training deficiencies when the company hired both pilots on the flight, the creation of this electronic database was one of the key reforms mandated by Congress in the wake of the tragedy.

(more…)

By Administrator, ago

On the Sixth Day of Christmas, Flight 3407 Victim Jerome Krasuski’s Family Wishes for DOT to Stay Tough on Regional Airline Ticket Disclosure

One Year After “Who’s Really Flying Your Plane?” Campaign, Families Remain Vigilant on Code Share Disclosure

Buffalo, New York- December 17, 2011 – With Christmas just a week away, the family of fifty-three year old Jerome ‘Jerry’ Krasuski, a defense contractor for Northrup Grumman who was lost in the crash of Continental Flight 3407, urged the Department of Transportation and Secretary Ray LaHood to continue to diligently enforce stricter code share disclosure requirements. With many of the passengers of Flight 3407 not even aware that they had bought a ticket on a flight operated by regional airline Colgan Air rather than its parent carrier Continental (now United) Airlines, Congress passed legislation in August 2010 which included a requirement for all internet ticket sites to prominently display the regional airline actually operating each code share flight, for the public to view and consider when shopping for plane tickets.

(more…)

By Administrator, ago

On the Fifth Day of Christmas, Flight 3407 Victim Johnathan Perry’s Family Wishes for FAA to Complete ATP Qualification Requirement

Initiative Will Significantly Raise the Qualifications Level for Entry-Level Regional Airline Pilots

Buffalo, New York- December 13, 2011 – As another Christmas approaches, the family of twenty-seven year old Johnathan Perry, who was lost in the crash of Continental Flight 3407, beseeched the Obama administration, particularly Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, to complete a rulemaking addressing minimum qualifications for all first officers on commercial airlines. As some regional airlines have been hiring pilots with experience levels barely above to the current federal minimum of 250 hours, and paying wages commensurate with that experience, this initiative will take a meaningful step towards achieving the goal of a true ‘One Level of Safety’ between major and regional airlines.

(more…)

By Administrator, ago

On the Fourth Day of Christmas, Flight 3407 Victim Coleman Mellett’s Family Wishes for FAA to Ensure All Regional Airlines Invest in Best Practice Safety Programs

NTSB Investigation Revealed That Colgan Air Did Not Utilize All Safety Managment Programs Used by Continental

Buffalo, New York- December 13, 2011 – With another empty Christmas approaching, the family of acclaimed jazz musician and Chuck Mangione Band member Coleman Mellett begged for the Obama administration, particularly Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, to meet the Congressionally-mandated August 1, 2012 deadline for a final rule on safety management systems. These best practice programs, which seek to avoid accidents by identifying potentially dangerous trends and addressing them in a preventative manner, are not federally mandated, and consequently, not as frequently employed by regional airlines as by their parent carriers.

(more…)

By Administrator, ago

On the Third Day of Christmas, Flight 3407 Victim Beverly Eckert’s Family Wishes for FAA to Push Forward on Pilot Commuting

Recently-Released Study Falls Far Short of Meeting Congressional Intent

Buffalo, New York- December 12, 2011 – Facing a third Christmas without noted 9/11 widow and activist Beverly Eckert, her family made an impassioned plea to Obama administration, particularly Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, to not overlook the commuting element of the well-publicized pilot fatigue issue. While the FAA’s proposal on new limits for pilots’ flight and duty times has been in the spotlight, it is not expected to include any requirements for airlines and pilots related to commuting, which was exposed as a potentially dangerous practice in the NTSB’s examination of the Flight 3407 crewmembers’ final days.

(more…)

By Administrator, ago

On the Second Day of Christmas, Flight 3407 Victim Kevin Johnston’s Family Wishes for FAA to Come Through on Stronger Training Requirements

October 1 Deadline Has Come and Gone; Proposal Would Address Stall and Upset Recognition and Recovery Deficiencies That Contributed to Crash

Buffalo, New York- December 8, 2011 – As yet another holiday season approaches without their father and husband, the family of passenger Kevin Johnston, the Director of Safety at Henkel Technologies-Americas, called upon the Obama administration, particularly Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, to expeditiously complete an in-progress rule making that would significantly strengthen the pilot training curriculum for all commercial airlines. In particular, the rule in its proposed form would address critical NTSB safety recommendations in the wake of Flight 3407 that called for more robust training on stall and upset recognition and recovery, as well as for more aggressive remedial training programs for pilots who have struggled with proficiency checks.

(more…)

By Administrator, ago

On the First Day of Christmas, Flight 3407 Victim Elly Kausner’s Family Wishes for Acting FAA Administrator Huerta to Deliver New Pilot Fatigue Rule

Regional Airline Pilots Scheduled to the Max; Desperately in Need of New Scheduling Limits

Buffalo, New York- December 7, 2011 – Facing a third Christmas season without twenty-four year old Ellyce Kausner, who had been a law student at Florida Coastal School of Law, her family issued a plea to the Obama administration, particularly Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, to end two decades of government gridlock and issue a critical new rule to fight pilot fatigue prior to this Christmas. Their appeal comes as part of the Flight 3407 Families ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’ campaign, aimed at highlighting key elements of the family group’s push for ‘One Level of Safety’ for all passengers traveling on the nation’s regional airlines, which account for over half of all flights flown in the United States.

(more…)

By Administrator, ago