Group Cites Past Efforts to Weaken Pilot Training Requirements
June 10, 2025, Buffalo NY – The Families of Flight 3407 today expressed serious concerns over the nomination of Bryan Bedford as Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), citing his past attempts to circumvent the 1,500-hour pilot training requirement through a program designed by his own airline.
As CEO of Republic Airways, Mr. Bedford sought an exemption that would have allowed pilots who completed Republic’s internal training program to receive their Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate with only 750 hours of flight experience—half of the currently required 1,500 hours. He argued that the program was as rigorous as military training, despite the fact that military pilots undergo intensive, highly specialized training. The FAA ultimately denied his request.
“Our families fought to establish the 1,500-hour rule because we saw firsthand the devastating consequences of inadequate training in the cockpit,” said Scott Maurer, who lost his 30-year-old daughter Lorin in the crash of Flight 3407. “It is deeply troubling that Mr. Bedford attempted to create a backdoor around these proven safety standards for his own airline. Now, with his nomination to lead the FAA, we need firm assurances that he will not tamper with or weaken the rules that have made air travel in the U.S. safer than ever before.”
The families emphasized that now is not the time to undermine aviation safety regulations, particularly in light of recent airline accidents and close calls that have raised concerns about training, oversight, and operational safety.
“The aviation industry has experienced a troubling series of incidents in recent months, and this is not the time to introduce new risks into a system that has worked remarkably well,” said Karen Eckert, whose sister and 9/11 activist Beverly Eckert died in the crash. “If anything, these events are a reminder that we need to strengthen—not relax—the safety standards currently in place. We hope that, if confirmed, Mr. Bedford will put safety above convenience or cost and commit to preserving the hard-won reforms that have protected millions of passengers since 2010.”
The Families of Flight 3407 urge the Senate to scrutinize Mr. Bedford’s past efforts to weaken these safety standards and demand clear assurances that, if confirmed, he will uphold them.
“The lessons of Flight 3407 were learned through unimaginable loss, and we refuse to let them be forgotten,” Maurer added. “We expect Mr. Bedford, if approved, to put safety first, and we will hold him accountable to that standard.”