Some Dating Back Nine Years
Back in April, when FAA Acting
Administrator Robert Sturgell (right) was facing lawmakers to answer for the missed FAA inspections
at Southwest Airlines, he was asked by Senator Patty
Murray of Washington state if there were any other airlines overdue
for inspections. Sturgell answered that he wasn't aware of any at
the time, but promised he'd look into it.
A few days later, he responded in a letter. The Wall Street
Journal reports it has reviewed Sturgell's response, which admitted
the FAA has failed to perform more than 100 recommended safety
reviews at major airlines, some of which were due as long as nine
years ago.
The thorough, five-year reviews of the airlines' own safety
systems were made mandatory in 2007. The goal of the reviews --
which the Journal says cover dozens of aspects ranging from
flight-crew training to deicing programs -- is to ensure that
airlines have the right systems in place to identify potential
hazards and deal appropriately with any they find.
While the missed reviews don't necessarily mean safety problems
exist, Murray observed the Southwest case demonstrates the
inspections matter.
"They are one of the best indicators of whether an airline has
its act together when it comes to maintenance and safety
compliance," she said. "Clearly, the FAA needs to bring more focus
and leadership to meeting its own self-imposed deadlines."
The FAA has been working to reduce costs through the agency's
Air Transportation Oversight System, or ATOS, which relies more on
airline-provided data to monitor safety and maintenance procedures,
and less on physical inspections. The five-year reviews are one
measure to ensure accountability in the data the industry reports
voluntarily.
The Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, the union which
represents most FAA inspectors, has been fighting the move to fewer
inspectors and more reliance on industry self-reporting. Union
President Tom Brantley says ATOS is being misapplied.
"Rather than use ATOS as a tool to enhance its inspectors'
ability to perform industry oversight, the FAA has instead allowed
ATOS to be used as a way to shift the burden of oversight from the
agency to the industry itself," Brantly said.
In his letter to Senator Murray disclosing the missed
inspections, Sturgell acknowledged "inadequate resources" may have
played a role.