Hearing On NTSB's "Most Wanted List" Of Safety Improvements

At a hearing before the US House of Representatives Subcommittee on Aviation this week, National Air Transportation Association President James K. Coyne discussed efforts the group and its members have undertaken to improve safety for both ground services and flight operations.

Testifying before a hearing regarding the National Transportation Safety Board's "Most Wanted List" of aviation safety improvements, Coyne expressed NATA's overall support for the NTSB's recommendations, but cautioned against federal mandates requiring aircraft operators to make expensive technology upgrades to existing aircraft.

Six items on the "Most Wanted List" are directed to the Federal Aviation Administration, with the NTSB classifying the FAA's action on five of those recommendations as "unacceptable."

Coyne reiterated NATA's general support of the NTSB's recommendations, noting that he has personally met with every NTSB member to discuss aviation safety and what improvements could be made to reduce accidents in the Part 135 community.

"Specifically, NATA supports the recommendations made by the NTSB in regard to the dangers posed by known icing conditions, as well as recommendations to increase requirements for cockpit voice and data recorders and to extend the duration of time recorded by this equipment," Coyne (shown below) said. "However, any FAA rules requiring technological improvements should remain forward-fitting and not apply to existing aircraft, as such upgrades will disproportionately affect small general aviation aircraft."

In addition to the technology improvements to reduce runway incursions recommended by the NTSB, Coyne also stressed the importance of human factors training at all levels, noting that NATA believes "the best approach to runway safety must include human factors interventions to complement any technological improvements."

In discussing the NTSB recommendations to reduce accidents caused by human fatigue and implementing Crew Resource Management training for Part 135 operators, Coyne spoke about NATA's involvement with the Part 135 Aviation Rulemaking Committee, which submitted a comprehensive proposal to the FAA in February 2005.

The ARC proposed altering existing flight, duty, and rest regulations for Part 135 operators significantly as well as requiring CRM training for 135 operators.

"NATA has participated in drafting comprehensive proposals submitted to the FAA that would meet, and even exceed, the recommendations made by the NTSB in these areas. We are hopeful that in both cases, the FAA acts quickly on these recommendations and initiates rulemaking to address these concerns," Coyne said.

As ANN reported, FAA Deputy Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety Peggy Gilligan responded to concerns voiced the day before by Mark Rosenker, NTSB chairman, about the FAA's response to the Board's urgent safety recommendations.

"The relationship and interaction between the FAA and the NTSB is an important component in aviation safety," Gilligan told the Subcommittee. "Our roles are different, but complimentary. Through accident investigation, the NTSB makes findings of probable cause that lead to the issuance of safety recommendations. The FAA receives the vast majority of the NTSB's safety recommendations. In turn, the FAA takes action on the vast majority of the NTSB's recommendations, even when the recommendation asks that we develop new technology to address the recommendations."

In her response to a question regarding the implementation of the Part 135 ARC recommendations at the hearing, Gilligan classified the proposal submitted by the ARC regarding flight, duty, and rest time as "interesting" and said the FAA would soon initiate rulemaking on the proposal, but didn't give a specific timeline.

Rosenker told the committee he was disappointed at the number of recommendations to the FAA on the Board's Most Wanted List that are in an unacceptable action status. He conceded items on the list tend to be those that are among the most complex and difficult to implement. However, he concluded, "while the FAA has made some progress, I am disappointed that there are so many recommendations on this list that are in an unacceptable status."

Coyne also discussed NATA's efforts to improve the industry's safety record through the NATA Safety 1st Program. He noted program's success in substantially reducing accidents among aviation ground service providers since its inception in 1999. He also introduced the organization's newest safety initiative, the development of Safety Management Systems.

"The Safety Management System provides a complete safety management program specific to a company's operation," Coyne said. "The SMS is based on recognized safety standards and is supported by rigorous industry data that will reduce or eliminate accidents and their resultant costs, in terms of lives lost, injuries sustained, insurance claims filed and direct financial losses incurred.

"The NATA SMS can assist both air charter operators and ground-based service providers in raising the safety and quality bar that in turn will improve operational safety performance by lowering incident rates and identifying potential risks for accidents," Coyne added.

FMI: www.nata.aero, www.ntsb.gov