Airline Offers Immediate Response Concerning Training Of Flight
Crews
The FAA has proposed a civil penalty of $1,892,000 against
Colgan Air, of Manassas, VA, a subsidiary of Pinnacle Airlines, for
allegedly allowing flight attendants to work on 172 revenue
passenger flights when they were not properly trained to use the
planes’ cabin fire extinguisher system. “FAA rules on
flight crew training are designed to help ensure the safety of
passengers,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.
“We require carriers to comply with all of our safety rules,
and we will not hesitate to take enforcement action when they do
not.”
The 84 newly-hired flight attendants worked flights on the
Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 twin turbo-prop aircraft between Nov. 3 and
Nov. 9, 2009 after the FAA told Colgan the flight attendants had
not completed the required training. The FAA inspected the
carrier’s new-hire flight attendant training for the Q400 on
Nov. 2, 2009. The FAA alleges the new Colgan flight attendants were
trained with fire extinguishers used on the airline’s Saab
340s, which operate differently than those used on the Q400.
“The airlines have to properly train crewmembers on the
use of emergency equipment,” said FAA Administrator Randy
Babbitt. “The flight attendants’ primary responsibility
is to know exactly how to handle emergency situations, and they
can’t carry out that responsibility if they’re not
properly trained.”
Colgan issued an almost immediate response to the proposal,
saying strict compliance with all FAA rules and regulations is
essential to the airline. Officials said in a news release that, in
accordance with FAA rules and Company policy, Colgan Air regularly
trains all of its Flight Attendants on the use of cabin fire
extinguishers as well as all other safety equipment on every
aircraft we operate.
"This proposed fine is related to Flight Attendant training on
the use of the cabin fire extinguisher; alleging that the bottle
carried in the Q400 aircraft was a different type than the one used
in training. Colgan Air was using the same type extinguisher for
both the Saab 340B and Q400 training, although the Q400
extinguisher has a hose," the statement reads.
Upon notification and "out of an abundance of caution," Colgan
says it updated its training manuals and retrained all Flight
Attendants to ensure full Flight Attendant understanding.
Colgan says the flights in question occurred in Nov. 2009, and
all flights during this period were completed safely. The carrier
says it remains in compliance with these requirements today, that
it intends to cooperate with the FAA, and will respond to the
allegations per their process.