Letter to Chairman Huerte, Federal Aviation Administration - Aviation Safety Regulations
Letter
Dear Administrator Huerta:
I write to express my concern with the recommendations of the Air Carrier Training Aviation Rulemaking Committee's Education, Training and Experience Alternatives for an ATP Workgroup, as outlined in a recent media report. I urge you to continue to demonstrate your strong commitment to aviation safety by resisting any attempts to undermine the pilot qualification rule for first officers.
As you know, Colgan Flight 3407 tragically crashed in Clarence Center, New York in February 2009, claiming the lives of all 49 on board and an additional individual on the ground. After dedicated advocacy from the families of those lost, Congress enacted sweeping aviation reforms designed to achieve One Level of Safety between regional and mainline carriers. Some regional carriers have attempted to water down these safety improvements in recent years, and have pushed proposals to reduce the number of hours required for a first officer to attain an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate, typically achieved through 1,500 hours of flight time.
According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, members of industry are attempting to undermine these important safety rules through the working group's recommendations to the FAA. The article states, "U.S. airlines would be able to hire new pilots with far less cockpit experience than currently required under a proposal aimed at addressing a staffing shortage " I understand that the FAA is currently reviewing these recommendations; I urge you to categorically reject any recommendations that would undermine the pilot qualification rules for first officers. Any attempt to weaken or create a loophole in the requirements would be an affront both to aviation safety, the flying public and to the families affected by the Flight 3407 crash.
Thank you in advance for your attention to this important issue. The pilot qualification standards are a critical component in moving toward One Level of Safety between regional and mainline carriers, and should not be weakened in any way. I look forward to continuing to work with you to improve aviation safety.
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