Ahead of Senate Confirmation Vote, Schumer Hosts Meeting with FAA Acting Administrator Huerta & Calls for Expedited FAA Action on Flight 3407 Pilot Training Regs

Press Release

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer held a personal meeting with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Acting Administrator Michael Huerta and urged that he prioritize the finalization of pilot training regulations that Congress mandated nearly two years ago after the tragic 2009 crash of Continental Flight 3407 in Buffalo. Schumer's push for the FAA to swiftly finalize pilot safety regulations comes as the Senate prepares to vote for Huerta's confirmation as FAA Administrator.

Working with the families of the victims of Flight 3407, Schumer has led the charge to overhaul flight safety rules and include the pilot training regulations as part of the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Extension Act of 2010. Despite the fact that the law called for the FAA to finalize the rule by October 1, 2011, FAA recently announced that the pilot training rules will not be finalized until October 19, 2013. During his meeting with Huerta, Schumer shared his grave concerns and stressed the importance of finalizing these safety regulations with the man that is likely to be the new head of the FAA. Huerta indicated his interest in advancing the timetable for completion of these regulations and is looking at ways to move the completion date forward.

"The FAA must immediately take action to finalize these lifesaving pilot training regulations that have remained in a holding pattern for too long," said Schumer. "In our personal meeting, I told Acting FAA Administrator Huerta that the families of the victims of Flight 3407 need reassurance that these regulations will be implemented and that pilots will receive training that will help prevent future tragedies. When Congress passed these regulations in 2010, we called on the FAA to finalize the pilot training rule within 13 months, not three years. As Acting Administrator Huerta prepares for his Senate confirmation for this new position, I drove home my message loud and clear: I'm in his corner, but the FAA cannot hesitate to finalize and put into action all of the safety rules we fought so hard to pass in Congress."

Schumer's meeting follows news that the FAA will not finalize the pilot training regulation passed in 2010 as part of H.R. 5900 (P.L. 111-216) -- The Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010 -- until October of 2013. Schumer recognized that the FAA's completion and implementation of the pilot training regulations was no short order, but urged Huerta to make their finalization a top priority, more than two years after congressional passage. Schumer asked Huerta to lay out an earlier date on which the rules would come into effect.

Schumer emphasized the importance of these safety rules for passengers. Specifically, the regulations require pilots to undergo extensive training to recover from the specific engine stall that catalyzed Flight 3407's crash in Buffalo. The crew of Flight 3407 had not been trained to operate the stall-recovery equipment. Additionally, pilots who fail test flights, as was the case with one pilot on Flight 3407, would have to receive more training. Finally, pilots would have to train in harsh weather conditions and recover from sudden emergency situations. Schumer believes that the FAA must fast-track the implementation of these rules, despite efforts from the airline industry to further delay them.

In addition, Schumer pressed Huerta to continue work on other pending safety regulations including a rule on pilot qualifications, which was required under the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Extension Act and still has not been completed. This rule would put in place new certification requirements for pilots and would require a first officer to hold an airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate. This would have the effect of raising the entry-level requirements for regional airline first officers. Schumer also urged Huerta to uphold the landmark pilot fatigue regulations which were completed last December and not make and changes to these rules as a review of FAA's methodology for crafting the rule moves forward. FAA is currently reviewing the cost-benefit analysis it conducted while drafting the fatigue regulations after the final regulations were challenged by a group of cargo pilots who questioned FAA's rational for removing cargo pilots from the final regulations. Schumer stressed that FAA must maintain the fatigue rule as it is currently written in order to ensure safer skies for airline passengers.

Schumer has worked with the families of the victims in the Continental Flight 3407 crash to significantly improve air travel safety in the wake of a crash investigation which determined that shockingly limited flying experience is required to be a co-pilot for a regional carrier. From the earliest days after the crash, Schumer and the families of the victims worked on legislation to close the gaps in airline safety that allowed this tragedy to occur and create one level of safety for all segments of the industry. Their efforts culminated in the passage of the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Extension Act in the summer of 2010, which mandates new safety standards including increased training for pilots and stricter flight and duty time regulations to combat pilot fatigue. This law also requires that online vendors of airline tickets disclose, at first viewing, if the flight is operated by a regional carrier instead of a major carrier.

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