Regional airlines, US Senate renew focus on safety

In a closed-door session at the Regional Airline Assn. annual conference in Salt Lake City that extended late into Tuesday evening, CEOs of a number of US regionals focused primarily on safety issues raised after the Feb. 12 Colgan Air Q400 crash that killed 50 people outside Buffalo, while the US Senate promised to conduct its own examination of regional safety.

Yesterday, RAA President Roger Cohen said the industry will be assessing its systems and procedures to ensure that the highest standards of safety are met and maintained. "The advanced technology of our airplanes and systems has evolved to such a high point, become so sophisticated and incredibly reliable, that perhaps everyone, from flight crews to line managers to the CEOs themselves, have become too reliant on them, that we're not keeping our heads in the game at all times," he admitted. "We need to consider the psychological factors. Why do highly trained professionals fail to follow their training and experience when faced with unusual situations?"

The conciliatory tone was a change from earlier in the week, when RAA noted its "perfect safety record" over the 2.5 years preceding the Colgan disaster. Industry safety expert John Nance told the RAA board of directors and Presidents' Council that it is "necessary to test all assumptions all the time. . .it's time to ramp up." RAA Chairman and Trans States Airlines President Rick Leach said, "You have to learn from what goes on around you, talk about these things--crew resource management, fatigue, sterile cockpit."

Cohen said board members believe safety is a shared responsibility and will be reaching out immediately "to expand their dialogue with FAA, NTSB, network carriers, safety experts and our labor groups to identify airline industry best practices that are fundamental to the absolute gold standard of safety culture."

In Washington, the Senate aviation operations, safety and security subcommittee led by Chairman Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) announced plans to hold hearings on the issue starting June 10. It released a letter to US Dept. of Transportation Inspector General Calvin Scovel stating that evidence suggesting inadequate training and fatigue has "raised broader concerns about [FAA's] regulations. . .industry practices. . .pilot training programs, the ability of the airlines to verify pilot qualifications and the FAA's oversight of industry compliance with relevant safety regulations."

The letter asked DOT to review FAA standards, regulations and program oversight as well as airline/air carrier policies, including those regarding fatigue issues and crew rest requirements, along with "any relationship between commercial aviation accidents, pilot experience and pilot compensation."