The eagerly awaited proposed changes to the FAA’s Part 145 rules that govern repair stations domestically and abroad are finally out. Talk about years in the making! Twenty-three years if we go back to the first public hearings in 1989, a mere 13 from the 1999 issuance of the original NPRM that first proposed many of these same requirements. Without explanation, the FAA managed to lose a decade between the first public hearings and the issuance of that NPRM. My, how time flies when the FAA begins rulemaking.
Then again, I’m amazed anything ever came out of 800 Independence Ave. at all. But I’ll try to contain my enthusiasm. After all, this is just a proposal, not a final rule. Years, dare I say a decade, could still pass before a final rule. Unless, of course, the entire proposed rule gets scrubbed first. Think that can’t happen? You may want to peruse the NPRM’s preamble: the entire last attempt at a rule change was withdrawn in 2009. That’s right, totally withdrawn. In the preamble, the FAA writes that it withdrew the 2006 proposal because “it did not adequately address the current repair station operating environment.” Well, that’s hardly surprising. It’s not exactly unforeseen that an industry as dynamic as aviation maintenance would change in the years and years that pass before a rule gets promulgated.
With more than 40 years experience in the aviation industry, The Honorable John Goglia, was the first and only Airframe and Powerplant mechanic to receive a presidential appointment to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). He served from August 1995 to June 2004.
As a Board Member, Mr. Goglia distinguished himself in numerous areas of transportation safety. In particular, he was instrumental in raising awareness of airport safety issues, including the importance of airport crash fire and rescue operations and the dangers of wildlife at airports. He played a key role in focusing international attention on the increasing significance of aircraft maintenance in aviation accidents. He pressed, successfully, for greater integration of civilian and military safety information, becoming a featured speaker at national aviation symposiums attended by military leaders and major defense contractors. He is a leading proponent of airplane child safety seats.
Prior to becoming a Board Member, Mr. Goglia held numerous positions in the airline industry. He started as a mechanic for United Airlines and eventually joined Allegheny, which became USAir. Additionally, he was involved for more than 20 years as a union flight safety representative on accident investigation teams. There, he developed a safety program for his union, the International Association of Machinists, and was its representative for NTSB investigations. For twelve years, he operated his own aircraft service company.
Numerous prestigious groups have recognized Mr. Goglia’s contributions to aviation safety. Aviation Week & Space Technology awarded him a coveted 2004 Laurel for his outstanding service as an NTSB Board member. The Society of Automotive Engineers presented him with the Aerospace Chair Award for outstanding leadership in 2003 and the Marvin Whitlock Award for outstanding management accomplishment in 2002.
