All these nightly news reports of the oversight failures in the pharmaceutical industry that allowed a so-called compounding pharmacy located just 20 miles down the road from where I live in Massachusetts to wreak havoc with tens of thousands of lives (including those who developed fungal meningitis from contaminated injections and those who are just frantically worrying about getting it) got me thinking about government oversight of the aviation industry. Or–in many cases–the lack thereof.
I have always thought that there are lessons to be learned from other industries, especially if we are sometimes too close to have sufficient perspective about the same issues affecting our own industry. You know that old saying about not being able to see the forest for the trees. Sometimes looking at other industries gives us that much-needed perspective. In fact, with the accident rate so low in aviation, it is appropriate to look at whether other regulated industries offer any lessons, so that we can learn those lessons without a painful burning hole in the ground. Certainly, there were lessons for us all in the lax SEC oversight of Wall Street that fueled the economic meltdown. (I’m still having a hard time understanding how no one went to jail for some of the stuff that went on.) Or the BP disaster that ruined so many people’s–not to mention marine–lives in the Gulf Coast region.
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.
