Since when is an Emergency AD used to ground an aircraft fleet, as it has been in the case of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner? First off, let me be clear that if anything good can be said of the Boeing Dreamliner nightmare it’s that no one had to die before the FAA would take definitive action to ground the 787 until its battery fire problems could be investigated properly. That’s a big deal indeed. There’s no question in my mind that further operations without understanding and correcting what was happening to the batteries would have placed an unacceptable level of risk on the passengers, crew and aircraft. I’ve walked through the charred wreckage of too many aircraft accidents–and met with far too many grieving relatives of the victims–not to appreciate the significance of this moment.
Yes, it should be obvious that when the FAA learns of a significant threat to air safety–and an onboard fire anywhere on an aircraft surely qualifies–it has a duty to act, and act immediately. Bureaucrats in Washington cannot allow passengers or crewmembers to be flying guinea pigs while they try to figure out what the problems are and how to fix them. But this is not often the FAA way. Whether it’s held captive to the aviation industry or just has a difficult time making tough decisions, the agency–on far too many occasions–has failed to take appropriate action until after a deadly accident. So often it’s only under the intense media pressure of a disaster, and the unrelenting lobbying of family members of the deceased, that the FAA is finally forced–usually by Congressional direction–to make safety improvements.
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.
