FAA Won’t Meet Its Own Deadline for New Fatigue Rules | Aviation International News

FAA Won’t Meet Its Own Deadline for New Fatigue Rules

As the anniversary of the Feb.

By AIN Staff • AIN Staff

December 21, 2009

As the anniversary of the
Feb. 12, 2009 crash near Buffalo, N.Y., of a Bombardier Q400 regional airliner operated by Colgan Air fast approaches, the U.S. government still hasn’t issued proposed new rules governing fatigue for Part 121 pilots. In a December 1 hearing of the Senate aviation subcommittee, FAA associate administrator for aviation safety Margaret Gilligan admitted that new rules remain a work in progress despite a near consensus by the aviation rulemaking committee (ARC).

The FAA launched the ARC in June to study fatigue and risk management with the intention of recommending flight- and duty-time limitations and rest requirements by the end of the year. Gilligan promised that the FAA would have completed a proposal by January 1. However, before the final product enters the public domain as a notice of proposed rulemaking it must win the approval of the Department of Transportation and White House Office of Management and Budget. In the past, both agencies have missed federally mandated deadlines for giving the green light on new regulations, often exceeding 90 days each.

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