I’m thinking a lot about what happened with the Boeing 737 Max. For one thing, 346 people died in two crashes less than six months apart in almost brand-new aircraft. For another, the crashes have led to the six-month—and growing—worldwide grounding of the aircraft. As far as I can recall, this is the longest grounding of a major aircraft type. It is critical to determine, as expeditiously as possible, what brought these aircraft down, both the immediate causes of the crashes and more indirect potential causes, like Boeing’s design and manufacturing processes and the FAA’s certification of the Boeing aircraft and its oversight of Boeing.
But what about Congress’s role? Congress should not be immune to review; after all, it passed laws that authorize and even encourage extensive FAA delegations that are at the heart of much of the criticism, while approving budgets that limit FAA staffing and funding for oversight functions.
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.
More In Accidents
