Following the NTSB’s February 2 report on the
Colgan Air accident, the FAA published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) asking for public comment and recommendations by April 9 on possible changes to regulations relating to the certification of pilots conducting domestic, flag and supplemental operations.
Two days later, FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt, who announced an industry-wide “Call to Action” in June 2009 to gather information from the airlines and labor organizations to ascertain industry best practices and seek voluntary compliance with a number of safety programs, told the House aviation subcommittee that the ANPRM is intended to help the agency address the issue of varying pilot experience.
As a former airline pilot, Babbitt does not believe that simply increasing the number of hours required for a pilot to start airline flying is appropriate. “As I have stated repeatedly, I do not believe that simply raising quantity–the total number of hours of flying time or experience–is an appropriate method by which to improve a pilot’s proficiency in commercial operations,” he told lawmakers.
More In Regulations and Government
