For those of us who have been frustrated by the FAA’s inability to issue a comprehensive duty and rest rule for mechanics, it was disappointing to see the agency’s latest attempt at tackling the issue. Even as the FAA specifically recognizes in this latest draft Advisory Circular the significant fatigue issues that face maintenance workers: “Of concern to [the FAA] is the finding that maintenance personnel tend to get three hours less sleep per night than is recommended. That is a sleep debt twice the national average. Sleepiness and fatigue associated with sleep debt is cumulative. This means that losing even an hour of sleep every other night over the course of a week will produce conditions that negatively affect performance.”
Instead of proposing clear maximum duty times and minimum rest requirements, the FAA has instead proposed a draft advisory circular to manage mechanic fatigue risk. Since an AC is not regulatory and therefore not mandatory, its chances of being complied with are limited by the usual factors: time and money. So, no doubt, the best carriers will take this AC to heart and integrate its proposals into their safety management systems. But the rest–of which there are many–will not. And there won’t be anything the FAA can do, of course, because no one needs to comply with an advisory circular. The FAA makes that abundantly clear in the draft itself: “Not Mandatory. This AC is informational and is not mandatory. It does not constitute a regulation.”
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.
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