As last year drew to a close, my thoughts turned to reflecting on the past 12 months and looking forward to the next. No year in aviation can be called a dull year, and the past one was no different. While the accident statistics remain enviable in the U.S., we had our share of tragic crashes around the globe. Some—EgyptAir Flight 804—highlighted, among other things, the continuing need for a faster, more efficient way to capture black box data. All 66 passengers and crew were killed in that crash, and key information as to why the Airbus A320 disappeared from radar at 37,000 feet on a routine flight from Paris to Cairo and plunged into the Mediterranean Sea was buried beneath 10,000 feet of water for a month. It remains critically important to get the black box data as soon as possible after a crash to help determine what occurred and what could have been done to prevent it.
And the technology exists to do just that. The crash of Emirates Flight 521, a Boeing 777-300, on landing at Dubai International Airport —proved that new technology could make the process of downloading and retrieving critical flight information a matter of minutes. Although the black boxes were removed from the burned wreckage on the day after the accident, the quick access recorder installed on the Emirates Boeing 777 had transmitted critical flight data to airline officials within minutes of the crash, according to its Miami-based manufacturer, Avionica. Imagine if that had been possible on the still-missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370. The three-year search for the black boxes and answers for families and investigators might have been reduced to just minutes, saving much heartbreak for the families and millions of dollars for investigators. In March last year, a report from the Malaysia Transport Ministry reported the search price tag had passed $70 million. So one can only imagine how many millions more the cost has gone up now, with hopes for finding the wreckage seeming ever remoter.
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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