Many of us will always remember the “too big to fail” argument that was used to protect some major financial institutions from going under during the financial crisis of 2008. It was popularized in a book by that title by Andrew Ross Sorkin and later was made into a movie. Basically, the argument is that the government can’t allow certain major institutions to go under because they are so interwoven into the American economy that their failure will cause devastating ripple effects throughout the economy. While small companies can be allowed to suffer the consequences of their bad economic decisions—like taking on too much risk, which causes them to go belly up—the government will intervene to bail out those that are deemed “too big to fail,” no matter their culpability. The “too big to fail” policy is one that many believe allowed those most responsible for the financial crisis to escape accountability.
With that in mind, I have to admit that reading the latest DOT Office of Inspector General’s report on the FAA’s oversight of Southwest Airlines made my blood boil. For many reasons. For one, the report highlights an issue that has been percolating in aviation circles for as long as I can remember. Is there a different law for big carriers versus small carriers? In other words, are similar regulatory violations at the major carriers enforced differently by the FAA than they are against smaller airlines, especially Part 135 operators? And most especially when it comes to emergency revocation of Part 135 air carrier certificates? Is there such a thing as “too big to revoke” in the aviation industry?
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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