Congress to Hold News Conference to Announce Air Safety Improvement 2:30EST

[DrewBlows]

Sim ride: ACA, Compass
No sim ride: Skyway, Comair

 

[joevollers]

I esp like the requirement for all airline pilots to have ATPs.

 

[DontFeedTheBear]

Sim ride: ACA, Compass
No sim ride: Skyway, Comair

Sim ride at Compass must be new!

 

[Lear70]

AirTran doesn't do a sim ride, either.

You can go to www.congress.gov or www.senate.gov and both sites will link you to the http://thomas.loc.gov site where you can search all legislation, including all the changes it went through during the process (adding riders, removing and changing language, etc). You can even search by keyword within the system which is a very cool feature for finding exactly what you need.

As far as I can tell, they're going to be pushing for the House vote on this by the beginning of September, sending it to the Senate, vote by the beginning of October, hopefully signed by the President by Halloween, if not Thanksgiving.

 

[ualdriver]

AirTran doesn't do a sim ride, either.

You can go to www.congress.gov or www.senate.gov and both sites will link you to the http://thomas.loc.gov site where you can search all legislation, including all the changes it went through during the process (adding riders, removing and changing language, etc). You can even search by keyword within the system which is a very cool feature for finding exactly what you need.

As far as I can tell, they're going to be pushing for the House vote on this by the beginning of September, sending it to the Senate, vote by the beginning of October, hopefully signed by the President by Halloween, if not Thanksgiving.

Thanks for those links if that was directed at my previous question.

 

[justin15e]

It doesn't say sim ride. Basically, it says "Access the person's aviation experience". Doesn't say use a sim, this is left to interpretation.

Not saying it's good or bad, just saying that it doesn't sound to me to make a simulator mandatory.

DAL does some phycho test, I'm sure they will justify that.

SWA does a situational interview (like an Emergency procedure "stand-up")

This rule will change nothing.

The only rule that will require management to get a work around it the ATP requirement. They will find a way.

This legislation will pass because it changes nothing. Standard ops for our legislature. A whole lot of hot air which amounts to nothing.

And wow, a year to implement crew rest changes. This is asking for a lawsuit. The Government acknowledges there is something potentially unsafe regarding airline rest requirements, but then allows this to go on for another year.

I've never understood how the military and the FAA are both run by the government, but as far as flying, they have different rules.

Duty time should be 12 hours max, and minimum rest should be 12 hours after a duty day. Simple.

This will change nothing as it stands. The FAA changes which might get implemented some day were the only real hope.

 

[Nevets]

It doesn't say sim ride. Basically, it says "Access the person's aviation experience". Doesn't say use a sim, this is left to interpretation.

Not saying it's good or bad, just saying that it doesn't sound to me to make a simulator mandatory.

DAL does some phycho test, I'm sure they will justify that.

SWA does a situational interview (like an Emergency procedure "stand-up")

This rule will change nothing.

The only rule that will require management to get a work around it the ATP requirement. They will find a way.

This legislation will pass because it changes nothing. Standard ops for our legislature. A whole lot of hot air which amounts to nothing.

And wow, a year to implement crew rest changes. This is asking for a lawsuit. The Government acknowledges there is something potentially unsafe regarding airline rest requirements, but then allows this to go on for another year.

I've never understood how the military and the FAA are both run by the government, but as far as flying, they have different rules.

Duty time should be 12 hours max, and minimum rest should be 12 hours after a duty day. Simple.

This will change nothing as it stands. The FAA changes which might get implemented some day were the only real hope.

Actually, the summary says (emphasis added by me):

Establishes comprehensive pre-employment screening of prospective pilots including an assessment of a pilot’s skills, aptitudes, airmanship and suitability for functioning in the airline’s operational environment.

Its going to depend on the actual language of the bill, the intent of the language, how its ultimately interpreted, and what the regulations promulgated from the law is written, and how those regulations are interpreted, etc, etc.

You can read the rest of the summary here:
http://transportation.house.gov/Med...t/Airline Safety and Pilot Training Intro.pdf

 

[JetMonkey]

It's better this way. You don't want congress making the rest rule changes, what the hell do they know about it? Nothing. There giving it to the FAA to make the right changes as it should be. More than likely they'll take care of all those duty hour regs and such that everyone wants. Hey I'm furloughed too and want to go back just as bad as the next guy out on the street, and so I'm glad the FAA is handling this and not the other way around. Tougher rest rules will require more staffing. If they implement new rules by the beginning of next summer, then the airlines will be forced to recall and have everyone trained BEFORE the rule is in place.

 

[Captain X]

Also commissions the National Academy of Sciences to study...

Reminds me of a book I once read.
<-------------------------------

 

[Nevets]

H.R.3371

Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act of 2009

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/...1Q9hrow:e1162:

 

[BLUE BAYOU]

No crew rest requirement will change the fact that said F/O on Colgan flight commuted in from the west coast on a Redeye and worked the very same day. Maybe the next legislation is going to be living in base....

 

[Lear70]

No crew rest requirement will change the fact that said F/O on Colgan flight commuted in from the west coast on a Redeye and worked the very same day. Maybe the next legislation is going to be living in base....

Unlikely.

 

[ArmadilloJackal]

I listened to the webcast. The subcommittee is chartering a study of commuting for later review. It won't make this bill but they are going to gather research and look at it.

 

[jmreii]

It's better this way. You don't want congress making the rest rule changes, what the hell do they know about it? Nothing. There giving it to the FAA to make the right changes as it should be. More than likely they'll take care of all those duty hour regs and such that everyone wants. Hey I'm furloughed too and want to go back just as bad as the next guy out on the street, and so I'm glad the FAA is handling this and not the other way around. Tougher rest rules will require more staffing. If they implement new rules by the beginning of next summer, then the airlines will be forced to recall and have everyone trained BEFORE the rule is in place.

If you say so! how big a bonus you get joe, I got a whopper so dinner is on me.

sign

Management

 

[Nevets]

I listened to the webcast. The subcommittee is chartering a study of commuting for later review. It won't make this bill but they are going to gather research and look at it.

• (c) Effect of Commuting on Fatigue-

• • (1) IN GENERAL- Not later than 3 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall enter into appropriate arrangements with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study of the effects of commuting on pilot fatigue and report its findings to the Administrator.

• • (2) STUDY- In conducting the study, the National Academy of Sciences shall consider--

• • • (A) the prevalence of pilot commuting in the commercial air carrier industry, including the number and percentage of pilots who commute;

• • • (B) information relating to commuting by pilots, including distances traveled, time zones crossed, time spent, and methods used;

• • • (C) research on the impact of commuting on pilot fatigue, sleep, and circadian rhythms;

• • • (D) commuting policies of commercial air carriers (including passenger and all-cargo air carriers), including pilot check-in requirements and sick leave and fatigue policies;

• • • (E) post-conference materials from the Federal Aviation Administration's June 2008 symposium entitled `Aviation Fatigue Management Symposium: Partnerships for Solutions';

• • • (F) Federal Aviation Administration and international policies and guidance regarding commuting; and

• • • (G) any other matters as the Administrator considers appropriate.

• • (3) PRELIMINARY FINDINGS- Not later than 120 days after the date of entering into arrangements under paragraph (1), the National Academy of Sciences shall submit to the Administrator its preliminary findings under the study.

• • (4) REPORT- Not later than 6 months after the date of entering into arrangements under paragraph (1), the National Academy of Sciences shall submit to the Administrator a report containing its findings under the study and any recommendations for regulatory or administrative actions by the Federal Aviation Administration concerning commuting by pilots.

• • (5) RULEMAKING- Following receipt of the report of the National Academy of Sciences under paragraph (4), the Administrator shall--

• • • (A) consider the findings and recommendations in the report; and

• • • (B) update, as appropriate based on scientific data, regulations required by subsection (a) on flight and duty time.

• • (6) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this subsection.

 

[BlackPilot628]

If everyone is going to be required to have an ATP, you would have think they would have touched on the pay issue.

 

[ArmadilloJackal]

The pay question was raised by a member of the press. The answer was that Congress doesn't legislate pay directly but that with the ATP requirement market forces will bring the pay up. They also made a comment that low pay has deterred qualified pilots from the industry, and that it needs to change.

 

[NEDude]

I still fail to see how they could regulate commuting other than (God forbid) to take away the jumpseat.

But that does not take away pass riding or driving long distances. Even if there was some way to regulate that a pilot "live" within a certain distance of their base, crashpad addresses, or a friends address could skirt around that.

And how are you going to regulate compensating someone who has to live in New York City?

I just do not think it is feasable or practical.

 

[lionflyer]

I still fail to see how they could regulate commuting other than (God forbid) to take away the jumpseat.

But that does not take away pass riding or driving long distances. Even if there was some way to regulate that a pilot "live" within a certain distance of their base, crashpad addresses, or a friends address could skirt around that.

And how are you going to regulate compensating someone who has to live in New York City?

I just do not think it is feasable or practical.

Exactly! It will probably be swept under the rug when they find out:
1. How many commuters there are in the system.
2. How difficult it will be to regulate it.

 

[ACL65PILOT]

If anything they will not get rid of commuting, they will jet require a "rest" period in domicile prior to report. It sucks, but this is what happens when you let congress get their hands in to your industry. They do it to the truckers, etc. 10 hrs max duty. Max 500 miles a day, Only one gas fill up a day. That is why most truckers have two sets of books. One for them and one for the feds.
It is the only way they survive.

Like last time with age 65. The FAA will rush to beat congress to the punch on this regulation. I am happy to see that at least congress is not pushing for specifics, but letting the FAA do their job. That is an impressive first.

I do not see them tackling commuting yet. Rest and Duty day yes.
IMHO I do not think that they can contribute the BUF crash to commuting. It was total lack of SA, and even poorer training. When reading the CVR transcripts and watching the data stream, it appeared to me that the FO reacted as one would in a go around, not an upset recovery. That is not commuting, that is improper training which should have been rote by the time any of us got to the airlines.