Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 10, 1994 TAG: 9402100062
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-15 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
"Clearly, the human factor in accidents is where we can make the most headway in improving safety," FAA Administrator David Hinson told a House aviation subcommittee.
The move follows several commuter airline crashes where human error was found or is suspected.
A Northwest Airlink flight crashed in December near Hibbing, Minn., killing all 18 people on board. Federal investigators have raised questions about the crew's performance.
Among other things, the new FAA standards could require more training on flight simulators and in working with fellow crew members.
Operators of some of the commuter lines serving Roanoke Regional Airport say the new standards will have little effect on them. They said they already train their pilots to the higher standards - either because of company policy, or because they fly larger planes to which the tougher standards already apply.
"It would have very little impact on our operation," said Doug Fulton, marketing director for Mesaba, a Northwest Airlink carrier that has four flights a day between Roanoke and Detroit - all on 37-seat planes.
Hinson said there is a "high level of safety" in the commuter industry, but "there is more we can do" to prevent accidents.
Carriers operating planes that carry more than 30 passengers have to meet tougher safety and training regulations than commuter carriers using smaller planes. Commuter pilots are required to pass regular proficiency tests, but the FAA has no formal standards for training.
The FAA plans to have the proposed standards ready by this summer, officials said.
Carl Vogt, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, praised the FAA's plans as "a positive step in eliminating the disparity" between commuter carriers and major airlines.
by CNB