House Passes Costello Aviation Safety Bill

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H.R. 3371 is the Strongest Bill Considered in 50 Years

October 14, 2009 -- WASHINGTON - The U.S. House of Representatives today passed historic aviation safety legislation introduced by Congressman Jerry F. Costello (D-IL), Chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee. H.R. 3371, The Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act of 2009, enhances airline safety by significantly increasing the flight hours required for commercial first officers and strengthening pilot training.

The bill, introduced in July, is the product of extensive hearings and roundtables with pilots, airlines, family groups and other stakeholders exploring recent regional airline crashes and pilot workforce issues.

“I am pleased that we have gotten this bill to the floor so quickly and look forward to having it signed into law in the near future,” said Costello. “At the heart of H.R. 3371 is the need to ensure that our commercial pilots are well-trained and have the necessary experience to handle all situations they may encounter. This is accomplished by not only requiring all first officers to have an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) license, but also directing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to review and redefine what training and requirements are necessary for the ATP - which has not been done since 1969. This is the strongest aviation safety bill considered since the creation of the FAA in 1958.”

“The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l, commends Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Jerry Costello for his tremendous leadership and dedication to advancing aviation safety and for taking on the complex challenges of pilot fatigue, screening, training, and mentoring,” said Capt. John Prater, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA). “Thanks to Rep. Costello and the Subcommittee’s efforts to draw attention to the urgent need for action, this bill has passed today and our industry will be safer.”

The bill:

* Requires the FAA to ensure that pilots are trained on stall recovery, upset recovery, and that airlines provide remedial training.
* Requires airline pilots to hold an FAA ATP license (1,500 minimum flight hours required). Under current law, first officers need a Commercial Pilot License, which requires 250 flight hours.
* Requires the FAA to raise the minimum requirements for the ATP certificate. The pilot must receive training to function effectively in: an air carrier operational environment; adverse weather conditions, including icing; high altitude operations; and a multi-pilot crew. Enables the FAA to consider allowing certain academic training hours that may increase the level of safety above the minimum requirements to be counted towards the 1,500-hour ATP certificate requirement.
* 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.
* Requires airlines to establish pilot mentoring programs, create Pilot Professional Development Committees, modify training to accommodate new-hire pilots with different levels and types of flight experience, and provide leadership and command training to pilots in command.
* Creates a Pilot Records Database to provide airlines with fast, electronic access to a pilot’s comprehensive record. Information will include a pilot’s licenses, aircraft ratings, check rides, Notices of Disapproval and other flight proficiency tests.
* Directs the FAA to update and implement a new pilot flight and duty time rule and fatigue risk management plans to more adequately track scientific research in the field of fatigue. It also requires air carriers to create fatigue risk management systems approved by the FAA.

The bill also requires the Department of Transportation Inspector General to study and report to Congress on whether the number and experience level of safety inspectors assigned to regional airlines is commensurate with that of mainline airlines, mandates that the first page of an Internet website that sells airline tickets disclose the air carrier that operates each segment of the flight, and requires the Secretary of Transportation to provide an annual report to Congress on what the agency is doing to address each open National Transportation Safety Board recommendation pertaining to commercial air carriers.

Source: Congressman Jerry F. Costello