Is this where we want airlines cutting costs?

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Jonathan Van Houtte <Jonathan () abacusinfo com>
Date: December 27, 2005 1:15:35 PM EST
To: dave () farber net
Subject: Is this where we want airlines cutting costs?

From a recently released DOT audit report:

http://www.oig.dot.gov/StreamFile?file=/data/pdfdocs/av2006031.pdf

"The United States continues to maintain the safest aviation system in
the world, and ensuring that the overlapping controls of safety
oversight are working in all parts of the aviation system will help keep
it that way. These controls were not working when the 2003 Air Midwest
crash occurred in Charlotte, NC. This crash brought to light a
relatively unknown group of outsourced maintenance providers that FAA
needs to consider: noncertificated repair facilities.

"Prior to our review, FAA officials advised us that noncertificated
repair facilities only performed minor services. During our review, we
found that some of the minor services non certificated facilities
perform include work such as checking engine oil levels, welding of
parts, or changing tires. However, we also found that Noncertificated
facilities can, and often do, perform the same type of work as
FAA-certificated repair stations, including both scheduled and critical
maintenance. Some of the critical repairs we identified that
noncertificated repair facilities perform include engine replacements
and adjustments to flight control systems.

"Permitting noncertificated facilities to perform critical maintenance
is an important issue that FAA needs to address because noncertificated
repair facilities are not required to have the same systems of quality
control and oversight that are present in air carrier operations, or
FAA-certificated facilities. For example, noncertificated facilities
have no requirement to employ individually designated supervisors and
inspectors to monitor maintenance work as it is being performed."


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