NASA buries aviation safety study.
Oct 22, 2007, 9:03 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: DCA / WAS
Programs: DL 2+ million/PM, YX, Marriott Plt, *wood gold, HHonors, CO Plt, UA, AA EXP, WN, AGR
Posts: 9,388
NASA buries aviation safety study.
Story here: http://www.wtopnews.com/?nid=116&sid=1274749
At least they didn't trot out the Terrorism word.
MOFFETT FIELD, Calif. (AP) - Anxious to avoid upsetting air travelers, NASA is withholding results from an unprecedented national survey of pilots that found safety problems like near collisions and runway interference occur far more frequently than the government previously recognized.
..............
A senior NASA official, associate administrator Thomas S. Luedtke, said revealing the findings could damage the public's confidence in airlines and affect airline profits. Luedtke acknowledged that the survey results "present a comprehensive picture of certain aspects of the U.S. commercial aviation industry."
..............
"Release of the requested data, which are sensitive and safety-related, could materially affect the public confidence in, and the commercial welfare of, the air carriers and general aviation companies whose pilots participated in the survey," Luedtke wrote in a final denial letter to the AP.
..............
..............
A senior NASA official, associate administrator Thomas S. Luedtke, said revealing the findings could damage the public's confidence in airlines and affect airline profits. Luedtke acknowledged that the survey results "present a comprehensive picture of certain aspects of the U.S. commercial aviation industry."
..............
"Release of the requested data, which are sensitive and safety-related, could materially affect the public confidence in, and the commercial welfare of, the air carriers and general aviation companies whose pilots participated in the survey," Luedtke wrote in a final denial letter to the AP.
..............
Oct 22, 2007, 9:12 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: MCO
Programs: UA Silver, DL Silver (MM), HH LT Diamond, MR LT Platinum
Posts: 564
You beat me to it.
Isn't it more frightening that the AP has tried to get the info under the FOIA for the last 14 months and was rebuffed?
So we will get the expurgated version because it's for our own good. "You can't handle the truth"
Isn't it more frightening that the AP has tried to get the info under the FOIA for the last 14 months and was rebuffed?
Just last week, NASA ordered the contractor that conducted the survey to purge all related data from its computers.
............
"If the airlines aren't safe I want to know about it," said Rep. Brad Miller, D-N.C., chairman of the House Science and Technology investigations and oversight subcommittee. "I would rather not feel a false sense of security because they don't tell us."
Discussing NASA's decision not to release the survey data, the congressman said: "There is a faint odor about it all."
............
Officials at the NASA Ames Research Center in California have said they want to publish their own report on the project by year's end.
............
"If the airlines aren't safe I want to know about it," said Rep. Brad Miller, D-N.C., chairman of the House Science and Technology investigations and oversight subcommittee. "I would rather not feel a false sense of security because they don't tell us."
Discussing NASA's decision not to release the survey data, the congressman said: "There is a faint odor about it all."
............
Officials at the NASA Ames Research Center in California have said they want to publish their own report on the project by year's end.
Oct 22, 2007, 3:12 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2006
Programs: BA Silver, FB Silver, EB Silver, RR Silver.
Posts: 554
thats a b***s*** if you ask me.. everything is about money in the us, and ofcourse every corner of the world, and this issue is a great example, the airliners are scared to loose money and prefer to "lie" to the customers, every citizen has the right to know everything about air safety, and safety in general and money should be the least important in this issue..
Oct 22, 2007, 5:06 pm
#5
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Orlando,FL
Programs: AA PLT | HHonors Gold | Starwood Gold*
Posts: 214
I remember posting about a flight I had where another plane seemed to be VERY close to mine and everyone here pretty much called me a liar and made off remarks pertaining to Top Gun and having a wingman. I hope they release the data so I can vindicate myself. I've been saving the "I told you so" for a while. Can't wait to use it
I would definitely like to know the truth. I don't want to have some false sense of security *cough TSA cough*
I would definitely like to know the truth. I don't want to have some false sense of security *cough TSA cough*
Oct 22, 2007, 5:35 pm
#6
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,704
I've said many times that there have been incidents that have not been released to the public because it might cause people to not fly.
Many, many FlyerTalkers disagreed with me.
I think this situation, while not proving my point, lends some credence to it.
Many, many FlyerTalkers disagreed with me.
I think this situation, while not proving my point, lends some credence to it.
Oct 22, 2007, 6:40 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 15,788
That won't help unless the data includes that specific flight. There is a big difference between intentional and unintentional proximity between aircraft.
Oct 22, 2007, 7:01 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: AA EXP/Marriott Plat/Hertz PC
Posts: 12,724
Yes, it is. Hopefully, the courts will get involved. Some people need to remember who they work for.
Last edited by whirledtraveler; Oct 22, 2007 at 7:20 pm
Oct 22, 2007, 8:52 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 15,788
Oct 22, 2007, 11:54 pm
#13
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: PDX
Programs: TSA Refusenik charter member
Posts: 15,978
I wonder if this is tied to the ASRS in any way?
Here's one thought that the OP's link cleared up for me:
Although to most people NASA is associated with spaceflight, the agency has a long and storied history of aviation safety research. Its experts study atmospheric science and airplane materials and design, among other areas
Oct 22, 2007, 11:58 pm
#14
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: PDX
Programs: TSA Refusenik charter member
Posts: 15,978
'nuther curious tidbit:
What an avalanche of data that would be.
NASA had begun to interview general aviation pilots and initially planned to interview flight attendants, air traffic controllers and mechanics before the survey was halted.
Oct 23, 2007, 7:26 am
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: DCA / WAS
Programs: DL 2+ million/PM, YX, Marriott Plt, *wood gold, HHonors, CO Plt, UA, AA EXP, WN, AGR
Posts: 9,388
I wonder if this is tied to the ASRS in any way?