FAA Ramps Up Oversight of United Airlines After Recent Safety Problems (WSJ)
Mar 22, 2024, 4:33 pm
#1
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FAA Ramps Up Oversight of United Airlines After Recent Safety Problems (WSJ)
U.S. air-safety regulators are stepping up scrutiny of following a spate of safety issues in recent weeks. Federal Aviation Administration officials have recently become concerned by a high rate of safety problems in a relatively short period at United, people familiar with the matter said.
The FAA will review some of United’s processes, manuals and facilities in the coming weeks, Sasha Johnson, United’s vice president of corporate safety, wrote in a memo viewed by The Wall Street Journal.
The FAA will review some of United’s processes, manuals and facilities in the coming weeks, Sasha Johnson, United’s vice president of corporate safety, wrote in a memo viewed by The Wall Street Journal.
Mar 22, 2024, 8:09 pm
#2
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A bit surprised by this, feels like a bit of an overreaction. Nonetheless, the US keeping a very conservative approach to airline safety is good overall
https://twitter.com/jonostrower/stat...92806323273789
https://twitter.com/jonostrower/stat...92806323273789
I have no problem seeing them step up oversight of United or any other airline if something just looks remotely possible to be amiss if it concerns safety. That's their job.
Last edited by uanj; Mar 22, 2024 at 8:26 pm
Mar 22, 2024, 9:27 pm
#3
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Word I heard was the FAA suspended APDs for the time being, and put a hold on UA putting newly accepted aircraft into revenue service. Apparently the FAA is significantly ramping up oversight of ops and maintenance practices.
Mar 23, 2024, 10:34 am
#5
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I don't think these are about the recent incidents like blowing a runway exit or whatever. I think there's been bigger but less visible issues going on behind the scenes that aren't being addressed that the FAA is unhappy about.
Mar 23, 2024, 11:09 am
#6
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FAA Weighs Curbing New Routes for United After Safety Incidents
Bloomberg article (Bloomberg) -- US aviation authorities are considering drastic measures to curb growth at United Airlines Holdings Inc., including preventing the carrier from adding new routes, following a series of safety incidents.
The Federal Aviation Administration has discussed temporary actions it may take with the airline’s leadership in recent days, according to people with knowledge of the matter. In addition to route restrictions, United may be barred from flying paying customers on newly delivered aircraft, said the people, who asked not to be identified describing the closed discussions.
The FAA already is suspending United’s ability to approve and promote pilots to fly different aircraft models, two of the people said.
The Federal Aviation Administration has discussed temporary actions it may take with the airline’s leadership in recent days, according to people with knowledge of the matter. In addition to route restrictions, United may be barred from flying paying customers on newly delivered aircraft, said the people, who asked not to be identified describing the closed discussions.
The FAA already is suspending United’s ability to approve and promote pilots to fly different aircraft models, two of the people said.
Mar 23, 2024, 11:27 am
#7
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This seems to be a massive over-reaction by the FAA directed at a single airline -- or perhaps there is something bigger going on that we do not know about yet...
Mar 23, 2024, 11:36 am
#9
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I was just thinking about the possibility of the something bigger going on idea. Could have been the rationale behind the Kirby safety email as well, since that seemed kind of weird, timing wise.
Mar 23, 2024, 11:59 am
#11
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Mar 23, 2024, 12:10 pm
#12
Formerly known as tireman77
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I certainly trust UA's safety processes more than I trust the FAA. The FAA has neither the technical knowledge nor the manpower to do anything more than hinder and interfere.
If this is true it's a very bad thing for passenger safety. They'll have to attribute personnel away from somewhere else where they may actually be useful.
If this is true it's a very bad thing for passenger safety. They'll have to attribute personnel away from somewhere else where they may actually be useful.
Mar 23, 2024, 12:31 pm
#13
Join Date: Feb 2003
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FAA vs NTSB
“While the FAA is responsible for promulgating rules (e.g., the federal aviation regulations) and enforcing them, the NTSB acts as a neutral arbiter to provide pilots and other airmen with an ostensibly unbiased review of the FAA's enforcement decisions.” https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/...nt%20decisions.
Since the FAA both imposes and enforces the rules, maybe there’s an opportunity here for NTSB to lean in, and determine whether UA is truly being lax or whether UA is simply suffering from the mass-media click-bait driven availability heuristic?
Since the FAA both imposes and enforces the rules, maybe there’s an opportunity here for NTSB to lean in, and determine whether UA is truly being lax or whether UA is simply suffering from the mass-media click-bait driven availability heuristic?
Mar 23, 2024, 12:46 pm
#14
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The FAA's primary imperative is convincing the public that the FAA is doing its job. Shows up in everything from pilot mental health to (re)actions to media hype. This might be something else, but I have sincere doubts.
Mar 23, 2024, 12:50 pm
#15
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Not sure how confident I would be about the information provided by “two of the people.”
Last edited by clubord; Mar 23, 2024 at 1:00 pm