Whistleblower Program Scrutiny / NTSB Report / COMSTAC on FAA-AST / SARPcheck Benefiting Airlines to Prepare for other Audit Programs

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Forbes: FAA Whistleblower Program Urgently Needs Overhaul

According to Forbes, in Washington, D.C., aviation industry professionals are raising alarms about the ineffectiveness of the Federal Aviation Administration's AIR21 whistleblower program, which is facing criticism for not adequately protecting those who report safety and compliance issues within the aviation sector. Legal experts and whistleblowers argue that the program fails to prevent retaliation effectively, spotlighting the need for Congress to strengthen and reform these protections. This call for action is supported by recent testimonies from Boeing employees who have faced adverse consequences after reporting compliance failures and safety concerns, highlighting systemic issues in both corporate and federal structures for aviation safety oversight. Click image above for reading the full article!

NTSB: Helicopter Accident Report Released

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released a final report on a Bell 206L-1 helicopter accident that occurred on September 10, 2022, near Banning, California, resulting in three minor injuries. Improper attachment of the tail rotor drive shaft to the air conditioner drive pulley without a drive ring led to hardware failure, tail rotor drive loss, and an uncontrolled right rotation, causing the helicopter to land hard and roll over. The report includes recommendations to prevent similar incidents, stressing the importance of correct assembly and regular maintenance checks of critical components. Click image above for reading the full article!

FAA Space Office Proposed for Independence

In Washington, D.C., the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee (COMSTAC) has advised that the Federal Aviation Administration's Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST) should be made an independent entity under the Department of Transportation. This recommendation, made during their April 23 meeting, suggests the shift to enhance AST's resource allocation and regulatory capabilities amidst the growing space industry. The proposal highlights ongoing concerns that AST's position within the FAA limits its effectiveness and prioritization in handling rapid advancements in space transportation. Click image above for reading the full article!

Q&A: SARPcheck safety audit, global wet lease, codeshare, ACMI Booster

Question:

Can SARPcheck help airlines to achieve registration in other audit programs?

Answer:

Yes, especially what concerns other audit programs that are entirely or partially based on ICAO Standards and recommended Practices (SARPs): The SARPcheck aviation safety audit covers around 400-ish ICAO SARPs applicable to airline operations. They reflect the ICAO Annexes required by FAA for codeshare and wet lease oversight over foreign carriers, EASA requirements for TCO and requirements of some industry standards for similar operations. So if an airline prepares for and successfully undergoes a SARPcheck audit, it is well prepared for all these ICAO SARPs, which may be widely reflected in other audit programs.

In this series I am answering some of the many questions I am asked following the recent release of this new program, which boosts both safety levels and airline businesses by enabling wet leases, codeshares, charters and ACMI. Send me your questions or find more information on www.SARP.org !

Airplane Crash & Incident Reviews: Situational Awareness & CRM: 727 Crash!

Read our today's review of just another tragic accident that moved the world back when it happened and far beyond. Click image above for reading the full article!

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This is my personal newsletter and does't express my opinions or the opinion of any organization. The newsletter and its author(s) do not accept responsibility for contents of reports being linked and/ or summarized herein. News articles represent short summaries of the full named and linked external news reports.