July 23, 2008
The Honorable Robert Sturgell
Acting Administrator
Federal Aviation Administration
800 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20591
Dear Mr. Sturgell,
Over the past months, the country has witnessed a string of airline safety system failures involving the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The result of failures at major airlines to implement Airworthiness Directives properly has led to the cancellation of thousands of flights stranding hundreds of thousands of people. More disturbing than the groundings by American and Delta Airlines, was the revelation that Southwest Airlines failure to carry out required stress fracture inspections was effectively covered up by FAA managers. Economists could probably estimate the cost of the cancelled flights to the airlines and the economy. 1 What we can’t calculate is the loss of credibility for the FAA, the airlines and air safety in general. 2
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