REMARKS FOR
THE HONORABLE
NORMAN Y. MINETA
SECRETARY OF
TRANSPORTATION
AIRLINE
PILOTS ASSOCIATION 48TH ANNUAL AIR SAFETY FORUM AND AWARDS BANQUET
WASHINGTON,
D.C.
AUGUST 22, 2002
7 PM
Thank you for that warm welcome, Captain Woerth. I appreciate your allowing me to speak here today.
Transportation, and particularly air transportation, has been a big part of my life. My two sons are pilots and my wife, Deni, was a flight attendant for more than 30 years. I don’t know who likes to travel more, but what I do know is that it is difficult to get us all in the same time zone!
(Pause)
Air travel is not only an important part of our lives, but it is an important part of America’s freedom and America’s economy. Without a viable air transportation system, both our freedom and our economy would be severely limited.
One year ago, the United States of America was a nation at peace, in a world where terrorism always seemed to rear its ugly head somewhere else, where the face of evil was no stranger beyond our shores.
All that changed on the morning of September 11, and nothing would ever be the same. The way we think about our jobs, about our future, about our security, and that of the American flying public, it all changed in minutes.
I have been around airline pilots since I began serving in Congress more than 30 years ago. Many think your job is to take off, fly, and land your airplane. But that is only the means by which you accomplish your job. Your job is transporting your passengers and crew safely to their destination.
Nothing showed the world how well you do your job more than September 11th. Along with our air traffic controllers, more than 4,500 of you landed your airplanes in under two and a half hours. This act was unprecedented in history, and you were able to do it with not one single accident, not one single injury.
You are among the heroes of September 11th. Please let me take this opportunity to once again thank you and the rest of your profession for your heroic performance that day.
(Pause)
Immediately following the attacks, I pulled together a number of Rapid Response Teams to look at ways to make both airports and aircraft more secure. I asked Duane Woerth to be a member of the aircraft safety team.
Duane served with representatives of American Airlines, The Boeing Company and the Association of Flight Attendants. This team’s top recommendation was to find ways to ensure that the flight deck is not breached.
One way of doing that was to install metal bars in the cockpit doors as a stopgap measure, and we are working toward the April deadline for new, hardened doors on all flights, both domestic and international. To ensure that those deadlines are met, I have directed our new incoming FAA director, Marion Blakey, to make sure the FAA meets its obligation to develop the cockpit door criteria in a timely manner.
Another example of our work together can be found in the Transportation Security Administration’s air marshal training program. For the past six months, a United Airlines 777 Captain has been an integral part of that training, providing the pilot’s perspective.
His work has helped the marshals get familiar with your procedures, including those for emergency evacuation. His work helps the air marshals better understand communication procedures between the cockpit and cabin crews. In fact, he conducts parts of the training so well that I’ve asked United to let us have him for another six months.
These are just two ways we, at the Department of Transportation, are working together with you, the pilots.
When you are at the controls, your passengers are your charges. They are your responsibility, and you are the last line of defense against would-be terrorists who want to take control of the airplane. We want you to be prepared for that possibility.
At the same time, we are working hard to do everything possible to see that you are never put in that position. That is why we are not only addressing the question of how pilots should handle intruders in the cockpit, but we are also addressing the question of how to stop them from getting that far.
All of you know how to fly your planes under a multitude of stressful conditions. You know that problem flights require intense concentration. Adding to that burden is the last thing we want to do.
My job is to do everything possible to make sure you can do your job.
That is what the TSA’s study on weapons in the cockpit is all about: Helping us help you do your job. We are honestly looking for the best way to do that.
A lethal weapon in the cockpit is only one option, an option among many that we are considering. We are also looking at electronic, non-lethal weapons such as stun guns and dart shooting guns.
I have asked acting TSA Administrator, Jim Loy, to re-examine the issue. He has ordered a technical review of whether lethal weapons can be authorized, to go along with a similar review of non-lethal weapons already underway. As you know, one major carrier has already trained pilots on the use of non-lethal weapons and is prepared to provide them.
We expect the results of our two related studies to be complete next month for our review — one on the feasibility of electronic, non-lethal weapons, and a second on how guns in the cockpit might be implemented.
(Pause)
Now, despite all of this focus on security, we have not lost sight of the other issues the aviation industry faces.
We are committed to working with the airline industry to address the economic health of our airlines.
Immediately after September 11, on the President’s initiative, Congress enacted the Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act to provide different forms of financial relief to the airlines. Within two weeks, the Department had made the first round of payments to the airlines. That process is now nearly complete. The Department is now making final payments under this $5 billion direct compensation program.
The Act also established a $10 billion loan guarantee program. At the present time, the Board has approved two applications, one conditionally, and is considering 10 others, and they are committed to processing them expeditiously.
We also continue to work with the airlines to help stabilize and reduce costs. We are helping to keep the cost of war risk insurance stable in a time of astronomical costs.
We are working together to look at reasonable and fair ways to provide catering security and to assess the security fees that Congress requires the industry to pay.
At the same time, we know the best economic remedy is more passengers. We are trying to reduce the hassle factor. We are also looking at ways to credential air carrier and airport employees, and to bring a revised computer passenger profiling system later this year. We believe this CAPPS II system will eliminate gate screening much sooner.
We also want to make sure our skies remain safe. We continue to work with the FAA and other agencies to ensure that our safety record in the United States is second to none.
In fact, that is what tonight is all about — safety. After I finish here, you will be honoring many of your own for their outstanding work in this area. I am impressed by the caliber of people who will be honored tonight. I am proud to be among those tonight to say, "Good job" to the honorees.
When I was in Congress, one of the real advantages I had was flying back and for the to my District in San Jose, California and spending some time in the jump seat of the aircraft and getting the opportunity to have "bull sessions" with the flight deck crews.
Times have changed. I’m not a member of Congress any more and it’s not possible any more to hop up to the jump seat on those trans con flights and have a chat with the crew.
So Duane I want to ask you a favor. Every few weeks, let’s agree to get a small group of pilots together and have them come over and see me at the Department of Transportation. It’ll be an off-the- record chat. The pilots can tell me what’s on their minds and I can tell you what’s on mind. Does that sound like a good idea? Heck, we can even throw Duane out of the room and talk about him.
Well, again, thank you to everyone for allowing me to come here tonight and be a part of this special evening. I am very grateful for our work together in the past and I look forward to our working together in the future as we meet these challenges before us.
Thanks a million.
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