FAA Accuses British Airways of Recklessness

Big U.S. airlines and other aviation companies are resisting some
or all of a proposal to broaden requirements for reporting
safety incidents to federal transportation investigators. The
National Transportation Safety Board proposed a regulation in
December 2004 to ensure that accident investigators are
notified promptly and fully when several types of incidents
occur. Engine failure tops the list of reporting changes sought
by the safety board. There are a handful of uncontained engine
failures per month that are reported to the board, the agency
said. The FAA puts the number of serious failures at one per
year involving airlines. But investigators want to tighten
accident reporting rules with commercial and business jet
operations growing at record pace. Airlines, aerospace
manufacturers, helicopter makers and leading pilot groups
object to some or all of the changes. The Air Transport
Association, the leading trade group for U.S. airlines, said
direct reporting of engine failures and anticollision alerts
"is neither necessary nor beneficial."
(Reuters 05:39 PM ET 03/29/2005)

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