The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Subcommittee on Aviation recently sent a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General Calvin Scovel, requesting a federal investigation of international pilot training standards and training for commercial pilots operating outside of the United States.
The subcommittee also requested an investigation on how the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented recent cockpit automation management requirements. This would ensure pilots are capable of flying aircraft when automation fails or is deactivated despite technology advancements in automation.
The move comes after the Boeing 737 MAX was grounded worldwide for investigation following two foreign air carrier crashes.
“We will not know the precise cause or causes of the accidents until the official investigations by safety authorities conclude,” the letter said. “We look forward to the results of your investigation into the Federal Aviation Administration’s aircraft certification processes related to the Boeing 737 MAX. However, as you know, aviation accidents rarely have only one contributing factor.”
Boeing says it is fixing a known issue with the aircraft and that it will finalize a software fix and submit it to the FAA for final certification.
The letter was signed by the subcommittee’s leaders including Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-OR).