Lawmakers are espousing the benefits of a measure seeking to strengthen the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) certification process while improving regulatory actions.
Reps. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Sam Graves (R-MO), Rick Larsen (D-WA), and Garret Graves (R-LA) said the Aircraft Certification Reform and Accountability Act addresses recommendations stemming from a series of reviews conducted regarding the design, development, and certification of the Boeing 737 MAX.
“For the past 18 months, the Boeing 737 MAX has been synonymous with the tragic loss of 346 innocent people, a broken safety culture at Boeing, and grossly insufficient oversight by the FAA,” DeFazio, chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, said. “And like many people, I was alarmed and outraged by many of the findings that were revealed over the course of our Committee’s investigation into the certification of this aircraft. With the comprehensive legislation, I believe history can also show this was the moment Congress stepped up to meaningfully address the gaps in the regulatory system for certifying aircraft and adopt critical reforms that will improve public safety and ensure accountability at all levels going forward.”
The measure also incorporates a bill improving human factors analysis recommended by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
“As a professional pilot and regular user of the aviation system, I appreciate how paramount safety is to our airspace,” Graves said. “The United States is the global leader in aviation safety and is the driving force behind this effort to make our system even safer. Expert reports analyzing the tragic accidents involving Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air highlighted key problems with our certification process. These thorough, non-partisan, expert reviews provided recommendations that formulated the basis of improvements we are seeking through this legislation.”