U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, introduced legislation last week to strengthen the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) oversight of repair stations located outside of the United States.
The Safe Aircraft Maintenance Standards Act would bring to light questionable safety standards at foreign repair stations where maintenance work is being outsourced.
“We’re at an unfortunate moment in our aviation system’s history where safety standards are being questioned, and the bottom line is, safety has to be the number one priority,” DeFazio said. “For years, I’ve pressed FAA officials to heed the warnings from its own Inspector General and to do more to close the gap between our safety standards and those of foreign repair stations. The bill I’m introducing today does just that by establishing one standard of safety regardless of where the aircraft is maintained. I look forward to moving this bill through Committee quickly and ultimately getting it signed into law.”
DeFazio’s office said the legislation would require all foreign repair stations to be subject to at least one unannounced safety inspection each year, require minimum qualifications for mechanics and others working on U.S. registered aircraft at foreign repair stations, require air carriers to submit monthly detailed maintenance reports to the FAA and place a moratorium on FAA certification of new foreign repair stations if the FAA does not implement congressional mandates within one year.
“Over the past several months, the FAA’s lax oversight of the Boeing 737 MAX has drawn national attention and concern. But for more than a decade, Consumer Reports has been vocal about another, widespread aircraft safety problem, the FAA’s lax oversight of outsourced airline maintenance,” said William J. McGee, Aviation Adviser for Consumer Reports. “The FAA’s claimed ‘single standard’ is a myth. In reality, there is a different set of rules for foreign repair stations, which often employ uncertificated, poorly trained, and inadequately screened workers. What’s more, FAA inspectors aren’t providing the same level of hands-on oversight. We commend Chairman DeFazio for acting to fix this fundamental aircraft safety issue, and we hope it gets swift consideration.”
Co-sponsors of the bill included U.S. Reps. Julia Brownley (D-CA), John Garamendi (D-CA), Rep. Chuy García (D-IL), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Chris Pappas (D-NH), Albio Sires (D-NJ), and John Katko (R-NY).
The legislation has the support of aviation stakeholders, including Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA), Consumer Reports, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), National Consumers League, Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS), Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) Transportation Trades Department (TTD).