SWA and the FAA, continued

[relief tube]

Guess it went well beyond free pizza. Interesting quote at the end.

From Usatoday's "today in the sky" forum:

Southwest gave free training to FAA manager​

That's the headline from a story today in USA TODAY, which writes: "The manager of the federal office that oversees Southwest Airlines accepted thousands of dollars in free pilot training from the carrier under an arrangement that violates rules of conduct, the Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday. The training program had been approved by regional officials and had been in place for years. The FAA has halted the program because it violates its rules, according to spokeswoman Diane Spitalieri. The FAA would not comment specifically on the supervisor's training because the matter is 'under investigation,' Spitalieri said."
USA TODAY adds that "FAA inspectors often receive training to stay abreast of changing technology and airline operations, but the training is mostly done at the FAA's expense. The free training highlights the continuing cozy relationship between Southwest and some of the government officials who oversee it, said Robert Naccache, who worked in the Southwest office until he retired last year." During a hearing last month, Naccache is quoted by USA TODAY as saying: "This is the most flagrant conflict of interest that I have ever witnessed in my 20-year career in the federal government."

Posted at 04:05 PM/ET, May 08, 2008​

 

[Headfake14]

yea yea...blah

Last winter '07 Jetblue was the media target. Now it's Southwest's turn.

Anything for a friggin story and smearing a good company.

 

[Muppets]

Is it not the standard for FAA officials who are assigned an operation, to stay abreast of the operation? I highly doubt these were the same guys inspecting the fuselage of the 737, that would be the maint. feds. Who gives a $hit, Texas is their own country anyway.

 

[n757st]

I thought this was a given. I also think your Faa rep must be typed in the aircraft you fly, so damn right the airlines should give them this training.

 

[qxdash8]

I know at my previous company the Aircrew Program Manager (APM) and his assistant APM's went through all of our regular training cycles, including recurrent sims, every six months. I'm pretty sure this was paid for by the company. Isn't this standard practice in the industry?

These are the guys who are responsible for approving all of our manuals and procedures. Makes sense that they would receive regular training.

 

[densoo]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Aviation regulators tightened rules for when safety inspectors can work for airlines, changes intended to avoid the type of cozy relations that upended Southwest Airlines Co.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements finalized on Friday apply to senior aircraft inspectors who go to work for airlines they oversaw.

Those officials must now wait two years before representing the carrier in any safety matter before the FAA. Until now, there was no waiting period.

"This rule establishes clear restrictions that will improve our safety culture here at the FAA and throughout the aviation industry," FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said.

The Transportation Department Inspector General's office concluded in 2008 that FAA oversight of Southwest maintenance was so cozy that the agency allowed the carrier to repeatedly violate safety rules in 2006 and 2007.

That finding grew out of a congressional investigation of structural inspection lapses of Southwest's Boeing 737 aircraft.

Southwest agreed to pay a $7.5 million fine stemming from the case and several Southwest and FAA employees lost their jobs.

(Reporting by John Crawley; Editing by Richard Chang)

Source: Reuters US Online Report Politics News

 

[Sacha]

Most flagrant conflict of interest in his 20 year gubmint career!! I guess he missed the Dodd-Frank bill cobbled together for oversight of the very corrupt system that they were leaders of. Government "Conflict of Interest". Give me a f'ng break!

 

[labbats]

Focus on stopping outsourced maintenance and I'll be impressed. Until then it's all just posturing.

 

[JAFI]

Old news. (If this is the guy I am thinking of) The manager that got the un-authorzed training was paid to sit at home for a year during the investigation. He "retired" and now is a VP at a consulting firm pulling in 6 figures for his "advice".

 

[FlyinGuy]

Sacha,
That was my thought. If he has been on the govt teet for 20 years and this is the worst he has seen.....he has not been paying attention. Not condoning it, but really!!!!????