Testimony - Before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation, Subcommittee on Aviation Operations concerning Safety and General Aviation

Oral Testimony

Thank you, Senator Ayotte, Senator Cantwell and members of the Subcommittee, not just for your commitment to aviation safety, but for holding this series of hearings and focusing on an issue of national importance. Your guidance has had a tangible resultthe United States of America enjoys the worlds safest and most efficient aviation system.

We have been working steadily for years to build on the trust you have exhibited in our efforts. Indeed, the United States is doing much more than holding steady at historically low accident rates. Aviation safety cannot rest on the status quo, regardless of how well things are going. By establishing strong safety partnerships, we are accelerating the state of aviation safety at a pace that is perhaps unrivaled in any industry.

The Airline Safety and FAA Extension Act of 2010 has certainly contributed to our progress. At your direction, we issued a final rule to prevent pilot fatigue, which became effective more than a year ago. This sent a very clear and direct message to industry that every airline must provide pilots sufficient time to get the rest needed for safe flight, and it underscored the point that every pilot has a personal responsibility to arrive at work fit for duty.

The Act triggered other rules as well. With some very limited exceptions, we required airlines pilots to have 1,500 hours of flight time. We also strengthened the requirements for taking the Airline Transport Pilot test, requiring applicants to have completed additional training in high altitude operations and adverse weather. We also published a final rule that advances the way pilots are trained and added a requirement for training in the prevention and recovery from full stalls and upset conditions. That rule made air carriers put remedial programs in place to track pilots with performance deficiencies.

In a system as safe as ourswith an industry as safety-conscious as ours isits an extraordinary challenge to find a game changer an approach that really has the potential to raise the safety bar even further. The requirement in the 2010 Act to publish a rule requiring safety management systems does this. Safety Management Systems are the next great frontier for aviation safety. Until now, technology has driven safety improvementsfrom radar to the jet engine to collision avoidance and now satellite navigation. SMS changes that landscape.

SMS is a comprehensive approach to managing safety throughout an organization. It requires an organization-wide safety policy. It has formal methods for identifying hazards, mitigating and controlling risk, and continually assessing safety performance. SMS stresses not only compliance with technical standards. It puts an increased emphasis on the overall safety performance of the organization.

SMS is not a slogan. Its a formal, top-down, organization-wide approach that uses a continuous loop to control risks. SMS creates a safety culture a culture that assures hazards are identified, that actions are taken, and that results are measured. And then the process repeats itself. In the business of aviation, safety cannot be an add-on. It must be built in through SMS. The airlines have learned that and we thank the Committee for its support.

Safety Management Systems have become the foundation for risk-based decision making. Resources will be finiteFAA must put our resources where theyre needed most. Risk-based decision making allows us to make aviation safer and smarter. Because commercial accidents are rare, were focusing on mitigating risk that could lead to accidents. Risk-based decision making lets us tackle the highest risks first, using our resources to improve safety where they will be most effective.

The linchpin for risk-based decision making is the safety data shared throughout the industry. Safety data can come from any of the dozens of public and proprietary databases, such as the air traffic control system, the airplane itself, or the people who are involved in the operation. These data are fed into the Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing system. And it works: safety professionals recognize that there can be no secrets. It is a voluntary effort, and we and industry are working with data representing 99 percent of U.S. air carrier commercial operations.

Before closing, I want to acknowledge our outstanding safety partnership with the general aviation community. GA pilots are known for their love of aviation, but they are equally committed to advancing safety. Their participation on the General Aviation Joint Steering Committee is of particular note. The Joint Steering Committee meets quarterly to review accident trends, establish areas for special emphasis and to share information. In the past year alone, this group developed 29 separate safety enhancements to address loss of control accidents, which are the most prevalent category facing this segment. The Joint Steering Committee also made it easier to install angle of attack indicators and allow pilots to better monitor stall margins. In short, they actively pursue ways to enhance safety, and that is what partnership is all about.

This committee has given the FAA the authority to provide the level of safety we enjoy today. We look forward to working with you on the upcoming Reauthorization to build on Americas enviable aviation safety record. I would be pleased to answer any questions you might have at this time.