FAA and airlines

[ScottS]

Having been embarrassed into actually doing its job, the FAA is responsible for grounding thousands of flights over this last week, costing AA huge amounts of money and inconveniencing about 200,000 passengers.

To me, this is the height of silliness. The FAA could have found a better way to handle this, perhaps with a graded timetable for the "Absolute" enforcement they're now demanding. Flights would have been no less safe than they have been for years.

 

[AaronX]

It's been a bad month for airlines in general. Whether it be for inspections like UA and AA or for people going out of business like Aloha, ATA, Skybus, etc.

 

[rabidpotatochip]

Yikes, I hope this doesn't affect my flight down there this summer.

It does seem like a pretty extreme measure, but on the other hand, how many people would like to hear "that thing that's going to take you 20,000 feet above ground may not be safe"? The real problem is that they should have enforced things better in the first place. Now it's just damage control, so to speak.

 

[kwk285]

In my opinion The FAA or any govenment agency involved with regualtion do things like this to prove the need for their exsistence. By having a major issue like this it will get the lemmings(people) scared and think they are glad that the FAA is there to protect them.

If the FAA had been doing their jobs in the first place this never would have been an issue. Look at the fact that the planes in questions are MD-80s. I don't think those planes have been made for at least 10 to 15 years. Think about the number of flights and miles that these planes have flown without a problem.

 

[castlecraver]

In my opinion The FAA or any govenment agency involved with regualtion do things like this to prove the need for their exsistence. By having a major issue like this it will get the lemmings(people) scared and think they are glad that the FAA is there to protect them.

I for one am glad when the FAA is there to protect me, and think "lemming" is a bit of a stretch. I think this is certainly one instance where a market self-regulating would be a decidedly bad thing ("Sure we can get 'ya to Dallas for $100. That old DC-8 still has a couple working engines!"). Of all the FUD that's being fed to the people right now, this probably doesn't even rank in the top 25.

That said, I think the FAA does have a lot of splainin' to do, and AA is probably an unwitting scapegoat in the damage-control response to what has come to light in recent weeks regarding lax enforcement. Like FEMA, DHS, and most other government agencies, in the absence of conflicts of interest and inept management, and in the presence of a defined purpose, strict guidelines, and efficient spending, they can usually do what they're designed to do effectively. Of course this is seldom, if ever the case.

 

[kwk285]

I for one am glad when the FAA is there to protect me, and think "lemming" is a bit of a stretch. I think this is certainly one instance where a market self-regulating would be a decidedly bad thing ("Sure we can get 'ya to Dallas for $100. That old DC-8 still has a couple working engines!"). Of all the FUD that's being fed to the people right now, this probably doesn't even rank in the top 25.

That said, I think the FAA does have a lot of splainin' to do, and AA is probably an unwitting scapegoat in the damage-control response to what has come to light in recent weeks regarding lax enforcement. Like FEMA, DHS, and most other government agencies, in the absence of conflicts of interest and inept management, and in the presence of a defined purpose, strict guidelines, and efficient spending, they can usually do what they're designed to do effectively. Of course this is seldom, if ever the case.

Living in Seattle where I believe I am the only conservative, I have had several conversations with people over the years that go the same way. People in the Puget Sound believe that the govenment is here to protect us from evil industry.

When you look at the issue with the MD-80s, every 1 1/4" the wires are suppose to be wrapped with a tie. According to what I read in some cases the wires are tied off ever 1 5/8' to 1 7/8".

These are planes that have been in service for 10 to 20+ years. Now all of a sudden it is a problem. Come on. This is not the issue people are making it out to be.

 

[Tricknology]

Heh, if you're interested, here's a few sites concerning said governmental agency. Granted a lot of the content has to do with employees, unions, etc., there are portions that address larger issues, such as the one currently under discussion. F A A