National Transportation Safety Board Safety Study: Commuter Airline Safety

摘要

The commuter airline industry has grown dramatically and has experiencedsignificant changes in operating characteristics in the past 15 years. Because commuter airlines evolved from the air taxi segment of the commercial aviation industry, many of the regulatory standards that apply to commuter airline operations differ from those that apply to major air carrier operations. Scheduled passenger service in aircraft containing more than 30 passenger seats is subject to the safety standards in Title 14 CFR Part 121; operations in aircraft containing 30 seats or fewer are subject to the less stringent standards in Part 135. The purpose of the study was to examine the standards and practices of the commuter airline industry, with particular emphasis on areas where changes have occurred since the Board's 1980 study and where regulatory standards differ for Part 135 and Part 121 operations. The safety issues discussed in the study are: The need for sweeping regulatory action to address changes in the operating characteristics of the commuter airline industry; The adequacy of Part 135 regulations concerning flight time limits and rest requirements; The pressures on pilots to accomplish necessary tasks between flights in shorter periods of time without support from licensed dispatch personnel; The adequacy of pilot training, including the need for mandatory crew resource management training, the use of contract and simulator training, and operating experience requirements; The adequacy of flight attendant training on emergency procedures, and the need for joint crew resource management training for cockpit/cabin crew; The need for mandated safety programs at commuter airlines that includes an independent safety function, and for operational oversight by major air carrier code-sharing partners that includes safety audits; The training of Federal Aviation Administration inspectors and lack of uniform interpretation and enforcement of regulations by inspectors; and The certification of airports served by scheduled passenger operations.