House of Representatives, Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure
Oversight and Investigations Hearing on Critical Lapses in FAA Safety Oversight of Airlines: Abuses of Regulatory ‘Partnership Programs’
The Hearing was held on Thursday, April 3, 2008, and ran from 10:00AM until it was adjourned at 7:37PM. The Hearing Record shows one brief recess for committee members to depart and cast votes on the main floor of Congress.
Presiding over the Hearing was Congressman James Oberstar (Minnesota). There were four witness panels. The first panel consisted of six FAA employees and managers, stating their concerns about an FAA safety failure. The second panel included the DoT Inspector General, the U.S. Special Counsel, and three high-level FAA managers. The third panel included two top executives from Southwest Airlines, and two FAA employees critical of the Whistleblowers. The fourth panel included two union officials (from PASS) and three FAA employees with inspection experience at other FAA offices.
Here is the entire 744-page Hearing record. Click on the page numbers to view/download copies of specific pages:
| p.1-3 | CRITICAL LAPSES IN FAA SAFETY OVERSIGHT OF AIRLINES: Abuses of Regulatory ‘Partnership Programs’ (cover pages) |
| p.4 | Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure (list of members) |
| p.5-6 | Contents |
| p.7-24 | MEMO by Committee Chairman James Oberstar (4/1/2008). This lays out the Purpose of the hearing, the Allegations, the four Witness Panels, etc. |
| p.25-29 | Opening Remarks: Chairman Oberstar (D-MN) |
| p.29-31 | Opening Remarks: Ranking member John Mica (R-FL) |
| p.31-33 | Opening Remarks: Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Jerry Costello (D-IL) |
| p.33-34 | Opening Remarks: Aviation Subcommittee Ranking member Thomas Petri (R-WI) |
| p.34-44 | Witness Panel I: Mr. Charalambe ‘Bobby’ Boutris, Aviation Safety Inspector, Southwest Airlines CMO (Irving, TX) |
| p.44-49 | Witness Panel I: Mr. Douglas E. Peters, Aviation Safety Inspector, American Airlines CMO (Irving, TX) |
| p.49-52 | Witness Panel I: Mr. Michael C. Mills, Assistant Manager DFW FSDO (Irving, TX) |
| p.52-55 | Witness Panel I: Mr. Paul E. Cotti, Supervisor, American Eagle Airworthiness Unit, AMR CMO (Irving, TX) |
| p.55-57 | Witness Panel I: Mr. Robert A. Naccache, retired Assistant Manager, Southwest Airlines CMO (Irving, TX) |
| p.57-59 | Witness Panel I: Mr. Terry D. Lambert, Manager, Safety and Analysis Group, FSDO (Irving, TX) |
| p.59-61 | Questions by Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) |
| p.61-62 | Questions by Aviation Subcommittee Ranking member Thomas Petri (R-WI) |
| p.62-65 | Questions by Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Jerry Costello (D-IL) |
| p.65 | RECESS |
| p.65-67 | Questions by Rep. Robin Hayes (R-NC) |
| p.67-70 | Questions by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) |
| p.70-71 | Questions by Rep. Jerry Moran (R-KS) |
| p.71-73 | Questions by Rep. Christopher Carney (D-PA) |
| p.73-75 | Questions by Rep. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) |
| p.75-76 | …further questions by Rep. Jerry Moran (R-KS) |
| p.76-78 | Questions by Rep. John Hall (D-NY) |
| p.78 | Comment by Aviation Subcommittee Chairman (D-IL) |
| p.78-80 | …further questions by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) |
| p.80-83 | …further questions by Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) |
| p.83 | Questions by Rep. Eddie Johnson (D-TX) |
| p.83-84 | Wrap-up by Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) |
| p.84-87 | Witness Panel II: The Honorable Calvin L. Scovell III, DoT Inspector General |
| p.87-89 | Witness Panel II: The Honorable Scott J. Bloch, Special Counsel, U.S. Office of the Special Counsel |
| p.89-91 | Witness Panel II: Mr. Nicholas A. Sabatini, FAA, Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety |
| p.91 | Witness Panel II: Mr. James J. Ballough, Director of FAA’s Flight Standards Service. He had no comments. |
| p.91 | Witness Panel II: Mr. Thomas Stuckey, Manager of FAA’s Flight Standards Service, FAA Southwest Region (Fort Worth, TX). He had no comments. |
| p.91-95 | Questions by Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) |
| p.95-97 | Questions by Aviation Subcommittee Ranking member Thomas Petri (R-WI) |
| p.97-99 | Questions by Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Jerry Costello (D-IL) |
| p.99-101 | Questions by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) |
| p.101-103 | Questions by Rep. Eddie Johnson (D-TX) |
| p.103-104 | …further questions by Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) |
| p.104-106 | Questions by Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) |
| p.106-108 | Questions by Rep. Christopher Carney (D-PA) |
| p.108-110 | Questions by Rep. Laura Richardson (D-CA) |
| p.110-111 | … further questions by Aviation Subcommittee Ranking member Thomas Petri (R-WI) |
| p.111-112 | …further questions by Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) |
| p.112-113 | Comment by Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Jerry Costello (D-IL) |
| p.113-116 | …further questions by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) [re: Customer Service Initiative] |
| p.116-117 | …further questions by Rep. Christopher Carney (D-PA) |
| p.117-119 | …further questions by Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) |
| p.119-120 | Questions by Rep. Corrine Brown (D-FL) |
| p.120-121 | …further questions by Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) |
| p.121-122 | Comments by Aviation Subcommittee Ranking member Thomas Petri (R-WI) [SUBJ: insufficient discipline against Gawadzinski] |
| p.122-124 | …further questions (and wrap-up) by Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) |
| p.124-128 | Witness Panel III: Mr. Herb Kelleher, Executive Chairman, Southwest Airlines Co. |
| p.128-130 | Witness Panel III: Mr. Gary Kelly, Chief Executive Officer, Southwest Airlines Co. |
| p.130-133 | Witness Panel III: Mr. John Bassler, Principal Avionics Inspector, (Irving, TX) |
| p.133 | Witness Panel III: Mr. Vincent Larry Collamore, Aviation Safety Inspector, Southwest Airlines CMO (Irving, TX) He had no comments. |
| p.133-135 | Questions by Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) |
| p.135-138 | Questions by Aviation Subcommittee Ranking member Thomas Petri (R-WI) |
| p.138-139 | Questions by Rep. Corrine Brown (D-FL) |
| p.139-141 | Questions by Rep. Eddie Johnson (D-TX) |
| p.141-143 | Questions by Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) |
| p.143-145 | Questions by Rep. Christopher Carney (D-PA) |
| p.145-147 | Questions by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) |
| p.147-148 | …further questions by Rep. Corrine Brown (D-FL) |
| p.148-149 | …further questions (and wrap-up) by Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) |
| p.149-151 | Witness Panel IV: Mr. Tom Brantley, President, Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS) |
| p.151 | Witness Panel IV: Ms. Linda Goodrich, Region IV Vice-President, Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS) She had no comments. |
| p.151-152 | Witness Panel IV: Mr. Richard A. Andrews, Aviation Safety Inspector, American Airlines CMO, PASS (Irving, TX) |
| p.152-155 | Witness Panel IV: Mr. Joseph P. Thrash, retired Aviation Safety Inspector, Continental Airlines CMO (Houston, TX) |
| p.155-157 | Witness Panel IV: Mr. Bill McNease, retired Aviation Safety Inspector, FedEx Airlines CMO (Memphis, TN) |
| p.157-158 | Questions by Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) |
| p.158-160 | Questions by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) |
| p.160-161 | Questions by Rep. Eddie Johnson (D-TX) |
| p.161-163 | Questions by Rep. Christopher Carney (D-PA) |
| p.163-165 | …further questions (and wrap-up) by Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) |
| p.165 | ADJOURNED at 7:37PM |
| p.166-197 | Advisory Circular 120-66B, ASAP Program (11/15/2002) |
| p.198-212 | Advisory Circular 00-58A, Voluntary Disclosure Reporting Programs (9/8/2006) |
| p.213-225 | Airworthiness Directive AD-2004-18-06, signed by Kevin Mullin (8/26/2004) |
| p.226-228 | FAA Order 8900.36, Special Emphasis Validation of Airworthiness Directives Oversight, signed by Ballough (3/13/2008) |
| p.229-239 | FAA Order 8000.82, Designation of ASAP Information as Protected from Disclosure (9/3/2003) |
| p.240-271 | FAA Order 8900.1 CHG 0, FSDO ASAP (11/8/2007) |
| p.272 | FAA Fact Sheet, on Customer Service Initiative (April 2003) |
| p.273 | Operator’s Guide to the AVR Customer Service Initiative (2/13/2004) |
| p.274 | AVS Customer Service Principles |
| p.275-280 | FAA’s 3/6/2008 letter to Southwest Airlines, proposing $10,200,000 in fines for noncompliance on AD-2004-18-06. |
| p.281-285 | FAA Fact Sheet, with a Timeline on the Southwest issues |
| p.286 | Statement by Rep. Jason Altmire (D-PA) |
| p.287-289 | Statement by Rep. Corrine Brown (D-FL) |
| p.290 | Statement by Rep. Christopher Carney (D-PA) |
| p.291-295 | Statement by Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Jerry Costello (D-IL) |
| p.296-298 | Statement by Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) |
| p.299-300 | Statement by Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA) [discusses a KSAN controller error] |
| p.301-306 | Statement by Rep. Eddie Johnson (D-TX) |
| p.307-309 | Statement by Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA) |
| p.310-311 | Statement by Rep. Harry Mitchell (D-AZ) |
| p.312-321 | Statement by Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) |
| p.322-324 | Letter signed by Oberstar, Costello and DeFazio, to Sabatini, Ballough and Stuckey. With attached copy of the 2/12/2004 CSI memo by AFS-1. |
| p.325-327 | 2/12/2004 Memo on Customer Service Initiative, signed by Ballough |
| p.328-329 | Statement by Rep. Timothy Walz (D-MN) |
| p.330-333 | Statement by Mr. Richard A. Andrews, retired Aviation Safety Inspector, American Airlines CMO |
| p.334-375 | Statement by Mr. John Bassler, Principal Avionics Inspector, (Irving, TX) Includes numerous attached emails and other records. |
| p.376-383 | Statement by the Honorable Scott J. Bloch, Special Counsel, U.S. Office of the Special Counsel |
| p.384-398 | Statement by Mr. Charalambe ‘Bobby’ Boutris, Aviation Safety Inspector, Southwest Airlines CMO (3/30/2008) |
| p.399-410 | Statement by Mr. Tom Brantley, President, Professional Aviation Safety Specialists |
| p.411 | Statement by Mr. Vincent Larry Collamore, Aviation Safety Inspector, Southwest Airlines CMO |
| p.412-416 | Statement by Mr. Paul E. Cotti, Supervisor, American Eagle Airworthiness Unit, AMR CMO |
| p.417-427 | Statement by Herb Kelleher and Gary Kelly (Southwest Airlines) |
| p.428-452 | — Attachments, for Statement by Kelleher and Kelly |
| p.453-460 | Statement by Mr. Terry D. Lambert, Manager, Safety and Analysis Group, FSDO |
| p.461-462 | Statement by Mr. Bill McNease, retired Aviation Safety Inspector, FedEx Airlines CMO |
| p.463-475 | Statement by Mr. Michael C. Mills, Assistant Manager |
| p.476-482 | Statement by Mr. Robert A. Naccache, retired Assistant Manager, Southwest Airlines CMO |
| p.483-489 | Statement by Mr. Douglas E. Peters, Aviation Safety Inspector, American Airlines CMO |
| p.490-501 | Statement by Mr. Nicholas A. Sabatini, FAA, Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety |
| p.502-506 | 4/16/2008 Letter signed by Chairman Oberstar, to Sabatini & Ballough. With an attached list of 43 additional questions. |
| p.507-551 | FAA’s answers to the 43 additional questions |
| p.552-566 | 4/23/2008 Letter signed by Chairman Oberstar, to Sabatini & Ballough. With an attached list of 8 additional questions, and a reminder that they need to answer the questions asked by Rep. DeFazio. FAA’s answers are provided at pages 554-566. |
| p.567-596 | Statement by DoT-IG for the 4/3/2008 Committee Hearing, ‘Action Needed to Strengthen FAA’s Safety Oversight and Use of Partnership Programs’ |
| p.597-727 | Joseph Phil Thrash, Aviation Safety Inspector & Whistleblower (retired). Testimony & Exhibits regarding abuse of ASAP by FAA and Continental Airlines officials. |
| p.728-735 | Gabriel D. Bruno, FAA FSDO manager & Whistleblower (retired). He attended the 4/3/2008 Hearing, then submitted this written testimony, ‘An Insider’s Analysis of FAA’s Failure to Protect the Skies’. This is Gabe’s assessment of what is broken at FAA. |
| p.736-741 | Mary Rose Diefenderfer, FAA POI for Alaska Airlines & Whistleblower (SeaTac, WA). Fired in late 1999, she submitted this 4/17/2008 letter to Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), It details her experiences with retaliation by FAA during the 1991-2000 timeframe. Two months after Mary was fired, Alaska Flight #261 crashed off Santa Barbara, killing all 88 on board. |
| p.742-744 | Southwest Airlines Pilot Association (SWAPA) written statement, submitted at the 4/3/2008 hearing. |