Educating Congress on the Facts about Aviation Safety

ARSA Position

The contract maintenance industry suffers most from misperceptions about safety and security. Congressional scrutiny of contract maintenance is at an all time high; labor organizations are now declaring “war” on contract maintenance; and the resulting media attention has been negative, at best. An effective way to combat this negativity is to ensure that those at the top understand how safe and secure your work is. The reality is that certificated entities worldwide perform work of unsurpassed quality, adhere to the same safety standards and rules, and have a robust safety record.

Discussion

Think Congress isn’t concerned about aviation safety? During 2007, ARSA testified at two congressional hearings focusing on contract maintenance and the use of foreign repair stations. Legislation was enacted in 2007 (P.L. 110-53) required the Transportation Security Agency (TSA) to rush the development of repair station security rules to meet a mandated deadline. The TSA failed to issue the rule in time, and there now exists a freeze on initial certification of foreign repair stations.

Perception is quickly becoming reality. At least ten articles were published this past year in major media outlets portraying contract maintenance in a negative light. Chief among them was a Consumer Reports published an article, entitled “An Accident Waiting to Happen?” and a piece in USA Today, “Risk posed by overseas aircraft repairs debated.”
The icing on the cake is the Business Travel Coalition, which hosted a “Summit to Examine Aircraft Maintenance Outsourcing.” Sponsored by the Teamsters, the invitation calls contract maintenance “a life and death issue” and points to “a growing risk to the flying public of catastrophic aircraft failures or terrorist acts, due to degradation in both aircraft maintenance standards and governmental oversight.”

The maintenance industry must become engaged to stop the proliferation of the negative messages. Start at the top; if your members of Congress don’t know you exist, it is easy for them to promulgate harmful legislation. Educate them about how the industry works, the level of oversight by regulators and customers, the economics of your organization, and the fact that “safety is your business.”