Aviation Safety Continues to Concern California Plane Crash Lawyers
A CBS News report is focusing this week on the state of aviation safety in the country. While many may believe that air travel in the country is in one of its safest periods ever, the fact is that passenger are constantly at risk from fatigued pilots, old and aging fleets, and an economic downturn that could compromise safety procedures and protocols.
The report quotes a National Transportation Safety Board investigator who believes that, contrary to what Americans believe, air safety in the country right now, is falling behind. There are some areas of aviation safety that seem to have made major strides. However other areas continue to be a source of concern.
When you look at the statistics, you may believe that aviation safety shouldn’t even be an issue. After all, last year’s fatal Colgan Air crash in Buffalo, New York was the first fatal crash in more than 2 years. That’s a terrific record when you consider that America’s airports see more than 26,000 flights operating every day. However, there are several issues that continue to plague airline safety.
One of the biggest threats to plane safety in California and around the country comes in the form of a recession with no definite end in sight. The aviation industry has been hit hard. For an industry that was on the brink of collapse post 9/11, the recession has proven to be a serious challenge. According to some figures, in 2009, the aviation industry sustained losses amounting up to $5 billion. That means that commercial airlines are increasingly cash strapped, and trying to leverage limited financial resources to hold on to their market share in a competitive market. Simply put, an airline that is struggling financially is less likely to put old and aged planes out of service. Some experts estimate that some of the planes in operation are more than 15 years old.
The National Transportation Safety Board is concerned about the fact that several of the aviation safety recommendations it has made over the past years continue to accumulate with no signs of implementation. These recommendations include dealing with deicing in icy weather. The NTSB recommends using research on icing to revise aircraft design and flight approval procedures in icy conditions. It also recommends that airplanes with pneumatic deicing boots activate as soon as the aircraft enters icy conditions. Neither of these conditions has been adopted.
The NTSB also has a number of other recommendations that focus on enhanced runway safety by requiring specific air traffic control clearance for each crossing, assessment of landing distances with safety margins and installation of moving map displays to alert pilots. Other recommendations include image recorders to allow for more focused investigations of plane accidents, dealing with accidents caused by pilot and crew fatalities, as well as errors by air traffic controllers and plane mechanics, and improved management of crews. None of these have been adopted by the Federal Aviation Administration.
California plane crash lawyers have been especially concerned about poorly paid, ill trained and insufficiently experienced pilots who may also have to deal with fatigue issues.
The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of aviation accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.
The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.