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The Senate Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation held a hearing on Thursday with government leaders and aviation stakeholders to discuss the increase in serious close calls across the country and the efforts to improve U.S. aviation safety, processes and technologies.
U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, Chair of the Subcommittee, convened the subcommittee hearing, titled "Addressing Close Calls to Improve Aviation Safety." Notable members of the aviation community were in attendance or shared written testimony, including NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy, NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen, ALPA President Capt. Jason Ambrosi, FAA Air Traffic Organization COO Tim Arel, and National Air Traffic Controller Association President Rich Santa. U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation gave her opening remarks, welcoming the senators and members of the aviation industry.U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell
"The Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act outlined some new ways in which we can improve safety," Cantwell said. "One of those was to basically say that we should have a trend report every year to better listen to some of the safety trends. This hearing this morning is really a reflection of that. It's about what trend we're seeing now and why we want to do more to fix it."
Cantwell went on to congratulate the NTSB for its leadership on the topic of near-misses. Among the topics in the hearing were the challenges the industry faces and the solutions being put into place to remedy them. Critical issues like staffing shortages, fatigue, ineffective scanning, lack of oversight and distraction were up for discussion. As well as the various new technologies and programs, like the air surface detection equipment program (ASDE-X).
"I think that they have sounded the alarm and I think that you're sounding it again today," she said. "And it's one of the reasons why as Senator Moran said, we need to get an FAA Reauthorization bill because it has some tools in that bill that will help us meet this challenge."RELATED STORIES:Short-term funding bill extends FAA authorizationHouse, Senate versions of FAA reauthorization bill - What's included in each one
The FAA authorization was set to expire at the end of September, but disagreement over funding led to the passage of a temporary funding bill and statutory authorization of the FAA through Dec. 31, just hours before a possible government shutdown. Included in the bill are measures to bolster the workforce, including additional FAA Air Traffic Controllers. The workforce shortage has been a looming concern, with fears over the number of pilots and controllers growing. Many of the close calls have drawn attention to the importance of the role of controllers in maintaining a safe airspace.
"We cannot have people working 6 days a week," Cantwell said. "We need people who have the ample amount of rest and capability to deal with, as my colleague Senator Duckworth said, probably one of the most stressful and challenging jobs there is."
While the NTSB does not have the authority to change operating standards, the organization advances aviation safety through extensive investigations and recommendations. Aviation still ranks among the safest modes of transportation and since 2010 has experienced a record level of safety. The number of deaths associated with U.S. civil aviation has dropped from 541 in 2009 to 357 in 2022. Roughly 95 percent of aviation fatalities in 2022 involved general aviation crashes and the remaining 19 were part of 135 commuter and on-demand operations, including charters, air taxis and medical service flights.
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy"However, we cannot become complacent," Homendy said. "As recent news on runway incursions, near misses, and other serious safety incidents have made increasingly clear, the current moment is both challenging and pivotal in the realm of aviation safety. The number of runway incursion incidents classified as the most serious by the FAA varies from year to year; the trend, however, is not going in the right direction. The concerning uptick in such incidents is a clear warning sign that the US aviation system is sharply strained."
Following the pandemic, air traffic grew substantially. Concurrently, the staffing numbers dropped. Much of this can be attributed to fatigue, distraction and deviations from federal aviation regulations, as well as a lack of meaningful and valuable training, while the industry begins to rely more heavily on computer-based training and bulletins rather than hands-on education.
"We're also seeing a lack of redundancy around technology to prevent runway incursions and wrong surface landings," she said. "Redundancy is the foundation of our stellar safety record, but the aviation workforce is without a technological safety net."
The airspace is facing some changes with the introduction of drones, eVTOL aircraft and commercial space launches. Technology within and around the industry is evolving. The general aviation industry is transitioning away from leaded fuel and testing and introducing unleaded alternatives, jets are beginning to fly on blended SAF and some aircraft in development are expected to run on 100 percent SAF in the coming years.
National Air Traffic Controller Association President Rich SantaSanta, the President of NATCA, shared that the most important thing the National Airspace System can do is pass the FAA Reauthorization bill before the end of 2023. To enhance aviation safety, Santa shared that Congress must continue to hire controller trainees to meet the operational needs of the NAS; ensure that the FAA addresses the backlog of equipment maintenance, repair and replacement; and avoid a government shutdown and ensure strong FAA funding levels. The testimony stressed the negative ramifications of a government shutdown on aviation safety, like what was seen during the 35-day shutdown in Dec. 2018-Jan 2019, after which many of the frontline FAA workforce "was on the verge of unraveling."
According to Ambrosi, it is important to return to a "back to basics" philosophy as the increase in air travel demand puts a strain on the workforce. The return to normal has been far from what we saw before the pandemic, with higher numbers of air travelers and a workforce that has not grown along with it. With the growing traffic, comes a growing cause for concern across the nation - runway incursions.ALPA President Capt. Jason Ambrosi
"While it is important to be cognizant of today's high level of system safety, even one runway incursion is one too many," Ambrosi said. "Thankfully, we are not discussing accidents, but instead near-miss events in an environment of more than 52 million takeoffs and landings a year. It is clear the system is under strain, and we need to aggressively pursue solutions to stop these events."
Ambrosi highlighted the need for surface safety systems like ASDE-X and the Runway Status Lights system. Again, Ambrosi joined the chorus underlining the importance of the FAA Reauthorization bill's passage in improving safety and boosting the workforce.
FAA Air Traffic Organization COO Tim ArelArel, of the FAA Air Traffic Organization, emphasized the seriousness of the topic and how the issue must be approached. He said that every member of the industry plays a role within the system. Pilots, controllers, commercial operators, general aviation and airports all have a job in reducing the risk in the national airspace.
"The level of safety we have would not be possible without continuous transparent and collaborative communication between the FAA and industry," Arel said. "At the FAA, we are proud of our proactive safety culture, which emphasizes the value of nonpunitive sharing of data and safety information between the agency and industry to reduce risk and maximize safety. Nevertheless, we view even one runway incursion or other unsafe operation in the NAS as too many, and the FAA is committed to the relentless pursuit of continual improvement in everything we do. Any runway incursions or other event in the NAS, whether isolated or part of a possible trend, is a concern, and we don't take it lightly."
Bolen submitted his written testimony to the committee, recognizing the increase in the number of incursions and near misses involving business aviation aircraft. The NBAA has been involved in numerous safety summits and meetings in 2023, written stories for members on safety and studied top areas of concern.
"Safety is not a destination - it is a journey and a practice that requires vigilance and a supportive culture to thrive," he said. "Although the business aviation community has built an impressive safety record, there have been some recent incidents that require thorough review and response."RELATED STORY:Industry leaders talk runway incursions at NTSB roundtable
Bolen said that another important part of increasing safety is addressing the impact of human factors on aviation safety. This narrows in on the mental health and fitness for duty of a pilot, which has garnered public attention after an off-duty pilot suffering from depression attempted to shut off aircraft engines midflight, now facing felony counts of attempted murder. This incident had drawn criticism over the mental health treatment and rules for pilots, alleging that they will not disclose their mental illness or seek treatment for fear of losing their career or facing substantial costs to get back in the sky. Homendy also mentioned focusing on mental health care in aviation, citing the surrounding discussion during a May 2023 roundtable.
"More than a small-bore approach to myriad, stand-alone psychological and physical symptoms, the work in this area looks at the whole person, recognizing that aviation is a physically and mentally demanding environment in which a clear mind and well-rested, healthy body is essential to safe business aircraft operations, maintenance and management," Bolen said.
"Studies confirm the prevalence of this concern, as well as the need for both action and compassion on the matter: one recent report concluded that nearly 60% of pilots avoid seeking health care due to the fear of losing their aviation medical certificate," he said. "NBAA is concerned that some aeromedical certification requirements may needlessly impede eligibility for pilot certification, severely dissuading pilots from seeking treatment for a troubling condition.RELATED STORIES:Hawker 850XP crew resolving alerts on takeoff, thought they had clearance before collision with Citation MustangNTSB, FAA investigate after Citation discontinues landing in San Diego close callNTSB: Overflight leads to loss of separation in Austin runway incursionNTSB: Pilot lost situational awareness in Hawaii close-callRecent runway incursions cause alarm, stats show they are on the rise
Homendy outlined the many close calls the NTSB is investigating. On Feb. 4 a Southwest Boeing 767 and FedEx cargo Boeing 737 came less than 200 feet from colliding at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS); on Feb. 22 at the Bob Hope Airport (BUR) a Mesa Airlines CRJ-900 initiated a go-around while a SkyWest Embraer 175 was still on the runway, coming within 300 feet of each other; and on Aug. 11 a Cessna Citation and Southwest Boeing 737 came within roughly 100 feet of colliding at the San Diego International Airport (SAN). The NTSB is also investigating the private jet collision on Oct. 24 involving a Hakwer 850XP and a Cessna Citation Mustang at the William P. Hobby International Airport (HOU). The Hawker took off without clearance, its wing colliding with the tail of the Citation. The preliminary report indicated that the ATC controller had told the Hawker to line up and wait, but it began a takeoff roll. The crew told investigators there were two alerts that needed to be resolved during the takeoff roll and they believed they heard they were given clearance to takeoff.
These alarming events and the other incursions that have plagued the 2023 national air space are rare, but nonetheless concerning. Of nearly 55 million airport operations in 2023, there have been 23 category A and B runway incursions, ranking as the most serious, up from 16 in 2022. While the rate of all incursions has improved from 32.98 per million operations in 2022 to 32.22 in 2023, Homendy said this is not anything to celebrate, when the rate of category A and B incursions has increased from 0.3050 per million airport operations in 2022 to 0.4220 in 2023.
With all said, the industry agrees on many of the concerns. From worker fatigue and mental health treatment to the implementation of technology and safety programs, problems are being addressed with viable solutions. While lives have not been lost in the uptick in close calls, one is still too many.
"We cannot ignore or avoid the warning signs of strain from all these recent events," Homendy said. "We cannot rest on our laurels and assume our safety record will maintain itself. We cannot wait until a fatal accident forces action. We must act before there is a tragedy."