TRANSPORTATION - BTS - Bureau of Transportation Statistics

Special Aviation Fire and Explosion Reduction (SAFER) Advisory Committee made a series ofrecommendations for research and rulemaking.In 1984, the FAA published two SAFER-based rules on fire-resistant seat cushions and escapepathmarking. During the next several years, the agency issued important fire protection rulesthat included stricter flammability standards for interior materials and improved protectionfor cargo compartments.Fire concerns continued into the 1990s. The 1996 crash of a ValuJet DC-9 in the FloridaEverglades was traced to a fire in the cargo compartment. The subsequent investigationresulted in new rules banning oxygen generators from the cargo holds of passenger planes,new focus on labeling and handling hazardous materials, and new rules for fire detectionand suppression systems in cargo compartments by March 2001 (see the Hazardous MaterialsSafety section found later in this chapter).The investigation following the crash of a SwissAir MD-11, in 1998, focused on wiring andinsulation and the tests used to determine flammability. Aircraft insulation blankets coveredwith metalized Mylar were ordered replaced within four years in five types of transportaircraft, and the standard used to determine material flammability was tightened.Wires and Fuel Tanks: The July 1996 crash of Trans World Airlines (TWA) Flight 800 into theAtlantic Ocean killed 230 passengers and crew. The investigation of that crash heightenedattention to the dangers of corroded wires that could ignite fuel tank vapors. Inspections bythe FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that the wires nearfuel tanks in Boeing 747s and other planes required maintenance. The follow-up includednew certification standards and mandatory maintenance instructions on fuel systems fornewly designed aircraft, a design review of the fuel tank system of larger existing transports,and a requirement for manufacturers to design specific programs for fuel tank maintenanceand protection.Commuter Airline Safety: As economic regulation of airlines was phased out by legislationenacted in 1978, the FAA adjusted its oversight program. The rules governing air taxis andcommuter airlines (Federal Aviation Regulations, Part 135)—the fastest growing segment ofthe air transportation business—were revised in December 1978 to include mandates forbetter pilot qualifications and training, more stringent aircraft maintenance programs, andmore sophisticated safety equipment. In 1980, the FAA added additional experience requirementsfor commuter airline crews.These revisions were designed to bring the safety level of the commuter airlines closer to thoseof major airlines. In December 1995, the Commuter Safety Initiative set a single level of safetyfor all travelers by applying the stricter standards of major airlines (Federal Aviation Regulations,Part 121) to commuter airlines that had scheduled passenger operations and/or usedaircraft seating 10 to 30 passengers or propelled by turbojets. The rules contained provisionson standards for airplane performance and for flight crew training and qualifications. Inaddition, the regulations also extended to commuter airline pilots the age-60 rule on mandatoryretirement, which had formerly applied to airline pilots flying larger aircraft.Aviation Safety Reporting: In 1975, the FAA established the Aviation Safety Reporting System(ASRS), designed to collect information on potentially unsafe conditions from airspace users.To encourage reporting of safety problems, the program generally granted immunity fromdisciplinary action to pilots or controllers filing timely reports. Although immunity programshad been instituted before, the ASRS was the first that did not limit immunity to reports ofnear midair collisions.3-43