FAA told to improve monitoring of inspectors

Airline Industry Information, Nov 17, 2004

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has told the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that it must improve the monitoring of its flight testers, repair work inspectors and pilot examiners, according to a new report.

The GAO said that the FAA was inconsistent in the way that it oversees its 13,400 inspectors across 180 organisations called 'designees'. The report said that although the designee programme worked well the inconsistent oversights by inspectors were caused by incomplete databases, heavy workloads and inadequate training for FAA staff that look after the designees.

An FAA spokesperson said that it is considering the GAO's report and recommendations which it believes will make the designee programme stronger, reports The Associated Press.

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