They’ll Do It Again

You tell me. Is there anything in this story that isn’t depressingly familiar ?

FAA managers broke rules at Detroit Metro Airport

Controller complains. FAA lies. Inspector General says controller was right. FAA doesn’t hold anyone accountable.

Why wouldn’t they do it again ?

At the risk of stating the obvious, an airline can get a manager fired or replaced. An airline can and will complain -- loudly -- when they don’t think an FAA manager is promoting efficiency enough. An airline can offer a retiring manager a job. Safety can’t do any of those things. Safety is just some hard-to-put-your-finger-on concept that most people don’t really care about until it’s too late.

They’ll do it again.

Don Brown
April 3, 2010