FAA Moving Too Slowly on Safety, Panel Charges

A report ordered by Transportation Secretary Elizabeth Hanford Dole has concluded that the Federal Aviation Administration is not moving swiftly enough to identify and correct problems in aviation safety.

The report, prepared by a safety review panel and released Friday, said some of the problems could pose safety hazards.

Dole said she is directing FAA Administrator Donald D. Engen to follow the report’s recommendations. Engen said some of the changes proposed already have been made, and promised to carry out the rest.

“Of the issues and concerns discussed in this report, the task force agrees that the area most in need of improvement is that of timeliness in identifying and responding to safety issues,” the report said.

“While some delay is inherent in the system, especially in those areas requiring rule-making, continuing or repeated delay without adequate controls and justification can adversely affect safety.”

Shoulder Harness as Example

For example, the report said that since 1969, the FAA has acknowledged the utility of shoulder harnesses in protecting occupants of small aircraft from serious injury.

But, it said, not until 1977 did the agency begin requiring installation of shoulder harnesses, and then only in the front seats of small planes manufactured after 1978.

The study found that despite repeated recommendations that the FAA require installation of harnesses for passenger seats, the agency made little progress before Engen took over.

A rule requiring installation of shoulder harnesses in these newly manufactured small planes is expected to be issued by the end of this year.

The report said the four problem areas at the FAA are:

--Difficulty in formulating and carrying out actions quickly.

--Lack of uniformity in interpreting and acting on regulations and policies.

--Sometimes ineffective communication among the FAA, the aviation industry and the public.

--Too much autonomy at FAA regional offices and some headquarters offices.

Transfers Suggested

The task force recommended that the FAA investigate the idea of periodically reassigning safety inspectors to different regions and different airlines.

The report said accident rates were substantially lower from 1980 to 1984 than from 1976 to 1979.