Senate Panel Approves Rewrite of Aviation Product Liability Laws

A Senate panel’s approval of a revision in aviation product liability laws has given light-aircraft manufacturers a new weapon in their struggle against soaring insurance costs and court judgments.

On a unanimous vote Thursday, the commerce committee endorsed legislation to establish a uniform federal standard for handling lawsuits against aircraft companies when people seek damages for injuries caused by allegedly defective or dangerous products.

“The general aviation product liability legislation will have enormous value to consumers and manufacturers alike,” said Sen. Nancy Kassebaum (R-Kan.), chief sponsor of the proposal.

Liability laws traditionally have been left to states, but reform advocates say that has created a patchwork of inconsistent laws across the country.

Aircraft manufacturers as well as groups representing owners and pilots of small planes supported the legislation. Industry representatives have blamed soaring insurance costs, increasing numbers of lawsuits and larger judgments for a more than 80 percent drop in sales of small planes in the last five years.