Repeat After Me...
Oh.
My.
God.
The Borg has morphed.
Check out this story, from CBS 11 TV in Dallas/Fort Worth.
There are many interesting tidbits in this story to note, including that FAA superiors broke the law, endangered lives, and put hundreds of thousands of people at risk due to their innappropriate relationship with Southwest Airlines. And when subordinates tried to call them on it---the worker bees received anonymous threats.
But check out what the CEO of Southwest INSISTED on Friday:
"SAFETY WAS NEVER COMPROMISED."
Where have we heard that before? Are you kidding me? That's the national motto of the Tombstone Agency, the Failed Aviation Administration.
Brace, brace, brace for impact.
Awesome! Bring in the FBI ! Finally,.. the Fed's will nail this Federal Avia,.. ... Federal,... .. awwww hell. Nothing will change. What was I thinking.
Posted by: Gordon Liddy from Ajax | March 15, 2008 at 08:18 AM
Nothing will change until bodies rain from the sky,controllers unite,a Dem is elected president or Pat is removed.
Posted by: ZZ-retired | March 15, 2008 at 08:56 AM
The biggest beef I have about this whole story is what Senior People - the TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY AND THE ACTING ADMINSTRATOR have said, calling it "Inspectors" who looked the other way.
NO, my dear, it WASN'T INSPECTORS! IT WAS MGT!
It was the bargaining unit Inspectors who tried to do the right thing. It was FAA MANGEMENT who overruled them and covered it up:
Namely:
Regarding Mary Peters- from the Govexec.com story this week:
On Monday, the Associated Press reported that Transportation Secretary Mary Peters told attendees at an FAA conference that she would investigate charges that agency employees were complicit in allowing Southwest to skip inspections.
"If any inspector failed in his or her responsibility to the traveling public, they will be dealt with swiftly and severely," she said.
Bobby Strugell: "At this point in the investigation, we know for certain that at least one FAA inspector looked the other way."
+++++++++++++++++
A**holes- that is the PROBLEM!
You keep calling your supervisors and managers INSPECTORS.
Wrong. YOU may classify them as "Inspectors". We don't. We, the REAL INSPECTORS, consider them just management pukes who are in bed with the Airlines and with Boeing.
It used to be- in MY FAA, that we worked for the Ameican People, to keep the flying public safe.
Marion, G.W., and now Bobby and Mary set the tone. They put out the Mantra. Now we are to run "more like a business", and with that, it is IMPLIED FROM THE TOP ON DOWN that we are to let BUSINESS conduct their business, and stay the hell out of their way. We are not to write things up. We are to be more "customer oriented", and switch from a compliance mode to a service mode. THAT is the mantra that has come down from on-high.
In the last few months, they even changed the Enforcement order. No longer are REAL INSPECTORS allowed to recommend civil penalty dollar amounts for violations by the airlines or by the manufacturers. Now, all we can do is document what we find, hope that Management (OUR SUPERVISORS) don't make us change our reports, and then let someone up at "Region" decide if it should be a monetary penalty or an admin action.
Note: Money penalties have ceased. Everything is now closed out as an "Administrative Action" in my region.
I am scared to fly on an airplane now. I'd rather drive, and I've worked for the FAA for almost 20 years.
Posted by: NO AGREEMENT | March 15, 2008 at 10:25 AM
ZZ is correct on all listed. In Air Traffic if you report anything-i.e., potential deviation, error, pilot error, hear-back read-back they do a QAR (quality assurance review) and scrutinize every aspect of your performance. Any mistake could qualify the controller for an ODP (Opportunity to Demonstrate Performance) and loss of OSI or SCI (bonus/payraise). The end result is that controllers will keep quiet, especially the new controllers, because they don't want to jepordize their potential bounus or payraise.
Posted by: GoingGoingGone | March 15, 2008 at 10:31 AM
Over 3 decades of experience controlling airplanes I have seen some pretty exciting deals. I must admit this was when we weren't getting screwed with so severly as we are now. Sorry to you who all like/have to fly, but if you really truly knew what was going on you wouldn't. Just an old controller; not a fear monger.
Posted by: rc | March 15, 2008 at 11:18 AM
It wouldn't surprise me if the threat on the inspector came from some Blackwater operatives called in by either Peters/Sturgell or SWA.
Posted by: Moe Zurgerburger | March 15, 2008 at 12:18 PM
Not flying anytime soon.
Posted by: ZERO | March 15, 2008 at 12:34 PM
On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIZ8Ry4DLL0
Posted by: Paul | March 15, 2008 at 01:08 PM
They need to chop off the top to kill the roots of this tragedy in motion.
A little pruning will not help. This cancerous disaster needs a little something called a "culture change".
I am embarrassed to be employed by criminals who will kill people for the all mighty dollar.
Sorry flying public, this servant has failed. I cannot change a thing. I am too afraid to use my own name in a desperate cry for help.
Posted by: Controller who will not fly..... | March 15, 2008 at 01:47 PM
I've said it on another blog, and I'll say it here (again)...now that the FAA is fining SWA $10.2 million for deficient maintenance, who is going to fine the FAA for lack of oversight?
Posted by: suupercub | March 15, 2008 at 02:16 PM
READ All union and air safety brothers and sisters READ
The enclosed link is rated URGENT for survival within the Darth Vader death star FAA HQ building in D.C. that should have a Hammer and Sickle attached to the outside.
Contained within are legions of robotic mind numbed sycophants in groups of cubicle rat big business butt kissing worker ants assembled together driving the FAA and National Airspace System into hell for a buck.
http://www.blifaloo.com/info/lies.php
Consider the above link critical during your interpersonal
dealings with FAA Weasel Management
Good luck brothers and sisters
READ: URGENT FOR ALL FAA MANAGEMENT
Résistance is futile
Cease-Desist
American Air Safety and the Controllers and Technicans
will WIN in the END
Posted by: SOS | March 15, 2008 at 03:07 PM
Regarding the missed inspections, the SWA CEO said, "Safety was never compromised."
Where have I heard that before?
Posted by: lowskillset | March 15, 2008 at 03:12 PM
Southwest will get the FAA to reduce the "fine" to less
than a million, and be allowed to not admit guilt.
And, several FAA top management types will get cushy retirement jobs at Southwest. You heard it here first..
Posted by: Retired | March 15, 2008 at 09:28 PM
More of Mary Peters' work, you'll just love this!
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=58843
Posted by: glad_to_be_FCT | March 16, 2008 at 10:36 AM
Retired is right!
Our limp dick lawyers in no way want to go to a hearing before an USDOT Administrative Law Judge on this case (or any other case we send to them). Look for a settlement under one million with no finding of violation.
NO AGREEMENT is also right.
The hundreds and hundreds of Warning Notices that management sends to the carriers each year are not worth the paper they are written on!
Posted by: Bean Boy | March 16, 2008 at 01:04 PM
Hey John,
What about the "personal relationship" between FDX and the FAA at Memphis? Whatever FDX wants -- FDX gets. We see it on a daily basis. One can only wonder what a couple of pesky inspectors might find at the FDX Hub in Memphis. But then again... I'm sure that THIS cozy relationship will resolve the safety related issues at MEM too.
Angus
Posted by: Angus the Cattle Dog | March 17, 2008 at 09:25 AM