Ronal dGligani c 8 7 Fitchburg Stree t Bayshore , N.Y . 1170 6 Jun e 13 , 201 1

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## so o -••>•- < — O ? Docke t Operations , M-3 0 Federal Aviatio n Administratio n U.S . Departmen t

o f Transportatio n 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenue , S E Roo mW12-14 0 Wes t Buildin g Groun dFloo r Washington , D C 20590-000 1 Re : Docke t

Numbe r FAA-2011-036 7 (propose dRe-Interpretatio n o f 49CF R121.377 ) T o Th e Federa l Aviatio n Administration : I a msubmittin g thes e comment s i n respons e t o th e Federa l Aviatio n Administration' s reques t

fo r comment s regardin g th e interpretatio n an dapplicatio n o f 4 9 CF R121.37 7 "Maintenanc e an dpreventativ e maintenanc e persorme l duty tim e limitations" . I amacertificate dAviatio n Maintenanc e Technicia n an dwork for a12 1 Ai r Carrier .I believ e that , th e FA A need s t o revisi t th e issu e o f

maintenanc e personne l duty tim e limitations . Th e curren t interpretatio n o f

FA R121.37 7 i s inadequate , ambiguou s an d lax . Th e alternativ e equivalen t is , I believ e athreat

t o aircraf t safety . Th e understoo d ideal o f 121.37 7 i s predicate do n havin g areasonabl y reste dan dalert technicia n workin g o n a n aircraft . Unfortunatel y i t i s extremel y difficul t

t o gaug e ho w atechnician s fatigu e play s arol e i n hi s craftsmanship . Whe n atechnicia n i s fatigued , th e chance s o f mistak e o r oversigh t are increase ddramatically . Allowin g atechnicia n t o work a n unlimite damoun t o f hour s fo r u p t o 6 day s i n aro w i s no t servin g th e interes t

o f safety . Unde r

th e alternativ e interpretation , allowin g atechnicia n t o wor k a n unlimite damoun t

o f hour s for up t o 2 7 consecutiv e day s i s jus t unsafe . Huma n factors ' trainin g ha s taugh t m e that fatigu e i s a

n insipi denemy that

I nee d t o b e awar e o f

an dit s effec t

o n me . Concern s o f

fatigu e nee dt o b e addresse da t th e ver y basi c leve l o f

technicia n scheduling . Whe n atechnicia n i s require dt o work extende d period s o f

tim e o r whe n th e schedul e i s change dther e i s n o recours e for th e technician , bu t t o comply . H e i s the n obligate dt o ftilfill th e demand s o f hi s employe r

an dmak e himsel f availabl e eve n thoug h th e technicia n migh t b e fatigued . Th e existin g practic e o f deferrin g res t

tim e i s completel y useles s from ahuma n factor s stand-point . Human factor s researc h clearl y show s tha t fatigu e ha s acumulativ e negativ e effec t o n peopl e an dmus t 1b e combate dwith effectiv e countermeasures . Preventio n o f fatigu e i s th e bes t countermeasure. No t

onl y th e amoun t

o f res t tim e a n Aviatio n Maintenanc e Technicia n receives , bu t

als o th e amoun t

o f hour s actuall y performin g aviatio n maintenanc e need s t o b e regulated . Th e "equivalent " interpretatio n o f FA R121.37 7 doe s no t

properl y addres s th e need s an dconcern s o f

huma n factor s i n th e aviatio n maintenanc e industry . Th e FA A ha s don e muc h wor

k with huma n factor s researc h i n th e pas t severa l year s an di

t i s pas t tim e t o reinterpre t

thi s requirement . Th e Aviatio n Maintenanc e Technicia n i s th e corne r ston e o f safet y an da s suc h th e 12 1 certificat e holde r shoul db e mandate dt o provid e acultur e that breed s th e highes t

leve l o f safety . In orde r

t o avoi dmisinterpretation s an dambiguity , clea r an dconcis e duty tim e limitation s nee dt o b e establishe dfor th e Aviatio n Maintenanc e Technician . Presen t studie s an dresearc h can b e use dt o establis h thes e guideline s for

adaily , weekl y an dmonthl y limit . I applau dth e FAA s concer n abou t th e Aviatio n Maintenanc e Technician' s dut y tim e limitation s an dimplor e th e agenc y t o affec t aclear an dconcis e regulation tha t wil l fulfill th e need s o f

th e huma n factor s portio n o f aircraf t maintenance .

Sincerel y Ronal dGligani c Aviatio n Maintenanc e Technicia n

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