Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act of 2009

Bill: 111-hr-3371
Sponsor: Rep. Costello, Jerry F. [D-IL-12]
Introduced: 2009-07-29 in the House
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Advisory bodies
Aviation and airports
Commuting
Congressional oversight
Consumer affairs
Department of Transportation
Employment and training programs
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Labor standards
Medical research
Personnel records
Right of privacy
Transportation employees
Transportation safety and security
Vocational and technical education
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2009-07-29
text: 
Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act of 2009 - Requires the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to establish the FAA Task Force on Air Carrier Safety and Pilot Training to evaluate best practices in the air carrier industry and make recommendations on specified matters.
 
Directs the FAA Administrator to conduct a rulemaking proceeding to require air carriers to: (1) provide flight crewmembers with ground training and flight training to recognize and avoid or recover from a stall or an upset of an aircraft; and (2) establish remedial training programs for flight crewmembers who have demonstrated performance deficiencies or experienced failures in the training environment.
 
Requires the FAA Administrator to convene a multidisciplinary panel of specialists to study and report to the FAA Administrator on methods to increase the familiarity of flight crewmembers with stick pusher systems and certain weather events.
 
Requires the Secretary of Transportation to report annually to Congress and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on NTSB air carrier safety recommendations made to and adopted or refused by the Secretary.
 
Directs the FAA Administrator to establish an electronic pilot records database of pertinent information in FAA, air carrier, and other records that an air carrier shall access and evaluate before allowing an individual to begin service as a pilot.
 
Requires the FAA Administrator to issue a specified final rule regarding flight crewmembers and aircraft dispatchers training programs.
 
Requires the Inspector General of the Department of Transportation (DOT) to review and report to the FAA Administrator on FAA aviation safety inspectors and operational research analysts.
 
Directs the FAA Administrator to conduct a rulemaking proceeding to require air carriers to: (1) establish flight crewmember mentoring programs; (2) develop methods for ensuring that flight crewmembers have proper qualifications and experience; and (3) implement a safety management system.
 
Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on flight schools, flight education, and academic training requirements for pilot certification.
 
Requires the FAA Administrator to report to specified congressional committees on certain voluntary safety programs. 
 
Directs the FAA Administrator to develop a plan to facilitate the establishment of an aviation safety action program (ASAP) and a flight operational quality assurance (FOQA) program by all air carriers.
 
Treats as an unfair or deceptive trade practice for any ticket agent, air carrier, foreign air carrier, or other person to sell tickets for a flight on an air carrier without disclosing the name of the air carrier providing each flight segment before the purchase of the ticket.
 
Requires the FAA Administrator to issue regulations to: (1) limit the number of flight and duty time hours allowed for pilots to address pilot fatigue problems; as well as (2) require air carriers to develop for FAA approval fatigue risk management plans.
 
Directs the FAA Administrator to study and report to Congress on aviation industry best practices with regard to flight crewmember pairing and crew resource management techniques.

action_date: 2009-10-14
text: 
Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act of 2009 - (Sec. 3) Requires the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to establish the FAA Task Force on Air Carrier Safety and Pilot Training to evaluate and report to specified congressional committees on best practices in the air carrier industry.
 
(Sec. 4) Directs the FAA Administrator to conduct a rulemaking proceeding to require air carriers to: (1) provide flight crewmembers with ground training and flight training or flight simulator training to recognize and avoid or recover from a stall or an upset of an aircraft; and (2) establish remedial training programs for flight crewmembers who have demonstrated performance deficiencies or experienced failures in the training environment.
 
Requires the FAA Administrator to: (1) convene a multidisciplinary panel of specialists to study and report on methods to increase the familiarity of flight crewmembers with stick pusher systems and certain weather events; and (2) report panel findings to specified congressional committees and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), as well as implement panel recommendations with respect to stick pusher systems.
 
(Sec. 5) Requires the Secretary of Transportation to report annually to Congress and the NTSB on NTSB air carrier safety recommendations made to and adopted or refused by the Secretary.
 
(Sec. 6) Directs the FAA Administrator to establish an electronic pilot records database of pertinent information in FAA, air carrier, and other records (including the National Driver Register) that an air carrier shall access and evaluate before allowing an individual to begin service as a pilot. Delineates requirements regarding: (1) records updating; (2) pilot access to records, and the right to review and correct inaccuracies found in them; (3) protection of, and electronic access to, records; and (4) air carrier refusal to hire if the pilot does not give consent to an air carrier to receive a record.
 
Authorizes expenditures for FY2010-FY2012.
 
(Sec. 7) Requires the FAA Administrator to: (1) issue a specified final rule regarding flight crewmembers and aircraft dispatchers training programs; (2) convene a multidisciplinary expert panel to assess and make recommendations on best methods and optimal time needed for flight crewmembers of commercial and of commuter or on-demand air carriers to master aircraft systems and certain air maneuvers as well as length of time between training courses; and (3) report to specified congressional committees and the NTSB on panel findings.
 
(Sec. 8) Requires the Inspector General (IG) of the Department of Transportation (DOT) to review and report to the FAA Administrator on FAA aviation safety inspectors and operational research analysts. Requires the FAA Administrator to report to specified congressional committees on any recommended policy changes of the IG the FAA Administrator intends to adopt and implement.
 
(Sec. 9) Directs the FAA Administrator to conduct a rulemaking proceeding to require commercial air carriers to: (1) establish flight crewmember mentoring programs; and (2) develop methods for ensuring that flight crewmembers have proper qualifications and experience.
 
(Sec. 11) Directs the FAA Administrator to conduct a rulemaking proceeding to modify minimum federal requirements for the issuance of airline transport pilot certificates. Requires a pilot to have at least 1,500 flight hours to qualify for a certificate.
 
(Sec. 12) Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on flight schools, flight education, and academic training requirements for pilot certification.
 
(Sec. 13) Requires the FAA Administrator to report to specified congressional committees on certain voluntary safety programs. 
 
(Sec. 14) Directs the FAA Administrator to develop and submit to specified congressional committees a plan to facilitate the establishment of an aviation safety action program (ASAP) and a flight operational quality assurance (FOQA) program by all commercial air carriers.
 
(Sec. 15) Directs the FAA Administrator to conduct a rulemaking proceeding to require commercial air carriers implement a safety management system.
 
(Sec. 16) Treats as an unfair or deceptive trade practice for any ticket agent, air carrier, foreign air carrier, or other person to sell tickets for a flight on an air carrier without disclosing the name of the air carrier providing each flight segment before the purchase of the ticket.
 
(Sec. 17) Requires the FAA Administrator to issue regulations to: (1) limit the number of flight and duty time hours allowed for pilots to address pilot fatigue problems; as well as (2) require commercial air carriers to develop for FAA approval fatigue risk management plans. Requires such plans be updated and approved biennially.
 
Requires each commercial air carrier to submit to the Administrator for review and approval a fatigue risk management plan.
 
Provides civil penalties for violations of such regulations.
 
Requires the FAA Administrator to enter into appropriate arrangements with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study the effects of commuting on pilot fatigue.
 
Authorizes appropriations.
 
(Sec. 18) Directs the FAA Administrator to study and report to specified congressional committees on aviation industry best practices with regard to flight crewmember pairing and crew resource management techniques.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-10-15
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2009-10-14
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2009-10-14
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 409 - 11 (Roll no. 778). (text: CR H11328-11333)
action_date: 2009-10-14
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 409 - 11 (Roll no. 778).(text: CR H11328-11333)
action_date: 2009-10-14
text: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H11353)
action_date: 2009-10-14
text: At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
action_date: 2009-10-14
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3371.
action_date: 2009-10-14
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H11328-11338)
action_date: 2009-10-14
text: Mr. Costello moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2009-10-06
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 159.
action_date: 2009-10-06
text: Reported by the Committee on Transportation. H. Rept. 111-284.
action_date: 2009-10-06
text: Reported by the Committee on Transportation. H. Rept. 111-284.
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: Subcommittee on Aviation Discharged.
action_date: 2009-07-30
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.
action_date: 2009-07-29
text: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
action_date: 2009-07-29
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-07-29
text: Introduced in House