Posted on 04/11/2008 4:48:54 AM PDT by Gamecock
American airlines begged the feds Thursday to let it keep its fleet aloft, saying the fastenings that need to be checked pose no safety threat.
The answer was no.
The airline has grounded 2,500 flights since Tuesday, causing chaos for passengers nationwide, while it inspects latches and clamps on wiring covers as required by the Federal Aviation Administration.
The FAA yesterday ordered the 300 Boeing MD-80 jets to remain parked while mechanics made sure wire ties were exactly 1 inch apart and clamps faced the right way.
More than 900 flights were scrapped yesterday, and the airport havoc is expected to stretch into the weekend.
"What needed doing was a long, long, long way from causing any safety concern," an airline spokesman said yesterday.
"That's why we went to the FAA and said, 'Folks, can we get the planes in the air while we inspect them, and not cancel any flights?'
"They said no. There is no court of appeals, so we had to do what they said."
The fastenings are on a plastic tube fitted to stop wires over wheel wells from chafing and short-circuiting.
Earlier inspections, which grounded 450 flights two weeks ago, had confirmed no wires had chafed - but failed to determine whether the fastenings were properly fitted.
Most of the planes checked needed the fastenings re-spaced, said American Airlines chairman Gerard Arpey.
"It's my fault," he said. "I run the company, and if there's any blame to be had, I take full responsibility."
Since March 12, 3,000 flights have been grounded by carriers - including United, Delta and American - for problems with fire-suppression systems, malfunctioning cockpit instruments and wiring.
The feds started an audit of all domestic maintenance reports after fining Southwest Airlines $10.2 million last month for flying dozens of planes without proper fuselage inspections.
At a hearing in Congress last week, whistle-blowers said the FAA had turned a blind eye to safety after building too-cozy relationships with the airlines they're supposed to police.
In the New York area yesterday, 70 flights were canceled at LaGuardia Airport and 18 at Newark. Kennedy was crippled by knock-on delays.
"The resulting chaos may have been avoidable," said Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). "The FAA and the airlines need to come up with a plan so this rash of cancellations doesn't happen again."
At LaGuardia, American Airlines staff barred reporters from check-in desks as furious passengers fumed.
A group of refugees that arrived from Myanmar yesterday and were trying to get to Indianapolis sat bewildered, unable to speak English or understand what was happening.
New Yorker Brad Blair said, "I am furious." Blair, 31, of Gramercy Park, who was bound for Miami for his bachelor party, was trying to get on a 4 p.m. flight, five hours after his scheduled plane was canceled.
"It's my bachelor party, and they're holding us here at this damn airport," he said. "We have suffered for hours."
they're holding us here at this damn airport," he said. "We have suffered for hours."
Poor baby! All he wants to do is get to Miami so he can go to a strip club with his buddies....
Exactly 1 inch... is that center to center, or exactly one inch between them?
This is the lovely thing about government - a publicly held corporation has to take it in the shorts to meet a non-emergency ultimatum from the feds.
Cable tie spacing and wire clamps on aircraft wiring bundles are not emergency essential repairs for safety and could be performed at the next 100 hour check.
Instead, American is trapped in a PR disaster that is not necessarily of its own making.
“Exactly 1 inch... is that center to center, or exactly one inch between them?”
Oh crap, now they have to do all these inspections again. sheesh
If only the government could figure out how to profit from stupidity, all federal agencies would instantly become self supporting. Just think no more listening to democrats bad mouth the American worker with their “tax cuts for the rich” talking point.
Bears repeating. At least AMR is a bargain at the moment.
Not if they were supposed to have been performed three 100-hour checks ago. AA made their bed, and their passengers are now forced to lie in it. Postponing overdue maintenance checks under the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness isn't the answer, IMO.
I have no clue what happened to my original post!?!
They're being forced to lie in it by a band of petty tyrants with Napoleon issues at the FAA.
And top it off with more gov't interference, with Chucky Schumer telling both parties that the could have done something -- note that he offers no solution -- to make the process run more smoothly.
Yeah, more gov't! That's the ticket!!!
It sounds like American Airlines didn’t grease the correct palm
And it will turn out that the one inch spacing was an arbitrary decision to begin with. Why now 0.8”, or 1.25”?
Federal bureaucrats could ruin many businesses in just this fashion.
Southwest Airlines was fine $10 Million for flying aircraft that were not inspected. I bet American airlines lost more than that yesterday. They would have been better off telling the FAA to stuff it and go about business as usual and inspect their aircraft in a timely fashion..............
And do, I am sure. Locally, a building inspector was run out of town for enforcing earthquake codes ...in North Dakota.
(There is a reason I live here. If the ground starts shaking, either something big is coming, or something big blew up.)
I was thinking the same thing, way to convenient a number for it not to be completely arbitrary.
Probably only need to be 2" spacing but some engineer decided that 1" would be better yet, so it became a law engraved in stone.
In other words, if AA breaks the rules, they should be able to further break the rules because it’s inconvenient? Sorry - I strongly disagree. AA failed to fulfill its past obligation, and a “promise” to make up the arrears does not alleviate their responsibility for the situation.
The FAA wouldn't switch gears like this all on its own. Either Congress or W is yelling at them with no consideration for the needless economic costs, which makes me lean toward W.
I didn't know Boeing manufactured the McDonnell-Douglas MD-80 ;^)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.