SWA / FAA intimite relationship woes continue…
usatoday.com/travel/flights/ … west_N.htm
Excerpts from above.
FAA manager Bobby Hedlund, who was promoted last year to head the Southwest office, received months of training in 2005 that qualified him to fly the Boeing 737, according to recent testimony before Congress from three current and former FAA officials. Southwest received a proposed $10.2 million fine in March for safety violations.
I have several questions after reading this article.
What rules specifically were violated? Were they internal FAA rules or FARs?
Why was the program approved by the regional officials for so many years if it violated the rules?
The FAA doesn’t say what type of training was received. Southwest’s statement seems to indicate it was training related to the guy’s job and, to me, seems to indicate no in flight training. Perhaps simulator time was involved?
How do they arrive at the figure of $15,000 for the training? Again, the type of training received would be nice to know.
Maybe it’s just me but the USA Today is not the world’s best source for aviation articles. They, like most other major media organizations, rarely dive into subject matter and get detailed details.