Aviation Safety: FAA Oversight of Aviation Repair Stations

00761144https://doi.org/10.21949/14035201998PDFResearch PaperGAO/T-RCED-98-188Aviation safetyAircraftRepair and maintenance businessesInspectionSupervisionFederal government agenciesAviation repair stationsFederal Aviation AdministrationFederal oversightGovernment oversightUnited States. Government Accountability OfficeNTL-AVIATION-Aviation Human FactorsNTL-AVIATION-Aviation Safety/AirworthinessNTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-AccidentsUS Transportation CollectionTestimony of Gerald L. Dillingham, Associate Director, Transportation Issues,Resources, Community, and Economic Development Division before the Subcommitteeon Aviation, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, U.S. Senate onthe Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) oversight of repair stations thatmaintain and repair aircraft and aircraft components. In recent years, FAA'soversight of repair stations has become a matter of concern, in part becausethe work performed by repair stations has been identified as a factor in severalaircraft accidents. This testimony discussed three main issues: (1) thepractice of using individual inspectors in repair station inspections; (2) thecondition of inspection documentation; and (3) current FAA actions to improvethe inspection process. 10p.84