United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office Resources, Community, and Economic Development Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1996-10-17 monographic deposited born digital 52 p. GA 1.13:RCED-97-2 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-RCED-97-2 P0b002ee180379522 f:rc97002 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-RCED-97-2 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-RCED-97-2 RCED-97-2 Commercial aviation Air transportation operations Airline industry Transportation safety Inspection Human resources training Aircraft accidents Aircraft maintenance Law enforcement Management information systems FAA Safety Performance Analysis System FAA National Aviation Safety Inspection Program FAA Accident/Incident Data System FAA Enforcement Information System FAA ASAS Program Tracking and Reporting Subsystem FAA ASAS Vital Information Subsystem FAA Service Difficulty Reporting System FAA Flight Operations Quality Assurance Initiative Letter Report RCED Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the safety performance of new airlines having 5 or fewer years of operating experience, focusing on: (1) the frequency with which the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspects new airlines compared with its inspections of established airlines; and (2) FAA efforts to correct long-standing problems that limit the effectiveness of its safety inspection program.<p/>GAO found that: (1) although FAA has taken actions to better target its inspection resources to the areas with the greatest safety risks, these efforts have been inadequate; (2) FAA may initiate enforcement actions in response to apparent or alleged violations of federal aviation regulations by suspending or revoking airlines' operating certificates, imposing civil penalties, issuing warning notices and letters of correction, and issuing emergency revocation orders; (3) FAA initiated twice as many enforcement actions against new airlines as a group than it did against established airlines during 1990 through 1994; (4) new airlines are not required to be inspected any differently from established airlines according to FAA national inspection guidelines; (5) FAA has targeted specific airlines and areas of commercial airline operations for increased surveillance on the basis of a variety of factors, such as noncompliance with federal aviation regulations, increased frequency of aircraft incidents, and deteriorating financial conditions; (6) there is no clear pattern between inspection rates and the rate of airline incidents or FAA-initiated enforcement actions; and (7) FAA has hired additional aviation safety inspectors, developed a comprehensive strategy for upgrading FAA computer tracking and data systems, and reviewed inspector training and work assignments to strengthen its inspection operations. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-RCED-97-2/html/GAOREPORTS-RCED-97-2.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-RCED-97-2/pdf/GAOREPORTS-RCED-97-2.pdf GAO/RCED-97-2 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-RCED-97-2 Letter Report GAO/RCED-97-2; Aviation Safety: New Airlines Illustrate Long-Standing Problems in FAA's Inspection Program; Commercial aviation Air transportation operations Airline industry Transportation safety Inspection Human resources training Aircraft accidents Aircraft maintenance Law enforcement Management information systems FAA Safety Performance Analysis System FAA National Aviation Safety Inspection Program FAA Accident/Incident Data System FAA Enforcement Information System FAA ASAS Program Tracking and Reporting Subsystem FAA ASAS Vital Information Subsystem FAA Service Difficulty Reporting System FAA Flight Operations Quality Assurance Initiative