I think it is time for us to be honest with ourselves. With all that is going on in the world today, is aviation safety really that much of a priority? I find the answer to that depends on who you ask. If you put a television camera in the face of a politician or an airline CEO, then, of course, safety is the number one priority. But once we get past that public reflex, to be honest with ourselves, we must admit that safety improvements are publicly mandated, but privately discouraged. The system is entering a new age, and it is time to adapt.
Take a look at how fatigue regulation is progressing in the United States and Europe. Improved fatigue regulations have been a public priority since the Colgan Air accident near Buffalo, New York, U.S., in early 2009 (ASW, 3/10, p. 20). But the poorly concealed truth is that vital regulatory initiatives are hitting an econ…
