The Foundation has been working with some regulators in Europe and we have come across a big problem that is common knowledge but that no one seems willing to address.
Regulators across the world have always had a difficult time recruiting and retaining operations inspectors. It is very difficult to find someone who is qualified for the job and who is not already flying for an airline that will pay a lot more money. If they find someone to take the job, the civil aviation authority (CAA) is lucky if these recruits stay in the government for five years, unlike typical young bureaucrats that stay for 30. The problem is that these inspectors are vital. Without them, the papers move through the bureaucracy and fees are paid, but the operators can do pretty much as they please. When there is a shortage of operations inspectors, airplanes tend to crash. It is a lesson that has been learned over and over again; the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has the facts to prove it….
