HARTFORD, CT) – Today, in a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Stephen Dickson, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, highlighted concerns and questioned the agency’s safety inspection requirements for vintage planes.
On October 2, 2019, a vintage Boeing B-17G, owned by the Collings Foundation (Collings), crashed at Bradley International Airport in Connecticut resulting in the loss of at least seven lives and multiple injuries. A previously unreleased FAA document from March 2018 revealed the FAA granted Collings’ petition to extend and amend Exemption No. 6540 – allowing the organization to carry passengers on its vintage aircraft for compensation to defray the cost of operating and maintaining its planes. However, it is unclear from the exemption letter what specific inspection protocols were required in order for this vintage plane to fly with passengers.
“If these historic planes are to be flown, the FAA must ensure the safety of vintage aircraft and address any dangers posed to passengers, crewmembers, and the public. In light of this recent accident, and as a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation with jurisdiction over these matters, I urge the FAA to examine current standards to determine if additional requirements are necessary,” wrote Blumenthal.
“Vintage military aircraft are a profoundly significant part of our history – providing important experiences and learning opportunities for our veterans and military aviation enthusiasts across the country. However, these planes are many decades old and contain original or rebuilt engines and equipment – requiring inspection and maintenance programs that recognize the significant differences between these planes and more modern civil aircraft,” Blumenthal added.
To better understand the conditions and limitations required of Collings to operate these vintage aircrafts, and to prevent similar tragedies in the future, Blumenthal is seeking answers to the following questions:
1) How many exemptions has the FAA granted to organizations or individuals in order to carry passengers for living history flight experiences?
2) It is my understanding that the complete information, documents, and records related to the maintenance and upkeep of the Boeing B-17G involved in the crash at Bradley were stored onboard the aircraft. How does the FAA ensure that copies of all aircraft materials are maintained at a centralized location – outside of the aircraft and easily accessible?
3) Why doesn’t the FAA require vintage aircraft carrying passengers for profit or donations to install black box devices onboard the plane – similar to larger commercial aircraft?
4) How does the FAA ensure that pilots of vintage aircraft receive robust training on how to respond to emergency situations, including but not limited to, engine failure?
5) What gaps exist between the requirements included in FAA’s living history flight experience exemptions and those required by other federal aviation regulations? Please provide a detailed rationale for any differences that may exist.
6) Recognizing that vintage aircraft often contain original or refurbished equipment, how do FAA inspection requirements for these planes take into account the likelihood that these parts may fail more often than modern equipment?
7) Public reports indicate that previous engine problems had occurred on this specific B-17G aircraft, prior to the crash at Bradley. What requirements does the FAA have for reporting such problems, and what specific steps does the agency take to ensure the safety of future flights?
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