Press Release – FAA Proposes $325,000 Civil Penalty Against Southwest Airlines

[700UW]

http://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=19334

 

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes a $325,000 civil penalty against Southwest Airlines of Dallas, Texas, for allegedly operating a Boeing 737 that was not in compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations.
 
On July 9, 2014, an FAA inspector performed an aging aircraft inspection on the Boeing 737 while it was at a maintenance facility in San Salvador, El Salvador. The inspector discovered that Southwest improperly recorded a temporary repair to an approximately nine-inch crease in the aluminum skin of the jetliner’s rear cargo door as a permanent repair.
 
The inspector discovered that this fuselage damage had first been reported in Southwest Airlines’ maintenance records on May 2, 2002, which is when the airline made the temporary repair. The airline was required to inspect the temporary repair every 4,000 flights and complete a permanent repair within 24,000 flights.
 
However, the FAA alleges the airline operated the aircraft on 24,831 flights without performing the periodic inspections required for the temporary repair. The agency further alleges the airline operated the plane on 4,831 flights beyond the flight threshold by which it was required to have performed the permanent repair. The final repair was completed on July 24, 2014.
Southwest has asked to meet with the FAA to discuss the case.
 

 

 

[topDawg]

Look another fine. big shock

 

[Kev3188]

maybe we should start a pool on what the fine will ultimately get plead down to?

 

[WorldTraveler]

this one is peanuts compared to the others.

the real question is when the FAA will decide that just paying fines isn't what the intent of aviation safety is. and instead demand change and compliance.

 

[topDawg]

this one is peanuts compared to the others.

the real question is when the FAA will decide that just paying fines isn't what the intent of aviation safety is. and instead demand change and compliance.

From someone who loves outsourcing like you do thats funny
 
 
the FAA has literally let people die and simple did not care due to poor maintenance. So when will they change? maybe after multiple deaths.  

 

[WorldTraveler]

again, so why should this case be any different and why should WN be allowed to continue to break the rules just because it is cheaper to pay the fine than to fix the problem?

me love outsourcing? Since when did I ever defend that WN has the highest rate of outsourcing of the big 4 and it has been that way for WN's entire existence?

You are the one that seems to think it is ok for WN to outsource the vast majority of its maintenance work because they pay the relatively few mechanics they do have quite well.


if the FAA were serious about fixing the problem, they would start grounding WN aircraft since the ability to generate money seems to be the only language that WN mgmt. seems to understand.

 

[700UW]

https://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=13773
 
Glass house:

 

ATLANTA – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is proposing two civil penalties totaling $987,500 against Delta Air Lines of Atlanta, for allegedly operating an Airbus A320 and a Boeing 737-800 on flights when they were not in compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations.
 
In the first case, the FAA alleges Delta failed to repair a chip in the nose radome, or nose cone, on the B-737 after an FAA inspector conducted a pre-flight inspection and informed Delta he had observed chip damage. Delta’s structural repair manual requires the airline to seal radome chip damage before further flight. The enroute inspection took place Feb. 25, 2010, and the airline operated the plane on 20 additional flights between that date and March 1 while the aircraft was not in compliance.
The FAA further alleges Delta again failed to repair the radome during layover inspections of the aircraft on Feb. 25 and 28. The proposed civil penalty is $687,500.
 
“Safety is our highest priority,” said FAA Acting Administrator Michael Huerta.  “Operators must follow the proper procedures to maintain their aircraft.”
 
The FAA also proposes a civil penalty of $300,000 against Delta for allegedly operating an Airbus A320 on 884 flights between May 25, 2010 and Jan. 3, 2011, when it was not in compliance with FAA regulation
 

 

[WorldTraveler]

no, there is no glass house because I never said that DL or any other airline was flawless in the execution of their operation in the eyes of the FAA.

The goal is not "If they get by with something or have committed a wrong, it is ok for me to do the same."

The goal is flawless execution and in terms of safety it is the only acceptable goal. The FAA administrator said as much.

No one is excused for what they have done based on what someone else does.

If paying fines doesn't get the message across, then the FAA should step up to the next level and no one should be exempt. those who have the longest and highest value of fines should be the ones where the message is not getting across - or else the FAA's methodology of assessing fines is not logical or incentive driven.

 

[700UW]

if the FAA were serious about fixing the problem, they would start grounding DL aircraft since the ability to generate money seems to be the only language that DL mgmt. seems to understand.

FIFY

 

[topDawg]

again, so why should this case be any different and why should WN be allowed to continue to break the rules just because it is cheaper to pay the fine than to fix the problem?

where in my post did I say that?

me love outsourcing? Since when did I ever defend that WN has the highest rate of outsourcing of the big 4 and it has been that way for WN's entire existence?

you constantly defend Delta's outsourcing because "its what best for you, SHUT UP and like it"

while constantly talking s**t about other carriers.

You are the one that seems to think it is ok for WN to outsource the vast majority of its maintenance work because they pay the relatively few mechanics they do have quite well.

please quote me one time saying such.

if the FAA were serious about fixing the problem, they would start grounding WN aircraft since the ability to generate money seems to be the only language that WN mgmt. seems to understand.

cause WN is the only airline that has had MX problems.

and the FAA isn't serious about aircraft MX. That is why they allow the airlines and bean counters like you to constantly try to spill as much blood as they can.......while taking the money to the bank.

 

[WorldTraveler]

You aren't the only one that has replied to this topic. there are indeed some people who have participated who attempt to justify or excuse what WN has done WRT fines because DL has accumulated some of its own.

never did I say that.

When you repeatedly trash DL and yet never bother to note how much more outsourcing WN does, then the hypocrisy is not only very obvious but also explains completely why you are marginalized in the conversation because of faulty logic. Not once have I ever seen you blast WN's level of outsourcing but you sure have made a career out of doing that regarding DL.

and whether the FAA is serious about inspection or enforcement is a matter of your opinion but it doesn't stop individual airlines from maintaining higher standards.

DL's operational reliability is absolutely at the head of the industry and DL Tech Ops has a large part to do with that. Yes, DL like every airline has paperwork lapses which allow maintenance to be missed where it should have been done - which is what happened here with WN and which is often what the FAA fines airlines for. But if there can be any justification for WN accruing much larger numbers and values of fines compared to other airlines, then it says that WN either doesn't have the will, automation, or the appropriate government oversight to break a cycle of missed inspections that is worse than what occurs at other airlines.

The goal for all carriers should be flawless execution 100% of the time. If that isn't happening for whatever reason, then you can't rail against one airline while excusing others. and you can't refuse to hold the most guilty accountable first.

 

[700UW]

No you stated the FAA aka The Tombstone Agency should ground WN's planes for maintenance issues , so then they should also ground DL's planes for the same issues.

 

[WorldTraveler]

I didn't use the term tombstone agency. those are your words, whether they are true or not.

The reason why you can't ever win a debate is because you can't even accurately quote the facts or what someone else says.

The FAA should enforce the rules completely.

I asked you before and I'll ask you again to compile a list of proposed FAA fines for missed maintenance and it would be very apparent why the FAA should focus its most harsh punishment on WN first.

it is not a surprise that you won't provide that list because it would clearly show that WN has had by far the largest and most repetitive number of large violations - and they clearly have yet to fix the problem.

 

[700UW]

I called it the tombstone agency, learn to read and if you ever worked in maintenance, you would know what it means.

 

[WorldTraveler]

as if hanging around maintenance makes you a mechanic?

I do know what it means - it just is an irrelevant red herring that you want to throw into the conversation.