The Latest: Senators grill Elwell on safety, industry ties
Source: Associated Press
24 minutes ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on Congressional hearings looking into the Federal Aviation Administration’s oversight of Boeing (all times local):
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5:50 p.m.
Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., challenged FAA Acting Administrator Daniel Elwell on whether the FAA should ban “selling safety features a la carte to the airlines.” Safety features like the MCAS (or Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System) shouldn’t be optional at an extra charge but should be provided gratis like seat belts on vehicles, he said.
“It doesn’t mask any problem,” Elwell insisted in questioning on the MCAS. “What it does, is it gives the proper feel to a pilot because he doesn’t have those cables.”
And Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., raised the prickly issue of whether the FAA, as an independent regulator, has a too-cozy a relationship with the airlines and aircraft makers. He noted that Boeing, a major government contractor with deep longstanding connections in Washington, is locked in intense competition with European maker Airbus.
Political appointees at the FAA pushed the career staff to quickly get done what was needed to get the Max flying, Udall said.
Read more: https://apnews.com/9526d67006294e34a54771a6a343813b
