Rep BOCCIERI(OH) DEMANDS ANSWERS ON FEBRUARY PLANE CRASH NEAR BUFFALO

[rsmith6621]

George A. "Buddy" Casey
President and General Manager

Colgan Air, Inc.
10677 Aviation Lane
Manassas, VA 20110

Fax: [phone]

13 May 2009


Mr. Casey,

Like most of America, I was disturbed to read the recent reports from the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation into the crash of Continental Airlines Flight 3407, operated by Colgan Air. As a pilot and frequent flier, I find it irresponsible – bordering on negligent – that Colgan Air management found it acceptable to put an air crew in charge of passengers' lives with insufficient training to control the aircraft to which they were assigned under the conditions that existed at the time.

As a licensed commercial air carrier, your company has a statutory and moral responsibility to ensure the safety of your passengers. However, based on NTSB reports and public statements by Colgan officials, I am left to assume that your company is not conducting sufficient efforts to investigate the backgrounds and qualifications of your pilots; is requiring only the minimum training and safety requirements spelled out by the Federal Aviation Administration; and is making little to no effort to ensure that pilots have sufficient rest prior to taking control of your aircraft. While your company's guidelines may meet the letter of the law, they clearly do not satisfy the spirit of these regulations or the reasonable expectations your customers have that Colgan Air will make every effort to ensure their safety.


http://boccieri.house.gov/2009/05/boccieri-demands-answers-on-february-plane-crash-near-buffalo.shtml