The FAA has named an independent safety review team to further examine ways to enhance safety and reliability in the nation’s air traffic system. The group of six industry luminaries will present concrete recommendations on how the agency can advance air traffic safety, the FAA said yesterday.
The team consists of former NASA astronaut Charles Bolden Jr.; Tim Canoll, who has served as president of the Air Line Pilots Association, International; Patricia Gilbert, a one-time executive v-p of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association; David Grizzle and Michael Huerta, who formerly were COO and administrator of the FAA, respectively; and Robert Sumwalt, chairman of the NTSB from 2017 to 2021.
“We are committed to maintaining the safest period in U.S. aviation history,” said the agency's acting administrator Billy Nolen. “This team will strengthen our ongoing safety efforts and identify specific investments we can make to bolster the National Airspace System.”
The announcement of the FAA National Airspace System Safety Review Team follows a safety summit in March where the agency convened officials from across the aviation industry. During the summit, the group concentrated on several recent incidents, many of which occurred during takeoffs or landings at busy airports.
The Safety Review Team will begin its work in May and conclude by October 2023 documenting recommended actions the FAA can take to enhance safety.