Washington, D.C. – The following is the opening statement of U.S. Rep. Tom Petri (R-WI), Aviation Subcommittee Ranking Member, from today’s hearing on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification of the Eclipse EA-500 very light jet.
“I thank the Chairman for calling this important hearing on the certification of the Eclipse 500 very light jet.
“I think it’s important to note that we continue to benefit from the safest aviation record in the history of the world, and we always must strive to improve aviation safety in order to maintain this admirable record.
“Perhaps because they are the first general aviation innovation to be manufactured in the United States in a long time, very light jets have generated a lot of excitement in the aviation industry. They offer accessibility into the jet class for some, and should make economically feasible new air taxi service to connect tertiary airports, making good use of excess airport capacity and further expanding the connectivity of our national aviation system.
“The Eclipse 500, one model of a very light jet, boasts a more fuel efficient design with the first integrated avionics system for this type of small jet aircraft.
“Because of these innovations, Eclipse garnered the attention of the media, industry, FAA, and now, Congress.
“As we all know, aircraft certification is a very complex and difficult process, where deadlines and pressure are facts of life, much like the deadlines and pressure Members of Congress deal with when working on a reauthorization or appropriation bill. Because very light jets are a new innovation and Eclipse, in particular, incorporates cutting-edge technology, our focus today should be on the FAA’s certification methods and procedures. We must ensure that the Federal Aviation Regulations are keeping up with innovations in the industry.
“Innovation is at the heart of aviation. As the Wright brothers well understood, acceptable risk is a central part of discovery and development. As we strive to make aircraft more fuel efficient, cost efficient, and more technologically-advanced, we must also maintain our historic safety record. But, likewise, we must be careful not to erect unnecessary barriers to innovation.
“Minimum safety standards and alternate means of compliance provided for in federal aviation regulations allow for innovative aircraft designs to be certified.
“The minimum safety standards provide the benchmarks for manufacturers to design around, and alternative means of compliance allow the FAA and manufacturers to address an ever-evolving technological and manufacturing environment. FAA’s certification policies, widely recognized as the gold standard for safety worldwide, provide for appropriate safety oversight where written regulation cannot keep up with technological innovation.
“Today, the DOT Inspector General will testify about irregularities in the certification of the Eclipse plane. The Inspector General will also testify that he is not drawing any conclusion about the safety of the Eclipse aircraft.
“While it is important that this Committee hears about certification irregularities and FAA’s ‘Lessons Learned’ analysis of the Eclipse certification process, we must be careful not to jump to any conclusions that these irregularities exist outside of this certification project. There is no evidence to suggest an industry-wide certification issue – in fact, the historic safety record stands to refute such a claim.
“The certification process in place today has contributed to the safest period in the history of manned flight. The safety record the system is enjoying today is the result of the hard work of many government and industry partners, and we must build on that success as we go forward.
“While the FAA must remain focused on its role as a regulator, we have to be careful not to turn the agency into a hammer looking for a nail. Much has been gained from the industry’s willingness to share mistakes with the government regulator, and that professional give and take must continue to exist to ensure our very safe system stays that way.
“While it’s possible that some of the Federal Aviation Regulations for aircraft certification may need to be reviewed, and perhaps altered to accommodate new kinds of aircraft technology, it is important to remember that the foundation of that certification, based on collaboration, coordination, and information sharing has proven successful and should not be changed or stifled.”
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