FAA Announces Safety Panel

The FAA has formed a blue chip panel of aviation industry experts to recommend safety enhancements industry-wide. The members of the new FAA National Airspace System Safety Review Team include: former NASA Administrator and astronaut Charles Bolden Jr.; former Air Line Pilots Association, International President Captain Tim Canoll; former National Air Traffic Controllers Association Executive Vice President Patricia Gilbert; former FAA Chief Operating Officer David Grizzle; former FAA Administrator Michael Huerta; and former NTSB Chair Robert Sumwalt.

“We are committed to maintaining the safest period in U.S. aviation history,” Acting Administrator Billy Nolen said. “This team will strengthen our ongoing safety efforts and identify specific investments we can make to bolster the National Airspace System.” The group will start work in May and deliver recommendations in October. The formation of the committee came out of a safety summit held in March by the FAA in March in response to seven potentially serious aviation incidents in the previous three months.