Release #: 20.35
November 17, 2020

New Aircraft Certification Bill Will Improve Aviation Safety

MCLEAN, Va.—The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) today issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the bipartisan Aircraft Certification Reform and Accountability Act (H.R. 8408):

“ALPA is grateful for Chairman Peter DeFazio’s persistent efforts to deliver a bill that protects and improves aviation safety. Among the many valuable provisions included in this important bill, we are encouraged that airline pilots will be an integral part of the certification process, ensuring that all newly developed and certificated aircraft will be held to the highest levels of safety necessary to keep our aviation system the safest in the world.

“As the world’s largest nongovernmental aviation safety organization, ALPA has been working with regulatory authorities and stakeholders in the United States, Canada, and across the globe to make clear that questions must be answered in areas including oversight, aircraft certification, and delegation of authority.

“The Aircraft Certification Reform and Accountability Act is a comprehensive, bipartisan measure that puts in place the critical reforms needed to ensure a proactive and objective safety culture at all levels. The bill is responsive to the gravity of the recent tragedies and takes into account the details from the accident investigation reports.”

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents over 59,000 pilots at 35 U.S. and Canadian airlines. Visit the ALPA website at alpa.org or follow us on Twitter @ALPAPilots.

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CONTACT: ALPA Media, 703-481-4440 or Media@alpa.org