Keeping Our Eye on Implementation of FAA Reauthorization Priorities
By ALPA Staff
The passage of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-254) was a significant achievement to move many of ALPA’s long-standing policy priorities. However, passing a law doesn’t mean that ALPA advocacy on those priorities stops. In the months since the legislation was enacted, ALPA has expended advocacy resources to ensure that the legislation is implemented by federal agencies as intended by Congress. ALPA will continue to work with Congress, as well as the agencies directly, to provide proper oversight to complete action as required by law.
Update on Secondary Flight Deck Barriers
Mandatory installation of secondary flight deck barriers on all new passenger airliners was included in Section 336 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018. After a variety of delays that included a government shutdown, the FAA opted to task the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC) with establishing a Flightdeck Secondary Barrier Working Group. This group was asked to develop a range of options to satisfy the requirements of Section 336. While ALPA was opposed to the working group in principle as Congress was clear in its intent to mandate the barriers, the Association participated in the process to influence the outcome. Capt. Wolfgang Koch (Delta), ALPA’s Aviation Security chair, was selected to cochair the working group. The ARAC released its report on February 27, which included recommendations essentially ignoring the work done by the RTCA in 2011. With ALPA input and direction, the final report was largely in line with the Association’s expectations, and ALPA supported the overall outcome. Since receiving the report, no other movement on this issue has occurred, nor has the FAA announced next steps.
Complete ALPA’s Call to Action on secondary barriers to insist that the FAA take immediate action to implement this important security feature.
