McCaskill Chairs her First Hearing, Finds Gaps in Aviation Security

Press Release

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

In a commerce subcommittee hearing today, U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill raised serious national security concerns related to U.S. government oversight of the facilities and personnel involved in the overseas maintenance of American commercial aircraft.

McCaskill's questioning exposed a troubling double-standard of security procedures between domestic and foreign aircraft repair stations located all over the world, including in countries declared terrorist safe-havens by the U.S. Department of State. She also criticized the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) double-standard in oversight for work performed at FAA-certified facilities versus non-certified facilities.

"Clearly there are two standards in terms of repair stations," McCaskill said today in the Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security Subcommittee hearing. "You have the standard that is here at certified repair stations in the United States of America where you have spot inspections, certified mechanics, and oversight by the FAA. And then you have a whole lot of foreign repair stations where you don't have that same level of scrutiny and that same level of oversight."

With increasing frequency, American air carriers are outsourcing major aircraft maintenance to repair stations overseas, many of which remain uncertified by the FAA, while some repair facilities in the U.S. remain under-utilized. In 2005, the Department of Transportation's Inspector General (IG) found that more than half of all aircraft maintenance by major United States airlines was outsourced to foreign repair facilities. Today, the amount has increased to 64 percent.

In addition, the IG reported that non-FAA certified foreign repair stations were performing both scheduled and critical maintenance, well beyond the simple oil changes and tire-pressure checks previously thought to be taking place at these facilities. The airlines examined in the study primarily relied on telephone contact with the foreign repair stations, rather than on-site visits, to monitor maintenance work.

In addition, a 2003 study by the IG found serious problems with the security of repair stations, including gaps in fencing and easy access to facilities by outsiders. The report also noted that the FAA was leaving employee background checks and alcohol and drug testing up to the individual airlines. In one case, a member of al Qaeda was found working at a repair station in Singapore.

"I don't think this is the kind of oversight that is going to reassure the American public that we are doing all we can to make these airplanes secure and safe for travel," McCaskill said today.

During McCaskill's questioning today, the Department of Transportation IG told the subcommittee that the specific recommendations made in the 2005 report had not yet been implemented by the FAA, and as a result, major gaping security vulnerabilities remain. One panelist advocating for airlines that utilize foreign repair stations for cheaper labor costs, dismissed the important IG report as being too focused on isolated incidents. McCaskill expressed dismay, arguing that 9-11 was an isolated incident, yet one that resulted in much needed security updates.

"After 9-11 there was an acceptance by traveling passengers of what they would have to go through to maintain safety and security on airplanes," McCaskill said. "I think the American public is assuming that we are making the same requirements of the mechanic who are working on the airplanes."

McCaskill asserted that she plans to hold the FAA's feet to the fire on this issue, and is prepared to address this issue as the Senate moves forward with legislation to reauthorize the FAA. Specifically, she wants to ensure adequate FAA oversight of all repair stations while eliminating the existing safety and security double-standards.

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