Congressman DeSaulnier Continues Push to Increase Aviation Safety and Avoid Near-Miss Aircraft Incidents

Press Release

Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) announced the introduction the Safe Landings Act (H.R. 6976) to increase aviation safety and avoid near-miss aircraft incidents, like the one that occurred at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) on July 7, 2017, in which over 1,000 passengers were in danger of losing their lives. By creating a new federal task force to research and identify safety risks, expanding training, and addressing new technology needs, this bill would help reduce human error in aviation and save lives. Congressman DeSaulnier first introduced this legislation in August of 2019.

"With near-miss aviation incidents on the rise, we must take an aggressive and proactive approach to ensuring the safety of every American when they travel by air," said Congressman DeSaulnier. "By helping to find flaws and risks in flying before they lead to harm, our bill would keep America's aviation system the safest in the world."

"I enjoyed working with Congressman DeSaulnier on this important legislation that will improve the safety of everyone who flies,"said C.B. Sully Sullenberger.

"We applaud Representative DeSaulnier's proactive efforts to improve aviation safety with the "Safe Landings Act'," stated Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations (CAPA) President Captain Larry Rooney. "Aviation safety is a direct result of the continued collaborative efforts of all stakeholders to ensure that the safety of the traveling public remains paramount. This legislation provides the latest opportunity to further refine and improve on known and newly discovered safety deficiencies. CAPA looks forward to providing the subject matter expertise necessary to ensure that this important safety legislation becomes enacted into law."

Following the near-miss incident at SFO when an arriving Air Canada flight came dangerously close to landing on a taxiway occupied by four aircraft loaded with more than 1,000 passengers, Congressman DeSaulnier spent two years researching aviation and near-miss incidents and consulting with experts in the field, including Captain Sullenberger, pilot unions, air traffic controllers, mechanics, ground safety crews, and federal agencies (NTSB and FAA) to develop this legislation to ensure that near-miss or fatal incidents--like what occurred at SFO--are prevented in the future.

Specifically, the Safe Landings Act would:

- Require the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to implement systems that would alert both pilots and air traffic controllers if a plane is not properly aligned to land on a runway;
- Require FAA to gather data and issue guidance on the most effective techniques for pilots to electronically verify they are landing on the correct runway;
- Require the "notices to airmen" (NOTAM) system to be harmonized with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards;
- Direct the GAO to conduct a study on the concerns some pilots have with cockpit voice recorders (CVRs)--like inappropriate foreign government use--and provide recommendations to improve CVRs while also protecting pilots;
- Create a Task Force onHuman Factors in Aviation Safety to review and provide recommendations; and
- Require that international rules, regulations, or standards regarding flight crew and maintenance personnel rest and fatigue be studied to ensure worker safety.

Congressman DeSaulnier is a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Aviation Subcommittee. As part of his ongoing effort to improve aviation safety, earlier this Congress Congressman DeSaulnier co-led the House-passed Notice to Airmen Improvement Act (H.R. 1262), which would help to update aviation safety notifications to pilots alerting them of potential hazards along a flight route.

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