mr. babbitt, and i want you tell me if you think we were too serious.talked to carriers about duty time, that's a direct quote, talk about carriers on b-about duty time and this is about this flight and pilot fatigue. the faa must become a proactive agency and nearly talking doesn't fulfill the primary mission to ensure the safety of the flying public. we can no longer afford to act after it is discovered that inspectors are overly friendly with the airlines they oversee. and we cannot continue to wait until another tragedy occurs before we implement training requirements much less simply enforcing existing regulations. so -- i mean, that's a tough charge. we are suggesting that there's too much coziness between the faa and the airlines that they regulate. could you respond to that. >> yes, senator boxer. as i mentioned, i'm not sure if you were in here. i was part of the internal review team that was set up by the department of transportation under secretary peters. and we looked into this very charge. there was a question in both the american airlines

mr. babbitt.$16, and assume it is a full year of pay is barely above minimum wage. >> i think the carrier did correct the minimum, it was about 23,000. >> okay so $7.69 it is about maybe $8.10 an hour. >> it might surprise you there are major carriers to start pilots at that number. >> that does surprise me to be frank with you. >> there are some the start considerably higher, there are some major carriers flying larger planes the start that low. this is an area i think, you know, captain skullenberger mentioned in testimony. the area i was in very badly dating myself into the 60's, but probably half of the people that were hired when i was hired as a pilot model the came out of the military, half of them came out of military academies, so we had a wonderful. of course the service of the time was training, we had 50,000 pilots flying in vietnam's we had a lot of extras and seasoned people that came disciplined and they were well trained and educated. they had other options so if you wanted a pilot

mr. babbitt about that because you said you commuted for five years. the one with the description of the commuting. the map. is there one with the map? thank you. that shows -- this perhaps would show the same kind of thing for virtually any commuter airline we would talk about and perhaps the same map for any major trunk carrier. what most of you agree? and i thi the question that remains in the mind of many as evidenced by the questions today from members of the committee is does this matter? does it make a difference? and if several pilots or in seattle or portland or los angeles or wherever and flight to the east coast to start their work is a fatigue something we should be concerned about and mr. babbitt, you indicated as a conscientious piling you would go early, check into a motel or wherever and get your rest, and i am stand that and applaud that. it is clear to me however that is probably not likely going to be the case with someone that is a new hire making $23,000 a year to go find a place to rent. the reason i ask the question is on a fly a

mr. babbitt? >> no, sir. one of the issues that comes forward, it should be interesting to note for the record, that colgan was a relatively new provider, capacity sale of their seats and service. to cottonelle airlines, and enhance the reason they are committing an train commuting to newark. the same carrier could sign an agreement, you know, six months from now and be commuting to memphis. and so the pilots often don't move immediately. underline that, there are regulations. the regulations are enforced that require the look back as far as their airline duty is concerned. there is no reference the pilot has an obligation, a professional obligation to show up rested just like everyone else going to work the. >> i'm a lot less interested in what regulations are enforced versus how regulations are enforced. and i would ask this question. mr. o'brien, is it your sense that we have one level of safety as between commuters in trunk carriers these days reqs. >> it certainly is the goal. [inaudible] >> there certai

mr. babbitt? >> no sir. one of the issues that comes forward and should be interesting to know for the record that it was a new service provider, the capacity sale of their seats and service to continental airlines and hence the reason they are committing to new work. the same carrier could sign an agreement six months from now and be commuting to memphis and so the pilots often don't move immediately. underlined that there are regulations. the regulations are enforced the require the look back as far as their airline dooby is concerned. there is no reference. the pilot has an obligation, a professional obligation just like everyone else going to work. >> i am less interested in what regulations are enforced rather than how regulations are in for so i would ask this question. mr. o'brien, is it your sense that we have one level of safety as between commuters been trunk carriers these days? >> there certainly is a goal. the ability to attain this goal is still being sought after very diligently. however there

mr. babbitt. you are newly anointed. i do not think that is the word. >> probably not anointed. [laughter] good morning. i do welcome the opportunity to testify today on the faa's implementation of the american recovery and reinvestment act. my colleagues and i share the sense of urgency and purpose for the task that the president and congress have said for us. although the faa's share for the transportation programs is relatively modest at $1.3 million, it will have lasting benefits for our nation's aviation structure. congress appropriated $1.1 billion for individual airport owners for airport development in such areas as airways, a tax hit -- taxiways, a terminal buildings, and high priority safety equipment at airports. the remaining $200 million was provided for the faa's own facilities and equipment program to upgrade power and navigation systems and to modernize the air traffic facilities. as this committee is aware, the act sets for some specific time lines for project completion. more tha

mr. babbitt. three newly annointed-- that is not quite the word, is it? >> i don't think anointment was the term. >> pouring of holy water on the heads thereof. >> good morning chairman oberstar, ranking member mica, members of this committee. i do welcome the opportunity to testify today on the faa's implementation of the american recovery and reinvestment act which is one of our top priorities and my colleagues and i appear certainly share the sense of urgency and purpose for the task that the president and congress have said for us. although dfa a posh share of the recovery act so loved transportation programs is relatively modest at $1.3 billion this funding will have lasting benefits for nation's aviation infrastructure. congress appropriated $1.1 billion of that amount for grants to individual airport honors for airport development in such areas as runways, taxiways, airfield lighting, the terminal buildings and high party safety or security equipment at the airports. the remaining $200 milli

mr. babbitt, congratulations on your confirmation. i look forward to meeting with you in the near future and working with you very closely with our faa technical center. i have a question for you, mr. babbitt. you talked about two hundred million dollars in the fnf &e account. would you be able to let us know who is on that list? i would be curious to see who would be receiving the funding of course, i have an interest in a technical center at the atlantic city airport. i am very fond of saying that it is a premier facility in the world for aviation research and development for safety and security. i am curious as to whether they might be in line for any rehabilitation funding for the lab or any other facilities there. >> first, figure for the congratulations. i look forward to working with you as well. candidly, i do not know the specific breakdown. but i certainly can get that information to you. i have recently visited one of our technical centers. we will be calling on them for some of the advance as we are making right now. we ha

mr. babbitt, about you talk about 200 million in the f.india gather that it that it was going to go to three towers in 18 different centers i believe. would you be able to if not today at some point let us know who is on that list? i'd be curious to know who is going to be receiving the funding, and very specifically of course i have an interest in our faa technical center at the atlantic city airport which mr. oberstar knows i am very fond of saying is the premier facility in the world for aviation research and development for safety and security. and i'm just curious whether they might be in line for any rehabilitation funding for the labs or any of the other facilities there. >> first, thank you for the congratulations. i look forward to working with you as well. candidly, i don't know the specific breakdown, but i surely could get that information to you. i share your view on the technical center. i have recently visited one of our technical centers. we're going to be calling on them for some of the advancements we are make in right no

mr. babbitt, you may proceed. [inaudible] i am sorry. chairman dorgan, senator demint and members of the full committee, thank you for inviting me here today to discuss the faa's role in the oversight of air carriers. let me start by saying that we faa more tragic loss of kuhlman air flight 3407 and as well as the families and crew members aboard the air france for 47. this is an agency that is dedicated to air safety. and the loss is felt keenly by all of us and our sympathies go out to both the families of 3407 and air france for 47. as you noted senator this is my first appearance at a hearing since i was sworn in as at the eight administrative and i want to thank this committee again for both your support and your confidence in me. we do have an ambitious agenda and i think i have discussed some of that with you at the left confirmation, and i intend to work very hard to achieve the state the goals we have set forth in the challenge of the faa. since the mid 1990's there has been a requirement for one level of safety that all regiona

mr. babbitt is when to report on successes at the faa. i know they're trying. but their main problem

mr. babbitt. >> chairman organic thomas senator demand and members of the full committee thank you for inviting me here today to discuss the of april and oversight of air carriers. we at the faa more the tragic loss of plight 3407 as well as the families and crew members above air france 447. this agency is dedicated to air safety any loss is felt by all of us and and there are sympathies go out to air france 447 and 3407 this is my first appearance at a hearing since i was sworn in on june 1st and want to think the committee again for both of your support and your confidence in me. we do have and the ambitious agenda that i discussed with you at the last confirmation and i intend to work very hard to achieve the stated goals we have set forth as a challenge of the faa. since the nineties there has been a requirement of safety that of regional carriers must operate under the same rules and the same level of safety as major airline counterparts and i am proud to say when i was president of the airline pilots association are that the efforts to work with the faa to make those changes. all carrier

mr. babbitt indicated to me that the next time he came to a hearing and i asked the question, have you begun rulemaking, he indicated that he expected the answer to be affirmative rather than negative. so i think we're making some progress here, but this is very, very important. and it's something that we have to ask questions about. they are tough questions, but necessary and important questions. i want to thank the witnesses for being with us. senator demint is the ranking member of our subcommittee and i know senator demint wishes to make a comment and then i think also introduce mr. mauer formally who's a member of your state. >> thank you, mr. chairman, and i thank you again for conducting these hearings. i would just add my comments to yours. i agree with everything you said about the concerns about this flight. a lot of us get on regional flights ourselves every week going back and forth to our home states and that we assume a lot when we get on a plane and i and we do need to make sure there's a standard of safety for every american. i'm lookingb'ó forward to worki with the chairman

mr. babbitt, the recovery bill provided faa with a $2 million to hire additional staff to work grants and provide grant oversight. how is that going? have you spent the money? have we wrapped up in that regard? >> yes, sir. i can get you greater detail, but we have begun deploying that. we are looking at several things. one of which is, you know, they're some sophisticated ways that you can look at higher risk projects and, you know, analyze at risk for better oversight. and so that's where we have put some of the money. my understanding is we have about half of it in gaged already, and looking to the point arrest of it as these projects go forward. but i can get you very detailed information on the exact projects and the exact allocation. >> that would be hopeful. thank you, mr. chairman. >> mr. boozman, your question about jobs created, and job saved, that is an accounting that we will specifically receive in the next 30 day report. we thought initially that in this second report that the berries motormen ministrations would be able to report on those job figures, but it turned out to b

mr. babbitt one final question, you will no doubt appear before this committee many, many times. i understand that when you are asked whether you have sufficient funding at the faa, i believe most witnesses are instructed to support whatever the president's budget request is. the last person i recall who came to the congress -- one of the committee i was on, in fact, said the president's budget request is far inferior and far short for his agency was fired the next morning publicly in a great show of strength. so i understand you must say that you have all the money you need and yet a couple of the witnesses have suggested that you might well need some additional funding to implement assuming that you have the will and the agency has the will to implement the things that are necessary and to enforce what is necessary to enforce. so we'll talk when you don't have a microphone in front of you. [laughter] >> about those issues. but i do say that when you come back here i'm going to ask the same question after you've had a couple of weeks. have you begun rulemaking on that when the n

mr. babbitt, they have no use of the hand pilot or turbo flying in a i see conditions? >> it may well be but might newness and preparation for the hearing i am not aware of a requirement. >> i >> there was a direct comment by the first officer that, although she has 2,600 hours flying but had never flown in icing conditions. i believe that is correct. >> i believe -- my understanding of reading some of the transcript anyway was that she was describing. she had flown in icing conditions before. she was describing, however, that she did come in fact, have experience. she was describing that earlier. how is concerned her and she was looking to get more experience. >> my time is running out. when ntsb makes up recommendation, which they have made regarding icing conditions and turboprops, what does faa do? do you have a response procedure that you go through? to you take-it-or-leave-it? >> my in the standing of the process today -- and i will let you know. we certainly evaluate every single one. i don't think that there is an expectation on behalf of the ntsb that we should