mr. prater. this chart shows for colgan air but people flying all over the country to get to the duty station. the show's new work and where they're living in order to get to new work to get to a duty station. does that make sense to you mr. prater? you say it is always that way they have to be on their own and get adequate rest but in this case at a co-pilot that flew all night long to get to her duty station does that make sense? >> it does make sense but i would agree with you that that is some representing the reality of our air transportation system and pilates. however i think we have to take a very close look again at the system that has created this. you cannot open and close domiciles on a regular basis and a transfer flying and lay off pilots at one airline and not give them some ability to either move to their new station or get to work. even if i am based in houston and the company needs me out of new work they will deadhead read to newer can get me to where i need to start the flight

mr. prater says the enforcement of that standard is not as rigorous as passengers would expect. what is your impression of that? >> mr. chairman, we all adhere to 421, the single standard which was established in 1995. mainline carriers more regularly far exceed the standard than regional partners do. with virtually no exceptions programs, more robust training, as part of the recommendations that we have made before you today, in the house, we would suggest many of those programs be instituted at the regional level. >> the fact is, it is your name, the name of your company that you represent on the fuselages of these airplanes and in many cases, you own the regional carrier or a substantial portion of equity. it would seem to me in the interests of the network carriers, to require the things you recommended to day prior to these recommendations. >> i understand that thought. there was actually a proposal made by the ntsb in 1994 when this whole debate came to pass when 121 was created, to have the mainline carriers be the enforcement of 121, for the regional partners. congress an

mr. prater says he believes that the enforcement to that standard is not as rigorous as passengers would expect, or as we would expect. mr. me, what's your impression of that? >> mr. chairman, we all adhere to 421 which is the single standard which was established in 1995. i think the reality is that mainline carriers more regularly far exceed that standard in 121 then our regional partners do. we have with virtually no exceptions foca programs, asap programs, more robust training, etc. and as part of the recommendations, that we have made before you today and in the house last week, and the faa, we would suggest that many of those programs be instituted at the regional level for our partners. >> let me ask you. the fact is it is your name, that is the name of your companies that you represent on the fuselage of these airplanes. >> that is correct. >> in many cases you own the regional carrier or own substantial portion of equity in the regional carrier. so it would seem to me that it would be any interest of the network carriers to require the things that you have recommended today prior

mr. may o.r. captain prater to answer quickly a simple question it is the issue of down time and faa minimums that they currently have been i know each of you mentioned a minimum standard you think the minimums are too low? pilates for downtime as well as other training and issues do you think they are too low and need to be raised? >> i assume you talk about light duty time? >> yes. >> i think i think they're probably appropriate law. number two we made a commitment at the faa's call to action on monday to enter into a science based study to determine whether or not they are currently appropriate or not there is a proceeding on the altar along flying the faa has done that is science based with plenty of skilled people available to do that ought to incorporate the chairman has raised the issue of commuting i think we ought to incorporate that into the process and so we would strongly endorsed a process being established to look at flight duty time current standards, how they might defer for regionals, with takeo

mr. may can answer too, and captain prater, if you want to answer this very quickly, a simple question. that is the whole issue of down time, and faa's minimums that they currently have, and each one of you mentioned standard requirements. do you think the minimums too low? the minimum standards for pilots, downtime as well as other issues? do you think there too low and need to be raised? can we start with you? mr. may? >> you are talking about flight duty time? >> yes. >> there are probably appropriate. we made a commitment at a call to action on monday, to enter into a science based study to determine whether or not they are currently opprobrium or not. there has been a recent proceeding on all along flying that the faa has done, it was science base, plenty of skilled people available to do that. we probably ought to incorporate the chairman -- the chairman has raised this issue of commuting. we ought to incorporate that into the process, and so we would strongly endorse a process being established to look at flight duty time, current standards, how they might differ, lots of takeoff

mr. cohen, thank you very much for your testimony. next we will hear from captain john prater, the president of the pilots association. >> we commend this committee for calling this hearing to take a closer look at some of the critical issue looking at pilots and our charges. training and mentoring were at the top of the agenda at the faa's call to action summit in which we participated on monday. while this meeting was a critical first step towards developing solutions to these problems, we encouraged the faa to take a more structured approach in working with the airlines and labor to establish an agreed-to implementation plan for all parties to adopt. in recent years, we have to look more at the system. the major airlines have come to rely heavily on code-share arrangements with the so-called regional airlines to connect large, midsize, and small cities in the u.s., in canada, in mexico to their international hubs. this has resulted in the large growth in the regional sector of the industry. still, the major carriers exert a great deal, almost total pressure on the regional