tyler fatigue has consistently been an issue with the ntsb and the faa. the current flight rules i believe have been in existence with respect to a duly time and

. -- with the ntsb and the f.a.a.the current flight rules have been in existence for some 40 or 50-years without much change. the ntsb investigations have found that pilot fatigue was either the probably or the con contribute story cause of 20 air carrier accidents in the u.s. and has caused 273 fatalities between 1989 and 2008. so this is not some issue without substantial consequence. the ntsb's outstanding pilot fatigue related safety recommendations calls on the f.a.a. to revise the flight and duty time limitations to take into consideration research findings on fatigue and sleep issues. while the f.a.a. also limits the amount of flight and duty time a pilot may work in a day, and as i said these limits have existed for decade, commuting time which is an increasing phenomenon in recent decade, is not factored into this requirement at all. i'll talk just for a moment about that today. the stories that we have heard are fairly frightening. and i want to say from the outset my goal today is not to alarm the flying pu

pilot fatigue has consistently been an issue with the ntsb and the faa.eve have been in existence with respect to duty time and so on have been in the existence for some 40 or 50 years. without much change. the ntsb investigation have found that pilot fatigue was the probable of contributory cause of 273 fatalities between 1989 and 2008. so this is not some issue without substantial consequence. we call on the faa to revise the flight and duty time limitations to take into consideration search findings on fatigue and sleep issues. while the faa also limits the amount of flight and duty time a pilot may work in a day, these limits have existed for decades. commuting time, which is an increasing phenomenon in recent decades is not factored into this requirement at all. i'll talk just a moment about that today. the stories that we have heard are fairly frightening. and i want to say from the onset, my goal today is not to alarm the flying public. far from it. we have the safest skies in the world in my judgment. but the issue of pilot fatigue is serious, and

tyler fatigue has consistently been an issue with the ntsb and the faa.current flight rules i believe have been in existence with respect to a duly time and so on have been in existence for some 40 or 50 years, without much change. the ntsb investigations have found that pilot fatigue was either the probable or the contributory cause of 20 air carrier accidents in the u.s. and has caused 273 fatalities between 1989 and 2008. so this is not issue without substantial consequence. the ntsb's outstanding pilot fatigue related safety recommendation calls on the faa to revise the flight and duty time limitations to take into consideration research findings on fatigue and sleep issues. while the faa also limits the amount of flight and duty time a pilot may work in a day and as i said these limits have existed for decades, commuting time, which is an increasing phenomenon in recent decades is not factored into this requirement at all. and they'll talk just for a moment about that today. the stories that we have heard are fairly frightening. and they want to say

in a situation like this, what is the role of the ntsb? guest: this if the board goes to investigate the accident and we try to figure out whether the outcome is good or bad and if there are lessons to learn. in a situation like the hudson, where we had a fantastic outcome, there is a lot to learn from the accident. with a mid-air collision, it is a little different. everyone in that accident died. we are looking at that accident to figure out how to prevent something like that from happening again, and also what we can learn within three weeks of the act -- what we can learn to hit within three weeks of the accident, we issued changes for air safety on the hudson, coordination between atc. the faa has taken very quick action. charts have been changed and the airspace over the hudson is safer now because of those changes. that is exactly why we exist, to make transportation safer. host: the metro accident that killed nine people over the summer -- what was the cause of the accident, and what did you learn? guest: that accident occurred in

in a situation like this, what is the role of the ntsb? guest: this if the board goes to investigate the accident and we try to figure out whether the outcome is good or bad and if there are lessons to learn. in a situation like the hudson, where we had a fantastic outcome, there is a lot to learn from the accident. with a mid-air collision, it is a little different. everyone in that accident died. we are looking at that accident to figure out how to prevent something like that from happening again, and also what we can learn within three weeks of the act -- what we can learn to hit within three weeks of the accident, we issued changes for air safety on the hudson, coordination between atc. the faa has taken very quick action. charts have been changed and the airspace over the hudson is safer now because of those changes. that is exactly why we exist, to make transportation safer. host: the metro accident that killed nine people over the summer -- what was the cause of the accident, and what did you learn? guest: that accident occurred in

the ntsb is conducting an investigation. one of the interim recommendations that they made to us was to increase testing of the signaling system to make sure there is no malfunction. given that we have not reached the absolute cause of that accident, we know it is some type of signaling error that occurred in the automatic control system. that is not finalized. it is prudent to have operators operating in manual mode. at the same time, twice daily tests to determine if there are any signal malfunctions. we are in the process of testing in a system that will detect any lack of system -- and a lack of signals were in proper signals being sent but that is in the testing stage and we expect to have that system fully tested and ready to implement some time in the next year. manual mode allows us to determine all the correct fixes to the cause of the accident. >> i am not an expert but that seldom stops us from asking questions. i would think that these systems as they are deployed today would have as a major feature an indication

in a situation like this, what is the role of the ntsb?guest: this if the board goes to investigate the accident and we try to figure out whether the outcome is good or bad and if there are lessons to learn. in a situation like the hudson, where we had a fantastic outcome, there is a lot to learn from the accident. with a mid-air collision, it is a little different. everyone in that accident died. we are looking at that accident to figure out how to prevent something like that from happening again, and also what we can learn within three weeks of the act -- what we can learn to hit within three weeks of the accident, we issued changes for air safety on the hudson, coordination between atc. the faa has taken very quick action. charts have been changed and the airspace over the hudson is safer now because of those changes. that is exactly why we exist, to make transportation safer. host: the metro accident that killed nine people over the summer -- what was the cause of the accident, and what did you learn? guest: that accident occurred in j

and the same has been true with the ntsb.ing it on a most-wanted list for some 19 years is unacceptable. and i appreciate the fact that administrator babbitt is now in the process of taking action. we're going to hear that from ms. gilligan. but this has to be a catalyst. this hearing has to be a catalyst for insisting at last, at long last after some 40 years or so, that we take a hard look at this and make the changes that are necessary. ms. gilligan. >> thank you, sir. chairman dorgan, and senator, members of the subcommit year, i'm pleased to be here today to discuss the f.a.a.'s efforts to mitigate pilot fatigue. as you know the agency his been involved in revising the current regulations on flute and duty time for some time. and we are all frustrated by the amount of time we've spent. but i can tell you that this time our efforts are different. administrator babbitt, himself a former commercial airline pilot, has made this a high-priority issue for the f.a.a. in june he chartered an aviation rulemaking committee compris

years. -- fateh has been on the list for ntsb for a number of years. -- fatigue. commercial aviation in this country delivers about 800 million people per year to their destinations. 30,000 flights operate every day in this country safely. we have had some tragic accident, but few. honand we also know how to prevt accidents in the future by addressing things that we understand or potential problems and cause potential risk. there are fateh related accidents that have occurred in the last 20 years -- fatigue- related accidents have occurred in the last 20 years. it ought to require all of us to be urgent and our request to the faa to make progress on dealing with these issues. there has been equipment concern recently because there have been major delays and chaos in the country about the air traffic system. the one on no. 19 this year and one in 2008. bird strike issues and the hudson river mid-air collision, those are both issues, talking about the mid-air and bird strike collision, and this raises other issues. a and note -- i know for the ntsb and also for the

years. -- fateh has been on the list for ntsb for a number of years. -- fatigue. commercial aviation in this country delivers about 800 million people per year to their destinations. 30,000 flights operate every day in this country safely. we have had some tragic accident, but few. honand we also know how to prevt accidents in the future by addressing things that we understand or potential problems and cause potential risk. there are fateh related accidents that have occurred in the last 20 years -- fatigue- related accidents have occurred in the last 20 years. it ought to require all of us to be urgent and our request to the faa to make progress on dealing with these issues. there has been equipment concern recently because there have been major delays and chaos in the country about the air traffic system. the one on no. 19 this year and one in 2008. bird strike issues and the hudson river mid-air collision, those are both issues, talking about the mid-air and bird strike collision, and this raises other issues. a and note -- i know for the ntsb and also for the

i know for the ntsb and also for the faa. airworthiness directives violations and i won't talk much about that except to say i will ask questions about them as well. when commercial airlines fail to comply with airworthiness directive that is a very serious problem and i know the faa has set to take remedial action there and then the issue of next generation or so-called nextgen changing the air traffic control systems and modernizing the system is very important because that will improve safety, improve safety, save fuel and do a lot of things. most people nowadays understand that you can access somewhere above the earth and get directions from that in order to move your car or to find the location of your friend with the cell phone. the problem is despite the fact that that technology is the mature and ready his it is not available in this country generally speaking for the movement of commercial airplanes. it is unbelievable to me. we still are doing is ground-based navigation in this guy's lindbeck gps navigation would be

then an interview with ntsb chairman. >> tomorrow, "washington journal" will start a half an hour earlier with coverage of the senate's final vote on the health care bill. we will have announcements and later we will talk to jerry -- gary cheek of the wounded warriors program for disabled veteran. "washington journal" begins at 6:30 a.m. eastern tomorrow on c- span. >> now all us senate hearing on body building supplements including steroids. arlen specter of pennsylvania chairs the judiciary subcommittee on crime and drugs. this is an hour and a half. >> we will now proceed with this hearing on body building supplements and the possibility of their containing steroids or steroid-like substances. the federal laws which govern the subject are complex. if the substance is a drug within the meaning of the food and drug act, is subject to pre clearance by the fda, and a failure to comply with federal law may result in criminal penalties. if the item comes within the control substances act, as one of the titles defining steroids, there may be a criminal violation again. the legislation provide

the fact is, this issue has been around, the ntsb has had this on the most-wanted list for many years. i appreciate the fact that you have started the process, but it is much more important that you and the process. -- it is much more important that you end of the process. you indicated that the time is now sliding, not unusual twist federal agencies, but disappointing giving the circumstances we now face. give me your best judgment about when those of us who are waiting for these recommendations and the implementation of new rules and regulations dealing with fatigue -- when we can expect action. ticket the administrator is completely -- >> the administrator is completely dedicated to completing the process. he is also dedicated to getting it right. this is an area in which he is knowledgeable given his own experience as a pilot. we have presented to him the framework that the aviation rulemaking committee provided and the kind of details that we have to analyze. he has agreed that we need additional time in order to make sure we get it right. we have committed to him to have the ana

investigation is not complete, i don't believe that it is going to find -- i don't want to prejudice the ntsb investigation. i'm not going to comment on that. the causal factor is failure to recognize a fundamental stall warning and improper response to a basic warning that the crew had been well trained for and simply didn't follow procedures. >> thank you. >> thank you very much, mr. chairman and thank you, mr. babbit for being here. i always try to attend these when you're here. first, i want to do a couple of comments on alaska issues which obviously i view this hearing not only update on fatigue and others but a general update on your survival for six months so far and the first one is in alaska, you know flight service stations are not contracted out. we're the only one s that arenot contracted out. all the rest are. we appreciate that. we think they do a great job. our concern and my concern is that there are vacancies occurring. the training is not occurring to replace those people and what i'm starting to hear is that folks are concerned it is basically f.a.a. has let t peter out so