The crash of Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstones airplane isreason enough the FAA should require cockpit voice and data recorders beinstalled in smaller commercial aircraft, according to U.S. RepresentativeJames Oberstar (D-Minn.). Oberstar, the ranking member of the House Transportation andInfrastructure Committee, told the Associated Press aircraft owners won’t spendthe money to install safety equipment if it is not a requirement. Oberstar pointedout that the Beechcraft King Air A-100 airplane carrying Wellstone lacked botha cockpit voice recorder and a flight data recorder, which he says will makethe investigation into the accident more difficult. The NTSB is still trying tofigure out which pilot had control of the airplane when it crashed. Oberstar hasbeen praised by AOPA for his work on behalf of GA.
Oberstar Promotes Recorders For Small Aircraft
Key Takeaways:
- U.S. Rep. James Oberstar is advocating for the FAA to mandate cockpit voice and data recorders in smaller commercial aircraft.
- This proposal stems from the crash of Senator Paul Wellstone's Beechcraft King Air, which lacked these recorders, complicating the NTSB investigation.
- Oberstar argues that without a requirement, aircraft owners will not voluntarily install the safety equipment due to cost.
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