Word: faa
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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Fearful that similar planes could be equally vulnerable to disaster, the FAA called for inspections of all 737s that have made more than 30,000 takeoffs and landings, which included as many as 291 jets operated by U.S. carriers. Of those planes, 36 that have racked up more than 55,000 landings were prohibited from flying above 23,000 ft. until they could be thoroughly checked out. At higher altitudes, the cabin must be pressurized to a greater extent and more strain is put on the fuselage. Among those airlines most severely affected by last week's ruling were American...
...Aloha episode is only the most dramatic of mechanical snafus that have ranged from clogged fuel filters to rusted-through floors to cracked turbine blades. Last month the FAA launched a special inspection of all jets operated by Continental and Eastern airlines in response to recurring accusations that their parent, Texas Air, the largest U.S. airline company, was cutting corners on maintenance because of its financial troubles. Even the reliability of new jets came under assault last month, when two foreign carriers, Japan Air Lines and British Airways, complained strongly about malfunctions on freshly assembled Boeing 747s and 767s...
...which could weigh heavily on the minds of consumers. Katherine Dallam, a 31-year-old computer-graphics entrepreneur in the Bronx, worries about flying because, among other things, she keeps hearing about "parts falling off the planes." Eastern has acknowledged a decline in bookings in the wake of the FAA probe, even though both that carrier and Continental expect the investigation to exonerate them. Ronald King, a Brooklyn school counselor, almost canceled two Eastern tickets for a Bahamas vacation with his girlfriend. Says he: "I had to stop reading the newspaper so I wouldn't get scared of getting...
...growing clamor about Texas Air prompted the FAA to launch an unusual plane-by-plane inspection of the Eastern and Continental fleets (total planes: 636) last month along with a probe to determine whether Texas Air is financially stable enough to run its airlines safely. While the FAA found such violations as a faded red EXIT light, a frayed seat belt and a minor oil leak, the agency says it has uncovered no major problems during the investigation, which is expected to conclude next week. Texas Air believes the special inspection will exonerate the airline and win back public confidence...
Eastern and Continental are not the only airlines to go through a chastening | process. Texas Air's chief rival, Dallas-based American, was slapped with a $1.5 million fine three years ago by the FAA. Although the airline admitted no wrongdoing, it boosted its maintenance payroll by 3,000 workers, to 9,471 at present, and doubled the number of its repair stations, to 39. Nor is Chicago- based United immune to safety problems. Last week a United 747 with 258 people aboard barely reached Tokyo's airport on just one of its four engines after apparently suffering a malfunction...