American Airlines has had to limit capacity on flights that operate Boeing 767-300s until they can ensure that there are ample rafts for all passengers on-board. Apparently an audit of American’s fleet found that 58 of the type of aircraft did not have enough floatable rafts for passengers. ”We have always had more than enough safety equipment on our 767-300 aircraft to handle passengers and crews,” said AMR Corp.’s American Airlines. “In addition to the life rafts, all passengers and crew on these aircraft have access to two different flotation devices.” The FAA is reportedly working with American on ensuring that there are enough rafts for each passenger.
It’s good to see that carriers audit their aircraft. Safety equipment, such as rafts, are vital in case of any emergency that an aircraft could see. I think it’s safe to say that American and the FAA have taken adequate steps to ensure the safety of those on-board their flights.
Update on Bird Radar: On another note in safety, the safety chairman of the ALPA (Air Line Pilots Association), the largest pilot union in the country, said the timeframe for implementing Bird Radar is not satisfactory. The radar system has been in the works for nearly 10 years, but FAA officials have said that the system needs refinements and tweaking for it to be satisfactory enough for implementation. Radar can detect birds, but the problem is: Detecting birds’ altitude; a necessity for airliners. I’ll keep you updated as usual as new updates arrive on the technology.
Wise move by American. Passenger safety should always be the top priority, and I’d certainly prefer an airline to own up to and fix any problems than deny they exist.
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