Maintenance and Airline Safety

The Federal Aviation Act of 1958 (FA Act), as amended, provides the regulatory statute for safety regulation of civil aeronautics in the United States. The Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR), in turn, implement the FA Act by specifying the responsibilities of the air carriers and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) relative to certification and maintenance of aircraft and airlines. This paper presents e brief review of these responsibilities, provides empirical data on the maintenance performance of airlines, the critical link between proper maintenance and airline safety and, finally, actions underway by the airline industry and the FAA to ensure proper maintenance and airline safety.