Feb 12 1997
From The Space Library
The White House Commission on Aviation Safety and Security, chaired by Vice President Albert A. Gore Jr., released its recommendations for reforming the United States' aviation industry. The Commission challenged NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the U.S. Department of Defense to combine their efforts, with the goal of reducing aircraft accident rates by 80 percent over the next five years. NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin voiced immediate support for the challenge, explaining, "We're looking for solutions that will save lives." He pledged NASA's commitment to interagency cooperation and committed US$500 million in NASA funds, to achieve a major reduction in aircraft-related fatalities. Both NASA and the FAA cited previous successful collaboration efforts between their agencies. The Gore Commission's most controversial recommendation was the use of computerized databases to identify potential terrorists. Critics quickly called the plan an exercise in profiling, which would foster biased treatment, especially toward Arab Americans and passengers with Arab-sounding names. Other safety proposals included requiring children under the age of two to sit in their own seats, rather than on the lap of an adult, as the airlines had long permitted. The Commission further suggested that user fees, rather than ticket taxes, fund air-traffic control; that airports deploy a new satellite-based, air-traffic-control system, as soon as possible; and that airports make all airmail packages weighing more than 1 pound (0.5 kilograms) subject to inspection. In total, the Commission recommended 53 changes to the current system.
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