Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Families of Flight 3407 victims gathered in Washington on Monday to rally to keep pilot training requirements where they are. An airline recently requested ways to circumvent requirements.
The visit comes on the 12th anniversary of President Obama signing the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Act of 2010. That law bumped up requirements for pilot training. A plaque was unveiled at FAA headquarters on Monday.
Rep. Brian Higgins
Family members had meetings with both Senate and House aviation staff who are working on the upcoming FAA reauthorization bill. Among those, Scott Maurer, whose daughter Lorin was killed in the crash. "The current FAA reauthorization expires October of next year, so they're already beginning to work on it. And our efforts are to make sure that no legislation gets gets put in there that might reduce or lessen the law that was passed in 2010," says Maurer. Recently, Republic Airlines asked the government for permission to circumvent the requirements. Congressman Brian Higgins was among those pushing back that effort. Maurer says he has to keep his guard up. "The one thing about Washington DC is, you know, everything changes, and money does talk an awful lot. And the lobbyists, you know, they're not citizen advocates. groups, they're out there every day trying to undo things," adds Maurer.
Kevin Kulick was Lorin Maurer's boyfriend. He says it's important to keep the fight for stricter pilot safety standards. "After 911, we had a decade where there are six plane crashes. And, you know, since 3407, we've had 13 years and there have been zero. So I think that that record speaks for itself," says Kulick. He says they couldn't forgive themselves if they let standards roll back, and as a result, a crash happens.
Kulick says he's optimistic about Senator Chuck Schumer's support. "He's been a champion for us all the way through, he's gonna keep fighting for us, obviously, and he's got pretty good clout," says Kulick.
On Feb. 12, 2009, Colgan Air Flight 3407 crashed in Clarence, New York, killing all on board and one person on the ground.
