FAA proposes penalties against airline, repair station

The Federal Aviation Administration recently proposed civil penalties against two commercial airlines for violations of regulations.

According to a press release, FAA on Feb. 17 proposed a $2.9 million civil penalty against American Eagle Airlines for operating more than 1,000 flights using airplanes on which improper repairs were performed on landing gear doors. The agency alleges that between February and May 2008, AE conducted at least 1,178 passenger-carrying flights using four Bombardier jets with main landing gear doors that had not been repaired in accordance with an Airworthiness Directive that went into effect in August 2006. AE has since removed the landing gear doors on the affected aircraft and repaired them, but has less than a month to respond to a letter regarding the civil penalty. Earlier this month, FAA proposed a $2.5 million civil penalty against AE for operating flights without adequately ensuring the weight of baggage was properly calculated.

In addition, FAA on Feb. 19 proposed a $1.2 million civil penalty for GE Caledonian, an FAA-certified foreign repair station based in Scotland. FAA alleges the repair station used improper maintenance procedures on 101 of its engines between January 2005 and May 2008. GE Caledonian also has 30 days to respond to FAA.