Official Summary

7/22/2008--Passed House amended. Aviation Safety Enhancement Act of 2008 - Amends federal transportation law to establish in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) an Aviation Safety Whistleblower Investigation Office, with a Director appointed by the Secretary of Transportation, which

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Official Summary

7/22/2008--Passed House amended. Aviation Safety Enhancement Act of 2008 - Amends federal transportation law to establish in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) an Aviation Safety Whistleblower Investigation Office, with a Director appointed by the Secretary of Transportation, which shall receive and assess complaints and information relating to possible violations of aviation safety laws and regulations. Directs the FAA Administrator to modify the FAA customer service initiative, mission and vision statements, and other policy statements to:
(1) remove any reference to air carriers or other entities regulated by the FAA as "customers";
(2) clarify that in regulating safety the only FAA customers are individuals traveling on aircraft; and
(3) clarify that air carriers and other entities regulated by the FAA do not have the right to select the FAA employees who will inspect their operations. Prohibits any person holding an air carrier operating certificate from knowingly employing, or contracting with, an individual to act as an agent or representative of the certificate holder in any matter before the FAA if, in the preceding two-year period, the individual:
(1) served as, or was responsible for oversight of, an FAA flight standards inspector; and
(2) had responsibility to inspect, or oversee inspection of, the operations of the certificate holder. Prohibits any individual serving as a principal supervisory inspector of the FAA from being responsible for overseeing the operations of a single air carrier for a continuous period of more than five years. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the FAA Administrator to establish a process by which the FAA air transportation oversight system database is reviewed by a team of FAA employees on a monthly basis to ensure that:
(1) any trends in regulatory compliance are identified; and
(2) appropriate corrective actions are taken.


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