Colgan Air Flight 3407 FAQs

WASHINGTON, DC (WIVB) - Colgan Air provided the following Frequently Asked Questions to News 4 on Wednesday afternoon.

 

Flight crew training

1. Did Captain Renslow have training specifically to deal with the situation that confronted him in the seconds before the accident involving Flight 3407?
a. Colgan’s FAA-approved training program does provide comprehensive training on the stall warning system during initial Q400 ground school as well as annual recurrent ground school.
b. In addition, a pilot does indeed receive hands-on experience in the flight simulator on the proper response to stick shaker activation, despite news reports to the contrary.

2. Does Colgan offer specific training on recognition and recovery from impending stalls?
a. Like all Colgan pilots, Captain Renslow and First Officer Shaw had thorough initial and recurrent training on how to recognize an impending stall situation through the stick shaker and how to recognize the aircraft’s response to a possible stall.
b. This training is consistent with programs and training equipment employed at all major air carriers.

3. Why does the FAA not require flight simulator training on stick pusher?
a. We can’t speculate on rationale for FAA regulations.
b. Since the accident, Colgan has also instituted stick pusher demonstrations in a flight simulator, despite the fact that flight simulator training on this issue is not required by the FAA and is not standard in the airline industry.
c. This is one of a number of additions that Colgan has made to its training and safety programs in the wake of the accident.

4. Why did the flight crew not follow their training?
a. We cannot speculate on why they did not use their training in dealing with the situation they faced.
b. Captain Renslow and First Officer Shaw did know what to do, had repeatedly demonstrated they knew what to do, but did not do it.

5. How comprehensive is your crew training?
a. Our crew training is certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
b. Our crew training programs meet or exceed the regulatory requirements for all major airlines.
i. For example, Colgan Air requires double the amount of flight training time prior to operating this type of aircraft than is required by FAA regulations.
ii. After flight training is completed, Colgan Air requires its pilots to observe crews operating this type of aircraft before they can fly passengers. This is not required by FAA regulations.

6. What are some details of your crew training programs?
a. Our ground and air training is designed in coordination with the aircraft manufacturer and follows their recommendations for training our crews to operate the aircraft.
b. We also work with one of the most respected providers of aviation flight training for most major aircraft types, and that includes expertise in the Q400 aircraft.
c. Some techniques include utilizing state-of the-art training devices such as:
i. Full-motion simulator
ii. Flight management system trainer
iii. Ground flight simulator
d. All training programs are reviewed and approved by the FAA.
e. We have a quality control group that closely monitors crew performance after those formal training programs are completed.

7. What is your approach to training crew on new aircraft you introduce to your fleet?
a. In addition to total flight hour standards, comprehensive training and certification programs as prerequisites for hire, we mandate and provide additional training for our crews on any new aircraft we introduce.
b. When our crews fly our aircraft, we believe, and the FAA has certified, that our crews are prepared to handle emergency situations they might face.

Fatigue

8. Did Colgan schedule these pilots in a way that they could receive adequate rest?
a. Colgan’s flight crew schedule provided rest periods for each of them that were far in excess of FAA requirements.
b. We want to emphasize that if there was a fatigue issue with Captain Renslow or First Officer Shaw, it was not due to their work schedule.

9. What was the crew’s flight history right before the accident?
a. Captain Renslow had nearly 22 consecutive hours of time off before he reported for duty on the day of the accident. That was nearly three times the FAA-minimum required rest period.
b. First Officer Shaw had been off work for three days since her last flight.

10. What is the company policy on where its pilots live in relationship to their flight base?
a. Like all airlines, we support the right of our pilots to live where they choose.
b. However, if pilots choose to live outside their flight base and commute, we require them to have accommodations near their flight base to ensure they have access to a place to rest.

11. Did this crew have adequate rest?
a. It is unclear if Captain Renslow made preparations to get proper rest prior to the flight.
b. It is clear that First Officer Shaw did not reserve adequate time to travel from her home to her base in order to ensure she was properly rested and fit for duty.
c. Flying fatigued or sick is not an option at Colgan. Like every airline, Colgan must rely on the professionalism of its pilots to fulfill this duty obligation.

12. What have you done to address fatigue since the accident?
a. Implemented a fatigue awareness program with information to crew members on how to recognize fatigue and also enhancing training programs to include fatigue awareness
b. Proposed a steering committee Flight Operations Crew representatives
c. Proposed a fatigue Risk Management process
d. Improved fatigue reporting and analysis

Sterile cockpit

13. Why did these pilots violate sterile cockpit regulations?
a. We cannot speculate on why they acted the way they did.
b. Their actions were in direct violation of and applicable FAA regulations as well as company policy and training.
c. Had the crew landed safely and their actions been discovered, appropriate disciplinary action would have been taken.
d. Their behavior undermines the hundreds of Colgan pilots who conduct themselves in a professional manner each and every day.
Flight 3407 crew experience

14. What were Captain Renslow’s qualifications and hours logged?
a. Captain Renslow had 3,379 total hours of flight experience and was Airline Transport Pilot rated, which is the highest level of certification available.
b. He had 172 hours of formal training on the Q400 aircraft, qualifying him fully in accordance with all applicable Federal Aviation Regulations.

15. Captain Renslow’s hours on this aircraft seems low. Can you provide context on that?
a. As is the same with major carriers, even experienced captains that upgrade to a new aircraft must receive extensive training on that new aircraft type prior to taking flight. Captain Renslow received formal training specifically for the Q400 and was qualified to fly this aircraft.

16. What were First Officer Shaw’s qualifications and hours logged?
a. First Officer Shaw had 2,220 total hours of flight experience.
b. She had 772 hours flying the Q400 aircraft, qualifying her fully in accordance with all applicable Federal Aviation Regulations.

17. News reports have interpreted First Officer Shaw’s comments regarding her experience in icing to mean that she had never flown in icing conditions. Is this true? What is her history in icing conditions?
a. While icing is not presumed to have been a contributing factor in this accident, First Officer Shaw did in fact have extensive experience flying the Q400 in icing conditions.
b. We assume the comments she made as listed on the CVR transcript were referring to an earlier point in her career.
Company actions post-accident

18. What other steps are company officials taking to ensure safety of their product following the accident?
a. Our training and safety programs meet or exceed the regulatory requirements for all major airlines.
b. Here are some examples of what we’ve done since the accident:
i. Enhanced our pilot interview selection process
ii. Expanded our pilot background checks to include FOIA.
iii. Consolidation of knowledge of skills
iv. Enhanced maneuver training and checking
v. Begun development of Flight Operations Quality Assurance program (FOQA)
vi. Established a fatigue awareness program

19. How does Colgan Air approach revising its policies?
a. We continuously review and revise our safety policies and training procedures as part of our everyday operations, and in concert with the FAA.

20. What is Colgan Air’s philosophy on safety?
a. Colgan Air has instilled a systemic culture of safety throughout our organization that is rooted in significant investment in crew training, systems, leadership and equipment.