US regulators worried about aircraft outsourcing

Toronto News.Net
Sunday 5th October, 2008

A US government report has said nine US airlines outsourced more than 70 percent of their major aircraft maintenance last year.

Contractors overseas did most of the work in Canada, Mexico and countries in Central America and Asia.

The Transportation Department's inspector general said the outsourcing had become a concern because the Federal Aviation Administration had failed to closely track how much maintenance was being farmed out and to whom.

The report said airlines had continued to shift their heavy airframe maintenance from their own in-house mechanics to outside sources in an effort to save money.

The outsourcing issue has been source of controversy for the agency for several years as it is not able to fully oversee the work.

Have your say on this story