A4A Testimony by Tom Hendricks, SVP for Safety, Security and Operations Before U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Aviation

Commercial aviation helps drive more than 10M American jobs and 5 cents of every dollar of U.S. GDP
Commercial aviation drives more than $1 trillion per year in economic activity
In 2012, U.S. airlines moved more than 48,000 tons of cargo per day
In 2012, the value of a kilogram of U.S. merchandise exported by air averaged 121 times the value exported by sea
For every 100 airline jobs, some 360 are supported outside of the airline industry
Federal taxes constitute $61 – or 20% – of the price of a typical $300 domestic round-trip ticket
In 2011, U.S. airlines carried 16 percent more passengers and cargo using 10 percent less fuel than in 2000
Domestically, airlines drive 5% of economic activity but account for 2% of man-made GHG emissions
From 2000-2011, airlines reduced GHG emissions by 11% while transporting 16% more passengers and cargo
From 1975-2011, U.S. airlines and their partners reduced significant noise exposure by 99%
Commercial air travel is the safest form of intercity transportation in the United States
In the most recent decade, scheduled air service on U.S. airlines was seven times safer than in the 1970s
From 2000-2012, U.S. airlines improved the on-time arrival rate from 72.6% to 81.9%
From 2000-2012, U.S. airlines reduced the flight cancellation rate sharply from 3.30% to 1.29%
Airfares are a bargain: From 2000-2012, U.S. CPI rose 33% while average domestic fare rose just 13%
Adjusted for inflation, the average round-trip domestic airfare fell 15% from 2000
2007 domestic flight delays cost the United States approximately $31 billion
In 2012, the value of U.S. merchandise exported by air reached an all-time high of $427B
In 2012, U.S. exports of air-travel services reached an all-time high of $39.5B, driving a $5.1B trade surplus
In 2012, U.S. passenger and cargo airlines spent more than $50B on fuel, averaging 36% of operating expenses
In 2012, U.S. airlines posted the lowest annual rate of mishandled baggage ever recorded
FAA projects U.S. air travel demand to top 1 billion passengers in 2027
In 2012, US airlines flew 83.4 million passengers in scheduled international service - a record high
In 2012, the total value of merchandise exported from or imported to the United States by air exceeded $927 billion
In 2012, 7.15 teragrams of merchandise was exported from or imported to the United States by air

	A4A Testimony by Tom Hendricks, SVP for Safety, Security and Operations Before U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Aviation
	PubZone1 Commercial Airline Safety Oversight April 25, 2012 Chairman Petri, Ranking Member Costello and Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for inviting A4A to appear at this important and timely hearing. At the outset, I want to express our thanks to the Committee for its leadership in aviation safety and its support of the initiatives that I will discuss this morning, many of which were addressed in the recently enacted FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012. Of course, we also appreciate the efforts of the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board. Safety underpins every aspect of airline operations. The remarkable safety record of the airline members of A4A demonstrates their unflagging commitment to fulfilling that responsibility. As a former airline captain, I have repeatedly witnessed that commitment. The results are extraordinary – this is the safest era in our history. We are the safest form of transportation on the planet, bar none. Importantly, our safety record is neither random nor unintended. We have achieved levels of aviation safety that other industries and foreign civil-aviation authorities envy. While our commitment to safety is unchanging, the way we pursue safety has evolved and transformed over time as our understanding of human factors has grown, technology has advanced, and our ability to capture and utilize data has expanded. This transformation has been indispensable in producing our extraordinary safety record. In simplest terms, we operate at a higher level of safety because we have become much better at identifying and managing risk. We haven’t conquered risk – no one can promise that in aviation. But throughout their operations, airlines have introduced very potent data-driven risk-assessment systems. These systems are tailored to an individual airline’s operations. However, there is a common methodology to them: hazards are identified and rigorously analyzed, and risk-mitigation measures are carefully thought out and implemented. Risk assessment has been used in aviation for many years. What has changed since the 1990s is the volume and accessibility of operational data that can be applied to safety issues. Airline safety professionals work in an information-rich environment. That means that we now rely on data-driven analysis, which frequently involves the combined scrutiny of the FAA, employees and management. This yields a high-definition picture, if you will, of operating environments and transient events, and thus more refined risk assessments. And, as the Subcommittee knows, some of the most effective of these safety-data programs are voluntary. They are very tangible manifestations of the industry’s willingness to explore new means and develop new relationships within the aviation community to improve safety. In short, a cultural shift has occurred that promotes and enables a higher level of safety. Data-based programs enable us to identify emerging patterns and promptly deploy focused resources. And when that action is taken also has changed over the years. Today, unlike in past decades, there is an increasing emphasis on initiating change, rather than simply reacting to events. That is proactive safety. This disciplined approach – going where the data take us and acting accordingly – has significantly advanced safety. It produces the most responsive and effective results. And it facilitates the most efficient deployment of finite resources in making necessary changes. This discipline gives us the confidence to undertake change when warranted. But it also gives us the ability to recognize when change is uncalled-for and to challenge assumptions, no matter how widely they may be embraced. Not every new idea is an improvement or free of unintended consequences. The proposed FAA rule on pilot certification and qualification requirements, for example, concerns us for these reasons. I want to inject some words of caution. All who are involved in aviation safety need to realize the importance of sticking to the disciplined approach that I have just outlined. We must resist the temptation to tinker with the safety system, lest we disturb what we have accomplished – and the benefits of that to our passengers and crew members. Expertise and rigor should guide us. Going forward, we have the tools to continue to foster safety enhancements. That is because today’s airline safety culture in the United States is characterized by: First, a common understanding that safety is the foundation of our business; Second, robust communication within airlines – including with employees – and among industry and government stakeholders based on mutual trust; and Finally, recognition that safety-issue precursors can be identified and effective preventive actions taken. When we look beyond our borders, the situation appears more mixed. Many foreign airlines and civil-aviation authorities have adopted data-driven approaches to safety. The maturity of those systems, however, can vary. Because of that, we urge the U.S. Government to continue its efforts at the International Civil Aviation Organization and in other venues to expand the use of safety-data systems worldwide. This advocacy helps not only foreign airlines but also the American citizens who fly on them. ------ We look forward to continuing to work with the Subcommittee on these matters. PubZone2	A4A advocates measures to support aviation safety, security and well-being.