Report Confirms NATA Complaints on FAA Consistency

The National Air Transportation Association said it is hopeful a Department of Transportation report into the inconsistent interpretation of the federal aviation regulation at different field offices, “is the first step toward improving the inconsistencies in regulatory interpretations that general aviation and others feel is becoming a constant problem among field offices within the FAA.”
Managing Risks in Civil Aviation: A Review of the FAA's Approach to Safety not only confirmed the NATA’s contention that the inconsistencies are problematic, but states the FAA's aviation safety field office staff shows a "remarkable degree of variation in regulatory ideologies," and that such differences could lead to "mistakes in regulatory decision-making.”
Reporting to members, NATA quoted the report: “In addition, the DOT was troubled by some of its findings stemming from the culture within the FAA, concluding that the agency's safety staff has an ‘unusually broad’ range of views regarding regulatory style and interpretations.” That finding highlights a concern that NATA has been voicing that the lack of consistency within FAA is costing aviation businesses hundreds of millions of dollars.” Related Story
In answer to the Congressional calls putting FAA’s voluntary reporting systems in jeopardy, the report supported voluntary disclosure programs by the aviation industry.