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Always been curious about what occurs "behind the scenes" in situations like this. Strange how airlines (and the flight attendants!) aren't held more accountab

Always been curious about what occurs "behind the scenes" in situations like this. Strange how airlines (and the flight attendants!) aren't held more accountable. Would have assumed the FAA would want to look into any in-flight medical emergency.

emodendroket 10y ago
I'm going to guess the FAA is, like a bunch of other regulatory agencies, struggling to meet its obligations with the insufficient funds funneled into it.
- galonk 10y ago
  Not quite -- the FAA is a classic example of "regulatory capture". Originally they policed the airlines, but now they explicitly state their mission is to assist the business interests of the corps they're supposed to regulate.
  - jeff_marshall 10y ago
    I can't speak for other aspects of FAA oversight, but my limited experience with DO-178B (A process for certifying software for safety-critical applications) has been mostly positive. While the process is rather heavy (and restrictive, regarding development/certification methodology), the outcomes seem to be quite good. Can you provide some examples of where the FAA is doing poorly due to regulatory capture in regard to safety?
    - deleted 10y ago
      [deleted]
- SpacemanSpiff 10y ago
  This article was linked on HN last fall I believe: http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2015/11/airplane-maintenance-disturbing-truth http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2015/11/airplane-maintenance-... Basically the airlines are outsourcing maintenance to places like El Salvador, Mexico, and China. The FAA has very little capacity for providing the same level of oversight previously conducted in US-based maintenance facilities. Scary.
  - emodendroket 10y ago
    Yikes. Horrifying stuff. If you've ever read the book "Poorly Made in China" it's kind of frightening to imagine the same techniques being applied to airplane maintenance.
Implicated 10y ago
I was wondering similar things... Why aren't there required 'debriefing' of medical staff and plane staff immediately following in-air medical emergencies? If, for nothing more, to confirm protocols were followed and determine if adjustments are warranted. Aside from that, the fact that disturbing other passengers was even remotely a concern in the case where a person is laying on the floor in a medical emergency is sickening.
- webtechgal 10y ago
  > Why aren't there required 'debriefing' of medical staff and plane staff immediately following in-air medical emergencies? IMO this suggestion is worth its weight in gold. Imagine what sort of a (valuable) resource could be created out of a databank of information culled from such incidences, growing with time.
GirlsCanCode 10y ago
An obese diabetic decides to fly. How much trouble should the rest of society be subject to?
matt_fleming 10y ago
And is there ever any accountability for pax who are not "fit to fly" (note: I'm not saying that's the case here!) taking the chance and flying anyway?

emodendroket 10y ago

I'm going to guess the FAA is, like a bunch of other regulatory agencies, struggling to meet its obligations with the insufficient funds funneled into it.

galonk 10y ago
Not quite -- the FAA is a classic example of "regulatory capture". Originally they policed the airlines, but now they explicitly state their mission is to assist the business interests of the corps they're supposed to regulate.
- jeff_marshall 10y ago
  I can't speak for other aspects of FAA oversight, but my limited experience with DO-178B (A process for certifying software for safety-critical applications) has been mostly positive. While the process is rather heavy (and restrictive, regarding development/certification methodology), the outcomes seem to be quite good. Can you provide some examples of where the FAA is doing poorly due to regulatory capture in regard to safety?
  - deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
SpacemanSpiff 10y ago
This article was linked on HN last fall I believe: http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2015/11/airplane-maintenance-disturbing-truth http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2015/11/airplane-maintenance-... Basically the airlines are outsourcing maintenance to places like El Salvador, Mexico, and China. The FAA has very little capacity for providing the same level of oversight previously conducted in US-based maintenance facilities. Scary.
- emodendroket 10y ago
  Yikes. Horrifying stuff. If you've ever read the book "Poorly Made in China" it's kind of frightening to imagine the same techniques being applied to airplane maintenance.

Implicated 10y ago

I was wondering similar things... Why aren't there required 'debriefing' of medical staff and plane staff immediately following in-air medical emergencies? If, for nothing more, to confirm protocols were followed and determine if adjustments are warranted. Aside from that, the fact that disturbing other passengers was even remotely a concern in the case where a person is laying on the floor in a medical emergency is sickening.

webtechgal 10y ago
> Why aren't there required 'debriefing' of medical staff and plane staff immediately following in-air medical emergencies? IMO this suggestion is worth its weight in gold. Imagine what sort of a (valuable) resource could be created out of a databank of information culled from such incidences, growing with time.

GirlsCanCode 10y ago

An obese diabetic decides to fly. How much trouble should the rest of society be subject to?

matt_fleming 10y ago

And is there ever any accountability for pax who are not "fit to fly" (note: I'm not saying that's the case here!) taking the chance and flying anyway?