New York – A deadly helicopter crash has prompted New York’s senators to call for an investigation into how the Federal Aviation Administration ever approved open-door helicopter sightseeing flights and tight harness systems.
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Democratic U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand (KEER’-sten JIHL’-uh-brand) made the demand in a joint letter on Sunday to the Department of Transportation’s inspector general.
They say “clearly something went remarkably wrong” with the FAA’s approval process that allowed helicopters that fly with their doors open, often so passengers can take pictures, and use harnesses that can’t be quickly released.
On Friday, the FAA temporarily grounded open-door flights and the use of tight seat restraints.
The ban came amid concerns such harnesses prevented passengers from escaping when their helicopter plunged into the East River last Sunday, killing five people.-
Ohh. Chuckie strikes again. For a while he didn’t come up with some new bans.
The two New York Senators are just showboating; as members of Congress, they previously approved the funding for the FAA, which is essentially a tombstone agency. It only acts when there are fatalities. The two Senators knew about the open door helicopter flights, which have been going on for years. Why didn’t they object to them, before the fatal crash?