Community Corner
Family of Stamford Woman Killed in Crash Applauds New Pilot Fatigue Rules
The Federal Aviation Administration has imposed a new rule that limits the amount of time a pilot can be on duty to between nine and 14 hours.
The family of Stamford resident and widow Beverly Eckert, who was killed in a 2009 plane crash in Buffalo, N.Y., is reportedly celebrating the passage of legislation they championed that changes the rules on pilot fatigue, according to a report on NBC Connecticut.
The Federal Aviation Administration has imposed a new rule that limits the amount of time a pilot can be on duty to between nine and 14 hours. Maximum flying time is nine to 10 hours with a minimum rest time of 10 hours in between flights, according to the report. The rule change is partly a result of lobbying on behalf of the family.
Pilot fatigue was cited as a major factor in the crash that killed Eckert.
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"This goes a long way to helping keep rested pilots in the cockpit of passenger-carrying airlines," Eckert’s sister, Susan Bourque, said in the NBC Connecticut report.
The airlines have two years to implement the changes.
