The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "airplane safety" ...
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"Safety for Sale"
The Federal Aviation Administration is under fire after WFAA-TV reveals that thousands of aircraft mechanics licensed by the FAA, had "questionable" training. The poor training and slow reaction by the FAA could be connected to two deadly airplane crashes. The series also revealed that repair facilities hired foreign mechanics through "immigration loopholes" who were unqualified and often could not speak English.
Tags: FAA; Federal Aviation Administration; diploma mills; U.S. aircraft mechanics; mechanic training; foreign mechanics;
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Bird strike rates at U.S. Airports
Airplanes landing and taking off at airports in Sacramento, Kansas City, and Denver have been the most liekly in the nation to hit birds , according to an NPR analysis of new data from the Federal Aviation Administration. Wildlife researchers believe they can alert birds to oncoming planes if they can come up with an appropriate visual signal, such as pulsating LED lights currently being tested.
Tags: aviation; bird strike; FAA; Federal Aviation Administration; aviation safety; wildlife; wildlife strikes;
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Close Calls
Complaints of near-miss, mid-air collisions from the Aviation Safety Reporting System indicate a growing number of close calls between airplanes in South Florida.
Tags: airplane; collision; air traffic control; aviation; FAA; Aviation Safety Reporting System; ASRS
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Plastic Planes
"Plastic Planes is a two-part investigative report that examines Boeing and Airbus's investment in high-tech, reinforced plastics called composites, for the next generation of airplanes. The entire aviation industry has banked on composites for future commercial airplane designs, primarily because these materials are lighter than aluminum - making planes more fuel efficient." The investigation reveals that "both Boeing and Airbus are adopting this material too fast to guarantee its safety."
Tags: airplane safety; unsafe materials; Boeing; Airbus; aerospace engineering;
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Air Cargo Security
Though it has been five years since air safety went through a reform in the wake of 9/11, the screening process of cargo loaded onto airplanes is lax, keeping passengers in danger. Screening of passengers has improved, but the cargo has been a safety afterthought. They rely on a "known" or "trusted" shipper program, which means you must "be a known shipper to send cargo on a passenger plane." This leads to security lapses as reported by CBS News.
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Collision Course
The number airborne incidents in Canadian air space are occuring at an alarmingly increasing rate while the Canadian government agency that oversees air safety plans to decrease industry oversight and increase self-regulation.
Tags: air safety; airplane; flight; air traffic; regulation; Canada
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After the Crash
Series explored recurrent problems with faulty aircraft maintenance that endangered the lives of pilots and passengers, and examined a mechanic's pattern of falsifying records to try to hide his mistakes.
Tags: airports; airplanes; aircraft maintenance; public safety; FOIA
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Wear and tear: Jet problems reported by airlines vary widely
This Times' investigation revealed gaps in federal records meant to track mechanical problems on U.S. jetliners. In examining FAA Service Difficulty Reports from January 1987 to January 1989, the newspaper uncovered how airlines failed to provide key information in the reports. Of the more than 2,400 reports filed, 1,700 failed to include the name of the airline submitting the report. In one case, the tail number N2FOR was used to identify four different airplane models made by three manufacturers and operated by six airlines.
Tags: FAA; Federal Aviation Administration; airplanes; airlines; airline safety; Service Difficulty Reports
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Fewer Crashes Caused by Pilots
This USA Today analysis of 22 years of crash data and several dozen interviews shows that the number of commercial airplane crashes caused by pilot error has decreased substantially. However, plenty of crashes are still occurring, they are just caused by poor maintenance. The federal government required minimal training for mechanics after they've been licensed, and the airplane industry often opposes improvements in maintenance because they are too costly. The article has a lot of good statistics about airplane crashes.
Tags: airplanes; aircraft; pilots; maintenance; Commercial Aviation Safety Team
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Cost Cutting Costs Airlines Safety
The report investigated shoddy maintenance on a major U.S. air carrier as a result of cost cutting. CBS News was able to find internal documents and talk to whistle blower mechanics proving that United Airlines failed to do the required maintenance of its fleet and failed to use licensed mechanics as required by the FAA. Examples in this report include: secretaries signing work papers that needed certified mechanic's signatures; failed equipment shined up and reinstalled in planes without being repaired; and letters pressuring mechanics to ignore safety problems.
Tags: TAPE; cost cutting; airline; United Airlines; FAA; NTSB; mechanic; Transportation Department; whistle blower; airline safety; airplane; plane; airline maintenance; circuit breakers; secretary; safety problems; inspection; repair station; outsourcing