Complacency is the biggest risk to airline safety record in the US

As regional airlines gather this week for the Regional Airline Association convention in Milwaukee, they remain under the safety cloud created by the 12-Feb-2009 Colgan Airways accident, but they should be heartened by last week's National Transportation Safety Board professionalism symposium which gave the industry the clear good marks. Many panelists expressed how impressed they were with some regional programs. Even so, it also provided enough criticism to keep that cloud overhead. Indeed, it is hoped that the Regional Airline Association will give a progress report on its single level of safety initiative launched after Colgan. Many questions remain surrounding 'good regionals' and 'bad regionals'.