By Lee Ann Tegtmeier and Frank Jackman/Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Although FAA found a 99% compliance rate with the first phase of its audit of airworthiness directives, "it's the 1% that keeps us focused and soul searching" for what went wrong, said Jim Ballough, FAA director of Flight Standards, at AVIATION WEEK's MRO Conference & Exhibition. "I think the system is sound, but it needs modification," which is why FAA is working on internal improvements and external ones with customers, including modifying voluntary disclosure programs.

John Hickey, FAA's director of Aircraft Certification Services, said what the agency has been finding during the AD inspections falls into three categories, the first of which were cases of blunt non-compliance. Aircraft are grounded in this case; "no further conversation needs to take place," he said. The second category is airlines that ostensibly comply with the AD, "but the workmanship hasn't been very good" in some cases, especially in the area of wiring systems, said Hickey. "If work is below the AD, aircraft could be grounded," he said. The third case occurs when airlines comply with the AD, but slight deviations exist. Rapid response teams from FAA can work with carriers to see if alternative means of compliance are applicable and can be accomplished quickly.

Hickey pointed out a few challenges that have arisen based on FAA's finding, the first of which is that maintenance personnel might not have a complete understanding of wiring system so they might need more training on the nature of them. FAA released the Enhanced Airworthiness Program for Airplane Systems, which was based on the fallout from Swissair Flight 111 in 1998. Focus on this program might be revisited.

Before this session at the MRO Conference, some airlines expressed concerns about the future state of voluntary disclosure programs and what actions the agency would take next. "We've never seen something like this in aviation," said Oliver Martins, American Airlines' vice president of engineering, planning and quality assurance. "There's a level of anxiety and we're just wondering what's going to happen next," said Martins. "We're all a little nervous," said Hal Heule, senior vice president technical operations for US Airways.

To help ease airline concerns, Ballough said "the notion that the sand is shifting is a bit of a misnomer. It's a simple issue of AD compliance." The FAA executives also tried to reassure the audience about the agency's belief in the effectiveness of voluntary disclosure programs and its commitment to continue those programs and ATOS.

After the question and answer session at the MRO Conference, Mitch Nichols, UPS vice president operations-air group, said "I like the tone of what FAA said," and he emphasized what a tremendous job he believes FAA has done. "I am encouraged they're looking at ways to work with industry to resolve some of the compliance issues out there." He also said this is a "wake up call to all of us," and "an opportunity to look a little harder at what we are doing to be compliant at all times."