How the hell do you figure? It was my Remember 3407 Project that started the whole ball rolling. The ATP requirement, new rest rules, everything- starting the push for those was entirely my idea. But hey, the guy who gets wasted and jumps in the pool with his clothes on at a networking mixer thinks I'm clueless. Cheers to that.
Yes, really. The initial push- which got carried forward by the Colgan 3407 families- started right here with me and another Eagle pilot. I was the one who threw down the gauntlet, put up a website and started stumping to get those rules changed. Everybody else carried the idea from there.
Now wait a second Charlie. The 'ball was rolling' on the new rest rules LOOOONG before the accident. Also, the ATP Requirement was really born out of the ALPA Submission AND it was originally more encompassing than putting a solid hour requirement that was later mandated by Congress.
Take a look at page 176 of this report...
http://www.ntsb.gov/doclib/reports/2010/aar1001.pdf
Fatigue has been an issue that the NTSB has wanted better managed since the inception on their NTSB Most Wanted List in 1990. FRMS and science based rest rules have been around for years. Randy Babbitt, when he was ALPA President (early 1990s), tried to have the rest rules rewritten. He had some success, but not enough. When he was made head of the FAA, he wanted to finish what he started when he was ALPA President. The Colgan Accident gave him ammunition.
Here is a White Paper from 2008, concerning rest rules (among other items), which was before the Accident...
http://www.alpa.org/portals/alpa/pressroom/inthecockpit/FatigueRiskMSWP_6-2008.pdf
Now, take a look at 5.1 'Recommendations to the FAA' in the following link
http://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms/search/document.cfm?docID=322233&docketID=47271&mkey=73351
Points 3, 4, and 5 point directly at the ATP Requirement. I know you didn't work on the report and I know specifics for the '1500 hour rule' wasn't mandated or discussed by Congress until well after the ALPA Submission was published. But the real reason, I believe, is why Congress acted on the 1500 hour rule, is that the NTSB, a government agency, was pushing for a rule, ANY rule that dealt with low time pilots. Putting a hard number requirement is a lot easier than regulating all encompassing training programs. In the end though, a majority of that rule that was put in place came directly from the ALPA submission. A lot of Regional FOs are getting their SIC type made into a PIC type because of the recommendation on the ALPA Report, that went to the FAA, that went through an ARC, that went into law.
For those reading this thread, notice ALPA didn't say ANYTHING about a time requirement. They knew it would open up a whole can of worms as is being discussed in this thread.
Now, from a timing stand point. During the NTSB Public Hearing in May 2009, Fatigue and Pilot Qualifications were discussed in depth. Your website didn't come online until June of 2009 correct?
Finally, were you asked to be on any of the Aviation Rule Making Committees (ARCS) or asked to consult any of the ARCS about the above rules?
Bottom line is, I don't think it is fair to say that 'others carried your ideas'.
