FedEx

The US Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a $417,500 civil penalty against FedEx for operating a faulty aircraft.

According to the FAA, FedEx has not properly repaired a horizontal stabiliser tab control surface on a Boeing 727 aircraft, which has been used for 133 flights, in violation of federal aviation regulations.

Boeing’s 727 structural repair manual considered the repair a major job and the aircraft part had to be balanced properly after completing the work.

The FAA added that negligence shown by FedEx during the proper repair of the aircraft part has made the plane unairworthy.

FAA administrator Michael Huerta said: "Safety depends on every operator paying close attention to every regulatory requirement.

"It is also critical for operators to implement internal controls to ensure that they are following all applicable protocols and regulations."

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"Safety depends on every operator paying close attention to every regulatory requirement."

The agency has called FedEx to discuss the case.

In May 2015, FAA proposed another civil penalty of $58,600 against FedEx for allegedly violating hazardous materials regulations.

In that case, FAA said FedEx transported a box of 1.7l of flammable liquid by air in June 2014 and the consignment did not have the proper shipping name of the harmful materials.

In August, 2014, FedEx agreed to ship hazardous materials containing 2lb of consumer commodity without properly mentioning the amount of materials shipped inside the container, alleged FAA.

According to the FAA, shipments were not classed, described, packaged, marked and labelled correctly and did not meet shipment conditions required by hazardous materials regulations.

FAA added that FedEx did not provide correct and clear written information about the amount of hazardous materials on board three other flights in June, July and August 2014 to the concerned pilots.

Those consignments consist of radioactive material, flammable printing ink, as well as flammable and combustible paint.

Image: A Fedex operated 727 at Portland International Jetport. Photo: courtesy of BMRR.

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