Editorial Opinion
Submitted as Letter to the Editor,
June 4, 1999
Tom O'Mara, NADA Board Member (651) 408-8310
Florida says, "It's
okay for old planes, with design defects to kill tourists and
residents."
Governor Bush signed HB775
on May 26, even though he was "troubled" by the provision
that exempts 20-year old commercial airplanes from liability due to
design defects.
HB775 allows 20-year old
planes to kill Florida residents, and tourists, but shields plane
manufacturers from liability if a design defect causes the plane
crash.
By reluctantly signing
HB775, Governor Bush borrowed a page from a Roman Governor, who washed
his hands before condemning a citizen to death. Like Pilate, Governor
Bush was "troubled" by his decision to favor plane makers.
Instead of a ceremonial hand
washing, Bush wrote Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris...
"I am troubled,
however, by the creation of a special 20-year statute of repose for
commercial aircraft, meaning that victims' families in crashes
involving older aircraft would no longer be able to sue manufactures
for design defects in the planes."
A Responsible Alternative
to HB775.
Governor Bush could have
said.... "Florida wants to ban commercial planes over 20-years of
age from its air space, because we love our people and our tourists.
Florida lawmakers will fight to keep geriatric planes with brittle
wires, flying on gas tanks of hope, from our skies.
To pursue a safer skies
policy, Florida will demand that the FAA ban arthritic planes from
Florida airspace. We hope other states will join us. It's time to
shred junk planes.
Look to the Future
To understand the real
meaning of the 20-year plane exemption in HB775, every reader needs to
put themselves in the shoes of a plane crash victim's family a decade
from now.
Imagine hearing the
following news from Safety Board crash investigators...
"Mr. And Mrs. Jones
your child is dead because of a design defect on a 20-year old 747.
Boeing feels your pain, but can't be held liable for this design
defect anymore. The crash occurred in Florida, where design defects on
planes over 20-years of age are exempt."
Why Do I Care About This
Exemption?
I buried my only child after
a plane crash 10 years ago. Heather was 24, a Captain in the U.S. Army
Jag Corps. Her 15-year old United DC-10 crashed in Sioux City IA
because of a design compromise: A $10,000 safety valve could have
saved her life, and the lives of 111 others.
Since then I've joined with
families from 40 crashes who work for safer skies, and more secure
airports. We help one another cope, as well.
This 20-year plane exemption
should be repealed. It's a threat to Florida air travelers.
HB775 actually gives
airlines an incentive to use old planes on Florida routes. Flying in,
to, or around Florida could become as dangerous as flying around 4th
world countries with this exemption.
Until this exemption is
repealed, it would be wise to vacation outside Florida, and skip
connecting flights in the state. Organizations who care about their
members should schedule conventions anyplace but Florida.
Please call or fax Governor
Bush at the following numbers: (850) 488-5000, or (850) 488-4441, or
fax to (850) 922-4292. Ask him to follow his gut: kill this exemption
for 20-year old planes.
Tom O'Mara
June 4, 1999
