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 2005-01-13-Rothman-Teterboro aircraft |
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U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman (D-N.J), in the wake of a chunk of metal dropping from a Beechcraft jet during takeoff, has demanded that the Federal Aviation Administration and the local Port Authority investigate whether sufficient airplane maintenance is required for aircraft flying in and out of the
Teterboro Airport. The congressman said a 20-pound, 3-by-4 foot chunk of metal landed at 248 Prospect Ave., Maywood, only 50 feet from a resident. In letters to FAA Administrator Marion Blakely and Port Authority Board Chairman Anthony Coscia, the Fair Lawn congressman wrote: "The people of Northern New Jersey already deal with the burden of aircraft noise on a daily basis. The additional threat of dangerous pieces of aircraft falling from the sky because of poor aircraft maintenance oversight is unacceptable. The FAA and the Port Authority must ensure the safety of the planes that fly into and out of our communities. The urgency of this situation must not be ignored by the FAA or Port Authority. The residents of Maywood and all of Northern New Jersey deserve to know the truth about what occurred on January 9th, and the FAA and the Port Authority must make certain that an incident like this never happens again." In a news release issued Wednesday, Jan. 12, Rothman noted that in 2003 he was responsible for legislation that banned scheduled charter service at Teterboro Airport. "The provision, which is part of the FAA Reauthorization bill, closed the loophole that allowed charter aircraft to operate at Teterboro on a regular, scheduled basis," he said. Additionally, he has fought to ban planes weighing more than 100,000 pounds at Teterboro Airport. —Donald H. Harrison |
