White House aviation officials criticized for delay on pilot fatigue rules

By Sholnn Freeman

Washington Post Staff Writer

A Senate panel criticized senior aviation officials in the Obama administration Tuesday for delaying long-awaited federal rules designed to combat pilot fatigue.

Sen. Byron L. Dorgan (D-N.D.), chairman of the Senate aviation subcommittee, and Sen. Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) reacted strongly to testimony from Margaret Gilligan, the FAA's associate administrator for aviation safety, who said fatigue rules would be delayed by a month. She said the agency needed more time to analyze changes.

Gilligan described the FAA's rule-making process as "difficult and complicated," drawing a rebuke from Dorgan, who said lawmakers were "just out of patience here."

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