FAA Oversight of Repair Stations Needs Improvement.

As the size of the airline and air cargo industries has grown, so has the reliance on repair stations. In 1990, repair stations performed 37 percent of air carriers maintenance by 1996, the figure was 46 percent. More than 2,500 domestic and 270 foreign repair stations do work for air carriers. FAAs certification process establishes what the repair stations are qualified to do. While many repair stations have fewer than 15 employees and a limited range of activities that FAA has certified, some employ thousands of workers who completely overhaul engines and renovate aging airframes for additional years of service. FAAS inspection activities are aimed at ensuring that repair stations are still meeting the certification requirements. FAA had about 3,000 inspectors in fiscal year 1997. About 600 of them were involved in repair station inspections. FAAS guidelines require that each repair station be inspected at least once a year. These inspections involve checking such matters as whether repair station staff have the appropriate qualifications to do the work and whether repair procedures meet FAA regulations. About 550 inspectors oversee repair stations located in the United States, usually through inspections conducted by individual inspectors. For larger facilities, these inspections may take place over several visits. Most of the inspectors are responsible for several repair stations as well as other types of operations, such as helicopter operators and training schools for pilots and mechanics.