European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 31, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Magazine Fra Black year for civil aviation by Frank t. Csongos United press International Ore people died world wide in air plane accidents in 1985 than in any other year. The dec. 12 crash of an Arrow air dc-8 jetliner in Gander Newfoundland that killed 248 soldiers and eight Crew members brought to 1,946 the number of people dead in major Acci dents this year the International civil aviation organization said. Despite the massive death toll the International body says when All travel Lac tors including Miles flown and Passen Gers carried Are taken into account. Hying was As Safe As Ever. Other major tragedies included the Japan air lines crash that killed 520 people the Delta air lines Accident in Dallas with 137 fatalities and the air India disaster that claimed 329. Investigations Are still in Progress to find if possible. The causes of these Acci dents. The Jal crash appears linked to explosive decompression at a cracked rear Bulkhead that blew of part of the Tail. The cracks Are believed to Stem irom repair problems the Dallas Accident is linked to wind Shear and sabotage has been mentioned in the air India disaster Over the Atlantic Oil Ireland. The National transportation safety Board said that through late december 528 people had died in airline accidents involving . Carriers both scheduled lights and Charters. The worst year for the Domestic carriers was 1977 when 655 perished the safely Board said. . Airlines set a record Lor Passen Gers carried More than a million a Day on Domestic and International flights. By the end of the year they will have trans ported at least 375 million passengers up from last year s previous record of 342 million. But congressional and other critics charge that the Federal aviation administration is not doing All it can in the Way of inspection and enforcement to keep the skies Sale. Faa chief Donald Engen denies the allegation. This year s International Accident re Cord will not deter us in reaffirming Confidence in  Engen said. Despite the series of prominent incidents that has attracted Public attention we can and will continue the procedures that make aviation the safest Means of  John o Brien director of the Engi Neering and air Safaty department of the air line pilots association emphasized in an interview with United press International that the Overall system is Safe. But he said the margin of safety has shrunk. Asked whether there ii a common thread in this year s plane crashes o Brien said experts have to look deeply into Many of the contributing factors to find one. Our interpretation of the common factors is that we do not believe the Faa has the resources which will enable it to fulfil its safety  o Brien said. More specifically there Are not enough Faa inspectors to adequately enforce the regulations he said. Also. There Are not enough experienced air traffic  that View is shared by rep. James Oberstar. D-minn., chairman of a House investigations and oversight panel on transportation and a growing number of Law makers. Rep. Guy Molinari r-n.y., and More than 70 of his House colleagues have signed a letter sent to president Reagan requesting the rehiring of some of the controllers fired in the 1981 strike. Sen. Paul Simon d-lll., has introduced a non binding Resolution in the Senate that also Calls for the rehiring of some controllers. In describing air traffic control Oberstar said recently the system is in  before the August 1981 strike by the professional air traffic controllers organization the system had nearly 13.400 Journeyman controllers and about 3.000 trainees. The Faa earlier this year Esti mated that there Are Only about 8,000 experienced controllers Tim ency has embarked on hiring additional air traffic controllers but it Wilt take years to fully train them and administration officials Havo not indicated whether they will change their Long standing policy of rehiring striking con trollers. O Brien a prominent safety expert said one of the problems facing the Faa is that its appropriations have been Cut Over the past five years. He said the Agency does not have the resources to supervise the airline Indus try carry out Lull inspections and take care of safety research the Faa said it is hiring 500 additional inspectors who will look at air carriers Grid private and Sci pirate planes bring ing their number to about 2.1 10 in 1978 there were a total 1.560 inspectors. The Agency said o Brien said it would be politically impossible Tor Engen to request from the Reagan administration a Inge budget in crease because of the Federal deficit the government taxes each plane tick Al and every gallon of aviation fuel and the Money goes into an aviation Trust fund. The fund currently has a $7.3 billion surplus but the Money is being used for general government operations instead of facility and equipment improvements he said. Tuesday december 31, 1985 the stars and stripes Page 13