A congressional investigation released Thursday into a 2004 NASA study, which interviewed 30,000 pilots and was allegedly shut down by the FAA, failed to elaborate on the pilots’ statements. The FAA reportedly stopped the study, claiming that the pilots over-reported instances where they hit large flocks of birds in the air, which caused a US Airways jet to land in the Hudson River in January. The investigation came to light in 2007, when the AP reported that it was shut down to avoid harming the FAA’s image and profits. Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN) told the AP that the study failed partially because it “didn’t have the support it needed from the primary customer – the FAA.” (AP)Allen Stanford’s #2 Jim Davis will enter plea negotiations with federal prosecutors, his lawyer said Thursday. Federal regulators have accused Davis of helping Stanford operate an $8 billion Ponzi scheme, but Davis has said that he will cooperate fully with the investigation — very bad news for Stanford. Dick DeGuerin, the lawyer Stanford is working with, told Bloomberg that Davis is simply “rolling over and saying anything they want him to.” (Bloomberg)
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=143945