The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "United Airlines" ...
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The Cuban Hijacking
Investigation of the first international hijacking of a commercial airliner from the United States.
Tags: Hijacking
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Cockpit Security
According to this report, French airline company, Air Tahiti Nui leaves the door to the cockpit open on international flights even the ones coming into the United States. Aviation regulations require that the door remain closed from take-off to touch-down. When this station contacted the Federal Aviation Administration, they were told that foreign carriers could not be regulated with the same rules.
Tags: French airline; Air Tahiti Nui; 9/11; cockpit safety; cockpit; pilots; Federal Aviation Administration
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Unsafe Skies
Breakdown in quality control and supervision of outsource maintenance work at a major airline puts public at risk of catastrophic accidents. A former United Airlines mechanic who was fired from his job told KCBS he first became suspicious after discovering from company computer records that a third-party contractor had neglected to perform required maintenance on United's entire fleet of 727's in 2000. By that time, the planes had already been up in the air for four months and the same contractor was allowed to continue servicing United planes. Furthermore, the system of quality control and oversight designed to insure adequate maintenance at United's outsource facilities had broken down. It was secretaries and not the qualified mechanics who were signing off on a vast array of maintenance jobs at repair shops.
Tags: TAPE; aviation; plane; airplane; United Airlines; maintenance; outsourcing; secretaries; mechanic; whistleblower; airline; air; Federal Aviation Administration; FAA; oversight; repair shop; subcontractor; federal regulations
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Cost Cutting Costs Airlines Safety
The report investigated shoddy maintenance on a major U.S. air carrier as a result of cost cutting. CBS News was able to find internal documents and talk to whistle blower mechanics proving that United Airlines failed to do the required maintenance of its fleet and failed to use licensed mechanics as required by the FAA. Examples in this report include: secretaries signing work papers that needed certified mechanic's signatures; failed equipment shined up and reinstalled in planes without being repaired; and letters pressuring mechanics to ignore safety problems.
Tags: TAPE; cost cutting; airline; United Airlines; FAA; NTSB; mechanic; Transportation Department; whistle blower; airline safety; airplane; plane; airline maintenance; circuit breakers; secretary; safety problems; inspection; repair station; outsourcing
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Pilot shortage siphons experienced instructors from flight schools
This story analyzes the fact American air carriers that operate internationally are taking away experienced pilots from both flight schools' instructor positions and regional airlines. The consequence of this trend is new pilots have to learn from unexperienced teachers. McCartney says this raises "questions about the quality of America's future pilots." The story adds the FAA was "looking into the matter." The fact big international airlines lure experienced pilots draws regional and small to hire people who sometimes can't meet the traditional requirements, such as having 20/20 vision without glasses. So these companies lower those requirements. Despite the concern raised, McCartney says "there isn't any evidence that possible lack of experience has posed any safety problems at either major or regional airlines.
Tags: National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB); Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); Council on Aviation Accreditation; United Airlines; AirNet Systems Inc.; Embry-Riddle University; Northwest Airlines; Palm Springs International Airport; Airbus Industrie
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Slam and Jam
The Atlantic Monthly reports on the nation's air-traffic-control system. "For all the reports of equipment failures and "close calls" and controller burnout, the nation's air-traffic control system is in fact far less precarious, in terms of safety, than people imagine it to be. The real threat to the system's integrity has as yet received little attention.... Renegade slowdowns deliver a clear threat within the agency, yet a threat so technical that it remains invisible to the outside world." The story finds that "many of the public concerns about air-traffic control -- that the equipment is dangerously old, that safety is compromised, that poorly monitored aircraft threaten to collide in midair -- are largely unwarranted."
Tags: Newark International Airport; LaGuardia; JFK; aviation; Lufthansa; United Airlines; Continental; hubs; FAA; unions
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Pull Up!: United 747's Near Miss Sparks a Widespread Review of Pilot Skills
The Wall Street Journal reports on many pilots' lack of basic training, resulting in poor flying skills. The story describes a incident with an United Airlines jumbo jet with 307 passengers and crew, which barely missed apartments and houses in San Francisco before safely returning to the airport. The incident was publicly disclosed much later, but there are other "close calls" that remain undisclosed.
Tags: National Transportation Safety Board; American Airlines; FAA; Boeing; safety; business
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The Zombie: No. 19603 Still Flies After 27 Years' Service To a Number of Airlines
The Wall Street Journal reports on the extraordinary life expectancy of planes model Boeing 737. As for many years the industry has trained pilots ways to fly to keep planes running longer, this has caused for old planes to remain in service and accumulate. The story finds that, in the long run, "a jet surplus undermines airline stability" and leads to ticket pricing wars.
Tags: business; United Airlines; air-fare; maintenance and repair costs; aircrafts; finances; competition
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Four Hours of Fear: 9/11's Untold Story; Amid terror, a drastic decision: Clear the Skies
USA Today explains how the nation's aviation system was able to land nearly 4,500 planes on Sept. 11 when the call went out to clear the skies following the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The story shows scenes in air traffic control rooms across the country, and illustrates how the FAA was able to execute the historic order.
Tags: air traffic control; Sept. 11; history; clear the skies; FAA; planes; airports; airlines; American; United; safety; terrorism; prevention; World Trade Center; Pentagon
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Airport Security
Off a tip from a United Airlines employee, KRON-TV's investigative team began examining airport security at the largest terminal at San Francisco International Airport, the United terminal. Using hidden cameras, KRON was able to document major flaws in the terminal's security system, where access to restricted areas, the airfield, and passengers baggage was lax in certain places. A insider from United provided the majority of information on the security problems, despite the threat of prosecution from the FAA and United.
Tags: TAPE; TRANSCRIPT; airport security; airlines