Every family has a story. Scott Maurer's really started 9 months ago. "I miss Lorin every minute," he says. "This accident was clearly preventable." The Moore father lost his only daughter, Lorin, in February. The 30 year old was one of dozens killed when Continental Flight 3407 crashed in a Buffalo, New York neighborhood. Maurer has been on a mission ever since. "We need to raise the skill level in the cockpit," he says.
The father's fight for tougher safety on regional airlines has gone all the way to Washington. Now, he has some big help. His name is Captain Jeff Skiles. "It's something that has to change," Skiles says. Skiles, a longtime pilot, was one of two that landed that amazing Miracle on the Hudson earlier this year. He's now working with the Maurer's, pushing for more experience in the cockpit. "The experience levels to get into regional airline cockpits have plummeted dramatically from thousands of hours to 250 hours needed," he says. "That's essentially someone right out of school."
The Maurer's say their fight hits particularly close to home in the Upstate. 94% of the flights in and out of GSP are regional airlines. They say that means lower standards, and more potential for problems. Together, Maurer and Skiles want to raise the bar. They're asking to increase flight time requirements for regional pilots, improve training, and address fatigue in the air. It is a tough task, but the team says they will not quit. "I do it because I love my daughter," Maurer says. "I do it because when I look at the 50 passengers that lost their lives, they can't die in vain." Maurer says his story is far from over. He's now writing a new chapter to make his daughter proud. "We can't let this happen to anyone else."
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