Sean Broderick covers aviation safety, MRO, and the hardware side of the airline business from Aviation Week Network's Washington, D.C. office.
Broderick's aviation career started in 1991, working for Airbus in Toulouse. His industry experience includes four years with an aviation consultancy, where he helped launch a U.S. Part 121 carrier; 12 years with the American Association of Airport Executives, where he served as editor of Airport Magazine; and 20 years in full- and part-time roles with Aviation Week writing primarily about safety and the aftermarket.
Broderick was named the 2020 Aerospace Journalist of the Year by the Aerospace Media Awards. He also shared in a 2020 Neal Award for Best News Coverage with Aviation Week Network colleagues. Broderick and Aviation Week colleague John Croft shared the 2015 Flight Safety International Cecil A. Brownlow Publication Award recognizing "significant contributions by journalists to aviation safety awareness."
He graduated from James Madison University with a B.S. in Communications ('91) and earned an M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communications ('13) from West Virginia University.
Citing the tidal wave of rulemaking since the crash of TWA 800, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board's final report on the accident will not include any recommendations to reduce fuel tank flammability. Instead, the board will encourage continued studies on fuel tank system safety and closely monitor rules proposed by U.S. regulators that address short- and long-term fuel system safety concerns.
FAA recently released a Flight Standards Handbook for Airworthiness (HBAW) bulletin clarifying repair station supervisory personnel qualification requirements, giving policy definitions to several terms that were tripping up some inspectors.
FAA threatened to revoke Alaska Airlines' ability to perform heavy maintenance after a special audit showed the airline failed in a number of cases to complete proper documentation, forcing agency officials to reinspect aircraft coming out of heavy maintenance. But, lost in the shuffle was the agency's read-between-the-lines message regarding the Air Transport Oversight System (ATOS): It still needs a lot of work.
