Happy New Year, and Happy Iowa Caucus Day

Dear Friends:

With more than a little encouragement from the House Science and Technology Committee, NASA released the raw results of a survey of almost 30,000 pilots on Monday afternoon, December 31. NASA explained that they never intended to compile or analyze the results, and didn't think the data was at all useful. NASA was just experimenting with the "methodology" of a survey, they said, not trying to develop actionable information about aviation safety. NASA spent $11.3 million for the survey, which is a lot to spend on methodology. NASA earlier refused to release the results because they did not want to undermine public confidence in airline safety, which might hurt airline profits.

An Associated Press article said that NASA released the data "grudgingly," and the New York Times said that the data released was "intentionally scrambled" so that it was impossible to analyze. USAToday said "aviation safety experts and lawmakers lambasted NASA" and the BBC said NASA has "come in for criticism from members of Congress."

But just when I was starting to think that maybe I was too hard on NASA, various newspapers, including the Denver Post, the Palm Beach Post, and USAToday ran editorials that were harsher than anything I said.

NASA dismissed the survey as "hanger talk" from pilots that is nothing for anyone to worry about. The airline industry sided with NASA. Move along, the airlines said, there's nothing to see here. But we're more likely to linger and look more closely.

On a different issue, NASA admitted error last month when they asked a politically-connected contractor to return jet engines valued at $1.5 million. The engines were purchased for an experimental aircraft that was developed entirely at taxpayer expense, all from congressional earmarks. I do not think the contractor was trying to take the taxpayers for a ride, I think he really believed the aircraft design would work and would revolutionize flight. But aviation experts thought the concept was hopelessly flawed. After spending $63 million in taxpayer funds in research, Congress cancelled the project after a hearing last year in the Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee.

Finally, several weeks ago I appeared with Linda Sanchez in "discussion forums" at Talking Points Memo and DailyKos about our legislation to allow bankruptcy courts to modify home mortgages to help families facing foreclosure avoid losing their homes.

We'll know much more in the next few days about this year's election. Or not.

Sincerely,

Brad