AIR SAFETY . . . FEDS URGE TIGHTER REGS FOR SMALL PLANES

Commuter airlines operating small aircraft should not be allowed to continue under regulations less stringent than those governing larger planes, the National Transportation Safety Board said today. The board's recommendations come after a nine-month study and a day after the International Airline Passenger Association urged its members to avoid commuter aircraft with fewer than 31 seats -- planes the IAPA said have a "significantly higher" accident rate than larger craft. The smaller commuter planes do not have to meet some standards that apply to larger aircraft; the NTSB recommends that the Federal Aviation Administration tighten commuter pilots' training standards, cut the amount of time they can spend in the air and increase safety inspections.Post your opinion on theScience & Technologybulletin board.