Robert Riter

Robert Riter served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve from 1984 to 1998. Riter earned a high school diploma from Redlands High School. Riter earned a graduate degree from California State University, San Bernardino, in 1986. Riter's career experience includes working as an airline pilot.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Aviation Safety and FAA reform is my platform. NO ONE IS SAFE! I have been a pilot and aircraft mechanic for 30 years. I have watched as aircraft maintenance has declined. We are now seeing at least one to two aircraft crashes a month. In 2018, I was in one of these broken planes. The engine broke in two over Riverside, CA. By the grace of God I was able to make it back into Redlands Airport safely. That day my life, the lives of two other pilots on board, and the communities below that broken plane were placed in harms way. During the court case that followed over 27 violations were proven against the FAA approved, and supervised maintenance shop that did the faulty repair. Everything from using an unlicensed mechanic with little to no experience doing the repair. To having the mechanic not even knowing how to use the tools required for the repair. It was really that bad!The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was made aware of this terrible risk to safety. Instead of addressing the safety issues the FAA covered this up. However, they did start an investigation on me for reporting this problem! This issue of improper maintenance is not being addressed! We just found another six planes in the local area on the brink of crashing into our neighborhoods!I want to fix this! Too many flight crews, passengers, and neighborhoods are at risk. As a Captain your safety is ALL that matters! Please help me to make our skies safe once again!

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

We are not safe! Aviation safety is at its lowest point, and no one is even talking about it. The FAA is not able to fix this problem. Only our pilots and aircraft mechanics are able to handle this issue. We are being silenced by the FAA. Your safety is ALL that matters to us! Please come to our aid in this time of need. We need you to help keep you, your family, and loved ones safe!Our young pilots are being destroyed! They are told there is a pilot shortage. This is true. They go to flight schools taking on $100K to $200K in student loan debt. Debt that cannot be bankrupted or removed from them by any means. The FAA regulations then prevent them from being able to be hired by the airlines. The insurance companies prevent them from being hired for private companies. No pathway to getting hire. Then the student loan debt repayments begin. The only option is to work one to two dead end jobs just to make the student loan payments for the next 40 years!

This is modern day slavery! We are destroying the lives of the next generation of pilots. Young men and women who want to serve and protect us!Our airports belong to us! They are memorials to our veterans who secured our freedom. They are the homes to many wildlife species in our congested cities. These airports are on very valuable land. Land that the city governments want to take away from us! To build more homes, condos, car dealerships, and shopping centers. All for the purpose of enriching themselves.

We need to take back our airports, and put them under the protection of the federal government. These are national treasures that belong to the American people. Let’s protect our airports!

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reform. Aviation safety is too complicated for the FAA and NTSB. They are just not able to do the job.

Right now we have English majors overseeing aircraft maintenance. Airline radio technicians overseeing complex maintenance issues that they just don’t understand. This is leading to ALL aviation sectors to become unsafe. From the small planes by your home, to the airliners we fly, to the cargo planes delivering your packages.

We need to change the system. We need qualified pilots and mechanics doing these jobs. Not incompetent government employees.