The Federal Aviation Administration’s quick action to revamp rules for airlines may offer small comfort to the families of Flight 3407 victims and can never return those 50 persons to their loved ones and friends, but it shows that the agency has learned a valuable if costly lesson.

The agency has announced that it will form a committee to develop new rules, by July 15, governing how much and when pilots can fly.

In addition, FAA inspectors will review procedures for identifying and tracking pilots who fail test flights or demonstrate the need for more training.

The FAA has been receiving much-deserved criticism following the crash of Flight 3407, which claimed 50 lives in Clarence Center on Feb. 12. While an agency official contends that the crash was not the sole reason for the safety moves but was “a catalyst,” the public outcry and political pressure from local representatives at every level must have played a key role in shaking loose a petrified system.

Amid a flurry of criticism, questions arose as to pilot fatigue, especially for pilots in the smaller regional airlines. An investigation of the Clarence crash by the National Transportation Safety Board revealed a couple of disturbing pieces ofinformation— that the co-pilot had taken a red-eye flight from her home on the West Coast for heading to work, and that the pilot previously had failed test flights.

In the case of Flight 3407, Continental subcontractor Colgan Air knew only about one test failure by Capt. Marvin Renslow. The crucial information could have made a difference, if for nothing else than guiding the amount of training Renslow received.

Expectations have been changed, now, and the FAA fully expects airlines to implement Flight Operations Quality Assurance and Aviation Safety Action programs if those programs are not already in place. Previously, those programs have been voluntary.

Relatives and friends of the Clarence air crash victims deserved swift action by governmental agencies to increase safety measures, in response to their losses. So does the flying public, out of concern for the future. In this case the FAA is delivering, even though the lesson had to be gleaned from a tragedy.