Without a confirmed head for more than a year and a half and after three trys, the Transportation Security Administration may soon have an administrator. On Thursday, June 17, the Senate Commerce Committee favorably reported John Pistole out of the committee to be TSA administrator and an assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland […]
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FAA issues runway crossing clearance changes
Pilots operating at airports with air traffic control towers will get new phraseology to make taxi clearances clearer. Starting June 30, 2010, air traffic controllers will no longer use the term “taxi to” when authorizing aircraft to taxi to an assigned takeoff runway, according to FAA officials. With the change, controllers must issue explicit clearances […]
What do NextGen and the Gulf oil spill have in common?
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Consider the similarities between the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the FAA’s recent announcement setting requirements for ADS-B Out equipment to fly under the Next Generation Air Transportation System, or NextGen. In both cases, everybody hopes something will work but can’t be sure; expenses are gushing out; and all […]
TSA nominee says GA security needs studying
WASHINGTON, D.C. — General aviation will get more scrutiny but with an understanding that one size doesn’t fit all if John Pistole is confirmed as administrator of the Transportation Security Administration. This became clear as several senators asked questions about GA at his confirmation hearing June 10 before the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. Pistole […]
Third time’s the charm?
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Transportation Security Administration has been without an administrator since 2007 and the minority leader of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is calling for a reorganization of TSA, saying it is “a bloated, ineffective bureaucracy.” Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) recently released a review of a TSA program known as SPOT (Screening […]
FBI deputy director nominated to head TSA
The Transportation Security Administration has been without an administrator for more than a year, but perhaps the third attempt to fill the post will be the charm as President Obama announced his intention to nominate FBI Deputy Director John S. Pistole to head that section of Homeland Security. Pistole has been with the FBI since […]
Sharing information helps GA airports
Airports often face similar problems relating to safety and security but don’t know how others have resolved these problems or where to get specifics on the subject. Recognizing this, the Transportation Research Board (TRB) has a continuing project to gather information from many general aviation airports and share it with all airports to enable faster […]
What’s holding up FAA reauthorization?
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The House and Senate once again are trying to resolve sticky issues to pass a FAA reauthorization bill before the latest extension expires on July 3. Staffs from both sides of the hill continue to meet, with much going on behind the scenes. Several issues remain to be settled, but the biggest […]
Another temporary extension for FAA
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Senate and House are expected to not complete agreement on reauthorization of the FAA before the temporary extension expires April 30, so Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.), chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, introduced legislation Wednesday to again extend federal aviation operations and programs through July 3, 2010. “We […]