After three accidents involving airplanes colliding with meteorological towers, the National Transportation Safety Board has recommended to the Federal Aviation Administration and three other agencies that the towers be marked for additional safety. NTSB wants the FAA to require all towers to be registered, marked and lighted. The agency also proposed that the FAA create […]
Capital Comments
Removing the barriers to innovation
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A bill introduced in Congress May 6 requiring the FAA to set a date for implementing changes in Part 23 is only a part of major changes for certification of aircraft and aircraft products. For the past 18 months, 180 people have been working on an Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) to arrive […]
Challenges ahead for NextGen
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The FAA is entering its midterm implementation of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) and, while advances have been made, there remain many issues and challenges. That is pointed out in a new report put together by the Government Accountability Office at the request of leaders of the House Committee on […]
The impact of controller furloughs
WASHINGTON, D.C. — There is a growing concern here that furloughing of air traffic controllers by the FAA is a political move by the Obama administration to put the spotlight on sequestration and get Congress to take action to eliminate it. Members of Congress and most aviation groups, however, don’t seem to be buying that. […]
Allies in the fight for GA
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Although many in Washington have the mistaken idea that everything of importance takes place here, that is far from the case. More and more in recent years, general aviation interests are recognizing that although much affecting flight is based on actions — or lack of actions — by Congress and the FAA, […]
Senate committee questions tower closings
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A bipartisan group of 30 senators have sponsored a bill to prevent the FAA from closing any air traffic control tower in fiscal years 2013 or 2014, while the chairman of the Senate committee concerned with aviation warns all the progress made by the FAA is at risk because of sequestration. Senators […]
Getting GA’s message to lawmakers
WASHINGTON, D.C. — When lobbyists want Congressional help on issues, they usually seek out members with interests in that issue in a caucus. The informal, bipartisan groups are found in both the House and Senate. But until recently, there were no general aviation caucuses. Now there are active groups in both Houses. At present, the […]
Why get upset about towers closing?
Starting April 7, the FAA will close 149 contract air traffic control towers to help reduce expenditures as required by sequestration. General aviation uses thousands of airports that do not have towers, so why are GA advocates getting upset over the closing of these towers? That’s a question many pilots are asking. Answer: The closings […]
Lackluster growth predicted for GA
WASHINGTON, D.C. — General aviation will grow over the next 20 years, but at a rate of only 1/2 of 1% a year, according to the FAA. The agency also forecasts the total number of aircraft used in general aviation to increase from 220,670 in 2012 to 246,375 in 2033, an increase of only 25,705, […]