You’re a fire boss trying to contain an out-of-control wildfire in mountainous terrain, and you literally can’t see the forest for the burning trees. Dense smoke chokes the air, making it nearly impossible to have a good sense of where and how quickly a fire is moving. Such was the case for firefighters battling this […]
FAA
NextGen moves closer to reality
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Next Generation Air Transportation System — known as NextGen — moved two steps closer to reality in late August when new programs became operational. The FAA deployed a new system called Time-Based Flow Management (TBFM), a scheduling tool that meters aircraft through all phases of flight in order to deliver the […]
IG tells FAA to speed up controller training
The U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General has told the FAA it must get a better handle on reducing training times for its new air traffic controllers. According to a report at Rotor.com, thousands of new controllers are needed over the next several years, but the average time to train a controller rose 41% between 2009 and […]
Congress returns to busy schedule
After its August vacation, Congress returns to Capitol Hill Sept. 9 with a full plate of issues, some of which will directly affect general aviation. As usual in Washington, money is on top of the plate. Sequestration appears again; the U.S. must raise its debt limit — again — to keep borrowing money; and that […]
Latest issue of FAA Safety Briefing now available
The September/October 2013 issue of FAA Safety Briefing, which focuses on aviation citizenship, is now available online. Articles highlight the shared values, customs, and culture we share as citizens of the general aviation community. Among the feature articles in this issue include: “To Be, Rather Than to Seem” – a look at how a personal […]
FAA seeks to expand Piper fuel selector AD
AOPA is reporting that the FAA is proposing to add aircraft to an existing airworthiness directive that requires replacing the fuel selector valve cover on certain Piper PA-28-140, PA-28-150, PA-28-160, PA-28-180, PA-28R-180, and PA-28R-200 airplanes.
FAA administrator to speak at NBAA
WASHINGTON, D.C. — FAA Administrator Michael Huerta will speak at the opening general session of the National Business Aviation Association Convention & Exhibition (NBAA2013), which will take place Oct. 22-24 in Las Vegas. “We are pleased to welcome Administrator Huerta to our 2013 Convention, and we look forward to hearing his thoughts and perspectives on the […]
FAA makes certification rule change proposals public
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The FAA has released to the public the 335-page report of the Aviation Rule Making Committee set up to recommend broad changes in the certification of general aviation aircraft in an effort to increase the safety of GA and reduce the costs of producing planes and parts. After years of striving to […]
FAA needs better budget management
While the FAA is charging airshows for ATC services, it appears the agency could reap billions of dollars in cost savings simply by implementing better management and business practices. According to a report from Aviation International News, analyses by the Department of Transportation and the Government Accountability Office show that overruns in the NextGen program […]