As the Light-Sport Aircraft industry ramps up for a summer of flying and the season’s biggest celebration of flight, AirVenture Oshkosh, I am still analyzing the FAA’s recently issued 20-year forecast for aviation, which shows growth prospects for LSAs, while predicting a decline in the total number of piston-powered aircraft. Viewed from a distance, this might […]
FAA
Hearing Thursday to examine FAA consolidation plan
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A Congressional hearing on Thursday will examine the FAA’S efforts to consolidate air traffic control facilities to provide long-term cost savings and help U.S. aviation transition to the NextGen air traffic control system. The House Aviation Subcommittee will hear testimony from the FAA, the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (OIG), […]
Tampa-area general aviation airports prepare for Republican convention
Airports in the Tampa area are gearing up for increased traffic later this summer for the Republican National Convention, according to a report in The Tampa Tribune. TFRs will be in place for flights within a 10-mile radius of the Aug. 26 kick-off party in St. Petersburg and the Aug. 27-30 convention in Tampa. The […]
Wing spar cap inspections required for C210s
An airworthiness directive (AD) issued May 21 requires one-time inspections of the lower main spar caps on the wings of Cessna 210, P210, and T210 airplanes. According to a report at AOPA.org, the AD calls for either replacement of cracked parts or a to-be-determined FAA-approved modification if cracks are found, as well as reporting of […]
So is NextGen really NextGen?
By JEFFREY BOCCACCIO. This is the ninth in a series of articles looking at the impact of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) on GA pilots. What the heck is this all about? NextGen really not NextGen? Over the course of the last 10 months we have reviewed quite a few navigation techniques that […]
Whistleblowers highlight safety issues
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The FAA has the highest per employee whistleblower count in government. This startling statistic was sent to the President and Congress in a letter from the Office of Special Counsel, the agency responsible for protecting government employees who report problems where they work. Carolyn Lerner, the attorney who drafted the report, said […]
FAA seeking comments on new flight blocking proposal
The FAA is accepting comments until June 8 on its latest proposal to allow pilots to block their flight information from public view. Last June, the FAA announced it was ending the Block Aircraft Registration Request (BARR) program, which would make all flight information available to the public, unless a pilot could prove a “certified […]
General Aviation Airports Study released
The FAA has released a study called “General Aviation Airports: A National Asset.” The 18-month study was conducted “to capture the many diverse functions of general aviation (GA) airports,” FAA officials said, in the hopes that the “general public will have a better understanding of GA airports in the community and within the national air […]
Teaching and Testing CFIT Avoidance seminar created
The Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) recently delivered the eighth in its series of “Seminar-in-a-Box” products for use by the FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam), “Teaching and Testing CFIT Avoidance.” The latest seminar was prepared by SAFE members and Master Instructors Bill Castlen, Hobie Tomlinson, and Doug Stewart. Tomlinson is also the 2012 National […]