In one of those wonderfully honorable gestures we don’t hear about very much, these days, a group of Navy and Marine Corps aviation ordnancemen held a ceremony at the U. S. naval base in Bahrain, June 21, honoring a Pearl Harbor veteran who is the oldest living recipient of the Medal of Honor, the nation’s […]
Opinion
Centennial of Naval Aviation to be celebrated
Stand by, my fellow Naval Aviators. Our service will be a century old on 8 May 2011 – less than two years from now. Pensacola will be the focal point, although the year-long celebrations will be nationwide. On 8 May 1911 Captain Washington Irving Chambers, USN, signed the requisition for the Navy’s first airplane, which […]
FAA Administrator Shows Pilot Knowledge at Congressional Hearings
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Ten days after being sworn in as Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, J. Randolph Babbitt appeared as a witness at two Congressional hearings, providing an opportunity to judge how he will approach the job. His testimony and responses to questions indicated he knows aviation and will not be rushed into changing regulations for […]
Weather Service Offices To Close At Air Traffic Control Centers
The Department of Commerce announced June 4 that it is moving forward with closing National Weather Service Center Weather Service Units at each of the 20 Air Route Traffic Control Centers in the continental United States, according to the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, which called the move dangerous to air traffic safety. If the […]
FAA’s new administrator takes office
WASHINGTON, D.C. — For the first time in nearly two years, the FAA has a permanently-appointed administrator — J. Randolph “Randy” Babbitt. His tenure is five years, giving the FAA some stability for planning, budgeting and organization. Babbitt, who comes to office as the FAA faces a number of difficult issues, has been urged by […]
The Hangar
By DEBORAH McFARLAND My friend, Bob, at the Tom B. David Airport in Calhoun, Ga. (CZL), has been trying to explain to some folks in his town about the ambiance that can be found at the airport. Trying to describe the nuances of aviation to non-aviators can be a tricky business. In particular, Bob would […]
Be part of the solution
Guest Editorial By JACK PELTON Even without the global economic and credit crisis challenging the world and the public relations turbulence hitting business aviation, I anticipated 2009 would be a weighty year for general aviation. We have a new administration in the White House, new leadership for the Department of Transportation, a new chief at […]
NextGen, user fees hit in Senate FAA reauthorization
The Senate began work on reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration with a hearing by the aviation subcommittee that signaled a push to speed operation of the NextGen air traffic control system, another battle over user fees, and greater FAA financing from the general fund. James May, president and CEO of the Air Transport Association, […]
GAO report says FAA Trust Fund going broke
The aviation trust fund, which is used to help finance the FAA and provide help for airports, is in danger of going broke, according to a report from the Government Accounting Office (GAO) which could signal a stronger pitch for user fees. At the end of fiscal Year 2001, the uncommitted balance in the fund […]