WASHINGTON, D.C. — What can general aviation expect in the coming year? That question has aviation-focused personnel in Washington wondering. Uncertainty is not limited to aviation. The grim financial situation of near $17 trillion debt and political debates on what to do about it bring uncertainty to a point where “but what if” is tempering […]
FAA
NextGen months behind schedule, fiscal cliff could push it even farther
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) is months behind schedule and FAA management faces many challenges before the massive project completes its movement from the planning stages to implementation. Meanwhile, industry representatives are concerned that the effort might not deliver all the desired benefits since the FAA has focused on limited […]
NATCA warns against sequestration
WASHINGTON, D.C. — General aviation will feel the heavy impact of the mandated 8.2% sequestration funding cut for the FAA if Congress doesn’t act to avert the across-the-board cuts. A report from National Air Traffic Control Association (NATCA) says the cut would cause furloughing between 2,000 and 2,200 air traffic controllers. This is about 12% […]
NextGen technology launched in western Colorado
DENVER – The FAA and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) have activated new NextGen technology that will help pilots address inclement weather around Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ) in western Colorado. The technology, known as Wide Area Multilateration (WAM), improves safety and efficiency by allowing air traffic controllers to track aircraft in mountainous areas that […]
Rules under one master
A government-industry rulemaking committee responsible for making recommendations to address the lack of consistency in regulatory interpretations has issued its final report to the FAA. In late April, the FAA established the Consistency of Regulatory Interpretation (CRI) Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC), as directed by Congress, to review an October 2010 report by the Government Accountability […]
AOPA praises Senate progress on FAA nomination
Aircraft Owners and Pilot Association (AOPA) President and CEO Craig Fuller Wednesday praised a decision by Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), to lift his hold on the nomination of Michael Huerta as administrator of the FAA, noting that the agency requires consistent leadership at a time of wide-ranging changes in the nation’s aviation system. “Michael Huerta […]
Beware the 3 Rs
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Pilots — as well as everyone else in the United States — can expect political turbulence over the next months and longer. In fact, what this lame-duck Congress can and will do in the weeks before the inauguration may give hints as to what the next four years will bring to general […]
Contract towers just as safe, but cost less
Air traffic control towers staffed by private contractors are cheaper and provide the same level of safety as towers staffed by government controllers, a new audit by the Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General concludes. According to a report at CNN.com, contract towers cost on average $537,000 a year to operate, compared with $2 […]
GAO calls for GA to report flight hours, as well as data on recurrent training
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is calling for the FAA to start collecting flight hours for all general aviation aircraft, collect data on recurrent training, and set “specific safety improvement goals for individual industry segments using a data driven, risk management approach.” While the U.S. aviation system is one of the safest in the […]