FAA

The FAA announced the formation of an advisory committee to guide it on the integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in the national airspace, a group that will be led by Intel CEO Brian Krzanich. The committee will help the FAA finalize hotly anticipated regulations for the commercial operation of drones in civil airspace, which […]

Ahead of a public hearing on the FAA’s proposal to overhaul decades-old light aircraft certification rules several general aviation groups are signaling their strong support for the changes that aim to spur innovation, cut costs and improve safety. A coalition of general aviation groups encouraged the FAA in a joint letter to finish work on […]

The Senate overwhelmingly passed a long-term FAA reauthorization bill on Tuesday, sending the measure to the House, where similar legislation has stalled over a plan to privatize ATC. Lawmakers approved by a vote of 95-3 an amended measure that would fund the FAA through fiscal year 2017. The Senate bill includes a number of provisions […]

The FAA has approved a new bio-based jet fuel for aviation use, produced from ethanol derived from renewable feed stocks. Known as alcohol to jet synthetic paraffinic kerosene (ATJ-SPK), the new fuel was approved with support from technical standards organization ASTM International as an environmentally friendly alternative to petroleum-based jet fuel. This is the fifth […]

Pilots training for the instrument rating will again be permitted to log up to 20 hours in an approved aviation training device (ATD) after the FAA published a final rule that supersedes an earlier ruling, which cut sim training time to 10 hours. The FAA actually tried to fast-track the rule change in December 2014, […]

Many aircraft owners will soon be able to install non-TSO’d avionics in their Part 23 certified airplanes in a development that should be a boon to pilots looking to upgrade their panels on the cheap. It’s being hailed as a “breakthrough” by EAA and the FAA (and it really is) but the blockbuster news also […]

On October 21, 2010, Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe, an experienced pilot of 11,000 hours, landed his Cessna 340 on Runway 13/31 at the Port Isabel-Cameron County Airport despite the presence of the appropriate X markings designating the surface as closed. To say that the senator ruined the day of various construction workers operating equipment to […]

Preparing for the day when 100LL avgas will be outlawed in America, the FAA has selected two unleaded fuels — one from Swift Fuels and one from Shell — for further testing. Flight trials and rig testing of the new fuel blends, selected as part of the Piston Aviation Fuel Initiative (PAFI) to find an […]

It’s a time-honored aviation tradition that suddenly appears on the brink of elimination. New student pilot application requirements that take effect on April 1 will prevent new pilots from soloing on their 16th birthday. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is asking the FAA to remedy what it calls an “unfortunate consequence” of the new […]

If you are one of the many pilots who enjoy night flying, you may see some changes in the lighting that helps you see towers and obstructions in low-light conditions. A slight revision in the lighting patterns at towers around the country has the potential to save the lives of thousands of birds, the FAA […]