FAA

New rules proposed by the FAA could soon improve pilot certification and flight training in general aviation. The agency’s recently published notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) mainly addresses Part 61, which governs the certification of pilots, flight instructors and ground instructors at smaller flight schools. Proposed rule changes would allow pilots to complete more of […]

The FAA has started testing a drone detection system in New York airspace as it seeks high-tech ways to track down “rogue” drones around airports. The FAA and its government, industry and academia partners have joined forces to evaluate the drone detection technology at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Over the last two years, the […]

After my purgatory in West Chicago and three mostly great years in the Indianapolis FSDO, the FAA offered a transfer to Cincinnati. It was a bittersweet decision, and my boss, Jay Peterson, rather obliquely suggested I might want to stay put. He understood I was anxious to get back home, but he also knew the […]

When you took the exam to get your pilot certificate, you were asked questions that perhaps did not relate to the realities of everyday flying. You got the written test out of the way and promptly forgot the stuff that didn’t seem important. Now, with new test standards due out soon, there’s a solid link […]

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 […]