FAA

“The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was Scaled Composites’ failure to consider and protect against the possibility that a single human error could result in a catastrophic hazard to the SpaceShipTwo vehicle. This failure set the stage for the copilot’s premature unlocking of the feather system as a […]

In what must have been a desperate attempt to meet gender quotas, the FAA hired me as an inspector in the Chicago O’Hare Air Carrier District Office in 1980. Six months later, somebody realized I knew absolutely nothing about jets or air carrier operations and farmed me out to the DuPage General Aviation District Office (GADOs then, […]

A sigh of relief could be heard last week by many in the aviation industry as the bill that, if passed by Congress, would have privatized air traffic control was tossed out. At least for now. ATC privatization has been a high priority for the Committee’s chairman, Bill Shuster, who is known to be closely […]

The FAA says it’s receiving more than 100 reports a month from pilots and others who spot unmanned aircraft flying close to airports or airplanes. The agency has partnered with CACI International to explore how the company’s prototype detection technology could help detect UAS in the vicinity of airports. CACI’s proof-of-concept system uses radio frequency […]

The controversial FAA reauthorization bill now being debated in Congress includes a provision that would allow private pilots to use the Internet to connect with people who want to share the costs of a flight. The amendment, sponsored by Rep. Mark Sanford (R-SC), could upend FAA rules that prohibit flight-sharing websites like Flytenow.com. Flytenow took […]

When the Environmental Protection Agency began phasing out leaded gasoline in the 1970s with the passage of the Clean Air Act, aviation got a pass. Because lead was needed to boost octane levels and prevent detonation (also known as “knock”) in high-­compression piston aircraft engines, leaded avgas was exempted from the law. Lead is a […]

Opposition to FAA reauthorization legislation introduced in the House yesterday was swift, but not quite as loud as you might think based on the high level of emotion surrounding proposals out of Washington to privatize ATC. The National Business Aviation Association was clear in its longstanding disapproval of the plan to create a non-profit corporate […]

As Congress prepares to debate whether to privatize ATC as part of the upcoming FAA reauthorization process, a number of general aviation groups are asking Congress to allow a full debate of a plan they argue is pushed down the nation’s throat by the airlines. Specifically, the organizations cited concerns over a proposal introduced by […]

The FAA has announced a list of the first VORs to be removed from the national airspace system in its effort to reduce the number of navigation aids it says are unnecessary as pilots transition more and more to satellite-based navigation. Thirty-five VORs in 17 states are now on the slate for removal. The goal […]

Online flight tracking is a great resource for travelers and flight instructors alike. Websites such as FlightAware and flightwise are frequently used by friends and loved ones to watch the progress of airplanes enroute to their destinations. And if you don’t wish to actively track the flight, you can set up alerts that update you […]