WASHINGTON, D.C.— Manufacturers of general aviation airplanes, users of those airplanes, and the FAA are taking steps to reduce the costs, complexity, and time involved in certification in an effort to reduce prices and stem the decline in general aviation... Continue Reading →
Questions abound about proposed user fee
Posted on October 7th, 2012 by Charles Spence
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The House Small Business Committee recently held a hearing about President Obama’s proposal to charge a $100 per flight user fee for some flying. Committee Chairman Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) came out strongly against the proposal, as... Continue Reading →
NBAA denounces President’s attack during debate on business aviation
Posted on October 4th, 2012 by Charles Spence
User fees on general aviation are still a threat as President Obama raised their ugly head in his comments on taxes during the debate Wednesday night (Oct. 3) with Mitt Romney. The President’s statement brought a quick condemnation from Ed... Continue Reading →
Recession, fuel costs ground pilots
Posted on September 16th, 2012 by Charles Spence
WASHINGTON, D.C. — General aviation is going to have an uphill struggle to get back into the growth mode, according to a 92-page report released late last month. The report is based on the thesis of two researchers at the... Continue Reading →
NextGen getting on track but problems persist
Posted on September 13th, 2012 by Charles Spence
WASHINGTON, D.C. — After long delays and high cost overruns, development of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) is starting to get back on track, but because of program problems, users of the system are reluctant to invest in... Continue Reading →
Strong opposition to user fees repeated
Posted on September 12th, 2012 by Charles Spence
Publisher note: This story was updated (see content in parens in the opening paragraph) September 18, 2012. WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Obama’s proposal to impose a $100 per-flight user fee (which as currently proposed on Page 31 here exempts, “All... Continue Reading →
Bringing gridlock to the skies
Posted on September 6th, 2012 by Charles Spence
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As members of Congress come back to their offices Sept. 10 after the August vacation, aviation interests will be eager to see what, if anything, is done about “sequestration,” which might cut $1 billion from the FAA... Continue Reading →
Political convention TFRs demand serious study
Posted on August 9th, 2012 by Charles Spence
The FAA has issued first notices of flight restrictions for the two political conventions and flights to, from or through the areas — Tampa, Florida, and Charlotte, N.C. — will be affected, with pilots needing to be alert not only... Continue Reading →
Inspector General to assess NextGen progress
Posted on July 24th, 2012 by Charles Spence
Is the FAA moving as it should in decisions and actions relating to the Next Generation Air Transportation System — NextGen — and if not, why not? That is what the office of Inspector General of the Department of Transportation... Continue Reading →
Contract towers equal in safety, less in cost
Posted on July 19th, 2012 by Charles Spence
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The 250 air traffic control towers operated under contract to the FAA handle 28% of all operations, but cost only 14% of the budget, according to statements before an aviation subcommittee whose members expressed concerns about possible... Continue Reading →
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