WASHINGTON, D.C. — On June 15 the Federal Communications Commission issued a notice of proposed rulemaking prohibiting the certification, manufacture, importation, sale, or continued use of 121.5 MHz. Yet FAA regulations require the use of Emergency Locator Transmitters, most of which use 121.5 frequency. An interesting dilemma for aircraft owners: Obey the proposal from the […]
Another temporary extension for FAA
Once again the Senate and House could not agree on reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration and the House passed a one-month extension of funding and taxing authority to keep the FAA operating through July. The FAA has been without long-term authority since Sept. 30, 2007. It has been operating on a series of three-month […]
Pistole confirmed as TSA administrator
After 17 months without an administrator and two failed nominations, the Transportation Security Administration finally has a leader. John Pistole was confirmed for the post Friday, June 25, by the full Senate. As administrator of TSA, he also is assistant secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Pistole was deputy director of the FBI, promoted […]
Coalition works to meet 100LL challenges
A coalition of aviation alphabet groups and petroleum industry associations is striving to meet the challenges created for general aviation by recent government decisions to phase out 100 low-lead avgas. Elimination of 100LL was brought about by a petition from the Friends of the Earth to the Environmental Protection Agency in 2006. This led to […]
Sharing the sky with unmanned aircraft
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Interest is increasing to use more unmanned aerial vehicles for security, law enforcement, weather studies, and other dangerous or dull jobs and this is posing big challenges for the FAA and pilots. These vehicles — called Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) by the FAA — have proved themselves valuable where they have been […]
TSA nominee gets committee nod
Without a confirmed head for more than a year and a half and after three trys, the Transportation Security Administration may soon have an administrator. On Thursday, June 17, the Senate Commerce Committee favorably reported John Pistole out of the committee to be TSA administrator and an assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland […]
FAA issues runway crossing clearance changes
Pilots operating at airports with air traffic control towers will get new phraseology to make taxi clearances clearer. Starting June 30, 2010, air traffic controllers will no longer use the term “taxi to” when authorizing aircraft to taxi to an assigned takeoff runway, according to FAA officials. With the change, controllers must issue explicit clearances […]
What do NextGen and the Gulf oil spill have in common?
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Consider the similarities between the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the FAA’s recent announcement setting requirements for ADS-B Out equipment to fly under the Next Generation Air Transportation System, or NextGen. In both cases, everybody hopes something will work but can’t be sure; expenses are gushing out; and all […]
TSA nominee says GA security needs studying
WASHINGTON, D.C. — General aviation will get more scrutiny but with an understanding that one size doesn’t fit all if John Pistole is confirmed as administrator of the Transportation Security Administration. This became clear as several senators asked questions about GA at his confirmation hearing June 10 before the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. Pistole […]