WASHINGTON, D.C. — Why has the FAA not taken action on implementing a loan guarantee program for general aviation to prepare for the mandate for ADS-B equipment three years after Congress passed a law approving it? That is a question Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), who chairs the Committee on Small Business, asked in a recent […]
Texas search group to continue using drones despite FAA court win
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The FAA says a recent court decision regarding the use of drones has no bearing on the agency’s ability to regulate the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), but a Texas organization that brought the action plans to continue using UAS without approval from the government office. Texas EquuSearch had sued the FAA seeking to overturn […]
DOT audit says FAA likely to miss drone deadline
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A government report says the FAA will miss the Sept. 30, 2015, deadline set by Congress for drones to share the skies with manned aircraft. The Washington Post said the agency is “significantly behind schedule” in drawing up rules. The newspaper reported its findings based on a report by the Department of Transportation Inspector […]
USA Today goes anti-GA
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On June 18, the national publication USA Today published an article titled Unfit for Flight. It painted general aviation as a dangerous activity and the manufacturers of aircraft as contributing to general aviation accidents. This is not new. Anti-general aviation material has been printed and broadcast in the past. Two things make this time different. […]
Are you ready to share the sky with drones?
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Unmanned aerial systems (UAS), better known as drones, are moving fast in development. General aviation pilots are starting to delve deeper into the subject as FAA expects as many as 30,000 UAS to be flying in U.S. airspace by 2020. Here’s why pilots are looking at what they are sharing the airspace […]
‘Significant progress’ made on NextGen in last year
WASHINGTON, D.C. — It has been one year since FAA Deputy Administrator Mike Whitaker took over as Chief NextGen Officer. In his first report to Congress early in June, he noted that “significant progress” has been made. That optimism is not totally shared by others, however, most of whom have questions about equipment requirements and […]
Small airports important in national airport financing
WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Obama’s budget calling for a reduction in airport funding would have a serious effect on small airports, Dr. Gerald Dillingham of the U.S. Government Accounting Office told a congressional hearing Wednesday, June 17. Dillingham was one of two government witnesses appearing before the House aviation subcommittee, which held the hearing on airport […]
GA reluctant to jump on NextGen bandwagon
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The FAA needs to take speedier action, as well as assure pilots and aircraft owners that expenditures for equipment will not significantly change for general aviation to move ahead to prepare for the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen), members of Congress were told in a hearing held Wednesday by the House Committee on Small […]
NextGen progressing, FAA tells Congress
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The FAA is making progress in the next generation air traffic control (NextGen) program, Deputy Administrator Mike Whitaker said in a report to the Congress. Whitaker was appointed Chief NextGen Officer a year ago. In his report, Whitaker said the FAA has “strengthened our partnerships with key stakeholders, coming to an agreement […]