WASHINGTON, D.C. — Summer in Washington usually is a time for visitors to take over the city to see the monuments, archives, and famous places, while the federal government slows down with legislators away and government offices shuffling along with vacation-depleted staffs and less urgency to projects. That often means a scarcity of news affecting […]
Opinion
FAA reauthorization after summer vacation?
Congress will have a full plate when members return from their summer vacations. Reauthorization of the FAA will be there, but probably way down the list for discussion or rushed through to leave time for health care, stimulus, and other issues that loom as potential hot issues. The present temporary extension expires Sept. 30, the […]
ADs going electronic
The FAA is moving to distribute all Airworthiness Directives (ADs) electronically. In September 2007, the FAA stopped mailing paper copies of ADs and Special Airworthiness Information Bulletins (SAIBs) to owners and operators of transport aircraft. A schedule released Aug. 5 cuts mail delivery to operators of transport rotorcraft on Oct. 1 this year and all […]
The unstoppable growth of LSA
SPLOG By DAN JOHNSON As this is written, the aviation world is again buzzing about Oshkosh, or as EAA now prefers, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. The LSA world was exceedingly well represented at the big show. With the significantly new grounds layout, things don’t look exactly the same — and that’s a good thing. Once the […]
Controller negotiations continue
WASHINGTON, D.C. — For nearly three years, air traffic controllers have been working under imposed work rules after they failed to reach a contract agreement with the FAA. Now that a new administrator has taken office — and an arbitration panel is in place — are things finally getting settled? Maybe. The two groups are […]
OSH: GAMA brings business operators to AirVenture
On AeroShell Square on Friday afternoon (July 31), the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) hosted a press conference to tell business aviation’s story. Instead of GAMA president Pete Bunce defending the business use of aircraft, he invited several business operators to share their stories first hand. Of the six operators to take the stage, Shye […]
No user fees in Senate FAA reauthorization bill
WASHINGTON. D.C. — FAA reauthorization has been introduced in the Senate for only a two-year extension, “so President Obama will have a chance to work out his program.” Reauthorization is usually approved for four years. If the Senate and House versions of the bill are reconciled, this means no user fees — at least for […]
Why I embrace user fees — and you should too!
Following is my speech and (notes) from an AirVenture forum that will never take place. “I want to thank you, Mr. President, and all 535 members of Congress for coming to Oshkosh for EAA’s annual AirVenture and my forum, “Why I embrace user fees — and you should too!” Also, thank you to EAA for […]
Link: ‘From a Concerned Pilot’
Following is an excerpt of a post titled, “From a Concerned Pilot” on the Transterrestrial Musings blog that is making its way around the internet. If you haven’t seen it, the original post and the comments are worth a read. A tiny minority of Americans, a minority of which I am a member, are airplane […]