More than one-third of the 30 contracts critical to building the Next Generation Air Transportation System, commonly known as NextGen, are over budget, while half are delayed, according to a Bloomberg BusinessWeek story on a new Government Accountability Office report. The GAO report notes that 11 of the 30 contracts exceed projected costs by a […]
FAA
Death knell for LightSquared?
WASHINGTON, D.C. — After long and detailed — and often contentious — efforts to work out a safe way for LightSquared to build a network of about 40,000 land-based towers in the U.S. for high-speed wireless transmissions without interfering with GPS, the battle seems to be nearing a satisfactory conclusion for general aviation and others […]
Gleim maintenance courses approved for AMT awards program
All of the online courses for aviation mechanics and IAs offered by Gleim have been approved for the FAA AMT Awards Program. The program is designed to help pilots and mechanics maintain currency and proficiency and therefore become safer in accomplishing their respective duties, according to officials. The AMT Awards Program encourages ongoing training by […]
President signs long-term FAA bill
For the first time since 2007, the FAA has the certainty of long-term authorization to operate the air traffic control system, build up airport infrastructure, and develop the air traffic control system of the future. According to a report at AOPA.org, President Barack Obama signed the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 Feb. 14. […]
Next step for Pilot’s Bill of Rights
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Pilot’s Bill of Rights is moving along through Congress after Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) recently introduced a companion bill to one introduced last year in the Senate by Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), which now has more than 60 co-sponsors. The two bills are meant to improve the relationship between general aviation […]
International workshop on electric aircraft standardization slated
ASTM International Committee F37 on Light Sport Aircraft will host the International Workshop on Electric Aircraft Standardization March 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Lakeland, Fla. The workshop is being held in conjunction with Committee F37’s standards development meetings at the 38th Annual Sun ’n Fun International Fly-In and Expo. The emerging market for electric […]
2012 FAASTeam Safety Standdown to debut at Sun ’n Fun
The General Aviation Joint Steering Committee identified loss of control-inflight as the number one cause of fatal general aviation accidents over the last decade. Consequently, this year’s FAASTeam Safety Standdown offers a multi-layered approach to help pilots reduce the risk of an inflight loss of control. The recently videotaped program is hosted by FAA Research […]
Residential Through The Fence protection in FAA bill
After three and a half years of hard work by many Residential Through The Fence (rTTF) advocates, H.R. 658, the FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act containing language preserving rTTF, has passed the House and Senate and sent to President Obama for his expected signature. RTTF access is defined as homes with attached […]
Congress passes four-year FAA bill
After 23 short-term extensions, both chambers of Congress passed the four-year funding bill for the FAA. It now goes to the President, who is expected to sign it. This gives the FAA long-term planning after more than four years of delays. The House passed the bill last week and the Senate did so Monday, Feb. […]