Regulations and Government
News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.
Regulations and Government
Forty Pilots Indicted in Fraud Sting
Operation Safe Pilot, an 18-month federal probe into “the misuse of Social Security numbers by pilots,” ended last month with the indictment of 40 pilots–s
Regulations and Government
Platinum Jet faces FAA penalties of nearly $2 million
The FAA has hit Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based charter operator Platinum Jet with civil penalties totaling more than $1.86 million for violations involving 49
Regulations and Government
FAA readies for budget crunch
If there’s one thing that FAA COO Russell Chew has going for him as he faces $8.3 billion in budget losses by 2009, it’s that he has lots of people on the
Regulations and Government
Congressional Observer: September 2005
— The Senate and the House closed up shop at the end of July for their customary August vacation.
Regulations and Government
Boston-Maine Airways under fire in DOT probe
The Department of Transportation’s Inspector General’s Office has launched an investigation into charges of fraudulent financial reporting by Boston-Maine
Security
9/11 +4 years: What have we done and how safe are we?
In the aftermath of 9/11, the number-one priority quickly became answering “How did it happen?” and “How do we stop it from happening again?”
Regulations and Government
Britain Proposes Ban on Basing Foreign-registered Aircraft
The UK’s Department for Transport (DfT) issued its official proposal to prevent foreign-registered aircraft from being based in the UK “by limiting the tim
Regulations and Government
Europe to get new offshore register
The Isle of Man, a UK Crown Dependency in the Irish Sea, hopes to have its own aircraft register established by the end of next year.
Regulations and Government
121.5 ELT Deadline Reminder
The FAA issued a notice last month reminding operators that satellite processing of distress signals from 121.5 and 243 MHz emergency locator transmitters
Regulations and Government
Bizjet Commuter Plan Gets DOT Nod
Executive Jet Management’s plan to establish a scheduled airline using business jets took a major step forward on August 16 when the DOT approved EJM’s app
Regulations and Government
Senate mulls new pilot retirement age legislation
Despite the precariousness of the legacy airlines and their pension plans, their pilots still narrowly support the FAA’s mandatory age-60 retirement rule f
Regulations and Government
FAA Sits on Part 135 Seat Bulletin
The FAA suspended the August 31 date for Part 135 operators to comply with airworthiness bulletin HBAW 04-06E, while it considers proposed rulemaking that
Regulations and Government
Revised Flight Plan Suffixes Effective
Effective September 1, operators are required to use a new set of flight plan aircraft equipment suffixes to indicate advanced navigation capabilities.
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
EU considers charging emissions fees
Within a decade, aircraft operators flying in the airspace of the 25-state European Union (EU) will likely have to start paying for carbon dioxide (CO2) em
ATC
Chances on tap for Class B airspace
A supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking modifies previously proposed (Nov.
Regulations and Government
GA asks for delay of insulation rule
Seven industry trade groups are asking the FAA to delay by six months the effective date–currently September 2–of new flammability requirements for aircraf
Regulations and Government
More time to meet SIC type rating
Pilots will have several more months to comply with the new second-in-command (SIC) type rating rule.
Regulations and Government
Industry supports nominee to lead DOT
Mary Peters, who was head of the Federal Highway Administration from 2001 to 2005, is President Bush’s nominee for the post of Secretary of Transportation.
Regulations and Government
New traffic control rule threatens RJ ops at LGA
A new traffic control rule proposed by the FAA for New York La Guardia Airport would replace the current system of slot allocation with “operating authoriz
Regulations and Government
Security officials unlikely to budge on Washington ADIZ
Despite some 20,000 negative comments and calls to abolish the Washington, D.C., air defense identification zone (ADIZ), a closed-door meeting on Capitol H
Regulations and Government
Congressional Observer: January 2006
•Congress took a legislative break from November 18 to December 12 but, before leaving, both houses passed H.R.3058, the FY2006 Transportation, Treasury an
Regulations and Government
NGATS Institute Fills Executive Post
The Next Generation Air Transportation System (NGATS) Institute has named Stephen Fisher its executive director.
Regulations and Government
Senate Bill Contains Incentive for R&D
Before leaving for the Thanksgiving break, the Senate passed a bill with tax credits to encourage innovation in aerospace and defense research and developm
ATC
Controllers vow to fight FAA-imposed contract
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (Natca) called the FAA’s imposition of new work rules over the Labor Day weekend “a brazen, arrogant tramp
Regulations and Government
Debate about Farnborough traffic continues
Many local residents who successfully opposed TAG Aviation’s application to increase the number of weekend and holiday movements at the UK’s Farnborough Ai
Regulations and Government
Senat Bill Contains Incentive for R&D
Before leaving for the Thanksgiving break, the Senate passed a bill with tax credits to encourage innovation in aerospace and defense research and developm
Regulations and Government
ICAO to introduce new risk-based helo standards
After several years of discussion and consultation, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) will soon present new operating standards to helic
Training and Workforce
DOT calls for renewed focus on flight training
Transportation Department Inspector General Kenneth Mead last month called for renewed emphasis to reduce the general aviation accident rate, noting that t
Regulations and Government
User fees a likely part of future FAA funding plan
Congress may have approved FAA funding for Fiscal Year 2006 before it adjourned for the Thanksgiving holiday, but the drumbeat for user fees in future year
Safety
Domestic RVSM Wake Turbulence Reminder
The FAA has reiterated its request that pilots submit information on wake turbulence encounters that occur in domestic RVSM airspace, including the U.S., o
