Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.), whose district includes Wichita, used the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) annual industry review and market outlook briefing to tout his “Promotion Responsibility for Our U.S. Aviation Act of 2005” bill.
Safety
September 20, 2006 - 7:24am
The DOT last month issued a rule amending the requirements for the transportation of hazardous materials by aircraft. This rule, which goes into effect October 1, clarifies the applicability of DOT Part 175; clarifies the exceptions for certain operator equipment and supplies, special aircraft operations, and passengers and crewmembers; and updates the regulations to comply with security requirements for explosive special permits.
September 20, 2006 - 7:08am
Even though Ellen Engleman Conners vowed last December that she would serve out the remainder of her term on the NTSB as a member “and not be tied down as chairman,” she submitted her resignation to President Bush in April, effective May 31.
September 20, 2006 - 5:11am
Ramp accidents and incidents continue to plague the aviation industry, but the good news is that FBOs, charter operators and flight departments are taking ramp safety more seriously. Tools such as the National Air Transportation Association’s (NATA’s) Safety 1st training program and Safety Management System (SMS) can help prevent ramp incidents, which has a beneficial effect on insurance cost and availability and employee morale.
September 19, 2006 - 11:06am
RAA vice president of technical affairs Dave Lotterer has been around long enough to know that government bureaucracy can turn any well intentioned idea into a monument to inefficiency. So when the Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO) established a subgroup dedicated to formulating requirements related to safety management systems (SMSs) for airlines, ATC and government agencies, he knew to pay close attention.
September 19, 2006 - 8:46am
One of few companies that make aircraft intrusion-monitoring equipment, Securaplane claims to be the security system recommended most by OEMs and FBOs worldwide. The company has installed systems in 600 aircraft, ranging from small turboprops to large business jets.
September 19, 2006 - 8:29am
One of the flaws of the Airport Watch program, according to the Congressional Research Service (CRS), is that it is sometimes difficult to differentiate between suspicious behavior and normal behavior. Observers’ trying to account for terrorists’ attempt to blend in could result in high false-alarm rates and racial and ethnic profiling, the CRS cautioned.
September 19, 2006 - 7:57am
The spate of high-profile business aviation accidents a little more than a year ago, many of which were Part 135 flights, has prompted industry experts to search for a link that might prevent the same events from happening in the future. There has been little public outcry for more government oversight because most consumers of corporate and charter aviation believe it probably already exists.
September 18, 2006 - 10:12am
If Transport Canada decides to accept a recommendation from that country’s Transportation Safety Board (TSB), Canadian-registered Cessna Caravans would be prohibited from operating in moderate or severe icing. In March, the FAA adopted such a rule for all U.S.-registered Caravans. The TSB’s recommendation results from its investigation and study of several ice-related Caravan accidents in Canada, the U.S. and elsewhere.
September 18, 2006 - 6:33am
Flight Options recently became the first fractional provider approved by the FAA to participate in the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP). The program, already widely in use by the airlines, is meant to enhance aviation safety through crews’ voluntarily reporting of “critical safety information.”
