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SpaceX's Starship spacecraft sits atop its powerful Super Heavy rocket at the company's Boca Chica launchpad, near Brownsville, Texas, on November 16. Musk’s claims came after the FAA proposed $633,009 in civil penalties against SpaceX, saying the company violated launch license requirements twice during flights of its workhorse Falcon 9 rocket. SpaceX has denied wrongdoing related to those requirements, saying none of the allegations related to public safety. Still, the FAA granted SpaceX its long-awaited license to move forward with Starship’s fifth uncrewed test launch in October — and that same launch license covers this week’s test flight. It marks the first time that SpaceX has not had to go back to the FAA to approve launch license changes since the company began this testing campaign years ago.

Persons: Joe Skipper, Elon Musk, Musk, Donald Trump, —, Mike Whitaker “, ” Musk, Musk’s Organizations: Boca, Reuters, SpaceX, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, “ Department, Government Locations: Brownsville , Texas, —

☆ New regulations push electric ‘air taxis’ closer to reality, FAA says
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-22 | by ( Pete Muntean | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The Federal Aviation Administration has published new rules that it calls “the final piece of the puzzle” toward allowing half-helicopter, half-airplane, electric “air taxis” to start whizzing through the skies. “For the last 80 years, we’ve had two types – rotor and fixed wing,” Whitaker said. “We now have a third type.”Known as electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, or eVTOLs, the FAA now recognizes the designs as falling under its newly created powered lift category. Joby hopes to bring its aircraft to market by 2025, but it has yet to be certified by the FAA to carry paying passengers. “Delivering the rules ahead of schedule is testament to the dedication, coordination and hard work of the rulemaking team.”

Persons: “, Mike Whitaker, we’ve, ” Whitaker, Joby, ”, Joby’s Organizations: CNN, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, National Business Aviation Association, Joby Aviation Locations: Las Vegas, California, U.S

☆ Federal Aviation Administration approves SpaceX Starship 5 flight
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-12 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Federal Aviation Administration approved a license on Saturday for the launch of SpaceX's Starship 5 set for Sunday after earlier saying it did not expect to make a decision until late November. SpaceX is targeting Sunday for the launch and said a 30-minute launch window opens at 7:00 a.m. CT. The FAA said on Saturday SpaceX had "met all safety, environmental and other licensing requirements for the suborbital test flight" for the fifth test of the Starship and has also approved the Starship 6 mission profile. The Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket are a fully reusable system designed to carry crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon and beyond. On Friday, the FAA approved the return to flight of the SpaceX Falcon 9 vehicle after it reviewed and accepted the SpaceX-led investigation findings and corrective actions for the mishap that occurred Sept. 28.

Persons: Elon Musk, Musk, Mike Whitaker Organizations: Federal Aviation Administration, Reuters, FAA, SpaceX, Super Locations: Boca Chica , Texas, Australia

☆ SpaceX gets green light for fifth Starship test flight
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-12 | by ( Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Federal regulators granted SpaceX its long-awaited license to move forward with a fifth uncrewed test launch of Starship, the most powerful rocket system ever constructed. The FAA had been expected to hand down a license for this test launch weeks ago. SpaceX has also publicly denied reports that the company violated wastewater regulations with the deluge system, which SpaceX says uses potable water. Notably, the company launched a 2020 test flight of a prototype rocket, called Starship SN8, without obtaining prior approval from the FAA for a public safety waiver. At one point in 2023, for example, he said that he did not blame the FAA for holding up Starship launches.

Persons: “, Artemis, Elon Musk, ”, Mike Whitaker, Whitaker, SpaceX’s, ” Whitaker, Patrick T, Fallon, SpaceX, didn’t, Biden, Donald Trump —, Whitaker “, ” Musk, Jose Luis Magana, Kevin Kiley, they’re Organizations: CNN, SpaceX, US Federal Aviation Administration, NASA, FAA, ”, Super, Getty, Texas Commission, Environmental, Environmental Protection Agency, Committee, Transportation, Aviation, US, Infrastructure, Republican Locations: Boca Chica , Texas, Texas, AFP, California

☆ Certain college grads can now be air traffic controllers immediately
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-02 | by ( Pete Muntean | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —The Federal Aviation Administration says that graduates of two college air traffic control programs can now bypass the agency’s backlogged training academy. The new announcement is the FAA’s latest move to tackle air traffic controller shortages that have plagued the air travel system, triggering flight delays and a burned-out controller corps. “The FAA is working to hire and train more air traffic controllers, in order to reverse the decades-long decline in our workforce and ensure the safety of the flying public,” FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said in a statement. Graduates of Tulsa Community College and the University of Oklahoma can “begin immediate facility training,” skipping the FAA Air Traffic Controller Academy at Oklahoma City. CNN previously reported in May that the agency netted an increase of only 160 controllers during a recent hiring cycle.

Persons: Mike Whitaker, ” Organizations: CNN, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, Tulsa Community College, University of Oklahoma, FAA Air Traffic Controller Academy, Oklahoma City

☆ Urgent Boeing safety issue isn’t being taken seriously by the FAA, key regulator says
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-30 | by ( Pete Muntean | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

New York CNN —The head of the National Transportation Safety Board blasted the Federal Aviation Administration, saying the agency is not taking seriously enough the potential for jammed flight controls on some Boeing 737s. In a new letter shared with CNN, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy wrote FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker to say that the regulator failed to act when the pilots of a United Airlines Boeing 737 MAX reported that their rudder pedals became stuck when coming in for a landing in Newark, New Jersey on February 6. Last Thursday, the NTSB issued an “urgent” safety warning, saying that some 737s equipped with certain rudder actuators could careen off the runway on landing – the latest black eye for Boeing’s embattled 737 MAX line after a door plug blowout in January and two fatal crashes abroad. “I am disappointed that it does not appear that the FAA has initiated urgent actions to address the risk of jammed rudder controls in the 6 months since our preliminary report on this incident was issued,” Homendy wrote. The FAA said, “we thank the NTSB for the recommendations, and we are taking them seriously.”

Persons: Jennifer Homendy, Mike Whitaker, “, ” Homendy, Homendy, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, National Transportation Safety Board, Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing, CNN, United Airlines Boeing, MAX, NTSB, FAA, United Airlines Locations: New York, Newark , New Jersey

☆ U.S. Senate committee faults Boeing safety practices, FAA oversight
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun testifies before a subcommittee of the Senate Energy and National Resources Committee on the company's safety culture, following a number of recent incidents on Boeing airplanes, Washington, DC, June 18, 2024. A U.S. Senate panel investigating Boeing 's safety culture on Wednesday faulted the planemaker's quality practices and oversight by the Federal Aviation Administration citing documents obtained in an ongoing investigation. The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which is holding a hearing Wednesday with FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker, said Boeing workers continue to feel pressure to prioritize speed of production over quality. Boeing said it has "taken important steps to foster a safety culture that empowers and encourages all employees to share their voice, but it will require continuous focus." The FAA did not comment but Whitaker said at a House hearing Tuesday that Boeing needed to undertake significant safety culture improvements that might not be completed for years.

Persons: Dave Calhoun, Mike Whitaker, Whitaker, Whitaker's Organizations: Senate Energy, National Resources Committee, Boeing, U.S, Senate, Federal Aviation Administration, Investigations, Democratic, FAA, Alaska Airlines, Justice Department, DOJ Locations: Washington, DC

☆ FAA chief says Boeing and SpaceX should be treated the same after Elon Musk accuses regulator of playing favorites
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-25 | by ( Tom Carter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

FAA administrator Mike Whitaker said Boeing and SpaceX should be treated equally after Elon Musk attacked the regulator for fining his rocket company "for trivia" and said it should focus on Boeing's Starliner issues instead. In a post on X last week, Musk railed against the FAA's proposed $633,000 fine for SpaceX over two instances where the rocket company violated its launch licenses. Advertisement"NASA deemed the Boeing capsule unsafe for astronaut return, turning, out of necessity, to SpaceX, yet instead of fining Boeing for putting astronauts at risk, the FAA is fining SpaceX for trivia," the billionaire SpaceX founder wrote. SpaceX is also engaged in a war of words with the aviation regulator over delays to the next launch of Starship, the giant rocket Musk wants to use to travel to Mars. The FAA and SpaceX did not immediately respond to requests for comment sent outside normal working hours.

Persons: —, Elon Musk's, Mike Whitaker, Elon Musk, Whitaker, Musk, Butch Wilmore, Sunita Williams, Starliner Organizations: Service, Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing, SpaceX, FAA, Business, Reuters, NASA Locations: Texas

☆ Boeing 737 Max: FAA says workers pressured to put speed over quality
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-25 | by ( Pete Muntean | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington CNN —Boeing factory workers felt pressured to prioritize production speed over quality and said they did not receive enough training to properly perform their jobs, according to the results of a special investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published Wednesday. In January, a door plug blew off a 737 Max operated by Alaska Airlines shortly after takeoff. One of the more egregious examples, according to the audit, was a Boeing mechanic who used an improvised measuring device to check gaps between components. But there is still much work to be done on fixing Boeing’s safety culture, he said. “I think the safety culture change is going to be a long-term project,” Whitaker said.

Persons: Max, Mike Whitaker, ”, Whitaker, “, ” Whitaker Organizations: Washington CNN — Boeing, Federal Aviation Administration, Alaska Airlines, Boeing, Senate, Investigations, FAA, CNN, House Locations: Renton, Washington

☆ FAA proposes to fine SpaceX $633,000 over 2023 launch requirements
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Mike Whitaker speaks at a news conference on the FAA's work to hold Boeing accountable for safety and production quality issues, at the Federal Aviation Administration Headquarters on May 30, 2024 in Washington, DC. The Federal Aviation Administration said Tuesday it proposing to fine SpaceX $633,000 for allegedly failing to follow license requirements and not getting approval for changes during two launches in 2023. The FAA said SpaceX failed to get approval to revise its communications plan related to its license to launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida including adding a new launch control room at Hangar X and removing the T-2 hour readiness poll from its procedures before a June 2023 launch. The FAA also said SpaceX used an unapproved rocket propellant farm before a July 2023 mission.

Persons: Mike Whitaker Organizations: Aviation, Boeing, Federal Aviation Administration Headquarters, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, SpaceX, Cape Canaveral Space Force Locations: Washington ,, Cape, Florida

☆ Boeing CEO heads to Senate hearing over safety and manufacturing crises
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Dave Calhoun, CEO of Boeing, leaves a meeting with Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, in Hart Building, on Wednesday, January 24, 2024. Calhoun was meeting with senators about recent safety issues including the grounding of the 737 MAX 9 planes. Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun will testify before a Senate panel on Tuesday about the company's safety and manufacturing crises after a door panel blew out of a nearly new 737 Max 9 jet in January. Last month Boeing pointed to a host of other changes to encourage workers to speak up about problems in its factories after several whistleblowers raised concerns about quality issues and retaliation. Spirit AeroSystems , a major supplier for both Boeing and Airbus, said last week that titanium entered the supply chain with falsified documents.

Persons: Dave Calhoun, Sen, Dan Sullivan, Calhoun, We've, Max, Richard Blumenthal, Conn, Mike Whitaker, Whitaker, AeroSystems Organizations: Boeing, Investigations, Justice Department, Alaska Airlines, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, Airbus Locations: Alaska, Hart, U.S

☆ F.A.A. Administrator Says Previous Oversight of Boeing Was ‘Too Hands-Off’
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-13 | by ( Mark Walker | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Federal Aviation Administration’s top official acknowledged on Thursday that the agency failed to adequately oversee Boeing and that it should have had better visibility into the plane manufacturer’s safety practices long before a door panel blew off a plane while it was in flight on Jan. 5. Mike Whitaker, the agency’s administrator, appeared before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee weeks after Boeing, which has experienced a spate of problems, submitted a comprehensive plan detailing how it would overhaul its quality control practices and safety culture. “The F.A.A.’s approach was too hands-off, too focused on paperwork audits and not focused enough on inspections,” Mr. Whitaker said. “We have changed that approach over the last several months, and those changes are permanent.”Mr. Whitaker said the changes included permanently increasing the agency’s use of in-person inspections and barring Boeing from increasing production of its 737 Max jets until the agency is satisfied with the company’s quality control and safety improvements. will also continue to maintain a presence at the company’s factories and one of its suppliers, Spirit Aerosystems.

Persons: Mike Whitaker, Mr, Whitaker, “, Aerosystems Organizations: Federal Aviation, Boeing, Senate Commerce, Science, Transportation

☆ FAA chief admits agency ‘too hands-off’ in oversight of Boeing
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-13 | by ( Chris Isidore | Gregory Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Washington DC CNN —Federal Aviation Administration chief Mike Whitaker said his agency is partly responsible for the safety problems at Boeing, admitting that it had been “too hands off” in its oversight of the troubled aircraft manufacturer. But he also said that the FAA was not blameless in that incident. Whitaker said that the FAA previously had 24 inspectors at Boeing and Spirit and that the number was in the low 30s now. But Whitaker said that Boeing needs to make changes as well to improve the safety of its planes. “There must be a fundamental shift in the company’s safety culture in order to holistically address its quality and safety challenges,” he said.

Persons: Mike Whitaker, Whitaker, ”, “, ” Whitaker, We’ve Organizations: Washington DC CNN — Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing, Senate, Alaksa Airlines, FAA, Boeing’s South Locations: Boeing’s, Boeing’s South Carolina, Renton , Washington

☆ FAA says it doesn't 'have a timeframe' for when Boeing will be allowed to increase production of its 737 Max planes again
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-02 | by ( Lauren Edmonds | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewBoeing won't be expanding its fleet of its 737 Max planes anytime soon, according to the FAA. Although no passengers were seriously injured, the FAA barred Boeing from expanding production on Max plane models until quality and safety issues were addressed. FAA administrator Mike Whitaker discusses Boeing quality and safety issues at press conference on May 30, 2024. The FAA grounded 171 Boeing 737-9 Max planes in January before launching its investigation into Boeing's production lines and manufacturing practices. The FAA grounded 171 Boeing 737 Max planes.

Persons: —, Mike Whitaker, Andrew Harnik, Michael Whitaker, Whitaker, Max, PATRICK T, FALLON, Dave Calhoun, Stephen Brashear, they've Organizations: Service, Boeing, FAA, Alaska Airlines, Business, Getty, CBS News, Management, Max

☆ Boeing's 90 days to hand in a safety plan to the FAA are up. Here's what to expect
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Boeing 737 Max 8 fuselages manufactured by Spirit Aerosystems in Wichita, Kansas are transported on a BSNF train heading west over the Bozeman Pass March 12, 2019 in Bozeman, Montana. The FAA ordered the report following a near-catastrophic blowout of an airplane door panel on a new 737 Max 9 earlier this year. The FAA also barred Boeing from increasing 737 Max production until the agency was satisfied with Boeing's quality control improvements. The crisis has again tarnished Boeing's reputation, opened it to more federal scrutiny and forced it to slow 737 Max output. Boeing Chief Financial Officer Brian West last week said the company expects to burn cash this year, instead of generating cash.

Persons: Spirit Aerosystems, Dave Calhoun, Max, Mike Whitaker, Brian West, Calhoun, —, West Organizations: Boeing, Max, Spirit, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, Alaska Airlines, United, Southwest Locations: Wichita , Kansas, Bozeman, Bozeman , Montana

☆ Boeing Gives F.A.A. Plan to Address Systemic Quality-Control Issues
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Mark Walker | Niraj Chokshi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Boeing’s top executives delivered a plan to improve quality and safety to the Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday, vowing to address systemic issues that have damaged the company’s reputation and put the aircraft manufacturer at the center of several federal investigations. Boeing detailed these and other steps during a three-hour meeting with the F.A.A.’s administrator, Mike Whitaker, where the company submitted a “comprehensive action plan” that the regulator ordered in February. Mr. Whitaker had given Boeing 90 days to develop a plan to make sweeping safety improvements after a midcabin panel known as a door plug blew out of a 737 Max 9 jet flying at about 16,000 feet on Jan. 5. No one was seriously injured during the flight. said in a statement on Thursday that “senior” leaders from the agency would “meet with Boeing weekly to review their performance metrics, progress, and any challenges they’re facing in implementing the changes.”

Persons: ’, Mike Whitaker, Whitaker Organizations: Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing

☆ Boeing’s plan to fix the company could suggest major changes
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Gregory Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

It is unclear if Boeing will actually release its plans to the public; FAA chief Mike Whitaker is slated to speak about the Boeing plan later on Thursday. The plan is seen as a crucial step to rebuilding the safety culture and practices of the nation’s single largest exporter. Whitaker ordered the plan from Boeing after reviewing the findings of FAA auditors who visited the company’s 737 Max assembly line. The auditors were deployed in response to the January 5 door plug blowout on Alaska Airlines flight 1282, a months-old Max. The plan may be one of Boeing’s last major milestones under Calhoun, who announced in the wake of the blowout he would join other senior managers in leaving the company this year.

Persons: Dave Calhoun, Mike Whitaker, Dave Calhoun –, Whitaker, Max, Calhoun, ”, – Organizations: Washington CNN — Aircraft, Boeing, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, CNN, Max, Alaska Airlines, National Transportation Safety Board Locations: Renton , Washington, Wichita , Kansas, Boeing’s Renton

☆ After a string of safety issues, Boeing is about to release a plan to fix its quality problems
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-29 | by ( Gregory Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Washington CNN —Boeing is expected to release a plan this week to fix its endless string of safety issues that have been under federal investigation following a midflight fuselage blowout in January. Since then, the FAA and Boeing have met multiple times about the company’s progress and the plan’s scope. FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said last week he sees the plan as only the “beginning” of a process for Boeing. Boeing later agreed to financial penalties and a deferred prosecution agreement to settle a criminal charge of defrauding US regulators. Its marching orders for the plan include addressing the audit and expert panel findings and explaining how it will integrate safety and quality assurance policies into practice.

Persons: Mike Whitaker, “ It’s, ” Whitaker, Max, Dave Calhoun, David Ryder, Whitaker, AeroSystems, Brian West, “ We’re, we’ll Organizations: Washington CNN, Boeing, Aviation Administration, FAA, ABC, Air Force, Alaska Airlines, Transportation Safety, Department of Justice, CNN, Employees, “ Locations: Portland , Oregon, Wichita , Kansas, Renton , Washington

☆ Wall Street is about to see its biggest trading change in years
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —Buying or selling a stock is about to get a lot snappier starting next Tuesday. But that doesn’t mean it’ll get smoother, at least right away — and some financial firms are preparing to handle any possible bumpiness. Clearinghouses, which sit between buyers and sellers, collect margins from traders as evidence that they can afford to make the transaction. Baird has had a T+1 committee in place since last summer to ensure such hiccups don’t happen, Lee said. “The existing two-day period to settle trades exposes investors and the industry to unnecessary risk and is ripe for change,” Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev said in a February 2021 release.

Persons: “, That’s, ” Gary Gensler, ”, Rich Lee, Baird, Lee, Reddit, Vlad Tenev, Max, Gregory Wallace, Brian West, Mike Whitaker, ” “, ” Whitaker, Read, Meta, that’s, Clare Duffy, Patrick Collison, Nat Friedman, Tobi Lütke, Charlie Songhurst, White, OpenAI Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Securities and Exchange Commission, Employees, GameStop, AMC Entertainment, AMC, Robinhood, Investors, Boeing, FAA, Federal Aviation Administration, Wolfe Research, ABC, Microsoft, Meta Locations: New York, OpenAI

☆ Boeing on track to meet FAA deadline to present quality control fixes
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Gregory Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Boeing will present its plan to fix quality problems with its assembly line to US regulators next week, the company said Thursday. The FAA said it audited the production line at Boeing and its key 737 Max supplier and found “multiple instances where the companies allegedly failed to comply with manufacturing quality control requirements.” It gave Boeing 90 days to present a plan — and that deadline is next week. Boeing chief financial officer Brian West said Thursday that Boeing and the FAA have had “lots of dialogue” including two check-ins during the preparation of the plan. “Our objective is to make sure the mechanic is fully prepared to do the work as intended,” West said. “We have frustrated and disappointed our customers because of some of the production supply chain issues that we’re up against,” West said.

Persons: Max, Brian West, ”, “, Mike Whitaker, ” “, ” Whitaker, West, ” West, AeroSystems Organizations: CNN, Boeing, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, Wolfe Research, ABC News, ”, Airbus

☆ FAA still short about 3,000 air traffic controllers, new federal numbers show
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Gregory Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Despite a surge in hiring last year, air traffic control stations nationwide are still about 3,000 controllers short, according to new Federal Aviation Administration numbers. The staffing plans developed by the FAA and the union representing air traffic controllers calls for more than 14,600 controllers to fully staff towers and centers. But at the same time, its air traffic control organization lost more than 1,300 employees, including controllers who retired or candidates who dropped out of training. The union president representing air traffic controllers said that after accounting for departures, the agency netted an increase of only six new controllers that year. It also instructs the FAA to install additional simulators at air traffic control sites to speed up training progress.

Persons: “, ”, Mike Whitaker Organizations: CNN, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, Employees, Senate

☆ U.S. FAA delaying start of new air traffic control rest requirements
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Virgin Atlantic Airways Airbus A350-1000 aircraft seen taxiing in front of the air traffic control tower at London Heathrow airport in U.K. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday it is delaying requiring air traffic controllers to get 10 hours off between shifts and 12 hours off before a midnight shift. FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said on April 19 the new rules would take effect in 90 days. FAA Air Traffic Organization Chief Operating Officer Timothy Arel said the timetable will be delayed as the agency holds discussions with the controllers' union with the hope "to have a joint agreement and understanding on new rest periods to allow for joint development of a strategy for implementing" the 2025 schedule "or sooner where feasible."

Persons: Mike Whitaker, Timothy Arel Organizations: Virgin Atlantic Airways Airbus, U.S . Federal Aviation Administration, FAA Air Traffic Organization Locations: London

☆ FAA will require more rest time for air traffic controllers amid fatigue concerns
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The head of the Federal Aviation Administration on Friday said the agency will increase the required amount of rest time for air traffic controllers in response to concerns over fatigue amid a staffing shortage. "In my first few months at the helm of the FAA, I toured air traffic control facilities around the country — and heard concerns about schedules that do not always allow controllers to get enough rest," FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said in a statement. A shortfall of air traffic controllers, made worse by a pause in hiring during the Covid-19 pandemic, has led to forced overtime and packed schedules for staff at some facilities. Air traffic controllers in the U.S. are required to retire at age 56. The announcement came alongside an FAA-ordered report on air traffic controller fatigue, which recommended the new rest requirements.

Persons: Mike Whitaker Organizations: Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, Boeing, Air Locations: U.S

☆ F.A.A. Will Require More Rest for Air Traffic Controllers
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Sydney Ember | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

The Federal Aviation Administration said on Friday that it was taking significant steps to mitigate the risks posed by exhaustion among air traffic controllers, after a series of close calls last year raised alarms about the safety of the U.S. air travel system. Mike Whitaker, the F.A.A. administrator, issued a directive increasing the number of hours that controllers are required to rest between shifts from nine hours to 10, and 12 hours before a midnight shift. The announcement came as the air safety regulator released a 114-page report from an expert panel that assessed the risks associated with air traffic controller fatigue. “We are committed to a sustained effort to address controller fatigue and ensure our airspace is the safest in the world,” Mr. Whitaker said in a statement.

Persons: Mike Whitaker, Mr, Whitaker Organizations: Federal Aviation Administration Locations: U.S

☆ Boeing somehow managed to get itself into even bigger trouble
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( David Goldman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

New York CNN —Boeing has achieved the unthinkable this week: It managed to fall even deeper into crisis. It ultimately approved the planes for shipments to airlines in March 2023 after becoming satisfied that Boeing had fixed the problem. Then, during the first weekend of 2024, part of an Alaska Airlines 737 Max blew off the side of the plane just after take-off, and Boeing has been in crisis mode ever since. In February, pilots on a United Airlines 737 Max reported that the flight controls jammed as the plane landed in Newark, New Jersey. The FAA is allowing the planes to continue flying and Boeing said the problem does not pose an immediate safety risk.

Persons: Sam Salehpour, Salehpour, McDonnell Douglas, Max, Boeing hasn’t, Dave Calhoun, Mike Whitaker, Whitaker, What’s, Boeing’s, Airlines, hasn’t Organizations: New, New York CNN, Boeing, US Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, New York Times, Alaska Airlines, National Transportation Safety Board, United Airlines, Airbus, Airlines Locations: New York, Newark , New Jersey

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