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☆ FAA launches new plan to avoid flight delays in NYC, DC this summer
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The agency said it will reduce flight requirements for airlines' take off and landing rights to avoid congestion. Airline executives have repeatedly complained about air traffic control shortfalls contributing to flight disruptions as air travel sprang back from pandemic lows in the past few years. Airlines last summer also reduced their schedules to avoid delays as they dealt with their own staffing issues and other strains. The FAA said it expects increased delays in the New York City area this summer compared with last year, projecting a 45% rise in delays with operations growing 7%. Later this month, the FAA will hold a summit with airlines about other ways it can ease disruptions in the area.

☆ FAA issues safety alert to airlines, pilots after near miss incidents
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

March 22 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday issued a safety alerts to airlines, pilots and others about the "need for continued vigilance and attention to mitigation of safety risks" after a series of high-profile near misses. "While the overall numbers do not reflect an increase in incidents and occurrences, the potential severity of these events is concerning," the FAA said. Six serious runway incursions have occurred since January that prompted the agency to convene a safety summit last week. "While the overall numbers do not reflect an increase in incidents and occurrences, the potential severity of these events is concerning." Reporting by David ShepardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Senators propose raising US commercial pilots mandatory retirement age
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, March 21 (Reuters) - A group of seven U.S. senators on Tuesday proposed legislation to raise the mandatory commercial pilot retirement age to 67 from 65, in a bid to address airline industry staffing issues. The proposal, which would require pilots over age 65 to pass a rigorous medical screening every six months, follows complaints of pilot shortages by many regional airlines. The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) opposes proposals to increase the retirement age. Graham previously noted that in 2007 the United States raised the mandatory retirement age from 60 to 65, and "the sky did not fall." Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has previously said he does not support raising the pilot retirement age.

☆ Lloyd Blankfein on safety of money: 'Sort of yes'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Lloyd Blankfein, the former CEO of Goldman Sachs said the answer is not black and white on “Fareed Zakaria GPS” Sunday. Instead, the central bank along with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Treasury Department, have the power to guarantee deposits bank by bank if they find a systemic emergency. “Do we want to make it the duty of depositors to do that kind of forensic accounting analysis on banks?” Blankfein said. If it’s certified, we get on them.”The difference between 2008 and now is the difference in assets, Blankfein said. If the current model of banking stays in place, most Americans will think their money is only safe in too-big-to-fail banks, Blankfein said.

WASHINGTON, March 16 (Reuters) - Boeing (BA.N) confirmed on Thursday it delivered a 787 Dreamliner to German airline Lufthansa (LHAG.DE), its first since deliveries were halted in late February after it disclosed a data issue with a component. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed last month that Boeing had paused deliveries due to the data analysis error related to the jet’s forward pressure bulkhead, which the company found after reviewing certification records. The FAA said Friday it was satisfied the issue has been resolved and approved Boeing to resume delivering 787s. Boeing is expected to deliver another 787 to American Airlines (AAL.O) shortly, sources said. Between the Saudi deal and separate orders from United Airlines and Air India, Boeing has received orders for almost 200 Dreamliners over the past four months.

☆ U.S. must address rise in aviation close calls - officials
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

McLEAN, Virginia, March 15 (Reuters) - Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Wednesday the United States cannot wait for the next "catastrophic event" to address an uptick in aviation close calls that sparked alarm. "We have seen an uptick in serious close calls that we must address together. National Transportation Safety Board chair Jennifer Homendy said the board has issued seven recommendations on runway collisions that have not been acted on. "There have been far too many close calls," Homendy said at the summit. "In light of the recent close calls and the attention being focused on even routine go-arounds — are we emphasizing efficiency over safety?

☆ Air New Zealand and 2 others have placed orders for a new electric 5-seater plane that can fly up to 386 miles — meet Beta's CX300
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

"These regulations did not anticipate the need to train pilots to operate powered-lift, which take off in helicopter mode, transition into airplane mode for flying, and then transition back to helicopter mode for landing," an FAA spokesperson told Aviation Today. The good news for Beta is that if and when the CX300 is certified, the company can reuse the same data and materials for ALIA (pictured) because of the similarities, Clark explained. BETA TechnologiesSource: Aviation Today

☆ U.S. senators to propose legislation to mandate balloon tracking
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. Air Force/Department of Defense/Handout via ReutersWASHINGTON, March 15 (Reuters) - Two senators are introducing legislation Wednesday to mandate tracking systems on high-altitude weather and research balloons to help the U.S. military differentiate between potential threats. Senators Mark Kelly, a Democrat, and Republican Ted Budd will introduce legislation seeking to ensure balloons operating in U.S. airspace can be identified, they said in a statement to Reuters. The issue drew new attention after U.S. fighter jets shot down a Chinese balloon and three other objects last month. The United States says the Chinese balloon was used for surveillance purposes. China said it was a civilian airship used for meteorological purposes, and that it was accidentally blown off course into U.S. airspace.

☆ Beta Technologies lands orders for fixed-wing electric aircraft
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Valerie Insinna | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, March 14 (Reuters) - Beta Technologies is pursuing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification for a fixed-wing electric airplane after receiving orders from three customers, the company announced Tuesday. The privately-held, Vermont-based startup sees certification of the CX 300 – a conventional takeoff and landing version of its Alia 250 electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft - as a path to introduce an electric aircraft into U.S. airspace under existing regulations, Chief Executive Kyle Clark told Reuters. Bristow Group, a helicopter service provider that has previously ordered eVTOL aircraft from Beta, has placed an order for up to 50 CX 300 electric planes, Beta said. As the air transport industry works to lower carbon emissions, electric "air taxis" are seen as a potential gamechanger that would allow airlines and other companies to shuttle people and goods by air over short distances. If successful, Beta can reuse much of the data to certify its eVTOL Alia aircraft, which uses the same airframe, batteries and propulsion system, Clark said.

☆ Biden seeks new funding for air traffic controllers, Amtrak
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - The Biden administration on Monday released details on a new proposal calling for more funding for more air traffic controllers and to speed modernization efforts after a computer outage led to the first nationwide flight grounding since 2001. The Transportation Department's $108.5 billion budget request seeks funding from Congress, including $117 million to hire another 1,800 air traffic controllers in addition to another 1,500 being hired this year. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association said last year the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had 1,500 fewer controllers than in 2011. The Transportation Department wants $3.1 billion in annual funding for passenger railroad Amtrak on top of $4.4 billion in funding from the $1 trillion 2021 infrastructure law. The FAA wants $24 million to fund 50 new test pilots, data scientists, safety inspectors and others to oversee Boeing (BA.N) and other airplane manufacturers.

☆ Boeing Can Resume Dreamliner Deliveries, FAA Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-11 | by ( Andrew Tangel | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Boeing said it has confirmed the airplane meets regulatory requirements and doesn’t require changes to production . The Federal Aviation Administration said it has cleared the way for Boeing Co. to resume deliveries of its 787 Dreamliners. The Arlington, Va., plane maker had halted deliveries in February over regulatory documentation issues. The FAA has said that Boeing was conducting additional analysis on a fuselage component.

☆ Amazon's drone business can't get off the ground as regulations, weak demand stymie progress
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-11 | by ( Annie Palmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

He even had baseball caps made that said "D&R 2022" with the Prime Air logo on them. CEO Andy Jassy, who succeeded Bezos in mid-2021, hasn't talked a lot about Prime Air in public. Prime Air sites in Lockeford, College Station and Pendleton, Oregon, were all hit by the job cuts, further straining operations. An Amazon drone operator loads the single shoebox-size box that can fit inside its MK27-2 Prime Air drone AmazonIt was a surprising setback for Amazon. Meanwhile, Amazon is working on development of its next-generation Prime Air drone called the MK30, and known internally as CX-3.

☆ Boeing Can Resume 787 Dreamliner Deliveries, FAA Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Andrew Tangel | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Boeing said it has confirmed the airplane meets regulatory requirements and doesn’t require changes to production. The Federal Aviation Administration said it has cleared the way for Boeing Co. to resume deliveries of its 787 Dreamliners. The Arlington, Va., plane maker had halted deliveries in February of the wide-body jets over regulatory documentation issues. The FAA has said that Boeing was conducting additional analysis on a fuselage component.

☆ USDOT defends 'fully qualified' Biden aviation nominee
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, March 9 (Reuters) - The Biden administration told Congress on Thursday its pick to head the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is fully qualified and does not violate a law requiring civilian leadership. Republicans question whether Denver International Airport Chief Executive Officer Phil Washington has the required aviation experience needed to serve as top U.S. aviation regulator. Cruz said on Wednesday that Washington was "unable to answer basic safety questions about the 737 MAX crashes, aircraft certification, and how a pilot might react when a system malfunctions." "Surveying the leadership of the aviation field supports this fact overwhelmingly. Washington this week won backing of three former FAA administrators and the chief executive of Frontier Airlines (ULCC.O).

March 10 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration on Friday approved Boeing to resume deliveries of its widebody 787 Dreamliner next week. The agency halted 787 deliveries on Feb. 23 due to a data analysis error related to the jet’s forward pressure bulkhead, which Boeing Co (BA.N) found after reviewing certification records. The FAA said Boeing had addressed those concerns. "The FAA may resume issuing airworthiness certificates next week," the agency said. "The FAA will determine when 787 ticketing and deliveries resume, and we are working with our customers on delivery timing," Boeing said.

☆ A commercial pilot says collisions are super rare but investigators need to figure out if recent near-misses are coincidences or not
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Rebecca Cohen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A commercial pilot told Insider that flight collisions and near-misses on the runway are rare. In recent months, at least five near-misses or plane collisions have occurred on airport runways. He said investigators need to figure out whether this is a coincidence or a larger issue. In 2023 alone, there have been at least five collisions or near-misses on airport runways, including incidents at JFK International Airport, Boston Logan International Airport, and Newark Liberty International Airport. "It's honestly amazing to think how smoothly and little mistakes are made 99.99% of the time," Baumgardner said.

☆ FAA clears Boeing to resume deliveries of 787 Dreamliners after weekslong pause
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

An American Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner approaches for a landing at the Miami International Airport on December 10, 2021 in Miami, Florida. Boeing can resume deliveries of its 787 Dreamliners as early as next week, the Federal Aviation Administration said Friday, after a data-analysis issue halted deliveries of the wide-body jetliners. Boeing earlier Friday said it completed the work needed to resume deliveries of planes to airlines and other customers. "The FAA will determine when 787 ticketing and deliveries resume, and we are working with our customers on delivery timing." On Feb. 23, Boeing paused deliveries of the planes, after a data-analysis error was detected related to the aircraft's forward pressure bulkhead.

☆ Investing in Space: Launch jitters
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Michael Sheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

CNBC's Investing in Space newsletter offers a view into the business of space exploration and privatization, delivered straight to your inbox. Even today's private U.S. launch leaders, SpaceX and Rocket Lab , had their share of failures when first gunning for orbit. "In a launch vehicle, you have lots of different complex systems … and traditionally, we've been talking about expendable launch vehicles. "We're finally transitioning to a reusable launch vehicle mentality, and I think you're going to see more and more of that kind of testing," Nield said. But even with one-off rockets, Nield remains "very bullish" on the launch market.

The Biden administration is seeking additional funding for the Federal Aviation Administration, funds that aim to boost hiring of air traffic controllers and facilitate other improvements to manage increasingly congested airspace. The White House on Thursday proposed $16.5 billion for the agency, up from the $15.2 billion the FAA received in fiscal 2023. Airlines and the Transportation Department have sparred over causes of flight disruptions, with some company executives blaming a shortfall of air traffic controllers. Last year, the FAA managed airspace for a record 92 space missions – a total that includes rocket launches and spacecraft reentries, which it expects to top in 2023. Many of those missions launched from Florida, a state which has seen more and more commercial air traffic as well.

☆ Why lithium-ion batteries found in many products keep exploding
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Officials believe the incident stemmed from a lithium-ion battery of a scooter found on the roof of an apartment building. “In all of these fires, these lithium-ion fires, it is not a slow burn; there’s not a small amount of fire, it literally explodes,” FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh told reporters. For starters, lithium-ion batteries are now in numerous consumer tech products, powering laptops, cameras, smartphones and more. Despite the concerns, lithium-ion batteries continue to be prevalent in many of today’s most popular gadgets. For example, LFP (lithium iron phosphate) batteries don’t overheat as much as other types of lithium-ion batteries.

JetBlue will face "an uphill battle" as it fights the government," said Diana Moss, president of the American Antitrust Institute. "If I'm JetBlue, that's where I focus right now, developing that divestiture offer and lining up a buyer to 'litigate the fix,'" said Dryden. Whatever arguments JetBlue uses, a court fight could last six to eight months and cost tens of millions of dollars in attorney fees, legal experts said. Bill Baer, head of the Justice Department's antitrust division under former President Barack Obama, said the government's complaint "shows that there is meaningful competition between Spirit and JetBlue." "JetBlue brags about the 'JetBlue effect,' where they enter a market and fares tend to go down," he said.

It's about six months between when it's certified and we can put it into service," Jordan told reporters at an Aero Club event in Washington. Jordan said his "best guess" is it will be in service by Southwest in early 2024. Boeing said it continues to work with the FAA to meet the requirements for MAX 7 and MAX 10 certification. Boeing has unfilled orders of 388 737 MAXs for Southwest and 271 of those are for MAX 7s. Jordan added that, if MAX 7 entry into service is delayed, Boeing will deliver additional MAX 8s to Southwest this year in lieu of MAX 7s.

☆ U.S. aviation regulator boosting safety staff
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON, March 8 (Reuters) - The acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday the agency plans add nearly 300 employees to its safety office as it ramps up oversight following two fatal Boeing 737 MAX crashes. Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen told the Senate Commerce Committee the aviation safety office, which currently has 7,489 employees, plans to have 7,775 by the end of September. The committee is holding a hearing on FAA safety reforms directed by Congress in 2020 after the 737 MAX crashes killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019. Reporting by David ShepardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ U.S. FAA, NTSB probe new airline runway incident
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are investigating a string of recent runway incursions that have attracted national attention. The FAA said the American Airlines flight crew discontinued the landing after the controller advised that the Air Canada aircraft was departing. The aircraft were about 3,100 feet (945 meters) apart when the American Airlines jet began its climb-out, the FAA said. The FAA will hold a March 15 safety summit and is forming a team of experts to review airline safety after several recent near-miss incidents. The FedEx plane had been set to land on a runway on which a Southwest Airlines jet was also cleared to depart.

☆ Two United planes clipped each other at Boston airport, prompting another federal investigation
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A United Airlines wing clipped the tail of another aircraft during pushback at Boston airport on Monday. No injuries were reported, but the Federal Aviation Administration told Insider it is investigating the event. In early February, two other United planes — a Boeing 787 and a Boeing 757 — collided at Newark, with the latter nearly losing its entire winglet. About a week later, an American Airlines aircraft crashed into a shuttle bus at Los Angeles International Airport, sending four to the hospital. Then, in February, a FedEx Boeing 767 cargo plane nearly landed on top of a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 passenger jet in Austin.

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