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☆ FAA holds an emergency safety meeting to address a number of recent near-crashes
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Phil Lebeau | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailFAA holds an emergency safety meeting to address a number of recent near-crashesCNBC's Phil LeBeau reports on air safety concerns in the country's air travel system.

☆ How America’s New ‘Battery Belt’ Is Shifting the Auto Industry South
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

E46For eVTOLs to Really Take Off, Airspace Needs an Overhaul. Here’s Why. If a new-wave of air-taxis were to all suddenly take to the skies, the systems and protocols used to safely manage our skies wouldn’t cope. WSJ’s George Downs speaks to the FAA and others to find out how airspace is being redesigned. Illustration: George Downs

☆ A new generation of airships is taking to the skies
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Rebecca Cairns | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

It’s an airship, and French aeronautics company Flying Whales hopes its hybrid-electric, helium-lift vessel will change the shape of sustainable transport. Flying Whales' airships, pictured here in a render, could access remote locations without roads, railways or airports. That’s why most companies, including Flying Whales and LTA Research, are using helium, which is non-flammable. Prentice is also the founder and president of BASI, a Manitoba-based company specializing in airships adapted for cold climates. Flying Whales expects to test its first airship at the end of 2025, with commercial operations beginning in 2027 once the airship is certified.

Persons: ”, Romain Schlack, Sergey Brin, It’s, Barry Prentice, Prentice, “, Schlack Organizations: CNN, Flying Whales, ” Airship, Research, Google, LTA Research, Moffett, American Chemical Society, Asper School of Business, University of Manitoba, Prentice ., FAA, European Aviation Safety Agency, Libre de Bruxelles, Prentice, Companies, Akron Airdock, Vehicles, Air Vehicles Locations: San Francisco, California, Manitoba, Prentice . California, Belgium, Laruscade, Bordeaux, France, Ohio, San Francisco Bay, England, Quebec, Asia, Canada

☆ The FAA won't have to establish seating size and space rules despite all the complaints, US court rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

On Friday, a US court ruled against FAA having to establish minimum seat sizes and spacing for safety, Reuters reports. On Friday, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that advocacy group FlyersRights.org couldn't force the FAA to adopt seating dimension rules. That is why some passengers pay for wider seats and extra legroom," Walker wrote. There needs to be a minimum size established, and it needs to be larger than the current sizing," commenter Epiphany Pizor wrote. In 2018, Congress passed the FAA Reauthorization Act, directing the agency to issue seat dimension rules regarding passenger safety.

Circuit Court of Appeals said an advocacy group, FlyersRights.org, had no right to force the FAA to adopt seating rules because it was not "clear and indisputable" that tight seating, while uncomfortable, was also dangerous. Congress had in 2018 given the FAA one year to establish minimum seating dimensions including pitch, the distance between seatbacks, that were "necessary" for passenger safety. "To be sure, many airline seats are uncomfortably small. "But it is not 'clear and indisputable' that airline seats have become dangerously small. Circuit Court of Appeals, No.

☆ US Senate panel to hold March 8 hearing on FAA reform efforts
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, March 2 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee on Thursday said it would hold a March 8 hearing on efforts by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to reform how it certifies new airplanes after two Boeing 737 MAX crashes killed 346 people. Congress in 2020 passed sweeping reforms to address FAA certification efforts after the fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 raised safety questions about the agency's airplane certification program. The FAA in January named a panel to review Boeing’s safety management processes and how they influence the company's safety culture. The FAA in September finalized a policy to protect aviation employees who perform government certification duties from interference by Boeing and others. The FAA continues to subject Boeing to enhanced oversight, inspecting all new Boeing 737 MAXs and 787s before they can be delivered.

☆ Biden Pick for FAA Chief to Field Questions on Aviation Experience
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Micah Maidenberg | Andrew Tangel | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Phil Washington, the nominee for FAA chief, is a retired U.S. Army command sergeant major and current CEO at Denver International Airport. The Biden administration’s pick to run the Federal Aviation Administration is slated to face questions from senators Wednesday in a long-delayed effort to confirm a new leader for the air-safety regulator. The White House last year nominated Phil Washington, a retired U.S. Army command sergeant major who is currently chief executive at Denver International Airport, to lead the FAA for a five-year term.

“The Learjet pilot read back the instructions clearly but began a takeoff roll instead,” the FAA said in a statement. The NTSB says neither airplane was damaged and nobody on board was hurt. The FedEx plane, meanwhile, climbed as its crew aborted their landing to help avoid a collision, the FAA said. Air traffic controllers had “noticed another aircraft crossing the runway in front of the departing jetliner,” the FAA said in a statement. Audio recordings detail swift action by an air traffic controller kept the airplanes from colliding as they drew closer.

☆ US awards nearly $1 billion to airports in infrastructure grants
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Feb 27 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday it is awarding nearly $1 billion to 99 U.S. airport terminal projects under a 2021 $1 trillion infrastructure law. The awards include $10.8 million to Des Moines International Airport in Iowa to replace the 1948 terminal that is operating above capacity and $29 million to Salt Lake City International Airport in Utah for a terminal and concourse redevelopment program. This is the second phase of funding - the FAA awarded nearly $1 billion for airport terminal projects announced for 85 airports last year. In November the FAA granted final environmental approval for construction of a new $4.2 billion terminal at New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport and for an $8.5 billion project at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport that includes a new Terminal 2. The 2021 infrastructure law dedicates $25 billion for airport projects over five years.

☆ Another 'close call': A JetBlue flight landing in Boston had to take 'evasive action' to avoid a private jet that crossed the runway
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A JetBlue flight landing at a Massachusetts airport had a "close call" with a private jet, the FAA said. The JetBlue pilot had to take "evasive action" to avoid the private jet on the runway on Monday. "The pilot of the JetBlue aircraft took evasive action and initiated a climb-out as the Learjet crossed the intersection," said the FAA. Two weeks ago, FAA acting administrator Billy Nolen issued a "safety call to action" following recent near-catastrophic "close calls" on runways and other plane incidents. And in February, a landing FedEx plane in Texas had to pull up at the last minute to avoid landing on a Southwest flight that was headed to Cancun.

☆ The sun is about to get more active than it has for a decade — and it could lead to power outages, grounded flights, and stunning auroras
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

That motion, called convection, is what creates strong magnetic fields at the poles and smaller, local magnetic fields at the surface of the sun. That instability causes havoc in the magnetic fields at the surface of the sun, which become much more active. As the sun's local magnetic fields get more tangled and crash into each other, they can explode. The worst solar storm we've seen happened in 1859. But as SpaceX and NASA aim to ramp up missions in coming years, they will need to prepare for solar storms.

☆ US watchdog to audit Buttigieg government jet use
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Feb 27 (Reuters) - A U.S. government watchdog will audit Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg's use of government airplanes for some trips as part of a broad review dating back to 2017. The Transportation Department Office of Inspector General (OIG) will review 18 flights Buttigieg made on Federal Aviation Administration-operated (FAA) planes on seven total trips after a request by Republican Senator Marco Rubio. "Glad this will be reviewed independently so misleading narratives can be put to rest," Buttigieg wrote on Twitter. Elaine Chao served as Transportation secretary from 2017 through early 2021 under President Donald Trump. Rubio requested the review in December after Fox News reported on the flights and asked if any violations of Transportation Department policy were identified.

☆ U.S. awards nearly $1 billion to airports in infrastructure grants
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON, Feb 27 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday it is awarding nearly $1 billion to 99 U.S. airport projects under a 2021 $1 trillion infrastructure law. The awards include $10.8 million to Des Moines International Airport in Iowa to replace the 1948 terminal that is operating above capacity and $29 million to Salt Lake City International Airport in Utah for a terminal and concourse redevelopment program. This is second phase of the funding -- FAA awarded nearly $1 billion for airport terminal projects announced for 85 airports last year. Reporting by David ShepardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Boeing shares fall after new Dreamliner delivery halt
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 24 (Reuters) - Boeing Co (BA.N) shares fell 3.2% in premarket trading on Friday after the U.S. planemaker temporarily halted deliveries of its 787 Dreamliner jets over a documentation issue related to a fuselage component. Some analysts said the latest hiccup in 787 deliveries should not result in any design changes and jets in service should continue to fly. Seifman said the brokerage believes this should not result in additional rework and that Boeing can produce the required documentation fairly quickly. Since the resumption of deliveries, production of the 787 has experienced some disruptions as the planemaker battles supply and labor shortages. Earlier this month, Spirit said the process of retrofitting stored fuselages for the 787 jets was taking longer than expected.

☆ Boeing forced to halt 787 Dreamliner deliveries once again
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN Business —Boeing has been forced to halt deliveries of the 787 Dreamliner once again, just months after it resumed deliveries to customers following a year-long halt. “We notified the FAA and have paused 787 deliveries while we complete the required analysis and documentation.”“Deliveries will not resume until the FAA is satisfied that the issue has been addressed,” said the agency. Boeing continued to build the 787 even while it was prevented from making deliveries in late 2021 and much of 2022. It was able to deliver much of that backlog once it was given clearance to resume deliveries, as it delivered 34 Dreamliners between August of last year and January of this year. Boeing plans to maintain assembly of the planes once again during this current delivery halt.

☆ An American Airlines passenger forced the flight to make an emergency landing after she charged the cockpit after she couldn't get a drink: reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

An "unruly" passenger aboard an American Airlines flight forced an emergency landing this week. The traveler allegedly rushed at the cockpit after she couldn't get a cocktail, according to reports. "I started freaking out because so many people started getting up on me," Miles told the news outlet. However, law enforcement ultimately dismissed the charge against Miles following an investigation, the airport told Insider on Friday. The FBI told Insider "no further action is planned unless additional information or evidence comes to light."

☆ Boeing temporarily halts delivery of 787 Dreamliners over fuselage issue
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The exterior of a 787 Dreamliner at the Boeing manufacturing facility in North Charleston, on December 13, 2022. Boeing has temporarily halted deliveries of its 787 Dreamliners so it can do additional analysis on a fuselage component, the Federal Aviation Administration told CNBC Thursday. The company won't be able to resume deliveries until they can show the FAA they solved the issue. A few months later, United Airlines said it was planning to buy 100 787 Dreamliners, with the option to buy 100 more, to replace some of its older stock. Read the full statement from the FAA:"Boeing temporarily halted deliveries of 787 Dreamliners after notifying the FAA that it is conducting additional analysis on a fuselage component.

WASHINGTON, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Boeing Co (BA.N) has temporarily halted deliveries of its 787 Dreamliner jets as the U.S. planemaker conducts additional analysis on a fuselage component, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Thursday. "The FAA is working with Boeing to determine any actions that might be required for recently delivered airplanes," the agency said. Boeing said in reviewing certification records it "discovered an analysis error by our supplier related to the 787 forward pressure bulkhead. We notified the FAA and have paused 787 deliveries while we complete the required analysis and documentation." Boeing had halted deliveries in 2021 after the FAA raised concerns about its proposed inspection method.

☆ Airlines cancel over 1,300 U.S. flights as winter storm grips states
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 22 (Reuters) - Airlines canceled more than 1,300 flights in the United States on Wednesday as a strong winter storm makes its way through the western and central states. A total of 1,327 flights within, into and out of the United States were canceled by 12:30 p.m. ET, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware, which also showed 2,030 flights were delayed. Regional carrier SkyWest Inc (SKYW.O) led the cancellations with 312 flights, followed by low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines Co's (LUV.N) 248 and Delta Air Lines' (DAL.N) 246 flight cancellations. Southwest and Delta said they are monitoring the storm, while SkyWest did not immediately respond to a request for a comment.

☆ Mexican airline Volaris hopeful Mexico recovers Category 1 safety rating in next six months
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MEXICO CITY, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Mexican low-cost carrier Volaris is "optimistic" the country will recover the coveted Category 1 safety rating, which allows airlines to open new routes to the United States, in the next six months, the airline's chief executive said on Wednesday. Mexico was downgraded in May 2021 by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, which argued that the country fell short of regulation airlines in accordance with international safety standards. Since then, the FAA has made a number of visits to Mexico, even establishing an office in the country in December. Mexico has proposed reforming its aviation laws, although the most significant proposals remain stuck in Congress. One such proposal would allow "cabotage," a rare practice allowing foreign carriers to open domestic routes in the country.

☆ Airlines cancel over 1,000 U.S. flights as winter storm grips states
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 22 (Reuters) - Airlines canceled more than 1,000 flights in the United States on Wednesday as a strong winter storm makes its way through the western and central states. A total of 1,035 flights within, into or out of the United States were canceled by 0915 am ET, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware, which showed 932 flights were delayed. Low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines Co (LUV.N) led the cancellations with 235 flights, followed by Delta Air Lines (DAL.N) that canceled 197 flights. Southwest and Delta did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. Reporting by Aishwarya Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-PhillipsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Department of Transportation watchdog to investigate flight cancellations and delays
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Ross Levitt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —The Department of Transportation’s internal watchdog said Tuesday it is launching a probe into the spike in flight cancellations and delays that have come in the wake of the pandemic. The Office of the Inspector General audit will focus on the federal agency’s role in these cancellations, rather than the airlines. The IG wants to find out both the causes of the delays and cancellations as well as the accuracy of the government’s data around flight disruptions. This will be first in a series of audits to understand and evaluate flight delays and cancellations as well as DOT’s actions to address them,” the memo stated. The IG also announced a separate audit of the FAA’s planned NextGen effort to upgrade the air traffic system, a multibillion-dollar infrastructure program.

☆ Reasons Plane Travel, Airline Customer Service, Airports Are so Terrible
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Bartie Scott | Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

It's almost impossible to imagine a time when air travel was pleasant, much less enjoyable. Lost baggage, overbooked flights, outdated equipment, hidden fees, and disorganized staffing have fliers at their wits' end; consumer complaints about airline service have risen by 300% from pre-pandemic levels. Many of these measures had been put in place to improve safety following some rattling accidents in the early days of commercial air travel. So in 1978, at the urging of the economist and "inflation czar" Alfred Kahn, President Jimmy Carter enacted the Airline Deregulation Act. He added that "airline service, by any standard, has become unacceptable."

☆ FAA Seeks to Fine SpaceX $175,000 Over Rocket Launch Data
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Micah Maidenberg | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

SpaceX has conducted hundreds of rocket flights over the years, including 61 in 2022. Aviation safety regulators proposed fining SpaceX $175,000 for allegedly failing to provide launch-related data before a satellite mission the company conducted last year. It is the first such penalty the FAA has sought from SpaceX, according to a spokesman for the agency. SpaceX has conducted hundreds of rocket flights over the years, including 61 in 2022. This year, SpaceX founder Elon Musk has said, the company has set a goal of launching to orbit 100 times.

That's when the 69-year-old test pilot found a residential airpark at the Pine Mountain Lake Airport. There are about 90 homes with hangars that have deeded access to use the taxiways and runway at the Tuolumne County airport in the residential airpark. As a test pilot, Sobczak works primarily out of the San Francisco International Airport (SFO). Because the Tuolumne County airport has no control tower, residents of the airpark use a common traffic advisory frequency so pilots can broadcast their position and intended flight path. Part of Sobczak's deed includes access to the Tuolumne County airport.

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