FAA Air Carrier Audits Criticized at Senate Hearing
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was subjected to a fresh salvo of stinging criticism in the wake of revelations that an FAA supervisor in the Dallas field office intentionally ignored missed maintenance inspections at Southwest Airlines. The central FAA employee in the matter was relieved of his... [read more]
Internal Audit Criticizes NASA for Handling of Air Safety Survey
NASA shut down its infamous (National Aviation Operations Monitoring Service (NAOMS) survey project without ever properly evaluating its results, losing a chance for valuable insight into air safety issues, the space agency's inspector general has concluded. The watchdog office said NASA should analyze the...
Air Passenger Rights Bill Nowhere in Sight
Federal legislation that would keep airline passengers from being held 'hostage' on commercial jetliners remains stalled in the U.S. Congress while state passenger bills of rights are being rejected on legal grounds. The House Subcommittee on Aviation held a hearing on April 9 to hear testimony on what the...
Congestion Pricing Won't Fly
Adding to the strong opposition voiced by the Regional Airline Association (RAA) recently, airlines may sue to stop the Department of Transportation-proposed congestion pricing schemes at busy airports. The Air Transport Association questioned DOT's authority in setting congestion fees and said in a recent...
Dulles Airport Gets Runway Safety Equipment
Washington Dulles is the latest airport to use satellite technology to move ground safety beyond the limits of radar. A new state-of-the-art system gives air traffic controllers in the Dulles International tower a more complete picture of activity on the ground, closing visual gaps and helping to prevent...
FAA to Install RSL at Boston Logan
Technology that warns pilots about potential runway safety hazards will be installed and tested at Boston Logan International Airport under a partnership between the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport). The test system will be installed in November 2009 and...
Major Telecom Upgrade for FAA Under Fire
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has transitioned to a new telecommunications network that will increase network reliability and save hundreds of millions of dollars over the next decade. The FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure (FTI) network replaces the legacy telecommunications network known as...
Safety Board Call for Transponders on Gliders
All gliders should be fitted with transponders that alert air traffic controllers and other aircraft to their presence, federal regulators have recommended, citing 60 near mid air collisions over the past two decades. Gliders and other aircraft without engine-driven electrical systems are exempt from a rule...
General Aviation Pilot Falls from Plane
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued its probable cause determination on a bizarre accident in Florida's Lake Okeechobee on Sept. 1, 2007. The Safety Board's report found 67-year-old Anthony Bencivenga was at fault in the crash of his two-year-old homebuilt amphibian (Aventura II...
B-2 Stealth Bombers Ready to Fly Despite Safety 'Pause'
Although B-2 Spirit flying operations remain in temporary pause because of a recent accident, they remain ready to conduct combat missions if necessary, according to the 509th Bomb Wing commander at Whiteman AFB, MO. Since the first-ever B-2 crash Feb. 23 at Anderson AFB, Guam, all B-2 flying is suspended...
Tweet Complete: T-37 Retires after 40 Years of Service
The final T-37 Tweet student training sortie landed March 31 at Columbus AFB, MS. The T-37, which trained more than 10,000 USAF aviators, is being replaced by the T-6 Texan II. Columbus AFB was the last Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training base flying the T-37, but the Tweet will continue to be used at...
Safety & Technology Trends
Delivering Squid Era Corp. has reached a major manufacturing milestone with the delivery of its 1,500th Squid, a vehicle tracking unit. The landmark Squid was delivered to NATS of the UK for use at London's Gatwick Airport. In all parts of the world, runway incursions remain one of the most significant...
Safety Rules & Regs
Airworthiness Directive: Hawker Beechcraft Models B200, B200GT, B300, and B300C Airplanes, Final Rule. SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (HBC) Models B200, B200GT, B300, and B300C airplanes. This AD requires fabrication and installation...
Accidents & Incidents
Date Aircraft Type Narrative Death/Injury Remarks March 01, 2008 Tucson, AZ Great Lakes 2T-1A-2, N22TE The approach was made with the airplane configured in a slip to compensate for crosswind. During the landing rollout, the airplane began to veer to the right. The pilot applied left rudder to correct the...
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