briefs

New York Republican Rep. John Sweeney has introduced a bill that would require written security plans, full fencing and double locks on all GA aircraft. “These common sense measures will go a long way toward keeping our nation safer at general aviation airports,” Sweeney said. However, AOPA calls the proposals “ridiculously expensive” and unnecessary for […]

The FAA continues to defend its Age 60 retirement rule for airline pilots in the face of Congressional rumblings about a change in the policy. At a hearing last week, Jon Jordan, the FAA’s top flight surgeon, testified that at age 60 people start to experience “a general decline in health-related functions and overall cognitive […]

If you’re planning a flight to the Washington, D.C., area in the future, you may soon need a new endorsement in your logbook. The FAA is considering making it mandatory for all pilots who fly into the national capital region to complete a training course on the rules of the air in that complex restricted […]

A U.S. District Court Judge in Florida is now pondering whether negligence by FAA air traffic controllers contributed to the midair collision of two planes in 1999 at Deland Airport, an uncontrolled facility about 14 miles southwest of Daytona Beach. Judge John Antoon didn’t render a decision after the civil trial against the FAA by […]

The FAA’s decision to outsource flight service stations to Lockheed Martin has been upheld by a contract appeals judge. Judge Edwin Neill recommended FAA Administrator Marion Blakey deny bid protests from within her own organization and from the National Association of Air Traffic Specialists alleging procedural errors, bias and favoritism in the process that resulted […]

The FAA has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Lycoming 540 and 360 series engines that were the subject of a company Service Bulletin and recall two weeks ago. The good news, according to AOPA, is that parts are in stock and the fully funded repairs of the 1,128 engines shouldn’t take too long. […]

COLUMNS Say Again? #52: Changing CultureGood pilots know better than to make a special request of ATC when flying in busy airspace; if the controller doesn’t actually tell you off, then you’ll hear the annoyance in his voice. But do you really know which areas are busiest? Things have changed and it’s only going to […]

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The first Excel Sport-Jet has had its final coat of paint and will be ready for taxi and flight testing by the end of this week, the company said yesterday. “We expect to start these [tests] shortly,” designer Bob Bornhofen said. That would put the four-seat Sport Jet at the front of the pack of […]