FAA and Regs

Change is certainly a constant in aviation. Beyond aircraft technological advances, the rules that govern how air traffic control handles those aircraft are also frequently adjusted. One area in particular that’s seen significant discussion and change in the past three years is opposite direction operations (ODO). The official Pilot/Controller Glossary defines ODO: “Aircraft are operating […]

Elaine Chao was easily confirmed by the United States Senate on Tuesday as the 18th Secretary of Transportation by a vote of 93-6. Chao is expected to support efforts to privatize the delivery of U.S. air traffic control services, though she did not share her opinions on privatization formally during the confirmation process. A privatized […]

A blanket order from the Trump administration to place a 60-day hold on all new federal regulations may affect the finalization of the FAA’s new third-class medical rules, EAA said this week. Under the hold, implementation would be delayed from May 1 until July 1. “Such a freeze is not unprecedented when a new administration […]

Santa Monica Airport will close in 2028 and the runway will almost certainly be shortened to 3,500 feet. The FAA announced Saturday that it had reached an agreement to end decades of legal wrangling over the airport, which is surrounded by urban development and has been targeted for closure by local politicians since the 1980s, […]

The FAA has clarified the upcoming ADS-B Out rules regarding aircraft without electrical systems, elaborating on the current FARs regarding transponders. The ADS-B rule, which takes effect on Jan. 1, 2020, to mandate position-reporting equipment in airspace where transponders are now required, will not apply to “aircraft originally certificated without an electrical system but which […]

At the Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring this week, we spoke with several manufacturers of light sport aircraft (LSAs) about their expectations for the newly announced FAA BasicMed rule. Behind some enthusiasm for any relaxation on restrictions to flying, some commentators have expressed concern that pilots who were buying LSAs so they could benefit from […]

Four more aircraft makes are now approved for the EAA/Dynon avionics Supplemental Type Certificate program. Owners of some Beechcraft, Grumman, Maule and Mooney models can now purchase the STC and install the two Dynon electronic flight information systems, EAA announced this week. The EFIS-D10A and EFIS-D100, which have been made available in the past year […]

EAA and the FAA are building on the STC awarded to EAA allowing installation of experimental Dynon avionics in certified aircraft. EAA’s Sean Elliott spoke with AVweb’s Russ Niles on a Jan. 17 meeting that could set the course for more affordable access to new technology by certified aircraft owners. Duration: 7:30 File Size: 6 […]

Owners of certified aircraft could soon have affordable access to a wide range of cutting-edge technology now reserved for the amateur built market thanks to an emerging joint effort by EAA and the FAA. FAA officials from Washington, Oklahoma City and Chicago went to Oshkosh last week to discuss ways to expand on the success […]

The avionics industry will rise to the challenge of equipping the U.S. aircraft fleet with ADS-B Out by the Jan. 1, 2020, deadline says an industry leader. Ric Peri, the VP of government and industry affairs for the Aircraft Electronics Association, told AVweb in a podcast interview that as demand warrants, the industry will respond […]