FAA and Regs

On Tuesday, the Federal Aviation Administration announced that it will begin an audit to assess runway incursion risks at the 45 busiest airports in the U.S. According to Reuters, the audit will evaluate each airport’s risks, identify potential issues with procedures and equipment and make recommendations to improve safety. FAA’s Air Traffic Safety Oversight Service […]

Three European airlines have protested an AD they say will prevent their pilots from having a decent in-flight nap. On Oct. 8, the FAA issued a final rule for the AD that will require flight deck seats on most Boeing 787s to be modified to limit the amount they can recline. The agency says that […]

The FAA has published a final rule eliminating expiration dates on flight instructor certificates, replacing them with recent experience requirements every 24 calendar months. The agency says that removing the expiration date on certificates will increase efficiency, cut costs and put instructor certificates in line with other airman certificates such as private and commercial, which […]

The general aviation maintenance community is up in arms over the FAA’s so-called “Moss Interpretation” of how much direct, in-person supervision is required by FAA-certificated airframe and powerplant (A&P) technicians and inspectors when it comes to work being performed by owners or shop apprentices and trainees working toward certification. According to the Aircraft Owners and […]

The NTSB has followed up an oddly timed urgent safety recommendation with a harsh rebuke of the FAA, alleging the agency didn’t act on a flaw in Boeing 737 NG and MAX models until the NTSB raised the alarm. As a result, the board says as many as 288 aircraft, most of them flying for […]

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk called for the resignation of FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker, following testimony the FAA chief gave earlier this week, as tensions between the company and FAA heat up. During a hearing before the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Tuesday, Whitaker addressed the more than $630,000 in fines the […]

The FAA has issued an STC for Swift Fuels 100R unleaded avgas to be used in Cessna 172R/S Skyhawks with Lycoming IO-360-L2A engines. Those are the only aircraft configurations covered by the STC but Swift says that’s only the beginning. The breakthrough was first reported by Aviation News. Swift Fuels is managing a comprehensive program […]

FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker is being called on the carpet to explain the FAA’s role in the Boeing 737 MAX door plug blowout last January. Whitaker will appear before an investigative subcommittee of the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Sept. 25. to discuss the FAA’s oversight of Boeing as a new MAX 9 went […]

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is drawing criticism from both industry stakeholders and members of Congress regarding its handling of commercial space launch licensing During a House space subcommittee hearing this week, industry officials and  lawmakers called out the agency on its implementation of new launch licensing regulations known as Part 450. According to SpaceNews, […]

The Federal Aviation Administration introduced changes to its cybersecurity standards for new aircraft and equipment in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) issued Wednesday. According to the agency, the proposed rules would tackle cybersecurity threats for transport category aircraft, engines and propellers. The goal is to standardize the FAA’s cybersecurity criteria, which would help lower […]