FAA and Regs

Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen has announced he’s leaving the agency this summer, leaving an even bigger leadership void in an organization that hasn’t had a Senate-confirmed leader for more than a year. Nolen announced his departure in a letter to FAA staff first reported by the Wall Street Journal. He told staff he wants […]

The NTSB has denied an appeal filed by pilot and YouTuber Trent Palmer related to a suspension of his private pilot certificate. As previously reported by AVweb, the suspension arose from a flight on Nov. 24, 2019, when Palmer conducted a low inspection pass in preparation for a possible landing at a private airstrip used […]

Boeing has stopped deliveries of some 737 MAX airliners after the discovery of noncompliant parts in structures supplied by contractor Spirit Aerosystems. Reuters is reporting that the issue is with fittings that attach the tail to the fuselage being installed incorrectly. “We have notified the FAA of the issue and are working to conduct inspections […]

The FAA says that it referred at least 17 cases involving allegedly unruly airline passengers to the FBI for criminal prosecution review during the first quarter of 2023. The referrals continue a partnership between the agencies that was stepped up in 2021 in response to a dramatic increase in reports of violently unruly passengers that […]

Aviation groups are asking the FAA to overhaul a proposed rule requiring safety management systems for charters and tour operators. NBAA and the National Air Transportation Association have filed comments on the proposed rule, saying the one-size-fits-all approach by the agency unfairly burdens smaller, less complex operations. “For any SMS to be truly effective, it […]

The FAA says water from leaky bathroom faucets in Boeing 787s has been found in the avionics bays below and has ordered repetitive inspections until a permanent fix is found. The agency says one unidentified airline found “multiple” leaky faucets in its 787 fleet and in one case a wet carpet on the flight deck. […]

The FAA has created its own version of an internal affairs office with the Office of Investigations and Professional Responsibility. The new department is charged with ensuring all FAA employees straighten up and fly right. “We protect the national airspace system (NAS) and the flying public by initiating and conducting administrative investigations and special inquiries […]

The FAA is being asked to reconsider its decision to close the remote air traffic control tower at Virginia’s Leesburg Executive Airport (JYO) on June 14, 2023. Parties expressing concerns over the upcoming closure include the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton, D-Va., Senators Mark Warner, D-Va., […]

The FAA and the lighter-than-air industry have reached a longer-lasting agreement on ADS-B equipage and controlled airspace operations. Going forward, balloon operators who want to operate in Class C airspace can sign a letter of agreement with the FAA that sets out ground rules. The deal was reached over a year of discussions between balloon […]

The first concrete result of a high-profile “safety summit” held by the FAA last week may be extending the recording time of cockpit voice recorders to 25 hours. CVRs now operate on a mandated two-hour loop, and many of the flight deck exchanges between crews involved in the half-dozen airliner incidents in the past few […]