FAA and Regs

The FAA has put all its COVID-19-related exemptions, policy deviations and various other pronouncements approved so far on a single webpage to help pilots, operators and maintenance organizations navigate the myriad time and personal-contact dependent regs that govern aviation enterprise. The agency has essentially thrown out the book that it normally throws at violators of […]

The shortage of face masks has reached the FAA aircraft certification bureaucracy in the form of an extension of compliance time for an AD requiring inspection of the wing carry-through spars on some Cessna 210s. The process involves chemicals that require technicians to use masks so the calendar deadline for compliance has been moved from […]

Any pilot whose medical expires after March 30 can continue to fly until June 30 without renewing in light of the novel coronavirus crisis. The FAA announced on Friday it will not be enforcing medical expirations during that period so that medical personnel can focus on dealing with the pandemic. “The Notice states that from […]

Canada has extended medical privileges for as much as four months for pilots whose medicals expire before June 1 and AOPA is asking for similar consideration and more for U.S. pilots. AOPA says it is now working with the FAA to figure out what to do about pilots whose medicals expire at the end of […]

At least 11 air traffic control facilities have been temporarily closed over the last few days because of coronavirus cases. In addition to well-publicized disruptions at Las Vegas, Chicago Midway and Indianapolis there was an hourlong groundstop for flights headed to airports served by the New York Air Route Traffic Control Center, also known as […]

The FAA is asking for input from pilots and operators of Cessna 206s as it mulls following Canada’s lead in issuing an airworthiness directive that would, among other things, limit seating to five instead of the normal six. Transport Canada has proposed an AD that would require all 206s on its registry to have an […]

The Seattle Times is reporting that Boeing will rewire the stabilator control systems and avionics bays of all 800 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft rather than battle the FAA for an exemption. During the post-grounding review of the aircraft, Boeing discovered that the wire bundle going to the motor that moves the stabilator didn’t have the […]

The FAA has updated guidance on expense sharing for private flights with an advisory circular that adds modern context to the 30-year-old rule. AC 61-142 was published at the end of February and is in response to the 2018 FAA reauthorization, which required the FAA to issue clearer guidance on flight sharing. Although not a […]

An apparent rift between the FAA and aviation agencies in other countries involved in the recertification of the Boeing 737 MAX appears to center on cockpit distractions during an emergency. As we reported last week, Canada is preparing to break ranks with the FAA on the final form of the recertification with its own flight […]

The FAA has signed an agreement with the State of Colorado Division of Aeronautics to install cameras on 13 AWOS stations in the state as part of the agency’s weather camera safety program. Under the $226,000 reimbursable agreement, the FAA will assist with camera installations and the state of Colorado will own and maintain the […]