FAA and Regs

During the opening of the Aircraft Electronics Association show in New Orleans Monday, AEA chairman David Loso made a remark that caught my ear. He said it was time to think about life after ADS-B. Welcome as that sounds, I’m not sure we’re quite there yet. The ADS-B 2020 mandate is but 33 months away […]

With a new cost-cutting budget proposal from President Donald Trump expected on Thursday, general aviation advocates took the offensive on Monday and sent a letter to Congress asking them to protect funding for contract towers. NBAA, AOPA and eight other groups sent a letter to Congress asking them to fully fund the towers in the […]

AOPA President Mark Baker has written the aviation authorities of three countries whose airspace borders the U.S. asking that they accept new BasicMed medical requirements that will cover some private pilots. BasicMed goes into effect in May 1 and is expected to be adopted by many U.S. pilots but Canada, Mexico and the Bahamas don’t […]

Concept vehicles are a staple of auto and motorcycle shows. These sometimes dingbat creations aren’t meant to be serious design efforts, but flights of fancy intended to create buzz and garner press attention. Aviation shows rarely have the equivalent, at least from major manufacturers. The last one I can think of is the Cessna NGP. […]

King Schools co-owner John King confirmed to AVweb Thursday the FAA has restored his medical certification without explanation after the well-publicized appeal of his suspension. “Amazingly enough, I have my medical certificate in my pocket,” he said in an email. “I had written an email to the FAA Associate Administrator for Safety urging them to […]

Text messaging may be old hat to cellphone users, but it is still new in the air-traffic control system, where the FAA this week announced that it is now operational at Miami International Airport, the 12th busiest airport in North America. The text-based communication system, known as “Data Comm,” represents “a whole new era of […]

NBAA filed a motion in a federal appeals court on Monday seeking a stop to any actions that would affect aviation operations at Santa Monica Airport, while the matter is under judicial review. The FAA and the city have announced plans to close the airport in 2028 and to immediately reduce the length of the […]

FAA Administrator Michael Huerta defended the agency’s rollout of the NextGen air traffic control modernization program to a blue-chip business audience last week, saying it’s ahead of schedule and its completion will be worth the wait. Huerta gave pointed remarks to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Summit in response to President Donald Trump’s comments after […]

Normally it’s a good thing when a pilot walks away from a crash but a Missouri man may have pushed that sentiment a little. Rather than trying to find the wrecked aircraft, Kansas authorities found themselves looking for its pilot last week. According to the Kansas City Star, Randal S. Shannon’s shattered Maule was in […]

I hate it when someone peers into my eyes and, within a nanosecond to two, sees all the character flaws within. “You’re a rule breaker, aren’t you?” The query was from our team coach, Sally, and on the strength of one minor little transgression, she had nailed me with unnerving accuracy. When we go to […]