Flight Safety

After a month on simmer, what do AVweb readers think aboutthe FAA’s new BasicMed Third-Class medical exemption rule? Our recently completed survey provides a glimpse and if I could characterize the overall mood, I’d call it disappointed resignation. Why the disappointment? If there’s any common theme in the responses we received on the survey it’s […]

The FAA has pushed back by a week the effective date of new rules allowing increased use of enhanced flight vision systems (EFVS) during takeoff and landing. In a Federal Register notice issuedWednesday, the agency said it is delaying the effective date “to allow for the review of this final rule in accordance with the […]

The FAA on Tuesday published an emergency Final Rule that requires the operators of certain Piper twins to check the wiring for defects. “This AD [Airworthiness Directive] was prompted by a fatal accident where evidence of thermal damage in this area was found,” the FAA said. The AD requires the initial inspection within 30 days […]

When two hikers recovered debris from the 1985 crash site of Eastern Airlines Flight 980 in Bolivia last year, including some recording tapes, the find raised hopes that a cause for the 727 crash might finally be identified — but the NTSB said on Tuesday its investigators have determined the materials “do not contain any […]

Pilots should be wary when operating close to the boundaries of Class B airspace, the FAA said recently in a Safety Alert for Operators. Flight crew who are on a visual approach may sometimes stray outside the boundaries of the designated airspace, the FAA said. In addition, the published approaches may sometimes take an airplane […]

Years ago, new GPS approaches were commissioned at Houma, LA (KHUM) and the FAA King Air was flight checking them. Tower: “Report JOBUP” King Air after delay: “JOBUP” Another aircraft: “Are you guys naming these after your kids, now?” Bob Dingley

In today’s Avweb VLOG, Paul Bertorelli asks President Trump to make good on his promise to reduce government regulation. view on YouTube

Perhaps you’ve seen the widely distributed aviation video 178 Seconds to Live. The narrative starts: “The sky is overcast and the visibility poor. That reported five-mile visibility looks more like two and you cannot judge the height of the overcast. . .” It continues: “. . . You find yourself unconsciously easing back just a […]

The suspension of all new federal regulations by the incoming administration will not impact BasicMed reforms, as had been feared by some in the aviation community. The directive issued on Jan. 20 by White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus halts publication of new regulations until approved by an agency director appointed by the incoming […]

Proposed San Francisco Class B airspace changes would enable lower-angle descents into SFO optimized for the higher glide ratios of modern jet aircraft, reducing noise and fuel consumption. “A low thrust descent in a clean configuration results in the smallest noise footprint [regardless of altitude], and a descent in a clean configuration at near idle […]