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Meanwhile, the FAA is not happy with a proposal from Democratic leaders to extend 2006 spending levels through 2007. If that happens, an FAA official said in a memo that the agency might have to freeze all hiring of air traffic controllers and technicians after March 31. “In anticipation of the impact that could have […]

Congress may already have started its holiday recess, but with a major changeover due to take place in January you can bet they’re not idle in Washington, D.C. The Democrats are itching to take charge, and they plan to take a more active role in overseeing aviation safety and the FAA, according to James Carroll, […]

AOPA didnt comment directly on the content of the DOT OIG memo, but said its an indication of the way things may shape up in coming months in Washington. AOPA spokesman Chris Dancy said the OIG study came at the request of Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., last summer and AOPA knew it was coming. Dancy […]

The Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General is planning to conduct an audit of the National Airspace System (NAS) that could become a key point of information for the looming battle over how to fund the FAA. In an internal memo obtained by AVweb, David Tornquist, the DOT’s Assistant Inspector General for Competition and […]

The DOT OIG memo gives some insight into the ideas being explored for renovating the FAA’s funding structure. “Measures under consideration include charging for aircraft departures, passenger emplanements, aircraft weight, flight distance and time-in-system,” the memo reads. “FAA is also exploring the feasibility of cost-based user fees.” Among the items on the agenda for the […]

Cleaning up emissions is one approach, but another way to get cleaner air is to be more efficient in the first place. Toward that end, a consortium of 17 leading U.K. organizations is working on a slate of new technologies related to development of wings, wing systems, landing gear and fuel systems. After completing their […]

Creating sustainable technologies that will lessen the human impact on the natural environment is becoming more and more of a concern, especially in Europe, where public pressure to clean up the atmosphere is intense and growing. In response, companies are offering “carbon offsets” that, for a price, will neutralize the carbon emissions from aircraft in […]

As Joe Lepore and Jan Paladino made their way back to the U.S. late Friday — by private jet to avert Brazilian journalists who booked commercial flights to New York trying to corner the pair — their supporters were trying to figure out just what legal consequences they might face. Joe Sharkey, the New York […]

European and North American aviation organizations are applauding the release of pilots Joe Lepore and Jan Paladino from Brazil and renewing their call for criminal proceedings to be left out of the investigation of the accident. Lepore and Paladino were flying a Legacy 600 business jet that collided with a Gol Airlines Boeing 737 Sept. […]

Two U.S. pilots face a maximum of four years in jail after they were charged by a Brazilian prosecutor with “endangering air safety” in the collision between their Embraer Legacy 600 business jet and a Gol Airlines Boeing 737 in late September. However, the pilots — Joe Lepore and Jan Paladino of New York — […]