News

The FAA isn’t doing enough to ensure pilots can actually fly well enough to take over if aircraft flight management systems fail, according to a report obtained by The Associated Press. The AP says the unreleased report from the Transportation Department’s Office of Inspector General is critical of the FAA’s lack of oversight on pilot […]

Pilot groups in Canada and the U.S. are hoping the FAA backtracks quickly on a NOTAM posted Jan. 1 that is causing major inconvenience for some Canadian pilots and operators. The NOTAM tightened security regulations for aircraft not registered in the U.S., specifically requiring security waivers for foreign aircraft flying in U.S. airspace. What changed […]

A signal-jamming system to deter unwanted drone flights was unveiled this week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Developed by Airbus Defense and Space, the Smart Responsive Jamming Technology can disable signals between a drone and its operator or, in some cases, jam its navigation system. Since some drone flights in prohibited areas […]

The debates over user fees and ATC privatization are coming back to the forefront as Congress settles into its second session. The impetus this week came from a piece in Politico by U.S. Rep. Mike Pompeo, a Kansas Republican whose district covers Wichita. The proposals are brewing in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee as […]

A Chinese startup company’s one-seat autonomous drone made waves this week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. EHang unveiled a prototype of its 184 Autonomous Aerial Vehicle, which the company says is designed for short, low-altitude commutes. The battery-powered drone, directed by a touchscreen app in the cockpit, can fly for 23 minutes […]

Cessna Aircraft’s Citation CJ2+ is no longer in production, leaving other variations in the Citation series to fill the demand for business jets. The CJ2+, which had about 10 years in production, is an updated version of the 7-seat Citation CJ2, which initially went into service in 2000. Cessna has not delivered a CJ2+ since […]

The FAA released its smartphone app for drone flyers on Wednesday, reminding users that it’s a tool to help with legal compliance. The B4UFLY app is available for iOS devices. A beta version for Android devices also is available along with a link to provide feedback. B4UFLY uses map and airport data, along with real-time […]

Officials at Cape Air blamed a pilot shortage for recent flight cancellations at Billings Logan International Airport, in Montana, according to the Billings Gazette. Officials with the regional airline said 16 flights have been grounded over the last few days because pilots couldn’t be scheduled. An airline spokesperson said they have brought in pilots from […]

The head of a private sector ADS-B loan fund says he hopes the FAA moves quickly to get the system running in time to avoid a “train wreck” before the 2020 equipage deadline. As part of the 2016 omnibus appropriations bill passed just before Christmas, Congress directed the FAA to figure out how a federal […]

U.S. airlines could save more than $250 billion by 2050, thanks to technologies developed by a NASA program to boost fuel efficiency, NASA said this week. These new technologies, which were funded by NASA’s Environmentally Responsible Aviation project, could cut airline fuel use in half, reduce pollution by 75 percent, and dampen noise to one-eighth […]