Matt Thurber, editor-in-chief at AIN Media Group, has been flying since 1975 and writing about aviation since 1978 and now has the best job in the world, running editorial operations for Aviation International News, Business Jet Traveler, and FutureFlight.aero. In addition to working as an A&amp;P mechanic on everything from Piper Cubs to turboprops, Matt taught flying at his father’s flight school in Plymouth, Mass., in the early 1980s, flew for an aircraft owner/pilot, and for two summer seasons hunted swordfish near the George’s Banks off the East Coast from a Piper Super Cub. An ATP certificated fixed-wing pilot and CFII and commercial helicopter pilot, Matt is type-rated in the Citation 500 and Gulfstream V/550. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Matt and his team cover the entire aviation scene including business aircraft, helicopters, avionics, safety, manufacturing, charter, fractionals, technology, air transport, advanced air mobility, defense, and other subjects of interest to AIN, BJT, and FutureFlight readers.

Editor-in-Chief

Matt Thurber

After the FAA “failed to establish a clearly defined role” for the Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO) and did not “set expectations for leveraging research at other federal agencies,” the U.S. Congress cut JPDO funding. The JPDO was supposed to lead the effort to plan for implementation of the FAA’s Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) and to coordinate this effort with other government agencies, according to a Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (OIG) <a href="https://www.oig.dot.gov/library-item/33638">Audit Report</a> issued on August 25.

 


After the funding was eliminated, the FAA reassigned the JPDO coordination duties to its Interagency Planning Office (IPO). While the “IPO has made some progress in identifying R&amp;D priorities,” according to the OIG report, “FAA has not established a&nbsp;normal process for identifying the R&amp;D necessary to implement the agency’s&nbsp;longer-term vision for NextGen.”

 


The OIG report faults the FAA for focusing more on implementing infrastructure and not “transitioning new and enhanced operational capabilities into operational use.” Some of the missing capabilities include “automation for controllers for metering, merging and sequencing terminal airspace; use of flight plan information to determine which routes best meet airspace user needs based on aircraft equipment and performance capabilities; and complex, datalinked clearances to enable precise metering and four-dimensional trajectory management in both high altitude and terminal airspace.”&nbsp;

 


The OIG report concludes with five recommendations for improving the R&amp;D process for air traffic management and linking the R&amp;D with the long-term vision for NextGen: establishing and documenting a process with clear roles and responsibilities for identifying and prioritizing long-term R&amp;D; linking the long-term vision for NextGen, once completed, with current R&amp;D efforts to identify any additional necessary R&amp;D; finalizing an MOU that establishes the structure for the FAA and partner agencies working on NextGen; updating the transition team document to include current projects in an annex, updated organization names and roles and assignments by position instead of name; and ensure that six high-priority NextGen capabilities are on the critical path for development.&nbsp;

 


The FAA responded to the OIG report’s recommendations by acknowledging them and providing estimated completion dates for most, but also highlighting budget constraints for the linking of its long-term vision for NextGen with current R&amp;D efforts. The FAA plans to provide an update on the latter issue by Sept. 30, 2017.

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

DOT Inspector General Faults FAA’s NextGen R&D Plan

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2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

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News and issues relating to civil and military unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) of all kinds and sizes, including those used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), combat (unmanned combat air vehicles, or UCAVs), law enforcement, research and other applications. Of particular focus is the FAA's planned integration of UAS into the U.S. national airspace system.

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News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

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AmyWilder

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

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News about simulators and training procedures, as well as workforce.

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News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

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