Regulations and Government

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.

Regulations and Government

DOT IG: FAA bungled modernization projects

It is no secret that the FAA in the last several months has been forced to shelve a number of important ATC modernization projects.
Regulations and Government

Bizav shines brightly in FAA’s crystal ball

Business aviation continues to be a bright spot in the FAA’s annual aviation forecast, with top executives of two business jet manufacturers and the leadin
Regulations and Government

Owners have 60 days to update address

As part of an increase in the FAA’s regulatory enforcement program, aircraft owners must, within 60 days of June 1, complete and return the triennial aircr
Regulations and Government

TSA eases international ops waivers

The Transportation Security Administration confirmed late last month that it decided to suspend the current “three trip” monthly frequency requirement nece
Regulations and Government

EASA’s certification pricing will produce no profit margin

The newly formed European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is crafting a pricing policy for the certifications it can now grant.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Project begins for assimilating UAVs in NAS

A four-year, NASA-led project began last month to determine the requirements and procedures for safely integrating the operation of unmanned aerial vehicle
Regulations and Government

FAA To Mandate ADS-B Equipage by 2020

The FAA today issued a notice of proposed rulemaking
Regulations and Government

FAA Reauthorization Goes Into Overtime

While machinations continue on future funding of the FAA, the House and Senate last week approved a six-week extension of the current law.
Regulations and Government

NTSB overturns FAA certificate revocation

In an unusual move, the NTSB reversed an FAA emergency certificate revocation against Michael Tarascio, owner and former chief pilot of Air East Management
Regulations and Government

Special-issue medical renewals streamlined

Twenty medical conditions that are serious enough to require special issuance (SI) first- and second-class medicals can now be cleared by an aviation medic
Regulations and Government

ALPA surveying members on age 60 rule

Members of the Air Line Pilots Association will be asked their views on the Age 60 mandatory retirement rule for airline pilots.
Regulations and Government

Despite Convention, NBAA Still Active on Hill

Aviation interests on Capitol Hill don’t come to a stop just because the NBAA Convention is being held.
Regulations and Government

DOT secretary ‘concerned’ by House stance on user fees

Transportation Secretary Mary Peters voiced disapproval of the recently passed House FAA Reauthorization Bill at the opening ceremonies of the 60th Annual
Regulations and Government

Lobby groups keep focus on FAA funding stream

With Congress back in Washington, D.C., after its long summer hiatus, the propaganda war between general aviation and airlines continued apace, with lawmak
Regulations and Government

Security rule changes likely for bizav flights

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) last month issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would require more detailed information about arriv
Regulations and Government

NetJets Europe starts program to offset carbon emissions

NetJets Europe is building carbon offsetting costs into its fractional ownership prices in a bid to become a carbon-neutral operation by 2012.
Regulations and Government

Outgoing Administrator urges focus on funding

In her final speech before the Washington Aero Club last month, former FAA Administrator Marion Blakey chided the airlines for causing most of their own de
Regulations and Government

Denmark to impose VAT on aircraft

The Danish government is preparing to impose a 25-percent value-added tax (VAT) on imported aircraft to close a loophole that has allowed owners to bypass
Regulations and Government

NTSB tackles air data Heating Systems

The NTSB has recommended that the FAA require the air data sensor heating system to activate automatically after engine start in new airplanes certified un
Regulations and Government

FAA Issues AD on AS 350/AS 355 hydraulics

The FAA has issued an airworthiness directive (AD) for the Eurocopter AS 350B/BA/B1/B2/B3/D and AS 355E Squirrel light helicopters, requiring replacement o
Regulations and Government

Gov’t outlines volcanic ash ops plan

The Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Service and Supporting Research, in conjunction with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administ
Regulations and Government

GA community urged to stay engaged in user fee battle

Solid progress in the fight against user fees has been made, but the general aviation community has to stay involved for the battle to be won, according to
Regulations and Government

Security Comments Sought

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is developing rules governing inbound international flights of business jets.
Regulations and Government

DOT Secretary: House FAA Bill Flawed

Perhaps she didn’t know what crowd she was addressing, but Transportation Secretary Mary Peters voiced disapproval of the recently passed House FAA reautho
Regulations and Government

DOT secretary ‘concerned’ by House stance on user fees

Transportation Secretary Mary Peters voiced disapproval of the recently passed House FAA Reauthorization Bill at the opening ceremonies of the 60th Annual
Regulations and Government

Congress steering away from GA user fee plan

General aviation late last week won a major battle, but not yet the entire war, against user fees.
Regulations and Government

FAA Reauthorization Clears House 267-151

The House of Representatives this afternoon approved an FAA reauthorization bill that raises the tax on jet-A from 21.8 to 35.9 cents a gallon and the tax
Safety

Congress grills FAA over NTSB safety list

Aviation by far has the highest number of outstanding safety deficiencies of any form of transportation in the U.S., according to the NTSB, which authors a
Regulations and Government

FAA Reauthorization Advances in House

The House Ways and Means Committee today passed H.R.3539, a tax code modification companion bill to H.R.2881, the House FAA reauthorization legislation.
Regulations and Government

Denmark’s Aircraft Tax Loophole Closing

The Danish government is preparing to impose a 25-percent VAT sales tax on imported aircraft to close a loophole that has allowed owners to bypass taxes du