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.
FBOs
EPA extends SPCC compliance deadline
Back in June, the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) expressed relief with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to propose a 12
FBOs
Sump dumper takes the pain out of draining fuel
Since the EPA crackdown on dumping sumped fuel on airport ramp surfaces, draining fuel has become a problem for aircraft operators.
Safety
ICAO wants safety data guards
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) assembly is expected to take action later this month on legal guidance for member states to protect sa
Safety
NTSB revisits child restraints
Although child restraints on airplanes have been on the NTSB’s list of most wanted safety improvements for almost a decade, the agency last month reclassif
Regulations and Government
FSS funding
The House Appropriations Committee has added a directive to a report on FAA funding for Fiscal Year 2005 that would require the agency to ensure that pilot
Regulations and Government
Congressional Observer September 2004
• Congress dodged the dog days of August by taking a six-week recess beginning July 22, but not before legislators increased their bills introduced count t
Aircraft
BBJs banned at Teterboro by legislation
Boeing’s efforts to gain access to Teterboro Airport (TEB), N.J., for its BBJ have been rebuffed, at least for this legislative year.
Regulations and Government
General Aviation Activity Survey in the Mail
Aircraft owners and operators should start watching their mailbox for an invitation to participate in the FAA’s 2006 General Aviation and Part 135 Activity
ATC
FAA cuts LAAS funding, leaving program in limbo
After more than 15 years and $200 million in development effort, the FAA in late January canceled further expenditures on the GPS Category I local-area aug
Regulations and Government
Slew of av compliance deadlines draws closer
Compliance with the ICAO requirement for aircraft on virtually all extended international operations to be equipped with an automatic 406-MHz ELT leads off
Regulations and Government
FAA considers jetliner fuel tank retrofit
Operators of hundreds of Airbus and Boeing jetliners will be required to retrofit fuel-tank flammability reduction systems, if the FAA adopts rulemaking it
Regulations and Government
Despite mixed signals, DOT lauds next-gen NAS
At about the same time Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta was announcing plans for a “next-generation air transportation system” to the Washington Aero
Regulations and Government
Comment deadline near on ETOPS proposal
March 15 is the deadline for comments on the FAA’s proposal to establish regulations governing commercial flights by multi-engine airplanes that go beyond
Regulations and Government
Industry waiting for ‘third party’ appeal option
Nearly three months after being directed by Congress to develop a plan for giving pilots and mechanics a “third party” review process if they lose their FA
Regulations and Government
‘W’ will be flight-plan code for RVSM authorization
Recent guidance from the FAA advises pilots that beginning next January 20, when RVSM is scheduled to be implemented in the U.S., ATC will start using the
ATC
Controllers sue Federal Impasses Panel
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association filed a lawsuit in late January asking a federal court to order the Federal Service Impasses Panel to reso
Regulations and Government
Repair station drug-testing obligations clarified
Under new FAA anti-drug and alcohol-misuse regulations, repair stations are responsible only for their own compliance, and not the compliance of their cont
Charter & Fractional
Canadian operator gets certificate reinstated
Transport Canada found no violations of Federal Aviation Regulations during a special-purpose audit of Georgian Express, and on January 27 returned the ope
Airports
Little Rock noise-compatibility program in review
The FAA is reviewing an FAR Part 150 noise-compatibility proposal for Little Rock National Airport, Ark., and expects to approve or disapprove the plan no
Regulations and Government
Turboprops caught in noise rule
New designs for small business turboprop singles could be included in proposed changes to FAR Part 36 noise-certification rules.
Regulations and Government
Simulator proposal reopened for comments
The comment window has been reopened until March 11 on the FAA’s proposal to revise the technical and operational requirements for simulators and flight-tr
Regulations and Government
Very light jets prompt FAA to propose F&R testing
The advent of very light jets has prompted an FAA proposal to require that all new certification projects for turbofan-powered airplanes of 6,000 pounds or
Regulations and Government
‘Sunset’ rule stymied early aerial assault on Cedar Fire
A rule requiring firefighting aircraft to land a half-hour before sunset may have allowed a controllable blaze to become a huge, deadly conflagration.
Regulations and Government
House to discuss DCA access for GA
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), which has been closed to general aviation traffic since 9/11, will be the subject of a hearing by the Hous
Regulations and Government
Will F&E budget cuts affect ATC upgrades?
The Bush Administration alarmed a number of people early last month when it proposed cutting the FAA’s facilities and equipment (F&E) funding by nearly $40
Regulations and Government
E3 process eases a/c registration in Europe
Europe’s new E3 aircraft registration process is making it easier to transfer aircraft to the national registers of member states of the new European Aviat
Regulations and Government
FAA plans to overhaul organizational designees
The FAA in January issued a proposal to replace the current designee program for organizations with a new one that expands the functions that designees can
Aircraft
Cessna preparing ACAS and Mode-S service bulletins
Citation operators this summer can expect to receive Service Bulletins to address European TCAS/ ACAS and upgraded mode-S transponder requirements going in
Regulations and Government
Type ratings for both pilots required under ICAO rules
To borrow the term “caveat emptor” (Latin for “let the buyer beware”) and mangle it only a bit, flight crews of aircraft that require two pilots should be
