FAA Makes Tower Closing Decision
Source: FAA, 25-Mar-13
Today, the Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reached the decision that 149 federal contract towers will close beginning April 7 as part of the agency’s sequestration implementation plan. The agency has made the decision to keep 24 federal contract towers open that had been previously proposed for closure because doing so would have [...]
NBAA’s Bolen Responds to FAA Decision to Close ATC Towers
Source: NBAA, 25-Mar-13
National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen today released the following statement in response to the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) decision to proceed with the closure of 149 contract air traffic control towers and other facilities across the United States, to comply with “sequestration,” or mandatory budget curtailments required of federal agencies: [...]
HAI asks court to invalidate Long Island flight corridor
Source: NBAA, 22-Mar-13
The Helicopter Association International (HAI) is continuing its legal challenge of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) authority to restrict helicopter flights due to noise complaints as concerns grow that more and more communities will seek legislative solutions to resolve local helicopter noise issues. HAI’s actions come as Congress considers two bills, introduced in February, seeking [...]
Civil/Military Aviation Conference becomes early casualty of FAA cuts
Source: Air Traffic Management, 08-Mar-13
The US budgets cuts – or sequester – that have forced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to seek $637 million in savings before the end of the current tax year have claimed their first event casualty – a top civil military aviation conference due to be held next month in Geneva. (see full story)
Website shows live heli traffic in Belgium and Netherlands
Source: HeliHub.com, 17-Feb-13
The Belgian based website helispot.be has recently launched a new page, featuring the helicopter traffic which flies each day. For every tracked helicopter that flies in Belgium and Netherlands, you can see the first and last recorded track times each day [in UTC], along with the registration, type , serial number, operator, pressure altitude and [...]
FAA Launches Second Phase of GA Airports Study
Source: FAA, 15-Feb-13
The FAA is beginning the second phase of its general aviation (GA) study issued last spring, General Aviation Airports: A National Asset, to further define the role of GA airports. In the original study, the FAA captured the critical and diverse roles of the nation’s 2,952 general aviation airports, which resulted in four new categories — [...]
FAA requests proposals for UAV test sites
Source: FAA, 14-Feb-13
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today solicited proposals from state and local governments, eligible universities and other public entities to develop six unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) research and test sites around the country. Through the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, Congress directed the FAA to establish this program to conduct critical research into [...]
AIAA to host policy symposium on civil applications of UAVs
Source: AIAA, 01-Jan-13
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) will host a March symposium on the nonmilitary uses of unmanned aerial vehicles. The “AIAA Policy Symposium: Civilian Applications of UAVs – A California Perspective” will take place March 26–28, 2013, at the Hyatt Westlake Plaza, Thousand Oaks, Calif. The event is co-hosted by California State Assemblyman [...]
Aermatica cleared to test UAV in non-segregated airspace
Source: Aermatica, 12-Nov-12
ENEL, the main Italian electric utility and one of the most important in the world, started a study concerning remote monitoring of its own power plants through small RPA. The possibility to satisfy those needs is only partially matter of mere technology; on the contrary starting of use of small RPA in professional industrial contexts [...]
HAI and industry urge continued NAS-UAS integration
Source: HAI, 09-Nov-12
HAI President Matt Zuccaro and 19 other aviation industry leaders have sent a letter to Acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta on behalf of their associations, urging the FAA to continue to press forward with the integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the U.S. National Airspace System (NAS). “… As a goal, the FAA should ensure that [...]
Single European Sky Initiative Is “Too Important to Fail” says EBAA
Source: EBAA, 16-Oct-12
The European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) commends the European Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas and MEP Brian Simpson for having voiced so forcefully their frustration over the lack of decisive action taken by Member States and for having unequivocally condemned them for failing to make the changes needed to deliver the benefits of the Single European [...]
Mandatory Helicopter Route †Long Island New York
Source: ERHC, 16-Aug-12
Starting August 6, the North Shore Route is mandatory for all helicopter transiting along the north shore of Long Island. The FAA mandate requires pilots to maintain an altitude of at least 2,500 feet. The FAA has developed a training capsule describing the route, altitudes and exceptions to the rule and that the course should [...]
Olympics – London 2012 pilot’s guide launched
Source: CAA, 25-Jun-12
A definitive pilot’s guide to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games has been launched today by the Airspace & Safety Initiative (ASI). The 100-page manual navigates pilots through the various security and operational airspace restrictions in place for the duration of the Games, as well as detailing the specific additional procedures to be followed [...]
ERHC opposes FAA-mandated north shore flight route
Source: 27East, 06-Jun-12
The Eastern Region Helicopter Council on Monday issued a statement in anticipation of the new Federal Aviation Administration regulation, claiming the mandate would “exacerbate air traffic congestion and make helicopter noise permanent over some communities.” (see full story)
SESAR launches study on Unmanned Aircraft
Source: SESAR, 08-May-12
In the future air navigation environment, it will be increasingly difficult to work on ATM concepts without integrating the different types of airspace users, including unmanned aircraft. The deployment of the new SESAR systems, procedures, technologies and standards requires a high degree of synchronisation among all stakeholders, and the UAS community has become also a relevant [...]
FAA approves low-level IFR in Des Moines, Iowa
Source: Air Traffic Management, 07-May-12
The FAA has approved an (IFR low level helicopter infrastructure for use by Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa. The infrastructure consists of five helipads in key locations throughout central Iowa (See full story)
UK CAA consults on Airspace Transition Altitude
Source: UK CAA, 01-Feb-12
To enhance safety, to enable the more efficient use of airspace, and to align the management of airspace more closely with other nations, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has today launched a consultation on its intention to raise and harmonise the Transition Altitude in UK airspace to 18,000ft. At lower levels, it is important [...]
PHPA alerts SoCal pilots to Long Beach NPRM
Source: PHPA, 29-Aug-11
THe PHPA has advised that… From our friends at the Southern California Airspace Users Working Group (SCAUWG): Pilots in the Southern California area will be interested in the newly announced NPRM for the Long Beach Class C airspace. You can see the details at: http://www.scauwg.org/scauwg/LongBeachClassCAirspace2011Revised.html There will be public meetings in October and the NPRM [...]
USAF frustrated by FAA slow response to UAV airspace request
Source: Minnesota Public Radio, 16-Sep-10
Military officials say they need restricted training airspace for a planned unmanned aircraft base in Grand Forks, but the FAA says it’s not ready to establish such an airspace in North Dakota.
HAI alerts members that FAA policy change could jeopardize airspace access
Source: HAI, 22-Jun-10
HAI members Urged to File Comments With FAA Before Friday June 25. On May 26, 2010, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) entitled the New York North Shore Helicopter Route. This proposal would establish the first ever mandatory VFR route not predicated on safety or the efficient management of airspace, [...]
NTSB Chairman testifies before Congress concerning Hudson River airspace
Source: NTSB, 17-Sep-09
NTSB Chairman Deborah A. P. Hersman testified on the status of the ongoing investigation into the mid-air collision over the Hudson River. The collision occurred on August 8 between a helicopter and an airplane. All 9 persons on board both aircraft were killed. Chairman Hersman provided an overview of the ongoing investigation based on facts [...]
Canadian registered crop-sprayer violates Washington DC restricted airspace
Source: Examiner, 05-Sep-09
The helicopter, tail number C-GKCW, landed at a regional airport in Leesburg, Va., after the intrusion. The aircraft is a Bell 206L Long Ranger equipped with spraying bars used for agricultural crop dusting. The helicopter is operated by Sunrise Helicopters, Inc.
NTSB head says FAA failed to act on ‘scores of recommendations’ on shared air space
Source: NY Daily News, 12-Aug-09
The FAA, she charged, has failed to make changes. “We believe if the recommendations were implemented, aviation safety would be improved,” the blunt-speaking Hersman said. She said 225 aircraft fly within 3 miles of the crash site every day, and pilots below 1,100 feet are free to choose their routes without monitoring from air-traffic controllers.
