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FAA to study use of electronics on planes
It’s going to be a while before airline passengers can use iPads and other electronic devices during the whole flight. The Federal Aviation Administration says it’s forming a committee to study the issue. But its plan suggests the committee’s work won’t be done until March at the earliest. The committee will give a recommendation to […]
FAA to bar operation that led to close call
WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration will bar airports nationwide from using a traffic-reversing operation that led to a close call last week at an airport near the nation’s capital. No commercial airports will be able to use the maneuver, in which controllers direct some planes to take off and land from the opposite of […]
U.S. seeks $162M in fines against AMR, American Air
DALLAS — Federal safety regulators are seeking up to $162.4 million in fines against American Airlines and its affiliates for alleged violations of U.S. safety standards going back several years. The sanctions would dwarf any previous penalties against an airline. Many of the investigations had not been disclosed until the Federal Aviation Administration filed documents […]
BWI awarded $12M grant for runways
Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport has been awarded a $12 million grant to improve and upgrade runaways. The Capital of Annapolis reports that the grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation will be used for the first phase of bringing Runway 10-28 up to Federal Aviation Administration safety standards. The project will include improving […]
Air fares will remain high this decade
WASHINGTON — Air fares are likely to stay high throughout this decade, as passenger travel grows but airline capacity shrinks, according to a government forecast issued Thursday. In its annual economic analysis, the Federal Aviation Administration predicted that more airline mergers and consolidation will shrink the number of cities served and the number of flights […]
Frederick airport to be first in Maryland to use new FAA technology
FREDERICK — U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin says Frederick Municipal Airport will be the first general-aviation airport in Maryland using new technology to track aircraft. Cardin made the announcement Tuesday at the airport, where he also toured a new, $5.3 million air traffic control tower. The technology called ADS-B relies on global positioning satellites instead of […]
Feds file civil suit against FedEx over containers
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The U.S. attorney’s office in Memphis is suing FedEx over the company’s use of battery-powered, refrigerated cargo containers. A statement from the U.S. attorney’s office for West Tennessee says the government is seeking to recover $1.55 million in civil penalties related to alleged violations of Federal Aviation Administration rules for the containers. [&helli[...]
FAA issue rules to prevent tired airline pilots
WASHINGTON — Rules aimed at preventing airline pilots from flying while dangerously fatigued were issued Wednesday by the Federal Aviation Administration, a move safety advocates have been urging for more than two decades. The rules update current pilot work schedule regulations, which largely date back to the 1960s, to reflect studies on how much time […]
Surprise Oct. snowstorm causes rise in tarmac delays
NEW YORK — There were 33 planes stuck on the ground for more than three hours in October, the most in a single month since a rule intended to limit long delays took effect last April. The culprit? An Oct. 29 snowstorm in the Northeast, where significant snow is rarely seen before Thanksgiving. Seven of […]
Better information needed to prevent tarmac delays
WASHINGTON — Federal officials say they are considering ways to better share information among airlines, airports and air traffic controllers to prevent passengers from becoming trapped for hours on tarmacs during bad weather. Federal Aviation Administrator Randy Babbitt told an aviation forum Wednesday the nightmare scenario that occurred last month at Bradley International Airport in […[...]
Republicans warn against waiving air subsidy cuts
WASHINGTON — Republican lawmakers warned Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood in a letter this week against waiving cuts in subsidies for air service to 10 rural communities unless he can show it would be too difficult for residents to reach a larger airport. White House assurances that the cuts would be waived cleared the way for […]
Senate approves bill to end partial FAA shutdown
WASHINGTON — The Senate approved legislation Friday ending a two-week partial shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration, clearing the way for thousands of employees to return to work and hundreds of airport construction projects to resume. Employing the so-called “unanimous consent” procedure which took less than 30 seconds, two senators were present to approve a […]
