April 2, 2010 - Aviation and Airport Development Updates

April 2, 2010 - A summary review of Aviation and Airport Development related news and information that was made public during the past ten days.  Trisha Ton-Nu also contributed to this post. If you would like to receive this update in an e-mail delivered to your inbox every week, please send an e-mail to subscribe@calairlaw.com with the word “subscribe” in the subject line.

Editorial: Airlines’ Requests for Tarmac-Waiting Exemptions Are Extremely Off-Course. --- The Voice of Aurora, The Aurora Sentinel, March 25, 2010
A growing list of airlines are asking the Federal Aviation Administration for an exemption to new laws limiting how long airlines can keep passengers hostage on parked planes because of weather or traffic. These exemptions should not be granted for any reason, as incidents of keeping passengers on planes for lengthy amounts of time are inhumane and inexcusable. FAA officials have dismissed any and all airline requests for exemptions thus far, as well they should.
Click here to read more


Bill Would Allow St. George to
Sell Old Airport Land. --- The Salt Lake Tribune, March 25, 2010
T
he recently passed Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill includes a provision that would allow the city of St. George in Utah to sell off land under its old airport for private development, and use the proceeds to pay the city’s share of a new airport’s construction. Forty acres of the current airport’s land originally came from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and a previous law required it to revert to federal ownership if ever used for any purpose but an airport. St. George must come up with $37 million as a local match to federal grants for the new airport, and sales of the current airport location are expected to fetch $44 million.
Click here to read more


Senate Completes FAA Extension.
--- Vicki Needham, The Hill,
March 25, 2010
The Senate completed work on a three-month extension of the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill, pushing the expiration date to July 3, 2010. The temporary measure provides funds for the Airport Improvement Program, FAA operations, facilities and equipment programs, and research, engineering, and development programs. The House and Senate are expected to meet in the next few months to reconcile differences on a longer-term FAA reauthorization.
Click here to read more


Southwest Airlines: Angling for Access at LaGuardia and National.
--- Justin Bachman, BusinessWeek,
March 26, 2010
Delta and US Airways want to swap slots at New York LaGuardia and Washington National airports to bolster their respective existing businesses, but in a February decision the Federal Aviation Administration said the airlines had to divest some of their slots at those airports to buyers--airlines--that control less than 5% of the slots there. Southwest is protesting the requirement, proposing a cash auction in which the slots go to the highest bidder, which would likely be Southwest. The airline is hoping to muscle aside the “dominant player” at National or LaGuardia and is angling for the airport revenue that comes from the “
Washington political and Manhattan corporate types” who consider those airports theirs.
Click here to read more


Airport to Get Runway Funds.
--- Th e
St. Augustine Record, March 27, 2010
St. Augustine
Airport
in Florida is set to receive $4.5 million from the Federal Aviation Administration for runway improvement. The money will be spent on three projects: repairing the embankment on the runway’s southeast end, where the marsh first comes up to the airport; extending Taxiway B, which would allow large aircraft to run to the end of the runway; and placing posts for an Instrument Lighting System in the marsh, to provide guidance for aircraft in poor weather.
Click here to read more


Augusta
to Make Major Safety Improvements at Airport. --- Chellie Pingree,
March 24, 2010
The city of Augusta in Maine has received a $2.75 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration for a barrier system for the major runway at its airport. The airport and the busy roadways bordering it are in potentially dangerous proximity, and the grant will provide an engineered material arresting system, a series of specialized concrete blocks that crumble to absorb impacts, at both ends of the runway, making crashes safer for aircraft passengers and keeping planes on the runway.
Click here to read more


Senate and House to Try After Recess to Reconcile FAA Reauthorization.
--- Charles Spence, GeneralAviationNews.com,
March 28, 2010
The Senate finally passed a Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill, but it has yet to be reconciled with the House’s version. The 12th three-month extension needed to keep the FAA afloat in the interim passed both houses of Congress before they broke for the Easter recess, with financial issues and a few differences still needing to be resolved between the two bills. 
Click here to read more


Glynn
County
Airport Gets Nearly $3 Million for Drainage Work. --- Terry Dickson, The Florida Times-Union, March 28, 2010
Glynn
County Airport
in Georgia has received $2.9 million from the Federal Aviation Administration toward installation of underground pipes to replace 60-year-old metal ones that had failed or were failing. The pipes were dangerous, leaving sinkholes when they collapsed or leaving open water, which attracts birds, a hazard to aircraft. The new underground drainage system will remove the water that attracts the birds, and the second phase of the project, which will include more concrete pipes to eliminate the open ditches and create a retention pond for runoff, should be complete early next year.
Click here to read more


Cleveland
Airport Receives Grant. --- Associated Press, March 29, 2010
The David Work Municipal Airport Terminal in Cleveland, Ohio received $153,464 in federal grant funding for a runway extension, including a site preparation and design. The Federal Aviation Administration will oversee the grant distribution, which city officials have been looking for for several months.
Click here to read more


Federal Funds Slated for
Lakeland Airport. --- Tampa Bay Business Journal, March 29, 2010
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport in Florida will receive $2.4 million from the Federal Aviation Administration to reconstruct runway intersections to improve the safety of taxiing aircraft. Airport officials worked with the Orlando district FAA office and the Florida Department of Transportation to obtain the grant.
Click here to read more


Leavenworth
County Commission Moves Forward with Airport Study. --- Elvyn Jones, Basehor Sentinel, March 29, 2010
The Leavenworth County Commission in Kansas signed a request for Federal Aviation Administration grant funding of a site study of a possible new airport. The cost of the study is not to exceed $150,000, with the agency to pay for 95 percent of it, and the rest to come from the county and other county cities and economic development groups.
Click here to read more


Airport to Get $8.5 Million for Terminal Project.
--- Elizabeth Willis, The Enquirer,
March 30, 2010
Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport in Michigan will receive $8.5 million from the Federal Aviation Administration to complete construction on a new terminal. The newer, more efficient terminal will replace a more than 50-year-old structure, and interior walls, updated technology, and heating and cooling systems will be installed in this third and final project phase. The project will cost less than $38 million, below the original estimated cost of $40 million, and no local tax dollars were used to fund the project, which is being paid for through a combination of airport revenue, state, and FAA funding.
Click here to read more


Global Aviation Regulators Agree to Share Safety Data.
--- Andy Pasztor, The Wall Street Journal,
March 31, 2010
The Federal Aviation Administration, the European Commission, and the United Nations’ International Civil Aviation Organization signed an agreement Tuesday with the airline industry’s International Air Transport Association to establish a common information-sharing network. The agreement will help regulators and carriers in developed countries confront subtle hazards that might otherwise go undetected, and safety programs in parts of Africa, Latin America, and other regions are expected to be enhanced. International cooperation will hopefully identify “top-level safety hazards,” establish joint priorities, and help make other regions aware of techniques to enhance safety.
Click here to read more


More articles on this topic:


Air Safety Requires Worldwide Information Exchange.
--- Associated Press,
March 31, 2010
The International Air Transport Association lauded the milestone achieved when the IATA, along with the International Civil Aviation Organization, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, and the Commission of the European Union, signed a Declaration of Intent to exchange safety data. The worldwide willingness to share and exchange information is seen as a first step toward achieving better aviation safety
Click here to read more


 
ICAO Seeks Open Books on Air Safety. --- The
Montreal Gazette, April 2, 2010
The International Civil Aviation Organization had several recommendations as part of its push for a new safety data sharing system that would help reduce aircraft accidents worldwide and give travelers better information on carriers’ safety reports. ICAO said it has traditionally focused on accident reports but allowing travelers to be granted access to a worldwide database of safety information would help them make “informed decisions” about which airline to fly with, and the new approach would help better identify and deal with safety threats before they result in accidents.
Click here to read more


Airport Receives Another Million Dollars.
--- Sean Gaffney, The Monitor,
March 30, 2010
McAllen-Miller International Airport in Texas will receive nearly $1 million from the Federal Aviation Administration to fund two studies for a multi-million dollar terminal expansion. The FAA has already committed more than $11.6 million to expand the terminal.
Click here to read more


Dingell Announces $8 Million Grant for Noise Enclosure at
Detroit Metro Airport. --- International Airport Review, March 31, 2010
Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Michigan was awarded an $8.35 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration for noise mitigation measures. The grant provides the federal share for funding the design and construction of a Ground Run-up Enclosure at the airport, a significant noise mitigation initiative.
Click here to read more


$14 Million in Federal Stimulus Funds Coming for New PSP Control Tower.
--- Amy Blaisdell, The Desert
Sun, March 31, 2010
The City of
Palm Springs in California has announced that Palm Springs International Airport received nearly $14 million in federal stimulus funds for a new, state-of-the-art control tower. The new control tower will ensure the safe operation of Palm Springs International Airport while creating new jobs and fostering economic growth in the city and the region of the Coachella Valley.
Click here to read more


Business Jets, an Economic Indicator?
--- Michelle Leder, The New York Times,
April 1, 2010
Business jet use has been falling sharply for the last two years but business flight operations have increased in recent months, helped by a recovering economy and increased overseas sales. Many companies began limiting corporate jet use or selling their planes altogether in late 2008 and into 2009, and though they are optimistic, the companies do not see real recovery occurring until the second half of 2011.
Click here to read more


Sanford
Airport Gets $4.9 Million Grant for Major Renovations. --- Ellen W. Tood, Sanford News, April 1, 2010
The town of Sanford in New Hampshire received a Federal Aviation Administration grant of just under $4.9 million for major renovations at Sanford Regional Airport. The grant will cover 95 percent of the $5.2 million project, which is for the reconstruction of the airport’s primary runway as well as new lighting, signage, and drainage. The remaining 5 percent of the project cost will be covered by the state and the town.
Click here to read more


American Airlines is Turning Up the Heat in an Escalating
Battle in New York City--- USA Travel Blog, April 1, 2010
American Airlines announced 23 new flights, terminal refurbishments at LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy airports, a joint marketing and advertising partnership with New York’s tourism promotion arm, and a new flying partnership with Jet Blue Airways as part of the company’s efforts to defend its strong position in the New York markets. Rivals like Delta and Southwest have increased service and investment in New York in a bid for business travelers, who traditionally spend more for a ticket.
Click here to read more


Business Briefs: Two FAA Grants to Benefit Projects at
PTI Airport. --- Winston-Salem Journal, April 1, 2010
The Piedmont Triad Airport Authority in North Carolina accepted two Federal Aviation Administration grants totaling nearly $9 million for projects at Piedmont Triad International Airport. The first grant for $8.3 million will help pay for the new runway at the airport, and the second grant of $500,000 will pay for consultants to design an “implementation plan” for a noise-abatement program.
Click here to read more


FAA Announces Availability of Supplemental EA for Space FIL Launch Site Operator License in
Brevard County, Florida. --- Federal Register, April 1, 2010
The Federal Aviation Administration has announced the availability of a Supplemental Environmental Assessment to the September 2008 Environmental Assessment for Space Florida Launch Site Operator License, and is requesting comments.
Click here to read more


County
Airport Receives $3.7 Million FAA Grant. --- Bill Richmond, Winchester News-Gazette, April 1, 2010
The Randolph County Airport in Indiana was awarded nearly $3.7 million in federal grants to complete a planned runway expansion and install lighting. The new runway will be wider and longer than the one currently in use, and will give airplanes a greater margin of safety. Work could begin as early as July and is due to be completed in 2011.
Click here to read more


FAA at
Detroit Metro Airport Slammed for Unsafe Landings, Takeoffs. --- Todd Spangler and Matt Helms, Free Press, April 1, 2010
Recent Department of Transportation reports found that for six months of 2007 Federal Aviation Administration managers at
Detroit Metro Airport in Michigan allowed a pattern of aircraft landings and departures that violated safety rules and potentially put passengers at risk, even as air-traffic controllers warned them of the danger. The unsafe procedure is no longer in use at the airport, but important questions remain about how the FAA and Detroit Metro Airport officials intend to hold the appropriate people accountable.
Click here to read more

March 19, 2010 - Aviation and Airport Development Updates

March 19, 2010 - A summary review of Aviation and Airport Development related news and information that was made public during the past ten days.  Trisha Ton-Nu also contributed to this post. If you would like to receive this update in an e-mail delivered to your inbox every week, please send an e-mail to subscribe@calairlaw.com with the word “subscribe” in the subject line.

U.S. Senator Grassley: Nearly $7 Million to Iowa Airports. --- IowaPolitics.com, March 11, 2010
Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa announced Thursday, March 11 that the Federal Aviation Administration has awarded five grants totaling nearly $7 million to Iowa airports. The funds will facilitate various airport improvement projects, like the rehabilitation of a runway at The Eastern Iowa Airport.
Click here to read more

Flight Attendants Wanted Security Beefed Up Inside Airport. --- Hugo Martin, Los Angeles Times, March 12, 2010
The Association of Flight Attendants has been lobbying Congress for the last month or so to adopt its strategy for stronger counter-terrorism measures, hoping that lawmakers will include money to put some of their ideas into action under the upcoming Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill. The group wants to implement a four-point plan: institute mandatory hand-to-hand combat training for all crew members, equip flight attendants with portable communications devices so they can speak to the pilots during emergencies, standardize the size of carry-on luggage so flight attendants can look for suspicious passengers instead of struggling with oversize bags, and shut down onboard wireless Internet during high-threat periods to prevent terrorists from communicating with collaborators on the ground. A representative for the association said it has not come up with a price tag for the changes and is not seeking raises for flight attendants as part of the deal, but instead just wants “more tools to make the plane safer.”
Click here to read more

 

Chicago Executive Airports Noise Exposure Map Approval and Noise Compatibility Program Review. --- Federal Register, March 12, 2010
The Federal Aviation Administration announced its determination that the noise exposure maps submitted by the Chicago Executive Airport Board of Directors for Chicago Executive Airport are in compliance with applicable requirements. The FAA also announced that it is reviewing a proposed noise compatibility program that was submitted for Chicago Executive Airport, and that the program will be approved or disapproved on or before October 1, 2010.
Click here to read more

FAA Proposes Civil Penalties Totaling $787,500 Against American Airlines. --- Federal Aviation Administration, March 12, 2010
The Federal Aviation Administration is proposing $787,500 in civil penalties from American Airlines for three maintenance violations that occurred in 2008 and 2009. In the first case, American Airlines mechanics diagnosed problems with one of two Central Air Data Computers on a McDonnell Douglas MD-82 jetliner, but did not replace the computer as they should have. In the second case, American failed to correctly follow an Airworthiness Directive involving the inspection of rudder components on certain Boeing 757 jets, and in the final case, American’s mechanics returned an MD-82 aircraft to service even though several steps of a scheduled B-check maintenance visit had not been checked off as completed.
Click here to read more

EPA Getting Serious About Avgas? --- Paul Bertorelli, AVweb, March 11, 2010
Earlier this month the Environmental Protection Agency sent a draft agreement finding to the White House as part of its proposed action to address a petition from Friends of the Earth claiming that lead in avgas represents a public health risk, a move that suggests the agency is serious about removing lead from avgas. The EPA has ordered lead pollution studies around a number of U.S. airports.
Click here to read more

More articles on this topic:

EPA Orders Studies on Lead Pollution Around Airports. --- Kent Misegades, General Aviation News.com, March 15, 2010
The Environmental Protection Agency’s order of lead pollution studies to determine if the lead in avgas actually poses health risks is a step toward removing lead from avgas. However the only viable alternative to 100LL for 70%-80% of the current piston engine airplane fleet is premium ethanol-free gasoline, which is also disappearing due to pressure from federal and state mandates for ethanol use in vehicle fuels.
Click here to read more

FAA Requires Inspection of 600 Boeing 737s. --- Dominic Gates, The Seattle Times, March 13, 2010
The Federal Aviation Administration issued an emergency Airworthiness Directive on Friday, March 12, requiring that airlines inspect about 600 Boeing 737s to check a mechanism that controls the flap on the horizontal tails of the jets. The directive stems from an in-flight incident on March 2, when a Ryanair 737-800 was found to have “extensive damage” to the left elevator, which is a moveable flap on the horizontal tail that controls the pitch of the airplane. The FAA report found that severe vibration in that attach point is suspected of allowing rapid wear of the joint and resulting in failure of the attach lugs, and that the condition, if not corrected, could result in a loss of aircraft control and structural integrity.
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FAA Bill’s Higher Fees to FundAirport Fixes. --- Marla Matzer Rose, The Columbus Dispatch, March 14, 2010
The new Federal Aviation Administration authorization bill will likely mean higher fees for passengers and more taxes for the private-aviation industry, but the money will be used to improve airports and modernize the U.S. air-traffic control system. Airports have been raising passenger facility charges, which they use in combination with FAA grants to undertake improvement projects.
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FAA Rules Wind Turbines Wouldn’t Interfere With Airports. --- Jim Ferolie, The Verona Press, March 15, 2010
The Federal Aviation Administration has determined that the planned wind turbines for Epic campus in Oregon will not interfere with nearby airports in the Town of Verona. The contractor the Morse Company is still gathering data and has not decided on the locations and heights of the turbines they will build, if any, but the application with the FAA was simply to see what the limit would be from an aviation hazard perspective before considering other important effects, like noise.
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FAA Publishes List of Newly Approved AIP Grants. --- Federal Aviation Administration, March 15, 2010
The Federal Aviation Administration has published a list of newly approved Airport Improvement Program grants.
Click here to read more

Pilots Who Overshot Minneapolis Can Seek to Fly Again. --- John Hughes, Bloomberg, March 15, 2010
The Federal Aviation Administration said two pilots for Delta Airlines’ Northwest unit who had their licenses revoked after accidentally flying past their destination in Minneapolis can apply for reinstatement on August 29. The FAA suspended the two pilots’ licenses on October 27, 2009, but has since reached a settlement that will let the pilots reapply to fly. The pilots remain suspended by Delta as the company is still working to complete its investigation into the incident.
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Exit-Row Seat Sales Compromise Safety, Some Fliers Fear. --- Ben Mutzabaugh, USA Today, March 16, 2010
Fliers have been expressing concerns about safety with the sale of exit-row seats, citing situations where someone who was sitting in an exit-row could lack the capability to perform exit-row responsibilities in the event of an emergency. Federal Aviation Administration rules on exit-row seats are detailed, but it is up to the airlines to make sure that the passengers sitting in those seats meet the guidelines and are capable of helping in an emergency.
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FAA Bill With Controversial FedEx Labor Provision is Postponed Again. --- Bartholomew Sullivan, The Commercial Appeal, March 16, 2010
The Federal Aviation Administration bill will not be completed by its March 31 deadline, and will need another temporary extension while the Senate and House work on the bill anew. There have been many problems reconciling the bill, and the postponement comes in part because of a lack of a resolution on a controversial provision that would make it easier for FedEx employees to form unions.
Click here to read more

More articles on this topic:

House Passes 3-Month FAA Extension. --- Aviation News Today, March 17, 2010
The House passed a bill to extend aviation programs and excise taxes through July 3, 2010, as the multi-year Federal Aviation Administration authorization bill is unlikely to be passed soon. The last multi-year FAA bill expired nearly two and a half years ago and lawmakers have approved a series of short-term extensions instead, but the current extension expires at the end of the month.
Click here to read more

FAA Wants New Software on Boeing 777s to Prevent Inadvertent Autopilot Engagement. --- Harry R. Weber, Associated Press, March 16, 2010
The Federal Aviation Administration wants new software installed on Boeing 777s to prevent crews from inadvertently engaging autopilot before takeoff, which could result in high-speed rejected or aborted takeoff and increase the chance of a runway overrun. Boeing says the problem is rare and that there have been only nine reported instances of a rejected takeoff because of inadvertent engagement in the 777's 15-year service history, but the FAA will be issuing an airworthiness directive in the Federal Register nonetheless.
Click here to read more

Airline-Fee Disclosure May Be Added to Senate Bill. --- John Hughes, Bloomberg, March 16, 2010
Under a provision that may be added to the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill, airlines and travel agents would have to disclose all fees for checked bags, food, and seating assignments before U.S. passengers purchase tickets. U.S. airlines have been increasing revenue by charging fees, and while Senator Robert Menendez, who is backing the provision, said passengers have a right to know what they are paying for, a spokesman for the Air Transport Association said fees give passengers “the greatest possible choice” since fees ensure that those who want the lowest fares will not be forced to subsidize passengers who want additional services.
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Senate Kills Controversial Amendments to FAA Bill, but Dozens Remain. --- Jessica Brady, Roll Call, March 16, 2010
The Senate voted against several controversial amendments to the Federal Aviation Administration bill on Tuesday night but many remain, nearly guaranteeing that the Senate will still be on the measure for the rest of the week.
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Bob Hope Airport Authority is Seeking Nighttime Curfew. --- Daniel Guevarra, AvStop.com, March 17, 2010
The Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority received notice from the Federal Aviation Administration that it may proceed with an Application for a Proposed Curfew at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California. The Airport Authority is proposing to adopt a mandatory curfew prohibiting all takeoffs and landings between 10:00 p.m. and 6:59 a.m. with limited exceptions, which would significantly reduce nighttime noise.
Click here to read more

Senate OKs Measure to Boost Flight Hours for New Co-Pilots. --- Jerry Zremski, The Buffalo News, March 17, 2010
The Senate unanimously passed an amendment to the pending Federal Aviation Administration authorization bill that would require new co-pilots to have 800 hours of flight experience under specific, rigorous conditions, up from the current 250 hours of general experience required. The amendment will be combined with a series of other changes to the bill that are still being developed. The Senate is expected to pass the full FAA bill soon, but it is unclear how it will be merged with the House FAA reauthorization bill that passed last year and a separate House aviation bill that was passed after last year’s crash of Colgan Air Flight 3407 near Buffalo, New York.
Click here to read more

Bellingham Airport to Expand Runway. --- Puget Sound Business Journal, March 17, 2010Port Bellingham officials have approved a $26.3 million runway expansion project at Bellingham International Airport in Washington, but the Federal Aviation Administration is paying 95 percent of the project’s cost. Work on the project will begin in May and is expected to be completed in October, and when it is completed, port officials say a plane as large as a Boeing 757 will be able to use the airport. Last year more than 320,000 passengers used the airport, up from approximately 80,000 passengers in 2004.
Click here to read more

FAA Says No to Venice Airport Downgrade. --- Kim Hackett, Herald Tribune, March 17, 2010
The Federal Aviation Administration has said “no” for the third time in recent months to the Venice City Council’s request to downgrade Venice Municipal Airport in Florida. The City Council would like to change the airport’s designation from a C to a B, as the designation impacts the size and weight of planes that can safely use the runways and safety zones over a golf course and nearby neighborhood. The FAA is willing to work with the city and would consider other alternatives, but the council has still voted and directed its consultant to draft a plan to make the airport B-designated despite FAA decisions to the contrary.
Click here to read more

 

Legal Constraints of Deactivating an Airport

Attached is the "Legal Constraints of Deactivating an Airport" presentation given by Steven M. Taber at Grover Beach, in conjunction with consideration of the pros and cons of closing Oceano County Airport, in Oceano, California .  Click here for the link to the presentation.

During the presentation Mr. Taber mentioned the FAA's list of Airport Sponsor Grant Assurances that airport sponsors are required to agree to when they accept federal Airport Improvement Program grants.  That list can be accessed by clicking here.

If you have questions or comments, please contact Steven M. Taber at staber@calairlaw.com

 

 

March 12, 2010 - Aviation and Airport Development Updates

March 12, 2010 - A summary review of Aviation and Airport Development related news and information that was made public during the past ten days.  Trisha Ton-Nu also contributed to this post. If you would like to receive this update in an e-mail delivered to your inbox every week, please send an e-mail to subscribe@calairlaw.com with the word “subscribe” in the subject line.

 

Senate to Revive Long-Stalled FAA Bill to Modernize Air Traffic System. --- Dave Michaels, The Dallas Morning News, February 24, 2010
The Senate will soon bring up the long-stalled Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill. The bill would create thousands of jobs and is additionally loaded with elements that affect the oversight of airlines, background checks for pilots, and protections for passengers stranded on tarmacs. It also contains a provision that would require air-traffic system modernization by 2018, instead of the previous target date of 2025.
Click here to read more

 

 

 

St. George Secures Airport Marketing Grant. --- The Spectrum, March 5, 2010
The Federal Aviation Administration has awarded a $100,000 grant to St. George City in Utah for its St. George Airport. The funds will pay for materials and travel dedicated to the effort of attracting a second airline to the airport, which is expected to open with only SkyWest as the sole provider. A recent study shows that only 19 percent of prospective Southern Utah fliers opt for St. George Airport, however, with more than two-thirds heading to Las Vegas.
Click here to read more

Rochester International Airport Receives $407,866 Federal Grant. --- Matt Russell, The Post-Bulletin, March 5, 2010
Rochester International Airport is one of 16 airports in Minnesota to receive funding for maintenance and construction projects. The money will be used for resurfacing work on a taxiway, to purchase additional equipment for an airport fire truck, and to go toward an improved airport de-icing area to better handle storm water runoff. The 16 airports received a total of $5 million in grants from the Federal Aviation Administration Airport Improvement Program.
Click here to read more

Miller, Airport Counsel at Odds. --- Ted Jackovics, Tampa Tribune, March 6, 2010
Tampa International Airport Director Louis Miller yelled at an airport lawyer for making recommendations about doing business in public. Mr. Miller’s last day as director was Thursday, March 4, after 14 years as head of Tampa International. The past three months have seen “contentious public exchanges” between Miller and new members of the aviation authority board, including issues about how the airport conducted requests for zoning variances for buildings that could affect flight operations and whether staff reviews for airport project bids were given proper public notice.
Click here to read more

Gary Airport Gets $5 Million Federal Grant to Extend Runway. --- Chicago Sun-Times, March 6, 2010
Gary/Chicago International Airport in Illinois received its fifth installment of federal funding to support airport expansion efforts in a $5 million grant to go toward the airport’s runway-extension project. The project will expand the airport’s runway from 7,000 to 8,000 feet, and is part of Gary Airport’s continuing effort to become a third option for local travelers.
Click here to read more

9 Maine Airports Receive FAA Grants. --- Associated Press, March 6, 2010
Nine Maine airports will receive over $4.5 million in federal grants from the Federal Aviation Administration, with Bangor International Airport to receive the biggest amount--$2.5 million–to make improvements to its cargo apron. For the other airports the money will go toward snow-removal equipment, construction, weather-reporting equipment and planning.
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FAA Meets With Driggs City Officials and Airport Users. --- Mike Polhamus, The Kathryn Report, March 6, 2010
Federal Aviation Administration representatives met with Driggs, Idaho city staff, airport board members, and airport users to ask their help in drafting a new nationwide through-the-fence policy. The agency’s current through-the-fence policy led the city last year to withdraw permission from several local subdivisions that would have allowed homes built with aircraft hangars and runway access, resulting in at least one lawsuit against the city. The local attendees’ comments at the meeting concerned what they felt was an unfair FAA policy disallowing airport access to residences, and they also feel that the policy was adopted in a way that punished small, exemplary airports like Driggs-Reed Memorial for the mistakes of others.
Click here to read more

FedEx Ally Blocks Aviation Measure in Fight with UPS. --- John Hughes, BusinessWeek, March 6, 2010
Senator Bob Corker from FedEx Corp’s home state of Tennessee said he will block legislation funding the Federal Aviation Administration because a provision may be added later that would make it easier for workers at the company to join unions; his action extends a years-long fight in Washington between the mostly non-union FedEx and its unionized rival UPS. Lawmakers can overcome objections from individual lawmakers with 60 votes, but that process can take several days.
Click here to read more

More articles on this topic:

Corker and Alexander Place Hold on Aviation Funding Bill to Prevent FedEx Drivers From Unionizing. --- Pat Garofalo, Think Progress, March 8, 2010
Senators Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander, both of Tennessee, have expressed disapproval of the controversial FedEx provision over how workers at both companies should be treated under U.S. labor laws. Corker, Alexander, and FedEx characterize the change as “singling out” FedEx, but it would instead be leveling the playing field between FedEx and other shipping companies when it comes to unionizing. A UPS spokesman said the change should be made because all drivers in the country doing the same job should be treated by the same law.
Click here to read more

Corker Catches Heat for Hold on FAA Reauthorization Bill. --- Bartholomew Sullivan, The Commercial Appeal, March 10, 2010
Families of victims of last year’s plane crash near Buffalo, New York are blaming Senator Bob Corker’s intervention on behalf of FedEx for a potential delay in passing higher safety standards in the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill currently before the Senate. Senator Corker has placed a hold on the bill until he can be assured that the controversial FedEx provision will not be included in the final legislation. A House version of the bill contains some higher pilot training standards, and the families criticized Senator Corker for using “a political move for a large corporation” at the expense of public safety.
Click here to read more

U.S. Senator Bob Corker Releases Hold on Controversial FAA Reauthorization Act. --- Bartholomew Sullivan, The Commercial Appeal, March 10, 2010
Tennessee Senator Bob Corker released his hold on the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill since it appeared that the FedEx provision, which would make it easier for FedEx employees to unionize, would not be included in the final Senate legislation. A spokesman for Representative James Oberstar of Minnesota, the “champion” of the language to which FedEx objects, said he is not aware of any deal that would remove the provision from future consideration and said Mr. Oberstar would not give up that easily.
Click here to read more

Flight Attendants Union Wants Combat Training. --- Hugo Martin, Los Angeles Times, March 6, 2010
The Association of Flight Attendants has been lobbying Congress for the last month or so to adopt its strategy for stronger counter-terrorism measures, hoping that lawmakers will include money to put some of their ideas into action under the upcoming Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill. The group wants to implement a four-point plan: institute mandatory hand-to-hand combat training for all crew members, equip flight attendants with portable communications devices so they can speak to the pilots during emergencies, standardize the size of carry-on luggage so flight attendants can look for suspicious passengers instead of struggling with oversize bags, and shut down onboard wireless Internet during high-threat periods to prevent terrorists from communicating with collaborators on the ground. A representative for the association said it has not come up with a price tag for the changes and is not seeking raises for flight attendants as part of the deal, but instead just wants “more tools to make the plane safer.”
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DOT Fines US Airways for Violation of Price Advertising Rules. --- Department of Transportation, March 8, 2010
The U.S. Department of Transportation assessed a $40,000 civil penalty against US Airways for violating rules that require airline price advertisements to disclose the full price consumers must pay for air transportation. The Department’s Aviation Enforcement Office found that when consumers searched the carrier’s website for one-way flights sorted by schedule, US Airways provided a set of fares that did not include additional applicable taxes and fees, or any notice on that page that these additional charges would be required. The DOT’s requirements for Internet advertising displays state that the full fare must either be listed on the first screen that provides fare quotes, or the existence of additional government-imposed per-passenger charges must be prominently disclosed with a hyperlink that takes consumers to a page that describes the additional charges.
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JetBlue, Delta Ask Exemptions from DOT Tarmac Rule. --- Samantha Bomkamp, Associated Press, March 9, 2010
JetBlue and Delta want temporary exemptions from a new government rule that limits the amount of time passengers can be held on the tarmac, saying delays caused by the closure of the main runway at New York’s JFK Airport could cost them millions in fines. The Department of Transportation’s new rule goes into effect April 29, and orders airlines to let passengers off planes delayed for three hours or face hefty fines. JetBlue and Delta are the biggest operators at JFK, an airport that was among the worst in the nation for delays last year.
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Latest NextGen Implementation Plan. --- Federal Aviation Administration, March 2010
The Federal Aviation Administration has released its Implementation Plan for the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). The Plan lays out the agency’s vision for the NextGen system now and into the mid-term, which is defined as 2012-2018, and further identifies the goals the agency has set for technology and program deployment and the commitments it has made in support of that vision.
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FAA Air Traffic Forecast Predicts More Crowding, Smaller Fare Hikes. --- Jon Hilkevitch, Chicago Tribune, March 9, 2010
The Federal Aviation Administration said passengers on U.S. airlines will pay relatively small increases in airfares over the next 20 years, but should expect more flights crowding the nation’s busiest airports. The FAA also said it will now take until 2023 for there to be more than 1 billion passengers traveling by air in a year, modest annual growth from the 704 million passengers carried in 2009 by U.S. airlines.
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Weak US Airline Travel Eases Pressure on FAA. --- Reuters, March 9, 2010
Federal Aviation Administration officials said ongoing efforts by airlines to cut seats and flights will ease pressure on the U.S. air traffic system in 2010, forecasting a 2.2 percent annual decline in takeoffs and landings by mainline and regional airlines this year. Airlines are flying fuller and larger planes to control costs and improve pricing power on fares, and there are few new orders for planes with most orders going to replace planes, not expand operations.
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Forecast Links Aviation Activity and National Economic Growth. --- Federal Aviation Administration, March 9, 2010
The Federal Aviation Administration is forecasting that key airspace safety and efficiency modernization efforts will play a vital role in spurring long-term sustained growth in air travel and the nation’s overall economic health, underscoring the need for the Next Generation Air Transport System and continued investment in airport infrastructure projects.
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FAA Forecast Fact Sheet. --- Federal Aviation Administration, March 9, 2010
The Federal Aviation Administration released a fact sheet with a summary of 2009 economic activity and air travel.
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Horizon Air CEO Weighs In On Whether Wholly-Owned Regionals are Safer. --- The Cranky Flier, March 9, 2010
The CEO of Horizon Air, a wholly-owned regional for Alaska Airlines, said that ownership structure of a regional airline is not directly correlated to safety, but Horizon’s structure and relationship with Alaska Airlines has advantaged the small carrier. Having a common board and single chairman consistently committed to safety has helped in the implementation of structural changes and investments in safety. It is important to note that a major carrier with a strong safety culture would benefit the wholly-owned regional, but that doesn’t mean an independent regional could not have a strong safety culture. Furthermore, a regional that is wholly owned by an airline with a poor safety culture could be negatively impacted.
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Airline On-Time Performance Improves in January. --- Department of Transportation, March 9, 2010
The nation’s largest airlines had a higher on-time performance rate this past January than in both January 2009 and December 2009. The carriers also posted a mishandled baggage rate that was lower than both January 2009 and December 2009's rate.
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U.S. Weighs Aiding Airlines With Air Traffic Upgrades. --- John Crawley, Reuters, March 9, 2010
The White House is looking into helping U.S. airlines meet the costs of modernizing the air traffic control system. Carriers are unhappy with being left out of the U.S. economic stimulus package in 2009, and do not want to be saddled with the bulk of the planned multibillion-dollar upgrade of the air traffic system to one relying on satellites rather than ground-based radar. Airline executives believe the government should cover the basic costs to airlines of air traffic infrastructure, claiming it is in the national interest to maintain a seamless system for air travel.
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Aircraft Icing Danger Remains Unaddressed by Aviation. --- All Things Aviation, March 10, 2010
Aircraft icing has been a top priority for the National Transportation Safety Board since 1997, but it is difficult to understand why the Federal Aviation Administration has taken such a long time to analyze, evaluate, create, and implement solutions that the NTSB has seen as crucial to saving lives and improving flight safety for travelers and pilots.
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Air Traffic Modernization on Congress’ Radar But Funding Isn’t. --- Dave Michaels, The Dallas Morning News, March 10, 2010
The Senate is finally considering the long-stalled Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill that would speed the modernization of the air traffic system, but the bill does not resolve who must pay for the technology. The Senate bill mandates that aircraft owners buy the equipment, but does not give them the funding to pay for it. Airlines and private jet owners want taxpayers to fund the gear that would let them benefit from an upgrade to satellite-based navigation.

Crapo, Risch Offer Boise TRACON Amendment to FAA Reauthorization Bill. --- Joe Estrella, Idaho Statesman, March 10, 2010
Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch of Idaho have offered an amendment to the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill that would specifically prohibit moving the Boise air traffic control system to Salt Lake City until the Air Traffic Modernization Oversight Board completes its review of the agency’s plans for similar moves nationwide. The FAA has been trying to move the Boise TRACON to Salt Lake City since 2006, asserting that it would save taxpayers $24 million over 25 years.
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Runway Expansion Project Heads into Holding Pattern, to Neighbors’ Relief. --- Jennifer Sorentrue, Palm Beach Post, March 11, 2010
After three years of federal environmental impact study, Palm Beach International Airport managers now say they don’t need a second runway capable of accommodating commercial jets and the plan to build a new commercial runway at the airport has been put on hold indefinitely because of a drop in air traffic. In 2004 more than 199,000 planes flew in and out of PBIA, but last year that number fell to 138,370, and the Federal Aviation Administration’s long-range projections for the airport show the number of take-offs and landings in 2019 will be just over 165,000. The airport will not begin the runway project until more analysis is completed and the need is justified.
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FAA Ordered to Pay Air Carrier More Than $121,000 for Attorney Fees and Expenses. --- Airline News Resource, March 11, 2010
The National Transportation Safety Board has ordered the Federal Aviation Administration to pay more than $121,000 in attorney fees and expenses to Air Trek, Inc., a Florida-based air ambulance operator. The FAA issued an emergency order revoking Air Trek’s air carrier certificate on June 10, 2008, and following a nine-day hearing, an Administrative Law Judge modified the sanction from revocation to suspension, while by the fourth day of the hearing, the FAA attorney withdrew half of the charges leveled against Air Trek without explanation. The Administrative Law Judge accordingly found that the FAA proceeded “without substantial justification” and lacked the evidence to sustain its burden of proof.
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Senate Seeks to Boost Regional Airline Safety. --- Joan Lowy, Associated Press, March 11, 2010
The Senate is pushing to strengthen pilot training and hiring requirements in the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill currently being considered. The bill would require airlines to look at all of a pilot’s records and require the FAA to beef up airlines’ pilot training programs, as well as mandate that the FAA administrator must perform surprise inspections of regional airlines at least once a year. These provisions are being pushed for in an effort to improve the safety of regional airlines, a problem exposed after last year’s air crash near Buffalo, New York that killed 50 people.
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Tompkins Airport Receives $336,300 FAA Grant. --- Ithaca Journal, March 11, 2010
Ithaca-Tompkins Regional Airport in New York has received a $336,300 grant from the Federal Aviation Administration to expand the general aviation apron and install obstruction light towers. In 2009 the airport had a 30 percent increase in boardings over 2008.
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Guam Airport Gets $7.7 Million in Federal Grants. --- PacificNewsCenter, March 12, 2010
The Guam International Airport Authority has been awarded three separate grants totaling more than $7.7 million. The funds from the Federal Aviation Administration will be used for the design and extension of runway 06L/24R, and for the relocation and installation of a new precision instrument land system on that runway. The extension of the runway will allow Guam International Airport to accommodate larger and more long-range aircraft.
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Airport Authority Seeks Grant to Update Bird-Strike Defense. --- Ed Marcum, Knoxvillebiz.com, March 11, 2010
The Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority of Tennessee has voted to seek a federal grant to reduce the threat from birds to aircraft using McGhee Tyson Airport. The Airport Authority will apply for a $105,000 Federal Aviation Administration grant, which would allow the Authority to have a wildlife biologist do an assessment of what bird species are in the area of the airport, whether the species are likely to pose a problem, whether there have been any changes in natural habitats that could lead to problems and other issues, and then make recommendations on reducing hazards.
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ColumbiaCountyAirport Gets Federal Grant for Equipment Upgrades. --- Mid-Hudson News Network, March 12, 2010
Columbia County Airport in New York has received a $589,000 grant from the Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration funding. The grant will pay for the installation of weather reporting equipment and to rehabilitate the south apron at the airport.
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U.S. Senator Grassley: Nearly $7 Million to Iowa Airports. --- IowaPolitics.com, March 11, 2010
Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa announced Thursday, March 11 that the Federal Aviation Administration has awarded five grants totaling nearly $7 million to Iowa airports. The funds will facilitate various airport improvement projects, like the rehabilitation of a runway at The Eastern Iowa Airport.
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Chicago Executive Airports Noise Exposure Map Approval and Noise Compatibility Program Review. --- Federal Register, March 12, 2010
The Federal Aviation Administration announced its determination that the noise exposure maps submitted by the Chicago Executive Airport Board of Directors for Chicago Executive Airport are in compliance with applicable requirements. The FAA also announced that it is reviewing a proposed noise compatibility program that was submitted for Chicago Executive Airport, and that the program will be approved or disapproved on or before October 1, 2010.
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