Paul Fraidenburgh’s article, “One code to rule them all: Dronecode,” appeared in the October 30, 2014 issue of Computerworld. The article is available here: http://www.computerworld.com/article/2841493/one-code-to-rule-them-all-dronecode.html
Code
Federal Aviation Administration Aims at Simplifying Its Airport Design Standards
Posted in Airports, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
On Monday, May 7, 2012, the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) issued a revision to Advisory Circular 150/5300-13A which provides standards and recommendations for airport design. While Advisory Circulars are typically considered non-regulatory, and, thus, merely “advisory,” use of the Advisory Circulars is mandatory on all projects funded by the FAA under the Federal Airport Improvement…
There May Still Be Time to Weigh in on the Congressional Action to Exempt the NextGen Technologies from NEPA Review
As we reported yesterday in our blog titled “FAA Reauthorization Act Exempts Next Generation Airspace Redesign Projects from Environmental Review,” Congress is set to act on the conference version of H.R. 658 (“Act”), a Bill the nominal purpose of which is to fund the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) for 2011-2014, a task Congress has been unable or unwilling to accomplish for the last two years.
The legislation goes far beyond funding, however. Toward another stated purpose – to “streamline programs” – the Act sets out the parameters for establishment and operation of FAA’s Next Generation Transportation System (“NextGen”). Not stopping there, it also “creates efficiencies” by exempting the NextGen program from environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act, 42 U.S.C. § 4321, et seq. (“NEPA”), Act, § 213. Thus, whole communities around at least 30 “core” airports might be newly impacted by aircraft overflights seemingly without the opportunity for public review and comment before the NextGen project is implemented, and without an avenue of leverage in the courts afterwards. All is not yet lost, however.
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