FAA

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is pleased to be working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop alternatives to jet fuel. Working with USDA, the FAA will assess the availability of different kinds of feedstocks that could be processed by bio-refineries to produce jet fuels. The development and deployment of alternative fuels is critical to achieving carbon neutral aviation growth by 2020. This agreement leverages the expertise and resources of the USDA, enabling aviation to play a key role in expanding renewable fuel while improving the environment.

Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces Renewable Energy Initiatives to Spur Rural Revitalization Throughout the Country
Biomass Crop Assistance Program Will Help Create National Biofuels Industry; New Agreement with the FAA Will Promote Production and Demand for Biofuels; USDA Report Shows Domestic Biofuel Production Benefits the Economy

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21, 2010 – As part of the Obama Administration’s effort to promote production of fuel from renewable sources, create jobs and mitigate the effects of climate change, Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a series of measures during a speech to the National Press Club in Washington.

“Domestic production of renewable energy, including biofuels, is a national imperative and that’s why USDA is working to assist in developing a biofuels industry in every corner of the nation,” said Vilsack. “By producing more biofuels in America, we will create jobs, combat global warming, replace our dependence on foreign oil and build a stronger foundation for the 21st century economy.”

The Secretary announced several measures, including the publication of a final rule to implement the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP). Under the BCAP final rule, USDA will resume making payments to eligible producers. The program had operated as a pilot, pending publication of the final rule. Authorized in the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, BCAP is designed to ensure that a sufficiently large base of new, non-food, non-feed biomass crops is established in anticipation of future demand for renewable energy consumption.

“The Obama Administration is aggressively supporting our nation’s farmers, ranchers and producers of biofuels as they work to bring greater energy independence to America,” Vilsack said. “BCAP will help the nation’s power, biobased product, and advanced biofuel industries produce energy from sustainable rural resources and create jobs that will stimulate rural economies across the nation.”

The BCAP final regulation reflects policies developed as a result of more than 24,000 comments received on previous Federal Register notices and a proposed rule, and knowledge gained by implementing a portion of the program in 2009.

BCAP uses a dual approach to support the production of renewable energy. First, BCAP provides assistance for the establishment and production of eligible renewable biomass crops within specified project areas. Producers who enter into BCAP contracts may receive payments of up to 75 percent of the cost of establishing eligible perennial crops. Further, they can receive payments for up to five years for annual or non-woody perennial crops and up to 15 years for woody perennial crops. FSA is accepting project area proposals and, after project area proposals have been approved, eligible producers may participate by enrolling at their FSA county office.

In addition, BCAP also assists agricultural and forest landowners and operators by providing matching payments for the transportation of certain eligible materials that are sold to qualified biomass conversion facilities. The facilities convert the materials into heat, power, biobased products or advanced biofuels.

The Secretary also announced jointly with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) a five year agreement to develop aviation fuel from forest and crop residues and other “green” feedstocks in order to decrease dependence on foreign oil and stabilize aviation fuel costs. Under the partnership, the agencies will bring together their experience in research, policy analysis and air transportation sector dynamics to assess the availability of different kinds of feedstocks that could be processed by bio-refineries to produce jet fuels.

The participants will develop a tool to evaluate the status of different components of a feedstock supply chain, such as availability of biomass from farms and forests, the potential of that biomass for production of jet fuel, and the length of time it will take to ramp up to full-scale production. The agencies already have existing programs and collaborative agreements with private and public partners and resources to help biorefiners develop cost-effective production plans for jet aircraft biofuels.

This cooperative agreement supports a larger research plan led by USDA through its five Regional Biomass Research Centers, which will help accelerate the development of a commercial advanced biofuels industry across the United States. Just as important, the plan sets out to include as many U.S. rural areas as possible to maximize the economic benefits of biofuel production across the country. The Centers will provide the critical mass needed to develop high-performance teams that will guide biomass research to address needs in both the public and private sector, including commercial aviation, military transportation, and other activities.

The Secretary also discussed a biofuels report prepared by USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS)that says replacing more petroleum with cost-competitive domestic biofuels reduces crude oil imports, thereby lowering prices for energy and benefiting the U.S. economy. The report also includes these findings:

• The biofuels industry becomes more productive as cost-reducing technology is applied, which results in higher wages for workers.
• Gains in Gross Domestic Product and real income are driven largely from the contribution from technological progress in biofuels, which increases the productivity of the economy.
• Next generation biofuels are considered to be a decreasing cost industry. This means that the cost of producing ethanol will decline as output increases.

For Immediate Release
October 18, 2010

WASHINGTON–The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced over $5 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act dollars will be used to build a new air traffic control tower at Frederick Municipal Airport in Frederick, Md.

"General aviation plays such an important role at all levels of our nation’s economy," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "Recovery Act projects are helping upgrade our aviation infrastructure so the system can continue to run safely and efficiently."

"These Recovery Act dollars will improve the safety and efficiency of Frederick’s airport while providing a boost to Maryland’s economy," said Michael Huerta, deputy administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, at a ground breaking ceremony.

The $5.3 million Recovery Act project will pay for the construction of an air traffic control tower, access road and other infrastructure at one of Maryland’s largest airports. The Frederick Municipal Airport currently does not have an air traffic control tower.

Approximately 200 aircraft are based at Frederick Municipal Airport, a reliever airport for Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. The airport handles more than 135,000 aircraft operations annually.

The Recovery Act has provided an additional $35 million in upgrades at airport runways and aircraft parking aprons in and around the Washington Metropolitan Area.

Nationwide, $1.3 billion in Recovery Act money has been made available for both airport improvement projects and air traffic control facility and system upgrades. Because of low construction bids for projects, more Recovery Act dollars were available for additional facilities and equipment and airport projects. These Recovery Act grants have been distributed to airports that serve commercial passengers, cargo and general aviation.

For Immediate Release
October 15, 2010

OAKLAND, Calif. – Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Randy Babbitt helped break ground today for a new air traffic control tower at Oakland International Airport funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The Oakland International Airport ARRA grant, totaling $33.2 million, is the FAA’s largest, single Recovery Act award.

“This Recovery Act project will make a difference for the Oakland area economy,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “People will be put to work building an environmentally friendly tower that will better serve the airport and the community.”

The Recovery Act grant will pay for construction of the 236-foot-tall tower and a 13,000 square-foot base building, as well as some equipment for the facility.

“This brand new, modernized tower will give air traffic controllers a better view of the airfield and help improve airport efficiency,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “The Recovery Act is allowing us to make needed investments at airports around the country.”

Two air traffic control towers currently serve Oakland International Airport. A 158-foot-tall tower on the southern portion of the airfield was built in 1962 as a part of a terminal expansion project. In 1972, construction of a large hangar blocked some views from the south tower, requiring the Port of Oakland to build a second tower to handle traffic on the north runways.

Replacing both towers with a single one will improve air traffic operations and reduce operating costs. The FAA expects to start using the new tower in 2013.

The new tower will feature a number of environmental benefits, including a covered parking structure with solar panels on the roof of the base building, which will provide power for the tower and its electrical systems. The tower also will have a geothermal heating system and a rainwater storage system.

In addition to the Oakland tower funding, the FAA provided a total of $37 million in Recovery Act grants to Bay Area airports.

Oakland International Airport received a $14.9 million ARRA grant to rebuild a large apron area used by airlines and cargo carriers and to reconfigure a taxiway. By replacing old apron pavement, the project will improve efficiency and allow larger aircraft to use the taxiway.

San Francisco International Airport received ARRA grants totaling $14.5 million to resurface two runways. The projects leveled out the runways, which tend to settle over time because of ground conditions. The new asphalt concrete resurface also will prevent unexpected runway shutdowns due to pavement breakdown, and will guard against crumbling pavement debris that can damage aircraft.

In San Jose, a $5.2 million Recovery Act grant is funding the extension of a taxiway at Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport. This project will improve safety by eliminating the need for private planes to cross a runway while taxiing to an engine run-up area.

An additional $2.4 million in Recovery Act funds is modernizing and making safety upgrades at area facilities and airports.

Nationwide, $1.3 billion in Recovery Act money has been made available for both airport improvement projects and air traffic control facility and system upgrades. These Recovery Act grants have been distributed to airports that serve commercial passengers, cargo and general aviation.

For Immediate Release

October 12, 2010

SEATTLE – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is proposing a $455,175 civil penalty against Corporate Air of Billings, Mont., for allegedly operating a Beech 1900C airliner when it was not in compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations.

“Our aviation safety rules are designed to protect the flying public,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “We expect airlines to comply with these rules and will take enforcement action when they do not.”

The FAA alleges Corporate Air failed to maintain the aircraft under the company’s general maintenance manual, which includes the Pratt & Whitney Canada maintenance manual for the aircraft’s turboprop engines.

Specifically, the FAA alleges that Corporate Air operated the aircraft on at least 80 flights in spite of continued evidence of excessive oil consumption by the right engine. The FAA-approved aircraft and engine manuals call for post-flight inspection and repair of an engine experiencing excessive oil consumption. Corporate Air did not correct the oil consumption problem despite repeated inspections in which oil had to be added.

Corporate Air operates charter and air taxi service under Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations.

“The safety of the passengers and crew must be the top priority for any operator,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “All operators must comply with maintenance requirements.”

Corporate Air has 30 days from the receipt of the FAA’s enforcement letter to respond to the agency.

Press Release – FAA Proposes $664,000 Civil Penalty Against Parachute Center

For Immediate Release
October 12, 2010

LOS ANGELES – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is proposing a $664,000 civil penalty against William C. Dause, doing business as The Parachute Center of Acampo, Calif., for allegedly failing to perform required aircraft parts replacements and failing to comply with safety directives.

“Putting parachutists at risk by neglecting to follow safety procedures is unacceptable,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood. “We expect aircraft operators to comply with our safety rules and will take enforcement action when they do not.”

The FAA alleges that The Parachute Center operated a DeHavilland DHC-6 Twin Otter when critical parts were well past their life limits and without inspecting portions of the wings for corrosion.

In all, the FAA alleges that The Parachute Center operated the aircraft on approximately 2,121 flights between March 21, 2008 and Nov. 4, 2009 with elevator control cables that were overdue for replacement and when the plane was not in compliance with Airworthiness Directives requiring visual inspections of the wing main spar, lower spar cap extensions and wing support strut for possible corrosion.

The FAA also alleges that the company operated the aircraft on at least 500 flights between April 16, 2009 and Nov. 4, 2009 with aileron control cables that were overdue for replacement.

“Passengers and crew have to be able to trust that an operator has done the right thing and has complied with all the rules,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “Safety and compliance are the right choices, every time.”

The Parachute Center has 30 days from receipt of the FAA’s enforcement letter to respond to the agency.

The FAA has proposed requiring airports certificated under Part 139 to put in place safety management systems (SMS) for all airfield and ramp areas.

There are currently 553 airports in the U.S. that hold Part 139 certificates. These certificate holders serve scheduled and unscheduled air carrier aircraft with more than 30 seats. These certificate holders also may serve scheduled air carrier operations with air carrier aircraft with more than nine but less than 31 seats.

SMS is a formal approach to managing an organization’s safety through four key components — safety policy, safety risk management, safety assurance, and safety promotion.

This proposal will help airports enhance safety by developing an organization-wide safety policy; implementing methods to mitigate airport hazards; and analyzing and mitigating risks before they change airport procedures or infrastructure. The proposed rule requires that SMS be used for airport movement and non-movement areas which includes runways, taxiways, ramps, aircraft parking aprons, and fuel farms. The FAA believes that SMS will provide an additional layer of safety at airports and help reduce airport incidents and accidents. Airports will have the flexibility to implement a SMS plan that considers their unique operating environment.
While the proposed SMS requirement will not take the place of regular FAA Part 139 inspections, this proactive emphasis on hazard identification and mitigation will provide airports with robust tools to improve safety.
Airports are identified by four classes, depending on the type of air carrier service at the airport. The proposal states that Class I airports would be required to develop a SMS implementation plan within six months and implement within 18 months after the final rule is published. The remaining Class II, III, and IV airports would be required to develop a SMS implementation plan within nine months and implement within 24 months after the final rule is published. The FAA will review and approve the SMS implementation plans.

The NPRM is published in today’s Federal Register and open for a 90-day public comment period that ends on January 5, 2011. To view the NPRM, Economic Evaluation, and make comments go towww.regulations.gov using docket # FAA-2010-0997.

For Immediate Release
October 7, 2010

WASHINGTON–The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today proposed broad new rules for helicopter operators, including air ambulances, which, if finalized, would require stricter flight rules and procedures, improved communications and training, and additional on-board safety equipment.

“This is a significant proposal that will improve the safety of many helicopter flights in the United States,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “The FAA’s initiatives have helped the helicopter industry make progress on many safety issues, but it’s time to take steps towards mandating these major safety improvements.”

Under the proposed rules, operators would use the latest on-board technology and equipment to avoid terrain and obstacles. The proposal also contains provisions which, if finalized, would require operators to use enhanced procedures for flying in challenging weather, at night, and when landing in remote locations.

“We can prevent accidents by preparing pilots and equipping helicopters for all of the unique flying conditions they encounter,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “These new rules are designed to protect passengers, patients, medical personnel, and pilots.”

The FAA document includes new proposals covering a variety of helicopter operators.

The proposed rules would require air ambulance operators to:

• Equip with Helicopter Terrain Awareness and Warning Systems (HTAWS).
• The proposal seeks comments on requirements for light-weight aircraft recording systems (LARS).
• Conduct operations under Part 135, including flight crew time limitation and rest requirements, when medical personnel are on board.
• Establish operations control centers if they are certificate holders with 10 or more helicopter air ambulances.
• Institute pre-flight risk-analysis programs.
• Conduct safety briefings for medical personnel.
• Amend their operational requirements to include Visual Flight Rules (VFR) weather minimums, Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at airports/heliports without weather reporting, procedures for VFR approaches, and VFR flight planning.
• Ensure their pilots in command hold an instrument rating.

Under the proposal, all commercial helicopter operators would be required to:

• Revise IFR alternate airport weather minimums.
• Demonstrate competency in recovery from inadvertent instrument meteorological conditions.
• Equip their helicopters with radio altimeters.
• Change the definition of “extended over-water operation” and require additional equipment for these operations.

The proposed rules would require all Part 135 aircraft, i.e. helicopter and fixed wing on-demand operators, to:

• Prepare a load manifest.
• Transmit a copy of load manifest documentation to their base of operations, in lieu of preparing a duplicate copy.
• Specify requirements for retaining a copy of the load manifest in the event that the documentation is destroyed in an aircraft accident.

In addition, the proposal would require Part 91 general aviation helicopter operators to revise the VFR weather minimums.

Since August 2004, the FAA has promoted initiatives to reduce risk for helicopter air ambulance operations. While accidents did decline in 2005 and 2006, 2008 proved to be the deadliest year on record with six accidents that claimed 24 lives. Overall, from 1992 through 2009, 135 helicopter air ambulance accidents claimed 126 lives. From 1994 through 2008, there were also 75 commercial helicopter accidents (excluding air ambulances) that resulted in 88 fatalities.

The estimated cost of the proposal in present value for the air ambulance industry is $136 million with a total benefit of $160 million over 10 years. The cost for other commercial operators is $89 million with a total benefit of $115 million over 10 years.

The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is on display at the Federal Registerat www.archives.gov?federal-register. It’s also available at http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/rulemaking/recently_published/ and will be published in the Federal Register on October 12. A fact sheet on the FAA’s past initiatives is available at www.faa.gov/news/fact_sheets

The 90-day public comment period closes on January 10, 2011.

For Immediate Release
October 5, 2010

The potential for collisions on airport runways and taxiways increases every year as airports become busier. To combat the impact of this trend, the FAA is deploying ASDE-X, a new runway-safety tool.

ASDE-X enables air traffic controllers to detect potential runway conflicts by providing detailed coverage of movement on runways and taxiways. ASDE-X collects data from a variety of sources to track vehicles and aircraft on the airport movement area and obtain identification information from aircraft transponders.

The ASDE-X data comes from surface movement radar located on the air traffic control tower or remote tower, multilateration sensors, ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) sensors, the terminal automation system, and aircraft transponders. By fusing the data from these sources, ASDE-X is able to determine the position and identification of aircraft and transponder-equipped vehicles on the airport movement area, as well as aircraft flying within five miles of the airport.

Controllers in the tower see this information presented as a color display of aircraft and vehicle positions overlaid on a map of the airport’s runways, taxiways and approach corridors. The system creates a continuously updated map of the airport movement area that controllers can use to spot potential collisions. This technology is especially helpful to controllers at night or in bad weather when visibility is poor.

ASDE-X Safety Logic (AXSL) is an enhancement to the situational awareness provided to air traffic controllers by ASDE-X. AXSL uses surveillance information from ASDE-X to determine if the current or projected positions and movements of aircraft or vehicles that are being tracked present a potential collision situation. Visual and audible alerts are provided to the controllers that include critical information about the targets, such as aircraft identification and where aircraft and vehicles are on the surface.

The first use ASDE-X was at General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, Wis. in October 2003. The FAA recently accelerated the ASDE-X schedule and now projects that all systems will be deployed by the end of 2010 – one year earlier than originally anticipated.

ASDE-X Deployment Sites
The 35 major airports that will receive, or have already received, ASDE-X include:
(* Indicates ASDE-X is operational at these sites)
Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (Baltimore, MD)
Boston Logan International Airport (Boston, MA)*
Bradley International Airport (Windsor Locks, CT)*
Chicago Midway Airport (Chicago, IL)*
Chicago O’Hare International Airport (Chicago, IL)*
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (Charlotte, NC)*
Dallas-Ft. Worth International Airport (Dallas, TX)*
Denver International Airport (Denver, CO)*
Detroit Metro Wayne County Airport (Detroit, MI)*
Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood Airport (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)*
General Mitchell International Airport (Milwaukee, WI)*
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Houston, TX)*
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (Atlanta, GA)*
Honolulu International –Hickam Air Force Base Airport (Honolulu, HI)*
John F. Kennedy International Airport (Jamaica, NY)*
John Wayne-Orange County Airport (Santa Ana, CA)*
LaGuardia Airport, (Flushing, NY)
Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (St. Louis, MO)*
Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (Las Vegas, NV)
Los Angeles International Airport (Los Angeles, CA)*
Louisville International Airport-Standiford Field (Louisville, KY)*
Memphis International Airport (Memphis, TN)
Miami International Airport (Miami, FL)*
Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport (Minneapolis, MN)*
Newark International Airport (Newark, NJ)*
Orlando International Airport (Orlando, FL)*
Philadelphia International Airport (Philadelphia, PA)*
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (Phoenix, AZ)*
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (Washington, DC)
San Diego International Airport (San Diego, CA)*
Salt Lake City International Airport (Salt Lake City, UT)*
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Seattle, WA)*
Theodore Francis Green State Airport (Providence, RI)*
Washington Dulles International Airport (Chantilly, VA)*
William P. Hobby Airport (Houston, TX)*

For Immediate Release
September 30, 2010

WASHINGTON – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a new grant program designed to fund projects that develop and expand commercial space transportation infrastructure. The Space Transportation Infrastructure Matching Grants will be awarded to four separate projects located in Alaska, California, Florida, and New Mexico.

“The Obama administration is committed to making sure the United States remains the world leader in space development and exploration,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “This new grant program underscores that commitment, and will help ensure that the commercial space industry can meet our current and future space transportation needs.”

In June of this year the Obama administration unveiled a new National Space Policy that recognizes opportunities and advancements in commercial space capabilities. The 2010 policy lays out more specific ways for the government to make use of commercial capabilities.

The FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation will administer the new Space Transportation Infrastructure Matching Grants. The first matching grants include: $43,000 for the New Mexico Spaceport Authority to provide an Automated Weather Observing System; $227,195 to the Alaska Aerospace Corporation for a Rocket Motor Storage Facility; $125,000 to the East Kern Airport District in Mojave, Calif., for an emergency response vehicle; and, $104,805 to the Jacksonville Airport Authority in Florida to develop a Spaceport Master Plan for Cecil Field. Under the law, the FAA can provide matching funds for specific projects being carried out by public entities involved in commercial space activities.

The United States’ space program has three sectors – civil, military and commercial. The FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation is responsible for licensing, regulating and promoting the commercial-sector space industry. Since the office was created in 1984, the FAA has issued licenses for more than 200 launches, licensed the operation of eight FAA-approved launch sites known as spaceports, and has helped ensure that no loss of life or serious injury has been associated with these efforts.

For Immediate Release
September 28, 2010

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced that three additional airport projects have been selected for funding, paid for with more than $2.5 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act dollars that became available because of airport projects that came in under budget nationwide.

“With these additional Recovery Act dollars, we can provide a bigger boost to economic growth while we modernize more of our nation’s airports,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

Earlier this month, the FAA announced that five other airport projects would receive $9 million in Recovery Act funding that became available thanks to low bids and under-budget airport projects.

“We are thrilled that we have been able to stretch Recovery Act dollars to meet the needs of more airports. These projects will improve airport operations and help our airspace system to run more efficiently,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt.

The three additional rehabilitation projects are:

• Lawrence, Mass., Municipal Airport
  An ARRA grant for $1.2 million will fund several pavement rehabilitation projects on airport taxiways and aircraft parking aprons.
• Hartsfield-JacksonAtlanta International Airport
  This $1 million ARRA grant will fund the ongoing construction and paving of the new international terminal apron.
• CharlesM. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport, Santa Rosa, Calif.
  A $379,000 ARRA grant will allow the airport to complete the second phase of its terminal rehabilitation and replace the terminal building roof.

Under the Recovery Act, more than $1.3 billion has been made available nationwide for both airport improvement projects and air traffic control facility and system upgrades. Because of low construction bids for projects, more Recovery Act dollars were available for additional facilities, equipment and airport projects. These grants have been distributed to airports that serve commercial passengers, cargo and general aviation.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration celebrated the completion of an airfield upgrade at Georgetown-Scott County Regional Airport in Kentucky, paid for with $3 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds.

“Airport Recovery Act projects are helping boost local economies all across the country,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “The Recovery Act is helping us keep our runways safe and well maintained.”

Recovery Act funds provided the full cost of repaving Georgetown-Scott County Regional Airport’s 5,500 foot-long runway. The runway had deteriorated and had not been fully repaved in nearly 17 years. The construction also included the widening of the ends of the parallel taxiway, which will now be able to accommodate larger aircraft turning on and off the runway.

“General aviation is incredibly important to local communities nationwide and the Recovery Act is funding necessary safety improvements and upgrades that otherwise might not get done,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt.

Nationwide, $1.3 billion in Recovery Act money has been made available for both airport improvement projects and air traffic control facility and system upgrades. Because of low construction bids for projects, more Recovery Act dollars were available for additional facilities and equipment as well as airport projects. These Recovery Act grants have been distributed to airports that serve commercial passengers, cargo and general aviation.
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For Immediate Release
September 24, 2010

EATTLE — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a $4,855,000 civil penalty against Evergreen International Airlines of McMinnville, Ore., for allegedly using pilots on 232 revenue flights who had not been trained in accordance with an FAA-approved training program.

The flights were made between Feb. 19 and July 9, 2009, on aircraft equipped with a new flight management system (FMS) that was different enough from the prior system that it required a specific training program for pilots who were flying the aircraft. The FAA alleges Evergreen did not complete its FAA-approved training for pilots before assigning them to fly revenue trips using the new FMS.

“We put rules and regulations in place to keep air transportation safe and we expect airlines to comply,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

The FAA alleges Evergreen line pilots received ground training and a check ride on the new FMS, but that the company did not provide required familiarization flights supervised by the company’s check pilots despite being told to do so by the FAA.

The familiarization flights are part of the FAA-approved training program for Evergreen aircraft equipped with the FMS. Evergreen also failed to distribute copies of the required system manual to crews who would be using the FMS.

Subsequent to these improperly conducted flights, Evergreen has ensured that its pilots are trained in accordance with its FAA-approved training program and continues to operate under an FAA-approved training program.

“Even though Evergreen now complies with its training program, this penalty is appropriate because requiring operators to complete required, approved training is the only way to make sure crews are fully qualified to operate the equipment and systems to manage flights safely,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt.

Evergreen has 30 days from the receipt of the FAA’s civil penalty letter to respond to the agency.

For Immediate Release
September 23, 2010

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration celebrated the completion of an airfield upgrade at Georgetown-Scott County Regional Airport in Kentucky, paid for with $3 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds.

“Airport Recovery Act projects are helping boost local economies all across the country,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “The Recovery Act is helping us keep our runways safe and well maintained."

Recovery Act funds provided the full cost of repaving Georgetown-Scott County Regional Airport’s 5,500 foot-long runway. The runway had deteriorated and had not been fully repaved in nearly 17 years. The construction also included the widening of the ends of the parallel taxiway, which will now be able to accommodate larger aircraft turning on and off the runway.

“General aviation is incredibly important to local communities nationwide and the Recovery Act is funding necessary safety improvements and upgrades that otherwise might not get done,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt.

Nationwide, $1.3 billion in Recovery Act money has been made available for both airport improvement projects and air traffic control facility and system upgrades. Because of low construction bids for projects, more Recovery Act dollars were available for additional facilities and equipment as well as airport projects. These Recovery Act grants have been distributed to airports that serve commercial passengers, cargo and general aviation.

For Immediate Release
September 22, 2010

WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced a safety program that for the first time will integrate voluntary safety information self-reported by pilots and air traffic controllers. This data-sharing program will give the FAA a more complete picture of the national airspace system by collecting, assessing and reviewing safety events from the perspective of both pilots and air traffic controllers.

United Airlines and its pilots have the first agreement in place to participate in a demonstration program. The FAA expects to sign similar agreements with other carriers in the future.

“Safety is our number-one priority,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. Having pilots and controllers provide information abut potential air safety problems will help us correct them before they become accidents.”

“This revolutionary program will give us an incredible amount of data that will help us find problems, make corrections and avoid incidents,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “I applaud air traffic controllers, pilots and airlines for their dedication to keeping our aviation system as safe as possible.”

For the first time, information from the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) and the Air Traffic Safety Action Program (ATSAP) will be merged, so input from both pilots and controllers can help guide safety decisions. The program will develop processes and policies to share and analyze relevant safety information in a non-punitive way, consistent with the basic principles of Safety Management Systems. These systems are widely used within the FAA and the aviation industry.

ASAP encourages aviation employees to voluntarily report safety information that may help identify potential precursors to accidents. The ASAP process resolves safety issues through corrective action rather than through punishment or discipline. Each program is based on a safety partnership that includes the FAA and the aviation operator, and usually includes a third party, such as the reporting employee’s labor organization. In today’s agreement, the airline’s labor organization is the United chapter of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). Today, 73 air carriers have 169 ASAP programs for pilots, mechanics, flight attendants, and dispatchers.

ATSAP is an agreement between the FAA and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) that is designed to foster a voluntary, cooperative, non-punitive environment for FAA air traffic employees to openly report safety concerns As a result of ATSAP, all parties have access to valuable safety information that otherwise might never have been discovered or reported. The FAA analyzes the information to develop skill enhancements or system corrective actions that will help solve safety problems.

Voluntary reporting programs have significantly contributed to the nation’s impressive aviation safety record, including improvements to training and enhanced operations and maintenance procedures.