Agency

Public, government, national and international agencies

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    Speech – “Dream Big, Build Big”

    “Dream Big, Build Big”
    J. Randolph Babbitt, Washington, DC
    February 9, 2011

    Good morning, and thank you, George [Nield]. For those of you who were with us last year, you might remember that this conference came at the apex of Snowmageddon, about 22 inches as I recall. I was the opening speaker but I ended up delivering last year’s speech over the phone while sitting at my kitchen table. George said I never looked better.

    Commercial space is looking up. At the State of the Union, the President told us to dream big and build big. And here we are. I see a direct connection to what he said last April and what brings us here today, and I quote: “Our goal is the capacity for people to work and learn, and operate and live safely beyond the Earth for extended periods of time, ultimately in ways that are more sustainable and even indefinite. And in fulfilling this task, we will not only extend humanity’s reach in space – we will strengthen America’s leadership here on Earth.”

    The successes of 2010 have that exhortation well in hand. Last year, there were four licensed launches, bringing the overall total to 200-plus, without any fatalities, serious injuries or property damage to the public. We issued a launch site operator license to Cecil Field in Jacksonville giving America its eighth spaceport. And we issued spaceport grants for the first time to the New Mexico Spaceport Authority, the Alaska Aerospace Corporation, Jacksonville Aviation Authority and the East Kern Airport District. It seems like just yesterday, well, April 12, 2007, to be exact, that someone named Bigelow was telling the Washington Post that he had plans to send a series of inflatable space stations into orbit over the next decade.

    If you’ve come to this conference looking for an endorsement from the Federal Aviation Administration, you’ve got the right address. I am 100 percent behind our commercial space endeavor. I think that as aviation moves toward NextGen, commercial space is part of that future vision. There is a market for the upper crust of the atmosphere, and there is a lot of evidence that suggests business can thrive there.

    With that said, recognize that commercial aviation has set the bar very, very high. The expectation of the flying public is that the safety record must remain unfailingly consistent and extraordinarily strong. If you follow the numbers at all, you know that commercial aviation safety requires 99 point and a string of nines of error free performance. That’s where commercial space should want to live and stay.

    If your project doesn’t have the word safety at the top of its list, I can tell you from my experience in the commercial aviation sector, you won’t be successful and you’re not going to be in business very long. But I am confident that safety has a permanent seat at commercial space’s table.
    My hope for all of us is that we are able to make the difficult become routine. The commercial space launches that we have now are intricate interplays that require a lot of people with intricate moves expected from the commercial aviation world, from air traffic, from the military. In short, everything stops to accommodate a commercial space launch. As this industry emerges from these early steps, you should be aiming for something as common as the New York shuttles that leave every 30 minutes from 6:30 in the morning to 9:30 at night all day long, everyday.
    Now that’s a ways down the road, but it’s doable. The brainpower and the perseverance that have become the foundation for this industry are proof that where there’s an idea, there’s someone who can make it happen.

    Our approach at the FAA is to create regulations that promote safety without becoming a hurdle between you and what this industry can and will become. The retirement of the Shuttle will require that commercial space takeover the responsibility for a long queue of customers with fairly large packages to deliver. The FAA is solidifying its relationships with the Air Force and with NASA to ensure this happens seamlessly. Charlie Bolden and I are absolutely in lock step when it comes to how we see the potential for commercial space.

    The standard we have set for George Nield and the Office of Commercial Space – for all of the FAA lines of business you deal with – is that we be fair, that we be reasonable, and that we listen. And that’s important. When it comes to licensing, regulation, inspection and the availability of air space, we want to be enablers, the people who help you make it happen, and help you make it happen safely.

    Our aviation system has a track record for safety that’s become an international model. We want our commercial space activities to develop an identical reputation. In aviation, the airlines and the pilots and the mechanics and the inspectors and the technicians and the controllers all have seen the benefits of working together, pushing in tandem for success. We intend to use precisely the same approach with commercial space. All I’m asking for you to remember is that for us, the predicate for success must be safety. I have all the confidence in the world, even 62 miles up, that you agree. Thank you.

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    New Software Tool to Optimize Available Airport Pavement Information

    The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Airport Technology Research and Development Team, based at the William J. Hughes Technical Center, has released its newest software program, FAA PAVEAIR.

    Airport managers, engineers, consultants and technicians can use FAA PAVEAIR to assess the condition of airport pavements, and make informed decisions to best allocate funds for pavement repair and maintenance. Use of this software is not required to obtain Airport Improvement Project funding assistance.

    FAA PAVEAIR is a web-based airport pavement management system that provides users with historic current information about airport pavement construction, maintenance and management. The program offers users a planning tool capable of modeling airport pavement surface degradation due to external effects such as traffic and the environment. The program can be used with other FAA pavement applications, such as BAKFAA and COMFAA, to give users input to determine repair scheduling and strategies. It has been developed for installation and use on a stand-alone personal computer, a private network, an intranet and the internet. An implementation of the internet version of FAA PAVEAIR will be hosted and supported on a server at the William J. Hughes Technical Center, near Atlantic City, N.J., and will be accessible from the FAA PAVEAIR website.

    FAA PAVEAIR will be posted for download as a beta version for about one year in the initial release. Airport technology research and development specialists will hold workshops and user group meetings to assess the software utility, during this time.

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    Speech by Mr Raymond Lim, Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs at the MOU Signing between Singapore and International Air Transport Association on 10 February 2011

    Mr Giovanni Bisignani, IATA Director General & CEO, Distinguished guests, Ladies and gentlemen:

    A very good evening On behalf of the Singapore Government, I am happy to be signing this Memorandum of Understanding with IATA, which as Mr Bisignani mentioned earlier, marks the strong partnership and excellent relationship IATA has with not just Singapore, but the Asia-Pacific region. IATA – A ‘Blue-Chip’ Organisation

    IATA represents some 230 member airlines from more than 125 countries that fly over 93% of the world’s international scheduled air traffic.

    However, IATA is not just an industry association of the world’s airlines.

    IATA plays an active and influential role on aviation issues of concern, such as:

    the fair application of market-based carbon trading schemes for environment protection
    overhaul and liberalisation of the global aviation regulatory regime on air traffic rights
    e-ticketing initiatives for passengers
    e-freight initiatives for air-cargo documentation
    fair competition advocacy
    As a representative of the majority of the world’s airline operators, IATA holds valuable insights into airline interests, concerns and views that have helped governments and other international bodies in the formulation of sound and appropriate civil aviation policies.

    IATA is thus a highly useful intermediary for governments to work with airlines, drawing on their experience and expertise to develop global standards for one of the world’s largest industries and for the promotion of safe, efficient and economical air transport.

    IATA has close working relations with other strategically important aviation bodies like the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA), as well as national aviation bodies of various countries.

    Furthermore, IATA has a special institutional relationship with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), playing an active role in various ICAO fora.

    It is recognized as a key industry organisation[1] and often consulted by ICAO on aviation-related matters such as implementation of new international aviation standards, and aviation’s role in combating climate change.

    This reach enables IATA to influence the thinking of decision-makers in industry, international organisations and even governments.

    In terms of reach and influence, there is no similar industry organisation that is comparable in stature. IATA’s Asia-Pacific Regional Office

    Recognising IATA as a “blue-chip” organisation, we were supportive of IATA’s decision to establish its Regional Office for the Asia-Pacific region in Singapore back in 1994.

    While physically small, the role of IATA’s Asia-Pacific Regional Office in Singapore is anything but that, and its presence has brought benefits to Singapore and the region.

    For instance, IATA has played an instrumental role in implementing air traffic management initiatives that have helped airlines reduce operating costs, and enhanced overall safety and efficiency of flight operations in Singapore and at the regional level.

    IATA’s Regional Training Centre, attracting on average some 2,000 students to Singapore annually, has also helped to develop the human capital needed to grow the industry over the years.

    With its unique access to industry information and resources, IATA has been a valuable partner with whom Singapore has co-organised the highly successful series of Singapore Aviation Leadership Summits that are held in conjunction with the biennial Singapore Airshow.

    The close collaboration has enabled Singapore to attract captains of the aviation industry and key government officials to a premier event which has put Singapore and Changi Airport on the circuit of key global aviation events. The work behind the scenes on this project has been possible only with the presence of IATA’s Asia-Pacific Regional Office, which has staff of the appropriate seniority and experience to work with Singapore officials in the organisation of the Summit.

    Over the next 10 years, IATA intends to ramp up its operations in Singapore significantly. It also plans to increase the number of conferences, events and training courses to be held here. This will strengthen Singapore’s proposition as a ‘Home for Talent’, and as a centre for knowledge exchange.

    IATA’s expansion will add to the vibrancy of international non-profit organisations (INPOs) established in Singapore. This is testament to our unique proposition to the global INPO community as a base to do good work in the region, as well as develop and expand their Asian footprint.

    Conclusion

    Looking ahead, I am confident that IATA will continue to serve the region well, as it grows its operations here.

    Let me also take the opportunity to wish Mr Bisignani the best of health and every success in his future endeavours, after he steps down as IATA’s Director General and CEO later this year.

    Thank you.

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    Air Transport Association to Congress: Leverage NextGen to Help Grow the U.S. Economy Through New Jobs and Increased Exports

    The United States Needs a Cohesive National Airline Strategy That Includes Accelerated Deployment of NextGen

    WASHINGTON, Feb. 9, 2011 — The chief executive of the Air Transport Association of America (ATA), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, testified today before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), calling for investment in the nation’s air traffic control system to create jobs, grow the economy and enable global competitiveness.

    Commercial aviation drives $1.2 trillion in economic activity annually, supports nearly 11 million jobs and is responsible for more than 5 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product.

    “No other industry has such a powerful economic multiplier effect as commercial aviation,” said ATA President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio. “Aviation provides the key connections that make the economy grow. If we want to double our nation’s exports over the next five years, there is no way to do it without commercial aviation.”

    ATA called on Congress to view FAA reauthorization as a jobs bill, as an investment in NextGen air traffic management that will lead to the creation of 150,000 jobs immediately, and more over time. Other countries, including China, are investing heavily in their aviation infrastructure, to help transform their economies. China recently announced the equivalent of a $228 billion investment in aviation.

    “[NextGen] is about the underlying strength of the U.S. economy and the ability of American industries to compete – and win – on the global stage,” Calio said. “The antiquated, ground-based air traffic control system in place today is a major drag on productivity and job creation. By accelerating NextGen, more than 150,000 jobs can be created, fuel consumption can be cut by as much as 12 percent and delays, which cost the United States $31 billion in 2007 alone, can be reduced.”

    ATA urged that Congress and the administration craft a cohesive national airline strategy that would include accelerated deployment of NextGen and a rationalizing of the industry’s tax burden, which has soared from $3.7 billion in 1990 to more than $16 billion in 2010.

    “Commercial aviation has the distinction of being among the highest taxed industries in the country, along with alcohol and tobacco – ironically products that are taxed to discourage use – when in fact, we should be doing all that we can to encourage air travel to the benefit of the economy and to job growth,” Calio said.

    ABOUT ATA
    Annually, commercial aviation helps drive more than $1 trillion in U.S. economic activity and nearly 11 million U.S. jobs. ATA airline members and their affiliates transport more than 90 percent of all U.S. airline passenger and cargo traffic. For more information about the airline industry, visit www.airlines.org and follow us on Twitter @airlinesassn.

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    FAA Reauthorization Critical to Civil Challenges

    ARLINGTON, Va., Feb. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Next Generation Air Transportation System is at the nexus of accomplishing two significant goals facing the U.S. civil aviation industry today—expanding our national airspace system and addressing growing environmental and energy concerns, said AIA President and CEO Marion C. Blakey in testimony today.
    “Our industry has employed the people, developed the technology and manufactured the products that have helped make the U.S. air transportation system the world’s gold standard for more than half a century,” Blakey said at a hearing of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation. “But to remain so, we need to bring our system into the 21st Century.”

    One of the challenges to realizing the benefits of NextGen is establishing a sound business case for equipping aircraft with upgraded avionics systems. AIA recommends equipage-funding legislation that encourages private-sector investment capital and government-guaranteed loan arrangements, including outcome-based performance metrics to reduce investment risk. This will allow for innovative ways to incentivize retrofitting of commercial and general aviation aircraft with NextGen compatible equipment.

    “Equipping aircraft is, as I’ve said before, the long pole in the tent,” said Blakey. “It’s an expensive undertaking, but it’s as much a part of the infrastructure as GPS satellites. Quite frankly, without equipage there is no NextGen.”

    Blakey also recommended that the existing environmental review process—the National Environmental Policy Act or NEPA process—be streamlined. The certification of thousands of new terminal area procedures are required for full NextGen implementation and including procedure development and certification in the Vision 100 Aviation Streamlining process will simplify that process.

    Other areas addressed by Blakey in her testimony included establishing integration of unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace system, commercialization of sustainable fuels and foreign repair station oversight. T

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    Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Model 737-100, -200, -200C, -300, -400, and – 500 Series Airplanes

    SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD requires installing two warning level indicator lights on the P2-2 center instrument panel in the flight compartment for certain airplanes. For a certain other airplane, this AD requires activating the cabin altitude warning and takeoff configuration warning lights. For all airplanes, this AD also requires revising the airplane flight manual to remove certain requirements included by previous AD actions, requires new pressure altitude limitations for certain airplanes, and advises the flightcrew of the following changes: revised emergency procedures to use when a cabin altitude warning or rapid depressurization occurs, and revised cabin pressurization procedures for normal operations. This AD was prompted by a design change in the cabin altitude warning system that would address the identified unsafe condition. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of the flightcrew to recognize and react properly to a valid cabin altitude warning horn, which could result in incapacitation of the flightcrew due to hypoxia (lack of oxygen in body), and consequent loss of control of the airplane.

    2011-03-14

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    FAA and JetBlue Reach NextGen Agreement

    For Immediate Release

    WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced today that the FAA and JetBlue have signed a NextGen agreement that will allow the airline to fly more precise, satellite-based flights from Boston and New York to Florida and the Caribbean beginning in 2012.

    NextGen is the transformation of the U.S. national airspace system from a ground-based system of air traffic control to one based on satellites, which will enhance safety and reduce aviation congestion. Today’s NextGen announcement follows President Obama’s State of the Union Address last week, in which he stressed the importance of targeted investments to foster American innovation that will make our nation more competitive globally and strengthen our economy here at home.

    “In his State of the Union address, President Obama called for targeted investments that harness American innovation to strengthen our nation,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “NextGen is a critical investment in the future of our transportation system, one that uses the latest technology to transform our airspace to make aviation safer, more efficient and more environmentally friendly.”

    Under the agreement, as many as 35 of JetBlue’s A320 aircraft will be equipped with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) avionics over the next two years, enabling them to fly in two major routes off the East Coast even if traditional radar coverage is not available. The improved accuracy, integrity and reliability of aircraft surveillance under ADS-B will allow JetBlue to take advantage of these routes at all times since the satellite-based system tracks the precise position of aircraft.

    The agreement will also allow JetBlue to fly a new route to the Caribbean, and could lead to the development of two new, shorter ADS-B-only routes to the Caribbean from Boston, New York and Washington. The FAA will collect valuable NextGen data by observing and conducting real-time operational evaluations of ADS-B on revenue flights.

    “NextGen will help improve the travel experience for passengers and give airlines more flexibility to find the most efficient way to reach their destinations,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “This agreement will allow us to collect important data to further demonstrate the benefits of NextGen.”

    “As the youngest major airline in the United States, with a majority of our operations in the Northeast – arguably the most congested airspace in the world – JetBlue enthusiastically joins the FAA in this effort to begin rebuilding the skyways,” said JetBlue Airways CEO Dave Barger. “Our investment today will yield dividends far into the future, not just for JetBlue but for all airlines. Our customers and crewmembers deserve our best efforts.”

    The FAA has agreed to pay $4.2 million for the ADS-B avionics. JetBlue will provide flight operations, pilots, and aircraft maintenance and will pay for the cost of aircraft downtime while the ADS-B avionics are installed. JetBlue will also fund the necessary training for dispatchers and flight crews, including simulator time. The airline will demonstrate the cost savings of ADS-B technology and potentially equip the rest of its A320 fleet at its own expense with ADS-B avionics.

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    Israeli Pilots taking English Test

    The Pilots Union capitulated and has ordered all Israeli airline pilots to take an English language exam.

    THis is part of the International Civil Aviation Organization requirement for renewing an international pilot’s license.
    All El Al Israel Airlines Ltd pilots will take the English exam by March 5.

    George’s Point of View

    Bravo.

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    Press Release – FAA, JetBlue Agreement to Bring NextGen Precision to East Coast, Caribbean Routes

    WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced today that the FAA and JetBlue have signed a NextGen agreement that will allow the airline to fly more precise, satellite-based flights from Boston and New York to Florida and the Caribbean beginning in 2012.

    NextGen is the transformation of the U.S. national airspace system from a ground-based system of air traffic control to one based on satellites, which will enhance safety and reduce aviation congestion. Today’s NextGen announcement follows President Obama’s State of the Union Address last week, in which he stressed the importance of targeted investments to foster American innovation that will make our nation more competitive globally and strengthen our economy here at home.

    “In his State of the Union address, President Obama called for targeted investments that harness American innovation to strengthen our nation,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “NextGen is a critical investment in the future of our transportation system, one that uses the latest technology to transform our airspace to make aviation safer, more efficient and more environmentally friendly.”

    Under the agreement, as many as 35 of JetBlue’s A320 aircraft will be equipped with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) avionics over the next two years, enabling them to fly in two major routes off the East Coast even if traditional radar coverage is not available. The improved accuracy, integrity and reliability of aircraft surveillance under ADS-B will allow JetBlue to take advantage of these routes at all times since the satellite-based system tracks the precise position of aircraft.

    The agreement will also allow JetBlue to fly a new route to the Caribbean, and could lead to the development of two new, shorter ADS-B-only routes to the Caribbean from Boston, New York and Washington. The FAA will collect valuable NextGen data by observing and conducting real-time operational evaluations of ADS-B on revenue flights.

    “NextGen will help improve the travel experience for passengers and give airlines more flexibility to find the most efficient way to reach their destinations,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “This agreement will allow us to collect important data to further demonstrate the benefits of NextGen.”

    “As the youngest major airline in the United States, with a majority of our operations in the Northeast – arguably the most congested airspace in the world – JetBlue enthusiastically joins the FAA in this effort to begin rebuilding the skyways,” said JetBlue Airways CEO Dave Barger. “Our investment today will yield dividends far into the future, not just for JetBlue but for all airlines. Our customers and crewmembers deserve our best efforts.”

    The FAA has agreed to pay $4.2 million for the ADS-B avionics. JetBlue will provide flight operations, pilots, and aircraft maintenance and will pay for the cost of aircraft downtime while the ADS-B avionics are installed. JetBlue will also fund the necessary training for dispatchers and flight crews, including simulator time. The airline will demonstrate the cost savings of ADS-B technology and potentially equip the rest of its A320 fleet at its own expense with ADS-B avionics.

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    FAA Certifies Alakai Technologies’ Flight Data Monitoring System on AS350 Helicopters

    Smart system records, analyzes, and automatically reports FDM results for operators

    HOPKINTON, Mass., Feb. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Alakai Technologies (http://www.alakai1.com) announced today that the Federal Aviation Administration issued a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for installation of Alakai’s digital Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) systems and wireless Internet units on Eurocopter AS350 and EC130 helicopters. The AS350 and its derivatives, with over 4,000 helicopters sold, are used by police, forest service, oil exploration, flight-seeing and emergency medical service (EMS) operators worldwide.
    AS350 operators can now achieve comprehensive airline-style FDM (also known as Flight Operational Quality Assurance or FOQA) programs at a fraction of the cost for airline systems. Older, round-dial cockpits become part of a smarter, safer, more-connected aircraft. Operators benefit from Alakai’s on-board and backend algorithms that turn mountains of raw data into objective, actionable recommendations and decisions. The system works with older round-dial as well as the latest glass cockpit aircraft.

    GA-FDM (http://www.ga-fdm.com), a leading provider of Flight Data Monitoring solutions, will immediately begin offering the Alakai system to AS350 operators worldwide. GA-FDM analyzes the volume of data produced from each flight to help operators identify accident pre-cursors, reduce risks, enhance training, and reduce operating costs. Detailed FDM reports highlight aircraft and pilot performance, guided by expert suggestions for preventive and corrective measures. Customers experience significant operational savings, including reduced fuel and maintenance costs, safety improvements, enhanced training, and lower insurance costs.

    “We are excited to begin operational use in the AS350 fleet,” said Scott Meacham, co-founder of GA-FDM. “Alakai’s equipment makes comprehensive FDM programs affordable for single or small operators as well as large fleet customers, and allows operators to use objective data, information and knowledge to manage risk and assure continual safety improvements in their operations. Flight Data Monitoring is a critical component of every predictive and efficient Safety Management System.”

    About Alakai Technologies
    Alakai Technologies is a Hopkinton, Massachusetts-based corporation that develops, manufactures, integrates and certifies products that improve aircraft safety. Additional information can be found at http://www.alakai1.com.

    The Alakai system provides the most affordable, flexible FDM solutions for real-time analysis of engine, flight and aircraft motion parameters. The system includes a Web-enabled Digital Flight Data System with built-in engine and aircraft monitoring, embedded Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and accelerometers, flight analysis, and automatic wireless transfer for uploads over the Internet, and is capable of recording over 180 aircraft parameters depending upon avionics configuration. At the conclusion of each flight, the system sends synopsis emails to users, and automatically uploads flight and analysis results to Alakai’s servers, where experts review flights, analyze reports, and provide safety feedback to operators. The system also helps operators meet or exceed the recommendations called for in the FAA’s recent Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for EMS helicopters.

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    Audit Initiated of FAA’s Air Traffic Facility Realignment

    The Office of Inspector General plans to review the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) plans for consolidating the Nation’s air traffic facilities, many of which are approaching the end of their useful lives. We are conducting this review at the request of the former Ranking Members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and House Subcommittee on Aviation, who stated that the current budgetary environment and FAA’s efforts to develop the Next Generation Air Transportation System present the Agency with an opportunity to realign its network of facilities. They asked that, along with FAA’s plans, the OIG specifically examine the cost drivers and technical challenges related to this effort. Accordingly, our audit objectives are to assess: (1) FAA’s current plans for realigning and consolidating its air traffic facilities; (2) FAA’s process for evaluating the feasibility and cost effectiveness of these plans; and (3) the major cost, technical, and workforce challenges involved with realigning and consolidating air traffic facilities.

    Click to view the full FAA Facility Consolidation Audit Announcement .pdf

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    US Airways: Survey Reveals Pilot Concerns

    Although 24 documented incidents out of about 1.1 million is a very low number, according to an “Observer” survey of 1,560 pilots, US Airways goal of on-time departure may contribute to safety issues. According to U.S. Airways pilots, company policy emphasizes timely departures over safety concerns.

    The survey involved fewer than forty percent of the U.S. Airways 4,100 pilots, so the perspective may be skewed. There are factions: west vs east pilots; new pilots over those with seniority. The different groups have different opinions based on decisions the company has made which affects each “group” differently.

    USAPA believes the survey can be used to enhance airline safety.

    http://thepilotsurveyor.com/2010/01/20/usapa-report-card/

    usairlinepilots.org

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    Massachusetts Man Indicted for Illegally Transporting Ammunition Primers on Passenger Aircraft

    On January 20, 2011, Orville A. Braham, was indicted in U.S. District Court, Miami, Florida, with four counts of illegally transporting ammunition primers in his luggage on a passenger aircraft.

    In December 2010, Mr. Braham boarded an American Airlines with two pieces of luggage that contained hundreds of concealed .45 caliber ammunition. One of the pieces of luggage exploded and injured a baggage handler who was unloading the luggage at Miami International Airport. Further examination of Mr. Braham’s suitcases revealed that the suitcases contained hundreds of .45 caliber ammunition primers, an explosive and a hazardous material, which detonated upon impact and triggered the explosion. Mr. Braham’s also concealed components of a disassembled ammunition reloading press, used to assemble component parts, including ammunition primers, and to create ammunition.

    The investigation is being conducted jointly with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Alcohol Tobacco and Firearm, with assistance provided by the Federal Aviation Administration.

    Note: Indictments, informations, and criminal complaints are only accusations by the government, all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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    Blue Grass Airport Executive Director Eric Frankl Receives Federal Aviation Administration Award

    LEXINGTON, Ky., Jan. 28, 2011 — Eric J. Frankl, A.A.E., Executive Director of Lexington’s Blue Grass Airport, has been selected as the 2010 Air Carrier Airport Manager of the Year by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Southern Region. The award was presented at the annual FAA Southern Region Airports Communications Conference in Atlanta, Georgia on January 27, 2011.

    “Eric Frankl has been very instrumental in the remarkable accomplishments at Lexington’s Blue Grass Airport,” said Winsome A. Lenfert, Manager, Airports Division, FAA Southern Region. “Frankl’s tireless leadership has transformed Blue Grass Airport into a model facility. He is an inspiration to airport managers throughout the Southern Region.”

    In his position at Blue Grass Airport, Frankl and his team have overseen more than $66 million worth of airport improvement projects to ensure a safe and efficient airport for the traveling public. Projects included renovation of the airport terminal interior and exterior, building a new crosswind general aviation runway, unveiling a new airport entrance reflective of the Bluegrass region, and taxiway, ramp and electrical vault improvements.

    Under Frankl’s leadership, Blue Grass Airport has seen a 19.3 percent passenger growth rate in 2010. This double-digit increase is attributed to the welcoming of AirTran Airways in February 2010 as well as new Allegiant Air service to Punta Gorda/Southwest Florida, American Eagle service to Chicago, Delta Air Lines service to Minneapolis and US Airways service to New York’s LaGuardia Airport.

    In October 2010, as the airport hosted the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, Frankl led the airport through one of the busiest months in its history when it experienced a 39 percent growth in passenger enplanements over the previous year. Held every four years, attendance for the Games exceeded 500,000 spectators and included representation from 58 countries.

    “We are proud of the accomplishments Eric Frankl and his staff have undertaken since his tenure at Blue Grass Airport,” said Richard Hopgood, Chairman of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Airport Board. “He has made tremendous efforts in building relationships within the aviation industry and local community, and he has led us through one of the busiest construction seasons in the airport’s history. We are pleased he is receiving this distinguished recognition and appreciate the excellent relationship he has built with the FAA.”

    Since 2008, the FAA has provided Blue Grass Airport with 15 grants totaling $26 million in Airport Improvement Program funds for various airport projects including the new general aviation runway. The Southern Region is the FAA’s largest, encompassing eight southeastern states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

    In addition to this award, Blue Grass Airport was recognized with the FAA Airport Safety Mark of Distinction Award earlier in the week at the FAA Southern Region 2011 Airport Safety and Certification Conference. Blue Grass Airport received this honor for construction of its new general aviation runway and for the development of an airport operations department.
    Eric Frankl was confirmed as Executive Director of Blue Grass Airport in October 2009. In addition to his work for Blue Grass Airport, Frankl previously served as Director of Airports for the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority (Ohio), Executive Director for the Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield, Illinois and Director of Operations at Fort Wayne International Airport in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Frankl received his professional accreditation from the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) in 1996, and he served as President of the AAAE Great Lakes Chapter in 2004/2005.

    Blue Grass Airport, located in Lexington, Kentucky, is served by seven major airlines providing convenient non-stop service to 15 major hub cities and connecting service to hundreds of destinations worldwide.

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    Jump Starting the Discussion

    Thank you, Lee [Sander]. It’s great to be here with you.

    Let me start out with an observation. Sue Baer called a few weeks ago to ask if I’d be coming to New York for lunch. I should have asked if she had also invited 300 other people as well. Just kidding.

    I did not hesitate to come. The Regional Plan Association’s report raises big ideas that, quite frankly, we’ve all been thinking about and talking about for quite some time. It’s my hope that this report serves as an impetus for forward movement.

    If there’s a bottom line in all of this, I think it’s best to start there: The FAA is not in the position of telling this region what path to take or what decision to make. That’s your purview, and there’s little doubt that it has to be decided in the context of what role you see the airports in this region playing. From a federal standpoint, I should point out, though, that the decisions cannot be made in a New York/New Jersey vacuum. The ripple effect of what happens here in New York, not just the big three, has a tremendous impact on the rest of the system.

    Back in my office, I have what’s called a TSD monitor – the traffic situation display. It’s a map of the United States, and it shows all aircraft being tracked with a flight plan, and it has a weather overlay. Lots of dots. I’d say it looks like a Christmas tree, but you’d never want to put this many lights on a Christmas tree. In the morning around 7, I can watch the East Coast “light up” as traffic starts to flow to and from the great Northeast from across the country. Over the next couple of hours, you see a steady march west as Chicago, and then Dallas and Denver, and finally the west coast open for business. It stays like that until early afternoon, when there’s another queue forming from across the pond.

    Meanwhile, New York stays busy throughout the day and that lasts until early evening, when it intersects the push out of the city across the pond that lasts until 8 or later.
    On the TSD, this region is a starburst that glows all day and into the night. The airports up here are just like the George Washington Bridge: everyone wants to get in or out at the same time.
    The decisions you make about the paths you take with these airports has an effect that’s local, national and international. Delays, efficiency, capacity – they affect ledgers from here to the other side of the globe and back.
    And by no means are economics the only consideration. What we’re all after is to provide a positive experience for the flying public. There are proximity and land constrailand and environmental effects as well.

    Our role at the FAA is to help as best we can with critical tools like NextGen. There’s an incomplete understanding of what NextGen is and what it can do. The concept is simple: NextGen is a set of technologies, processes, procedures and policy that together will revolutionize how people fly. It’s a radical departure from the ground-based radar of years gone by, a shift toward satellite control and navigation. It’s a game changer for the controller, the pilot and the passenger. If you want to say it’s like going from an abacus to an iPad, I think you’re not overstating the case.

    We’ve estimated the delay reduction at the New York airports that we would expect to occur from mid-term NextGen improvements. Overall, we expect arrival delays to be reduced by 48 percent. We think gate departure delays will be reduced by 17 percent. Taxi-out delays are even more dramatic, with a reduction of 64 percent. We commissioned a report by UC Berkeley, and just last October, the direct costs of domestic flight delays put a dent in the economy to the tune of just under $33 billion. The passenger foots half of that.

    The RPA report we’re discussing today had equally sobering numbers with equally sobering consequences: In 2009, air passengers and cargo generated 16 billion in wages, 48 billion in sales, and 400,000 jobs. If we don’t make it possible for additional passengers to come here, over the course of two decades, that amounts to 125,000 lost jobs, 6 billion in wages and another 16 billion in sales.

    Those numbers are hard to ignore. But with the technology and procedures of NextGen, we can help turn that around. But we are well aware that that is not the whole story. If you want to get maximum return on the investment, if you want to support unconstrained market growth in aviation, you must take an aggressive approach to upgrading your infrastructure to maximize the benefits of NextGen.

    I understand, and I sympathize with you, about the political will and the time it takes to put in a runway. That’s not lost on anyone. But with the status quo, the equation will not work. “I love New York” isn’t just a jingle. People fly here in ever-increasing numbers, actually record-breaking numbers – over 48 million. That puts you right near the top of the list of destinations on the planet. I don’t see that trend slowing down even a little.

    If this report does anything, it’s a red flag that says this conversation cannot stay at a whisper. It also says that finger-pointing and waiting for the other guys to make the first move are non-starters. To realize capacity, NextGen is a must, but without expansion – no pun intended – you cannot get there from here. Better utilization of the outlying regional airports is part and parcel with that expansion.

    As you know, the FAA continues to make strides to eliminating the bottlenecks here. We have created a special program office to concentrate our resources to address this problem. We’re making NextGen advancements like ADS-B for satellite navigation and ASDE-X for increased safety on the ground. Working together, you’ve been at the forefront of collaborative surface traffic management at JFK. We dedicated a new tower at LaGuardia last Friday. We are successfully rolling out the redesign of airspace here. We provided the Port with an $89 million letter of intent to fund eight delay reduction taxiway projects. Those alone are expected to reduce delays by more than a minute per operation for a savings of $46 million annually at Kennedy.

    In closing, let me say with all emphasis that I completely disagree with the people out there who say that there’s no solution here. In fact, there is. Active collaboration will get us where we need to go. Between and among governments – federal, state and municipal. Cooperation among airlines, authorities, and all of the stakeholders right here, right now. Let’s not overlook inter-modalism. Heavy and light rail, maritime, vehicular traffic, and the passengers and the neighboring communities. When you have full-out collaboration, we’re able to make huge strides, like we did with the major construction program on the Bay runway at Kennedy this past summer.

    With respect to what brings us here today, I can’t say it any more plainly: Everyone has a role, and I want to thank the Regional Plan Association for jump-starting the discussion to bring all of this to the table and initiating what needs to be a very public discussion regarding some very hard choices. This independent study is indeed a step in the right direction. Thank you.

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    Press Release – FAA Raises Safety Rating for Croatia

    For Immediate Release
    January 26, 2011

    The FAA Announced that Croatia Complies with International Safety Standards Set by the International Civil Aviation Organization

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced that Croatia complies with international safety standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), based on the results of a reassessment of Croatia’s civil aviation authority.

    Croatiahas made significant progress and is now upgraded from the Category 2 safety rating the country received in September 2008 to Category 1.

    A Category 1 rating means the country’s civil aviation authority complies with ICAO standards. A Category 2 rating means a country either lacks laws or regulations necessary to oversee air carriers in accordance with minimum international standards, or that its civil aviation authority – equivalent to the FAA for aviation safety matters – is deficient in one or more areas, such as technical expertise, trained personnel, recordkeeping or inspection procedures.

    With the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) Category 2 rating, Croatian air carriers could not establish new service to the United States. Now with the Category 1 rating, Croatian air carriers will be able to establish new service to the United States.

    As part of the FAA’s IASA program, the agency assesses the civil aviation authorities of all countries with air carriers that operate or have applied to fly to the United States and makes that information available to the public. The assessments determine whether or not foreign civil aviation authorities are meeting ICAO safety standards, not FAA regulations.

    Countries with air carriers that fly to the United States must adhere to the safety standards of ICAO, the United Nations’ technical agency for aviation that establishes international standards and recommended practices for aircraft operations and maintenance.

    IASA information is at www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/iasa/

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    NASA’s Hubble Finds Most Distant Galaxy Candidate Ever Seen in Universe

    Astronomers have pushed NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope to its limits by finding what they believe is the most distant object ever seen in the universe. Its light traveled 13.2 billion years to reach Hubble, roughly 150 million years longer than the previous record holder. The age of the universe is 13.7 billion years.

    The dim object, called UDFj-39546284, is a compact galaxy of blue stars that existed 480 million years after the Big Bang, only four percent of the universe’s current age. It is tiny. Over one hundred such mini-galaxies would be needed to make up our Milky Way.

    Astronomers were surprised to find evidence that the rate at which the universe was forming stars grew precipitously in about a 200-million-year time span.

    “We’re seeing huge changes in the rate of star birth that tell us that if we go a little further back in time we’re going to see even more dramatic changes,” says Garth Illingworth of the University of California at Santa Cruz. The rate of star birth increased by about a factor of ten going from 480 million years to 650 million years after the Big Bang.

    “These observations provide us with our best insights yet into the earlier primeval objects that have yet to be found,” adds Rychard Bouwens of the Leiden University in the Netherlands.

    Astronomers don’t know exactly when the first stars appeared in the universe, but every step farther from Earth takes them deeper into the early universe’s “formative years” when stars and galaxies were just beginning to emerge in the aftermath of the Big Bang. “We’re moving into a regime where there are big changes afoot. Another couple of hundred million years toward the Big Bang, that will be the time where the first galaxies really are starting to get built up,” says Illingworth.

    Bouwens and Illingworth are reporting the discovery in the January 27 issue of the British science journal Nature.

    The even more distant proto-galaxies that Illingworth expects are out there will require the infrared vision of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, which is the successor to Hubble. Planned for launch later this decade, Webb will provide confirming spectroscopic measurements of the object’s tremendous distance being reported today.

    After over a year of detailed analysis, the object was positively identified in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field – Infrared (HUDF-IR) data taken in the late summer of both 2009 and 2010. This observation was made with the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) starting just a few months after it was installed into the Hubble Space Telescope in May of 2009, during the last NASA space shuttle servicing mission to Hubble.

    The object appears as a faint dot of starlight in the Hubble exposures. It is too young and too small to have the familiar spiral shape that is characteristic of galaxies in the local universe. Though its individual stars can’t be resolved by Hubble, the evidence suggests that this is a compact galaxy of hot stars that first started to form over 100-200 million years earlier, from gas trapped in a pocket of dark matter.

    The proto-galaxy is only visible at the farthest infrared wavelengths observable by Hubble. This means that the expansion of the universe has stretched and thereby reddened its light more than that of any other galaxy previously identified in the HUDF-IR, to the very limit of what Hubble can detect. Webb will go deeper into infrared wavelengths and will be at least an order of magnitude more sensitive than Hubble, allowing it to more efficiently hunt for primeval galaxies at even greater distances, at earlier times, closer to the Big Bang.

    Astronomers plumb the depths of the universe, and probe its history, by measuring how much the light from an object has been stretched by the expansion of space. This is called the redshift value or “z.” In general, the greater the observed “z” value for a galaxy, the more distant it is in time and space as observed from our own Milky Way. Before Hubble was launched, astronomers could only see galaxies out to a z of approximately 1, corresponding to halfway across the universe.

    The original Hubble Deep Field taken in 1995 leapfrogged to z=4, or roughly 90 percent of the way back to the beginning of time. The Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) produced the Hubble Ultra Deep Field of 2004, pushing back the limit to z~6. ACS was installed on Hubble during Servicing Mission 3B in 2002. Hubble’s first infrared camera, the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer, reached out to z=7. The WFC3 first took us back to z~8, and has now plausibly penetrated for the first time to z=10. The Webb Space Telescope is expected to leapfrog to z of approximately 15, 275 million years after the Big Bang, and possibly beyond. The very first stars may have formed between z of 30 and 15.

    The hypothesized hierarchical growth of galaxies — from stellar clumps to majestic spirals and ellipticals — didn’t become evident until the Hubble Space Telescope deep-field exposures. The first 500 million years of the universe’s existence, from z of 1000 to 10, is now the missing chapter in the hierarchical growth of galaxies. It’s not clear how the universe assembled structure out of a darkening, cooling fireball of the Big Bang. As with a developing embryo, astronomers know there must have been an early period of rapid changes that would set the initial conditions to make the universe of galaxies what it is today.

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    NASA MEDIA ACCREDITATION FOR NEXT SPACE SHUTTLE FLIGHT ENDS FEB. 11

    WASHINGTON — The deadline for media accreditation for the February space shuttle launch to the International Space station ends on Feb. 11. Shuttle Discovery and six astronauts are targeted to launch on the STS-133 mission on Feb. 24 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

    Reporters must apply for credentials to attend the launch or cover the mission from other NASA centers. To be accredited, reporters must work for verifiable newsgathering organizations. No substitutions of credentials are allowed at any NASA facility.

    The 11-day mission will be the 35th flight to the station and the 39th and final scheduled flight for Discovery. The mission will deliver and install the Permanent Multipurpose Module; the Express Logistics Carrier 4, an external platform that holds large equipment; and critical spare components for the station. Discovery also will deliver Robonaut 2, or R2, to become a permanent resident of the station as the first human-like robot in space.

    NASA’s Office of Protective Services has changed its policy for processing foreign nationals. All journalists who are lawful permanent U.S. residents, have dual U.S. citizenship or are U.S. citizens representing international media outlets will have their credential applications processed in the same way as U.S. citizens who represent domestic media.

    Additional time may be required to process accreditation requests by journalists from certain designated countries. Designated countries include those with which the U.S. has no diplomatic relations, countries on the State Department’s list of state sponsors of terrorism, those under U.S. sanction or embargo and countries associated with proliferation concerns.

    Contact the accrediting NASA center for details. Journalists should confirm accreditation before traveling.

    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER

    Accreditation for the STS-133 mission badges remains open. Mission badges previously issued for Discovery’s first launch attempt in November 2010 are valid.

    Reporters applying for credentials at Kennedy should submit requests via the Web at:

    https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

    Reporters must use work e-mail addresses, not personal accounts, when applying. Applicants will receive confirmation via e-mail when accreditation approved.

    Accredited media representatives with mission badges will have access to Kennedy from launch through the end of the mission. The application deadline for mission badges is Feb. 11 for all reporters requesting credentials. Reporters with special logistic requests for Kennedy, such as space for satellite trucks, trailers, electrical connections or workspace, must contact Laurel Lichtenberger by Feb. 11 at:

    laurel.a.lichtenberger@nasa.gov.

    Wireless Internet access is available at Kennedy’s news center. Workspace in the news center and the news center annex is provided on a first-come basis, limited to one space per organization. To set up temporary telephone, fax, ISDN or network lines, media representatives must arrange with BellSouth at 800-213-4988. Reporters must have an assigned seat in the Kennedy newsroom prior to setting up lines.

    To obtain an assigned seat, contact Patricia Christian at: patricia.christian-1@nasa.gov.

    Journalists must have a public affairs escort to all other areas of Kennedy except the Launch Complex 39 cafeteria.

    JOHNSON SPACE CENTER

    Reporters may obtain credentials for NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston by calling the center’s newsroom at 281-483-5111 or by presenting STS-133 mission credentials from Kennedy.

    Media representatives planning to cover the mission only from Johnson need to apply for credentials only at the center. The application deadline for mission badges is Feb. 11 for all reporters requesting credentials.

    Journalists covering the mission from Johnson using Kennedy credentials must contact the center’s newsroom by Feb. 11 to arrange workspace, phone lines and other logistics.

    Johnson is responsible for credentialing media if the shuttle lands at NASA’s White Sands Space Harbor, N.M. If a landing is imminent at White Sands, Johnson will arrange credentials.

    DRYDEN FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER

    Notice for a shuttle landing at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards Air Force Base in California could be short. Domestic media outlets should consider accrediting Los Angeles-based personnel who could travel quickly to Dryden.

    Deadlines for submitting Dryden accreditation requests are Jan. 28 for non-U.S. media, regardless of citizenship, and March 1 for U.S. media who are U.S. citizens or who have permanent residency status.

    For Dryden media credentials, U.S. citizens representing domestic media outlets must provide their full name, date of birth, place of birth, media organization, driver’s license number with the name of the issuing state, and the last six digits of their social security number.

    In addition to the above requirements, foreign media representatives, regardless of citizenship, must provide data including their citizenship, visa or passport number and its expiration date. Foreign nationals representing either domestic or foreign media who have permanent residency status must provide their alien registration number and expiration date.

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    Press Release – FAA Celebrates Recovery Act Funded First Responder Facility

    For Immediate Release
    January 24, 2011

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today celebrated the completion of an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting building at St. Louis Downtown Airport, East St. Louis, Ill., paid for with $4.7 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds.

    “This new facility in East St. Louis is one of the many Recovery Act projects that are helping make important safety improvements at airports around the country,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

    Recovery Act funds paid the full cost of building the structure, which will house employees and a fire and rescue vehicle. FAA regulations require airports with unscheduled passenger-carrying aircraft of at least 31 passenger seats to have a fire and rescue facility on airport property. St. Louis Downtown Airport now receives charter operations by unscheduled air carriers and commuter service about three times per week and was required to build this facility.

    “Airports need to be prepared for any emergency, and this facility will help ensure the safety of passengers and flight crews,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt.

    The St. Louis Downtown Airport is the third-busiest Illinois airport in number of operations, behind only Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Chicago Midway Airport. In fiscal year 2010, the airport had more than 111,000 takeoffs and landings.

    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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    CASA Media Release – Pilots urged to keep Shoalhaven skies safe

    Shoalhaven pilots are being urged to attend an important air safety workshop next month.

    The workshop will give local pilots special training to improve their flying and safety skills.

    The Civil Aviation Safety Authority is holding the workshop to help make the skies over Nowra and the Shoalhaven even safer.

    Safety issues to be covered at the workshop include aircraft maintenance and new rules for flying at regional aerodromes. There will also be the opportunity for pilots to ask questions and raise issues about local flying.

    CASA’s Peter Gibson says the workshop is part of a national regional air safety campaign.

    “Giving pilots from the Shoalhaven extra training will lift their safety skills to even higher levels,” Mr Gibson says.

    “All pilots receive comprehensive training but this workshop means they will be even better equipped to fly safely at all times and deal with emergencies.

    “Nowra and the Shoalhaven have a good air safety record but accidents do happen and everyone in aviation must work hard to keep local skies safe.”

    The workshop is being held at the Albatross Aero Club Museum Building on Tuesday 1 February 2011, starting at 6:00pm.

    CASA is providing free refreshments for everyone on the night.

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    Philadelphia Flight Instructor Charged with False Statements

    On January 7, 2010, Joseph Konrad, an FAA certified commercial pilot and flight instructor, was charged by Information in U.S. District Court, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with false statements related to his application for an Airman Medical Certificate.

    The investigation revealed that in 2007, 2008, and 2009, Mr. Konrad intentionally failed to disclose his opioid abuse and bipolar disorder diagnosis on FAA applications to become a commercial pilot and flight instructor. Mr. Konrad began working as a flight instructor for FAA approved flight schools in Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. He admitted that he did not disclose his medical diagnosis to the FAA for fear the FAA would revoke his commercial pilot and flight instructor licenses.

    This investigation was conducted jointly with DHS/ICE and the FBI.

    Note: Indictments, informations, and criminal complaints are only accusations by the government, all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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    FAA Proposes $170,000 Civil Penalty For Pemco World Air Services

    For Immediate Release
    January 21, 2011

    WASHINGTON – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is proposing a $170,000 civil penalty against Pemco World Air Services of Dothan, Ala., for allegedly failing to administer pre-employment drug tests to two individuals the company hired for safety-sensitive positions.

    The FAA also cited Pemco for failing to carry out required follow-up drug or alcohol testing on eight individuals reinstated after completing return-to-duty training during 2008. In all, the company failed to carry out 24 required follow-up tests. Failing to administer the pre-employment and reinstatement tests are violations of Federal Aviation Regulations.

    The FAA inspected Pemco’s pre-employment test program three times, and each time the FAA determined it had not complied with the requirements. These findings resulted in proposed civil penalties.

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

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    FAA Dedicates New Airport Traffic Control Tower for LaGuardia Airport

    For Immediate Release
    January 21, 2011

    NEW YORK–The Federal Aviation Administration today dedicated a new airport traffic control tower for LaGuardia Airport (LGA) that will replace the one that has served the airport since 1964. In 2010, air traffic controllers at LGA handled nearly 400,000 takeoffs and landings.

    “LaGuardia Airport plays an important role in our country’s aviation infrastructure,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “This modern tower will help enhance the safety and efficiency of air travel in and out of the New York metropolitan area.”

    The tower will be equipped with the latest aviation technology, including the Airport Surface Detection System Model X (ASDE-X), which allows controllers to track surface movement of aircraft and vehicles. Controllers will also be using the Integrated Control and Monitoring System (ICMS), which consolidates information including navigational aid displays into one screen.

    “Today marks a culmination of years of hard work by many people both inside and outside the FAA,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “This tower symbolizes the direction the FAA is taking by transforming the future of aviation with new technology.”

    The new 233-foot high tower is 82 feet higher than the previous tower and has an 850 square foot tower cab. The total cost to design, equip, and construct the new tower was approximately $100 million.

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    Press Release – FAA Mandates Crew Resource Management Training for On-Demand Charters

    For Immediate Release
    January 20, 2011

    WASHINGTON – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has finalized a rule that requires non-scheduled charter airlines and air taxis to train pilots and flight attendants in Crew Resource Management (CRM), a well-established concept that helps reduce human error in commercial aviation by teaching pilots, flight attendants and other aviation workers to act as a team.

    Air carriers affected by the final rule must establish initial and recurrent CRM training for crewmembers within two years of the effective date of the rule. The training must address the captain’s authority; intra-crew communications; teamwork; managing workload, time, fatigue and stress; and decision-making skills.

    “This type of training is critical for the safety of flight crews and passengers,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood.
    The FAA has required CRM training for air carriers operating larger airplanes since December 1995.

    “I know the value of making Crew Resource Management part of the safety culture from my days as an airline pilot,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “A crew that works as a team is a better crew, regardless of the size of the plane or the size of the airline.”

    CRM training focuses on the interactions among personnel including pilots, flight attendants, operations personnel, mechanics, air traffic controllers and flight service stations. This training in communications and teamwork can help prevent errors such as runway incursions, misinterpreting information from air traffic controllers, crewmembers’ loss of situational awareness, and failure to fully prepare for takeoff or landing.

    This final rule responds to a 2003 National Transportation Safety Board recommendation that is currently on the Board’s “Most Wanted” list of safety improvements.

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    NEXT INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION CREW HOLDS NEWS CONFERENCE

    HOUSTON — The next three crew members to live and work aboard the International Space Station will hold a news conference at 1 p.m. CST on Wednesday, Jan. 26 at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The news conference will be broadcast live on NASA Television and the agency’s website. Questions will be taken from participating NASA centers.

    NASA astronaut Ron Garan and crewmates, Russian cosmonauts Alexander Samokutyaev and Andrey Borisenko, will participate in individual round-robin interviews, in person or by phone, following the news conference. The crew also will participate in a photo opportunity for reporters at Johnson.

    U.S. and foreign media representatives planning to attend the briefing or participate in the round-robin interviews must contact the Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 by 4 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 24.

    Garan, Samokutyaev and Borisenko are three of the six crew members for Expedition 27 and 28. The trio is scheduled to launch to the station aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on March 29 (March 30 Kazakhstan time). They will join Expedition 27 NASA astronaut Cady Coleman, European Space Agency astronaut Paolo Nespoli and Russian cosmonaut Dmitry Kondratyev who will stay aboard the station until mid-May.

    On June 1, NASA’s Mike Fossum, Japan’s Satoshi Furukawa and Russia’s Sergei Volkov will join Garan, Samokutyaev and Borisenko to complete the Expedition 28 crew.