The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee has passed a bill that would raise the age limit for airline pilots to 65 when the pilot is serving as a required pilot on a multicrew aircraft and the other pilot is younger than 60 years of age. The measure has been placed on the legislative calendar for a vote by the full Senate.
Regulations and Government
News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA reauthorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.
September 18, 2006 - 5:53am
Transport aircraft manufacturers, including business jet OEMs, will be required to develp operational limitations for all future Part 25 designs, under a proposed rule intended to eliminate "widespread fatigue damage" (WFD) as aircraft age. However, for existing type certificates, this proposal would apply only to jets with mtows of more than 75,000 pounds and opperated under Part 121 U.S. and Part 129 foreign carriers.
September 18, 2006 - 5:33am
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) late last month issued an advisory urging private jet owners and general aviation airports to review security measures after a message was posted in Arabic on a Web forum on April 13 urging all Muslims to destroy American business jets.
September 18, 2006 - 5:09am
Despite the addition of money for aircraft certification to the FAA budget for Fiscal Year 2006, original equipment manufacturers complained to a congressional panel meeting in Wichita that they are at a competitive disadvantage in the global marketplace because of continuing certification delays.
September 18, 2006 - 4:38am
Reacting to a pair of landmark NTSB recommendations addressing potential safety vulnerabilities in autopilots, the FAA this month is amending airworthiness standards for automatic flight control systems in transport-category airplanes. The revised standards cover newly certified business jets with an mtow of more than 12,500 pounds.
September 15, 2006 - 11:44am
– Congress took a 10-day break over the Memorial Day holiday and on its return faced a number of issues that had been left in the holding pattern. Senate Democrats filibustered an attempt to eliminate the so-called “death tax,” and Republicans fell three votes short of what it would take to break the filibuster, so the current exemptions of $2 million of an individual’s estate and $4 million of a married couple’s estate still stand.
September 15, 2006 - 11:37am
The FAA last month closed a three-month comment period on a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would amend long-standing HIRF (high-intensity radiated fields) testing requirements for newly certified airplanes and helicopters.
September 15, 2006 - 11:32am
An aircraft accident happens, on average, three or more times a day in the U.S. If people die in such an accident, investigators from the NTSB are sure to be involved in trying to figure out what happened.
September 15, 2006 - 6:09am
An FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin issued May 17 says fuel drain holes in the main landing gear bay auxiliary bulkhead might be missing on some Beechcraft Premier Is. The FAA recommends that operators comply with the inspection procedures contained in Raytheon Service Bulletin 53-3726.
September 15, 2006 - 5:52am
Reports of tread separations and bulges on Goodyear Aviation nosewheel tires on Gulfstreams and Global Expresses have resulted in a proposed Airworthiness Directive to replace the tires if they fall within a designated range of serial numbers. The proposal affects some 1,000 Gulfstreams and 100 Global Expresses.
