Feb
26
2009
AOPA is raising the alarm after combing President Barack Obama’s first budget and finding the term “direct user charges” in relation to FAA funding. In fact, the Obama administration targets raising $7 billion annually, roughly half the FAA’s budget by “repealing some aviation excise taxes and replacing these taxes with direct user charges.” The charges would begin in 2011. The language is on page 129 of the budget. Not surprisingly, AOPA President Craig Fuller is not amused.
$ 7 Billion In Aviation User Fees In Obama Budget
Feb
25
2009
The plane, Flight TK1951, left Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport at 8:22 a.m. (1:22 a.m. ET) bound for Amsterdam.
“Visibility was clear and around 5,000 yards. Some 550 yards before landing; the plane landed on a field instead of the runway,”
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29383155/ - for full article
Feb
23
2009
The stimulus package recently passed by congress is partially targeted at airplane owners as states try to spend up to $1.1 Billion that was intended for airports. It will be seen as an accelerated depreciation to give the manufactures a way to begin recovering from the economic downturn.
Todd Tiahrt, a Republican Representative from Kansas, has seen his state account for some 7,000 of those job losses (mostly from Cessna and Hawker Beechcraft). Tiahrt told The Associated Press, “this is exactly the type of financial incentive that should be included in a stimulus bill.”
AOPA as actively been admonishing state governers about multiple airport imorvements that are “shovel ready.”
The $1.1 billion investments was signed into law to create 40,000 jobs and to improve the aviation infrastructure.
Feb
22
2009
A proposed rule from the Transportation Security Administration aimed at general aviation could have “serious implications,” says AOPA. “This proposed rule is an unprecedented imposition of security requirements on the general aviation community, affecting 10,000 individual operators and hundreds of airports,” said Andy Cebula, AOPA executive vice president of government affairs. “An overwhelming majority of our members surveyed last week expressed strong concerns about the proposal.”
The huge 260-page TSA proposal would require all U.S. operators of aircraft exceeding 12,500 pounds maximum takeoff weight to implement a TSA-approved security program. Mandated measures would include fingerprinting and background checks of flight crews, vetting passengers against terrorist watch lists, and security requirements for GA airports.
The complete text of the proposal is available in PDF format at the TSA Web site.
Feb
21
2009
USAirways 1549 (AWE1549), January 15, 2009
FAA Air Traffic Control communications
Please note that all air traffic communications for LaGuardia tower (LGA), Teterboro tower (TEB), and the New York Tracon (N90) in the time period surrounding the accident are included below. However, most of the communications with the pilot while the aircraft was in the air are contained in the tape and transcript for the New York Tracon. All times are in Zulu time, which is the same as Greenwich Mean Time.
- LaGuardia Tower Audio and Transcripts
Clearance Delivery Position Audio (MP3, 19.46 MB)
Clearance Delivery Position Transcript (PDF, 74 KB)
Ground Control Position Audio (MP3, 25.85 MB)
Ground Control Position Transcript (PDF, 1.04 MB)
Local Control Position Audio (MP3, 24.14 MB)
Local Control Position Transcript (PDF, 1.17 MB)
Class Bravo Airspace Position Audio (MP3, 42.33 MB)
Class Bravo Airspace Position Transcript (PDF, 100 KB)
Cab Coordinator Position Audio (MP3, 37.73 MB)
Cab Coordinator Position Transcript (PDF, 1.03 MB)
Air Traffic Information System (ATIS) Audio (MP3, 2.71 MB)
Air Traffic Information System (ATIS)–No transcript available
