FAA

August 4, 2008 -- WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), issued the following statement after the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced that it would block any flights resulting from the Federal Aviation Administration’s plan to auction off arrival and departure slots at the three major airports in the New York City area:    » read more »

Air Traffic Control: GAO Report

July 18, 2008 -- In fiscal year 2008, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) plans to spend over $2 billion on information technology (IT) investments--many of which support FAA's air traffic control modernization. To more effectively manage such investments, in 2005 the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) required agencies to use earned value management (EVM). EVM is a project management approach that, if implemented appropriately, provides objective reports of project status, produces early warning signs of impending schedule delays and cost overruns, and provides unbiased estimates of a program's total costs.    » read more »

ROME, July 02, 2008 -- Alenia Aeronautica, a Finmeccanica company, successfully completed destructive testing on the horizontal stabilizer of the Boeing [NYSE: BA] 787 Dreamliner. The test took place at Alenia's Pomigliano plant in Naples with Boeing engineers and representatives of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in attendance. The stabilizer is made at the Alenia Aeronautica plant at Foggia in Italy's Puglia region.    » read more »

May 6, 2008 -- Washington, DC— U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) today made the following statement after Republican Senators blocked the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act, legislation to modernize the FAA and our air traffic control system, improve safety inspections, and protect the rights of the flying public.

Airplane, runway: Photo by S Fujiwara (CC)    » read more »

May 6, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, DC—“I am extremely disappointed that Senate Republicans have once again blocked Democratic efforts to address the very real problems with our nation’s air travel. The legislation that was blocked today included several important and necessary provisions that would have addressed our ailing aviation system.

Security line at San Jose airport: Photo by sevenblock (CC)    » read more »

Amendments Follow Specter’s Field Hearing on Philadelphia International Airport

May 5, 2008 -- U.S. Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) filed two amendments to the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act which is currently being considered by the Senate.

Rocking chairs at Philadelphia International Airport: Photo by Jon Protas (CC)

The amendments seek to reduce overflights over Delaware County and delays caused by flight over-scheduling at Philadelphia International Airport. Senator Specter investigated both of these issues at a field hearing he convened in Philadelphia on Friday, April 25th.    » read more »

April 16, 2008 -- “Today's rules put forth by the Federal Department of Transportation (DOT), in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), were intended to be a step toward making air transportation more reliable and comfortable for passengers. But these rules are not the right solution, and, in the case of the auctioning of slots at LaGuardia, are woefully misguided.

Baggage area, Laguardia Airport: Photo by Sarah Gilbert (CC)    » read more »