U.S. aviation officials are no longer allowing foreign airlines to land alongside another plane when touching down at San Francisco International Airport in the wake of the deadly Asiana Airlines crash.
Tag Archives: FAA
Ethiopian 787 Fire Update: FAA To Order Inspection But Not Removal of 787 ELTs
By John Goglia, Contributor While the European Aviation Safety Agency announced that it will order the removal of emergency locator transmitters from Boeing 787s in the fleets of European carriers, the FAA is taking a wait and see approach, announcing in a press release that it is “working with Boeing to develop instructions to operators for inspection” of ELTS on 787 aircraft. Both the FAA and EASA announcements come in response to the British Aviation Accident Investigation Board – the UK equivalent of the NTSB – recommendations following its preliminary investigation of a fire aboard a parked Ethiopian 787 at Heathrow Airport. According to the AAIB, the fire was located in the area of the ELT and associated wiring. It recommended that ELTs on 787s be made “ inert” and that ELTs in other aircraft be inspected. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest
FAA warns shooting at drone could result in prosecution similar to shooting at manned airplane
People who fire guns at drones are endangering the public and property and could be prosecuted or fined, the Federal Aviation Administration warned Friday.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News
FAA wants Dreamliner transmitters inspected after fire
Airlines should inspect the emergency locator transmitters of all Boeing 787 “Dreamliners,” the Federal Aviation Administration urged Friday following a fire earlier in the week aboard one of the airliners while parked at London’s Heathrow Airport.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News
New FAA Warning to Public: Don't Shoot Drones
People who fire guns at drones are endangering the public and property and could be prosecuted or fined, the FAA warned today. Why the weird pronouncement? It’s in response to questions about an ordinance under consideration in the tiny farming community of Deer Trail, Colo., that would encourage hunters to… …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Newser – Home
FAA warns public against shooting guns at drones
Federal aviation officials are warning that people who fire guns at drones could be prosecuted or fined.
A Federal Aviation Administration statement released Friday said firing guns at unmanned aircraft could cause them to crash, injuring people or damaging property.
The agency was responding to a proposed law in the tiny farming community of Deer Trail, Colo., that would grant hunting permits to shoot drones. The permits would cost $25 each.
The proposal would also encourage drone hunting by awarding $100 to anyone who presents a valid hunting license and identifiable pieces of drone that has been shot down. It’s expected to come up for a vote next month.
The FAA said it is responsible for regulating the nation’s airspace, including over cities and towns.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News
Boeing fire probe says deactivate Dreamliner beacons
British authorities probing a fire onboard a parked Boeing Dreamliner at London’s Heathrow airport recommended on Thursday that Honeywell distress beacons on all 787 planes be deactivated pending further checks.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch said it was not clear, however, whether the fire originated in the transmitter batteries or was caused by an “external mechanism such as an electrical short”.
Nobody was hurt in the fire last Friday on an Ethiopian Airlines plane, which was empty at the time.
But the incident is a blow to US planemaker Boeing, which withdrew from service its entire fleet of Dreamliners earlier this year due to separate concerns that lithium ion batteries on board could cause fires.
A total of 68 Dreamliners have so far been delivered, and the AAIB recommends to US aviation authorities that emergency locator transmitter systems in each of them be made inert.
“It is recommended that the Federal Aviation Administration initiate action for making inert the Honeywell International RESCU406AFN fixed emergency locator transmitter system in Boeing 787 aircraft until appropriate airworthiness actions can be completed,” the report said.
It also recommended that the FAA and other regulatory authorities “conduct a safety review of installations of lithium-powered emergency locator transmitter systems in other aircraft types and, where appropriate, initiate airworthiness action”.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox World News
UK investigators: Disable locator beacon on 787s
U.K. air accident investigators are recommending that all Honeywell emergency transmitters should be temporarily disabled on Boeing 787s following a fire last week at London’s Heathrow Airport.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch said Thursday that the greatest damage to the parked Ethiopian Airlines Dreamliner occurred in the vicinity of the aircraft’s emergency locator transmitter.
Investigators said it was not clear if the fire was caused by the transmitter’s batteries or a short near or around the transmitter, but recommended that the Federal Aviation Administration disable Honeywell’s transmitters in Boeing 787s “until appropriate airworthiness actions” can be carried out.
Investigators also recommended that the FAA and other regulators carry out a safety review of lithium-battery powered transmitters in other types of aircrafts.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox World News
Ethiopia flies first Dreamliner since grounding
A Boeing 787 operated by Ethiopian Airlines flew from Ethiopia to Kenya‘s capital Saturday, the first commercial flight since air safety authorities grounded the Dreamliners after incidents with smoldering batteries on two different planes in January.
The Boeing 787 passenger jet arrived in Nairobi on Saturday afternoon after a two-hour trip from Ethiopia‘s capital, Addis Ababa, according to the Kenya airport website. The Dreamliner arrived at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 12:40 p.m. local time, according to the Kenya Airports Authority.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has approved Boeing’s redesigned battery system, which the company says sharply reduces the risk of fire.
Richard J. Horigan, a Boeing engineer, told reporters in Nairobi this week that all potential causes of battery fire have been eliminated with the new system. But he noted that the root cause of smoldering batteries experienced by the two different 787s may never be known because the evidence was destroyed by heat.
“We would like to thank Ethiopian Airlines for the patience, support and leadership shown throughout the period that the 787 Dreamliner has been grounded,” Boeing Commercial Airplanes President Ray Conner said in a news release.
There are 50 Dreamliners in service around the world. Once the FAA approves the fix on individual planes, airlines can start flying them again. United Airlines, the only U.S. airline with the planes, moved one of its six 787s to a Boeing facility in San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday so it can get the battery fixed. Neither of the battery incidents involved a United jet.
Boeing said Wednesday that deliveries of the 787 should resume in early May.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox World News
For the Record: Aviation Trust Fund Not General Revenues Used to Eliminate Air Controller Furloughs and Tower Closures
By John Goglia, Contributor After a week of mounting pressure from airline lobbying groups and air travelers outraged at flight delays caused by across-the-board Government spending cuts, Congress fixed the problem by preparing legislation (which the President said he would sign) to allow the transfer of revenue from the FAA’s Airport and Airway Trust Fund to cover air traffic controller salaries and prevent the closure of control towers. Contrary to what many commenters have said, this action was not a rescue of the aviation elite at the expense of social welfare programs. And no money will be diverted from DOT’s budget for other programs, such as highway improvement or bridge safety. The Airport and Airway Trust Fund is never used for these other programs and it’s misleading for commenters to imply that there will be a negative impact on these other programs by this transfer of funds.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest
Market Minute: Bellwether Caterpillar Posts Disappointing Profit and Sales
Filed under: Facebook, Earnings, General Motors, Market News
Caterpillar misses, and Boeing gears up for a re-launch.
The major averages last week suffered their biggest losses since last June. The Dow Industrials and the S&P 500 both fell 2.1 percent, and the Nasdaq dropped 2.7 percent.
But Barron’s annual survey of money managers shows record levels of bullishness, despite ongoing concerns about the European financial crisis and Fed policy. The poll indicates the Dow could hit 16,000 by the middle of next year.
Quarterly earnings are set to dominate the action again this week, and there has to be some concern with the numbers from one bellwether company: Caterpillar’s (CAT) profit and sales came in short of expectations. It also forecast that sales for the full year will be below target levels, because of slow growth in the world economy.
Hasbro’s (HAS) operating net and sales both topped expectations. The company pointed to strong sales of games, as well as toys intended for girls.
After the close, we’ll hear from chip-maker Texas Instruments (TXN) and from Netflix (NFLX).
Boeing (BA) is installing its re-designed battery packs on its troubled 787 Dreamliner today. It could start carrying passengers again next month after the FAA late on Friday approved the new battery system. The worldwide fleet of 787s was grounded in mid-January.
A trial starts today in a trademark infringement case against Facebook (FB). A company named Timelines sued Facebook back in 2011 after the social-networking giant introduced the timeline feature on its user pages.
General Motors (GM) says it will build four new manufacturing plants in China over the next three years. The goal is to increase production capacity to 5 million units a year.
Ameriprise Financial (AMP) is reportedly preparing a bid for the asset management unit of Lloyd’s Banking of the U.K. According to the Sunday Times the bid could be valued at $1.2 billion dollars.
And Orbital Sciences (ORB) sent a rocket on its first test flight last night. The company is competing with a firm owned by Elon Musk to take cargo to the International Space Station.
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From: http://www.dailyfinance.com/on/caterpillar-profit-sales-earnings-stock-market/
Delays Hit U.S. Airports As Furloughs Kick In, FAA Says
By Reuters
Filed under: Travel, Layoffs, U.S. Government, Aerospace & Defense, Consumer Issues
By Alwyn Scott
NEW YORK — Travelers waited more than an hour for flights in New York and experienced delays at other U.S. airports on Sunday evening as furloughs of air traffic controllers began, reducing the ability of busy hubs to handle arrivals and departures, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
The furloughs that started Sunday reduced staffing by 10 percent across the country. Last week, the FAA warned of delays up to 3½ hours at some airports as the agency cuts spending to meet reductions required under federal budget cuts.
New York‘s LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy airports reported delays of more than an hour, and Philadelphia international airport also reported delays due to furloughs, the FAA said.
Los Angeles International reported nearly a 2-hour delay at 10 p.m. ET, and Newark Liberty International reported 28-minute delays, though the FAA couldn’t confirm whether those were related to the staff cuts. Delays of up to 58 minutes in San Francisco and 29 minutes in Orlando, Fla., were due to construction and weather, the FAA said.
“Relatively good weather throughout the country and light traffic helped minimize air traffic delays,” FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown said.
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The delays come as the FAA furloughs its 47,000 employees, including nearly 13,000 air traffic controllers who manage the nation’s airspace.
The furloughs are set to last through September, the end of the U.S. fiscal year, and are expected to save about $200 million of the $637 million the agency must cut from its $16 billion budget, the FAA said last week.
Paul Rinaldi, president of the Air Traffic Controllers Association, said about 1,200 to 1,500 controllers will be staying home each day, on average, and that some airports might be able to shift staffing to reduce the effect of the furloughs. U.S. airports handle about 25,000 flights a day, he said.
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From: http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/22/faa-furloughs-airport-delays/
Some flight delays appear as FAA furloughs kick in due to sequester
Government budget cuts that kicked in last month are forcing the FAA and other agencies to cut their spending.
From: http://feeds.foxnews.com/~r/foxnews/politics/~3/nHn0zg6DWLw/
FAA approves resumption of Boeing 787 Dreamliner flights
Boeing’s beleaguered 787 could be flying again within a week after federal officials approved a fix for its batteries, even though the root cause of a fire on one plane and smoke on another still isn’t known.
The Federal Aviation Administration said Friday it would send airlines instructions and publish a notice next week lifting the 3-month-old grounding order that day. Airlines will be able to begin flying the planes again as soon as the new systems are installed and they have approval from safety regulators in their own countries. Dreamliner flights could resume within a week, the agency told members of Congress.
Boeing is eager to get the planes flying. It has stationed 300 workers on 10 teams around the world to do the work, some of it beginning on Friday, 787 chief engineer Mike Sinnett said on a call with reporters. It will take about five days to install the revamped lithium-ion battery system on each plane, he said.
The FAA gave Boeing permission last month to test the revamped system, which includes additional insulation around each of the battery’s eight cells to prevent a short circuit or fire in one of the cells from spreading to the others. The new system also includes enhanced venting of smoke and gas from inside the battery to outside the plane. A strengthened box to hold the battery is an effort to ensure that if a fire were to occur, it wouldn’t escape to the rest of the plane.
Boeing has completed 20 separate tests of the new system, FAA Administrator Michael Huerta told Congress earlier this week.
The system involved in the emergencies in January had been extensively tested, too.
“We always learn more as we dig deeper into things,” Sinnett said. “We have learned a lot about how to test batteries, and to be conservative” in testing.
Boeing had delivered 50 planes to eight airlines in seven countries when a fire erupted in a battery aboard a Japan Airlines 787 parked at Boston’s Logan International Airport on Jan. 7. Nine days later another incident forced an emergency landing in Japan by an All Nippon Airways 787. That prompted the FAA and other authorities to ground the entire fleet.
Boeing said new batteries and kits with the parts for the new battery systems have been shipped to Boeing supply centers around the world and are ready to be installed. The 787s will get the fix in approximately the order they were delivered, Boeing said.
The FAA‘s action directly affects the six 787s flown by United Airlines, the only U.S. airline with the plane. But aviation authorities in other countries are expected to follow suit swiftly. Boeing deferred questions about approval in other countries to those aviation authorities.
United Airlines already has domestic 787 flights scheduled for May 31. Spokeswoman Christen David said no other schedule changes have been made yet. Its launch of Denver-to-Tokyo Narita flights is still planned for June 10, but that will depend on installing the battery fix by then, she said.
“We are mapping out a return-to-service
From: http://feeds.foxnews.com/~r/foxnews/national/~3/xOxpA7mDphE/
Airlines, pilots sue FAA over furloughs
Airlines and the nation’s largest pilots’ union are joining forces to sue the Federal Aviation Administration over its decision to furlough air traffic controllers as the result of automatic, across-the-board spending cuts required by Congress.
From: http://feeds.foxnews.com/~r/foxnews/politics/~3/OCJPwiAUaeQ/
FAA chief says furloughs to start Sunday, warns of flight delays
The public should expect flight delays as furloughs kick in Sunday for air traffic controllers, although the effects may be felt unevenly from airport to airport, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration said Thursday.
From: http://feeds.foxnews.com/~r/foxnews/politics/~3/2imy9mt53Q8/
Boeing's Dreamliner Could Resume Flights Next Month
Filed under: Company News, Transportation, Aerospace & Defense, Travel Industry, Stocks
WASHINGTON — Published reports say Boeing’s grounded 787 jetliners could soon be flying again.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the Federal Aviation Administration is set to approve Boeing’s fix for the ion-lithium batteries. The 787 Dreamliner has been grounded since mid-January because of smoldering batteries that in one case caused a serious fire.
The Journal says the FAA is expected to announce Friday that Boeing’s redesigned batteries are safe. The fix includes more heat insulation and a battery box designed to vent any hot gases from the batteries outside the planes.
There was no immediate comment from the FAA and a Boeing Co. (BA) spokesman declined to comment on the report.
The New York Times, which also reported the development, says the aircraft could be back in service next month.
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From: http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/19/boeing-787-dreamliner-resume-flights-may/
If the FAA Thought Flying with Lap Kids Was Unsafe, It Would Require Kid Seats, Right? Wrong.
You would think that the FAA, the agency charged with protecting the safety of the flying public, would take special care to ensure the safety of our most vulnerable flyers, those under the age of two. And if it knew something was unsafe, it would use its regulatory authority to make it right, right? You might reasonably think that. But you would be wrong.
Ethiopian Airlines readies grounded 787 for flight
The chief executive of Ethiopian Airlines says it is seeking approval from America’s Federal Aviation Administration and from Boeing to put its grounded Boeing 787s back into service.
Ethiopian Airlines chief executive officer Tewolde Gebremariam told The Associated Press that the company expects FAA approval within a few days.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliners has been grounded since January because of a risk of fire from the plane’s lithium batteries.
United Airlines earlier this month put its grounded Boeing 787s back in its flight schedule. United has a 787 scheduled to fly starting May 31.
Boeing Co. has proposed a fix for the 787’s batteries, but it needs approval from the FAA.
From: http://feeds.foxnews.com/~r/foxnews/world/~3/nHrNAtUvbIk/
Media Digest (4/17/2013) Reuters, WSJ, FT, Bloomberg
Filed under: Investing
The role of central banks in stimulus will be considered at International Monetary Fund (IMF) and G-20 gatherings. (Reuters)
Display ad revenue at Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO) drops sharply. (Reuters)
News Corp. (NASDAQ: NWSA) will call its entertainment company 21st Century Fox. (Reuters)
Carl Icahn agrees to limit his stake in Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) but can join other bidders to make an offer for the company. (Reuters)
Procter & Gamble Co. (NYSE: PG) will lengthen the number of days after which it pays suppliers, which will allow it access to $2 billion in cash. (WSJ)
A new IMF report attacks the results of austerity taken on by financially troubled nations. (WSJ)
A reservations system glitch limits American Airlines bookings and causes a number of flights to be halted. (WSJ)
Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) completes tests of batteries on its Dreamliner 787, but the FAA has not approved them. (WSJ)
Intel Corp.’s (NASDAQ: INTC) profits drop by 25% as PC sales tumble. (WSJ)
Investment manager John Paulson loses $1.5 billion in his bet on gold prices. (FT)
The drop in gold prices hits central bank asset values by $560 billion. (Bloomberg)
Filed under: 24/7 Wall St. Wire, Press Digest Tagged: BA, DELL, INTC, NWSA, PG, YHOO
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From: http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/17/media-digest-4172013-reuters-wsj-ft-bloomberg/