News and Updates – FAA Rule Would Streamline Commercial Space Launch and Reentry Requirements

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WASHINGTON The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today posted a proposed rule that would streamline federal commercial space transportation requirements for future launch, reentry, and launch-site providers, and maintain safety during launches and reentries. The proposed rule follows the National Space Councils 2018 Space Policy Directive 2, which called on the Secretary of Transportation to review and revise the Departments commercial space launch and re-entry licensing regulations. It will expand national and international access to the economic, scientific, and educational benefits of traveling to space.

These rules will maintain safety, simplify the licensing process, enable innovation, and reduce costs to help our country remain a leader in commercial space launches, said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao.

The proposed rule would provide a safe, performance-based regulatory approach to commercial space transportation. It would promote safety practices by creating flexibility for operators to meet safety requirements, and by enhancing collaboration among stakeholders. The rule would also improve efficiency by encouraging potential and current launch site and reentry operators to suggest and implement design and operation solutions.

Ingenuity and innovation have always fueled our nations success in space travel, said FAA Acting Administrator Daniel K. Elwell. This proposed rule ensures that a commercial space rocket is not tethered to a launch pad with unnecessary red tape.

The proposed rule advances proposals by the Streamlined Launch and Reentry Licensing Requirements Aviation Rulemaking Committee, which is made up of commercial space and aviation leaders from government and industry. Formed by the FAA a year ago, the Committee discussed and put forward proposals and recommendations to the agency. The proposed rule announced today is a result of that effort.

The FAA is responsible for ensuring protection of the public, property, and the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States during commercial launch or reentry activities, and encouraging, facilitating, and promoting U.S. commercial space transportation. To date, the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation has licensed or permitted more than 370 launches, reentries, and launch sites.

The U.S. commercial space transportation industry had its most productive year ever in fiscal year 2018, with 32 FAA-licensed launches, three reentries, and two new launch sites, bringing the total number of U.S. launch sites to 12. The FAA is forecasting as many as 40 FAA-licensed commercial space transportation activities this fiscal year.

News and Updates – FAA Statement on Boeing 737 Max

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3/12/19 6:10pm Update

Statement from Acting FAA Administrator Daniel K. Elwell

The FAA continues to review extensively all available data and aggregate safety performance from operators and pilots of the Boeing 737 MAX.Thus far, our review shows no systemic performance issues and provides no basis to order grounding the aircraft. Nor have other civil aviation authorities provided data to us that would warrant action.In the course of our urgent review of data on the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crash, if any issues affecting the continued airworthiness of the aircraft are identified, the FAA will take immediate and appropriate action.

3/11/19 6:00pm Update

The FAA has issued a Continued Airworthiness Notification to the International Community (CANIC) related to the Boeing 737-8 and Boeing 737-9 (737 MAX) fleet.

3/11/19 3:15pm Update

An FAA team is on-site with the NTSB in its investigation of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302.We are collecting data and keeping in contact with international civil aviation authorities as information becomes available.Today, the FAA will issue a Continued Airworthiness Notification to the International Community (CANIC) for Boeing 737 MAX operators. The FAA continuously assesses and oversees the safety performance of U.S. commercial aircraft. If we identify an issue that affects safety, the FAA will take immediate and appropriate action.

News and Updates – Aerospace Pact Lowers Fees on U.S. Companies and Opens European Access to U.S. Markets

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During a meeting between the co-chairs of the Bilateral Oversight Board (BOB) at the Federal Aviation Administrations (FAA) Headquarters in Washington, D.C., the officials with FAA and the European Union (EU) signed two decisions associated with the Airworthiness Annex of the U.S./EU Safety Agreement.

The first decision, Bilateral Oversight Board (BOB) Decision 0008-0001, enables reductions of the EUs European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) fees for validation of U.S. aerospace products. This achievement is the culmination of a multi-year effort to reduce duplication of efforts by the FAA and EASA, and to lower EASA fees on U.S. industry to be more commensurate with that reduced level of effort. The decision covers simple design modifications such as Basic Supplemental Type Certificates. Fee reductions will take effect 30 days from todays signing.

The second decision, BOB Decision 0009, amends the U.S./EU Safety Agreement to remove country specific limitations associated with aeronautical products and parts eligible for import into the United States. This amendment treats all EU Member States equally under the agreement and recognizes EASAs oversight and standardization processes throughout their jurisdiction.

The FAA is fully committed to mutually working together with our international partners to improve aviation oversight and management, said FAA Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety and BOB Co-chair Ali Bahrami. These agreements are a win, win for both the United States and Europe by providing greater access to aerospace markets, products and services.

Director for Aviation, Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport and BOB Co-chair Filip Cornelis said, Closer cooperation between the European and the US aviation safety oversight bodies brings clear benefits to both sides of the Atlantic. These agreements will facilitate the work of both the European and the US manufacturing sectors and help us maintain the highest aviation safety records in the world.

About the FAA
The FAA operates the safest, most efficient, and complex aerospace system in the world. The FAA employs more than 45,000 people globally who are dedicated to improving safety, efficiency and environmental sustainability through global leadership, regulatory harmonization and partnerships. The FAA regulates the U.S. civil aviation industry, commercial space transportation, and is increasing safety and efficiency through its air traffic modernization program. Aviation contributes $1.6 trillion annually to the U.S. economy, supports 10.6 million jobs, and constitutes 5.1 percent of the nations gross domestic product.