News and Updates – U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao Announces $335 Million in Infrastructure Grants to America's Airports

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Grants awarded to 80 airports in 25 states.

News and Updates – Access to Controlled Airspaces Advances Drone and Overall Aviation Safety

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WASHINGTONThe Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today made it easier for drone pilots to quickly and safely access controlled airspace by adding 133 air traffic facilities to the Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) system. LAANC is an automated application and approval system for drone pilots requesting to fly below 400 feet in controlled airspace.

As the FAA continues to modernize the national airspace to accommodate more users, the agency made LAANC accessible for 726 airports and 537 facilities, covering 81 percent of eligible airspace.

This expansion is based on feedback from the drone community. LAANC is a collaboration between the FAA and the Unmanned Aircraft Systems industry which directly supports the safe integration of drones into the nations airspace. The service is accessible to all pilots who operate under the FAAs small drone rule.

For updates to LAANC capabilities, visit our website.

News and Updates – FAA Posts Study, Plans Workshops for New Boston Procedure

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has posted the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for a proposed new satellite-based approach procedure for Runway 4-Left at Boston Logan International Airport. The Draft EA indicates that the procedure would have no significant impact in any environmental category including aviation noise.

The proposed new procedure closely follows the path of the existing visual approach for Runway 4-Left. It will enhance safety and flight efficiency by providing vertical and lateral guidance to pilots and by enabling air traffic controllers to more precisely monitor arriving aircraft, especially in bad weather. When visibility is low, flights will be able to land on Runway 4-Left, helping to reduce delays that result in late-night arrivals at the airport. Currently, aircraft can land on the runway only in good weather.

A 60-day public comment period for the Draft EA begins today and ends on Nov. 20, 2020. The FAA will consider and review all substantive comments it receives during the comment period. The agency expects to issue a final environmental determination in 2021. The public can review the Draft EA and submit comments.

Electronic and paper copies of the Draft EA also are available at certain public libraries in the study area including Dorchester, Mattapan, Roxbury, South Boston, South End, Milton and Quincy. Please contact your library to access the document.

The FAA will hold virtual public workshops on Oct. 23 and 28, 2020 to brief residents and answer their questions on the Draft EA and the proposed procedure. Environmental and air traffic control experts will be available to answer questions. Residents can view the schedule and register to attend a virtual workshop. Participants should register no later than 30 minutes before the workshops begin. The FAA also will livestream the workshops on Facebook and YouTube. Residents who are not online can access the workshops by calling 877-853-5247 or 888-788-0099.

Theagency conducted the Draft EA in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), which requires the FAA to identify and publicly disclose the potential environmental impacts of the proposed procedure.

Additional information about the project and the agencys community involvement program is available at Boston Community Involvement.

News and Updates – More Schools Join the Collegiate Training Initiative

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced today that 15 more schools have been selected to participate in the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Collegiate Training Initiative (UAS-CTI).

The new schools are:

  • Austin Community College, Austin, Texas
  • Atlantic Cape Community College, Mays Landing, New Jersey
  • Big Bend Community College, Moses Lake, Washington
  • Blue Ridge Community and Technical College, Martinsburg, West Virginia
  • Carroll Community College, Westminster, Maryland
  • Clark State Community College, Springfield, Ohio
  • Elizabeth City State University, Elizabeth City, North Carolina
  • Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
  • Fullerton College, Fullerton California
  • Kansas State Polytechnic, Salina, Kansas
  • Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia
  • Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee
  • Mitchell Technical College, Mitchell, South Dakota
  • Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College, Mount Gay, West Virginia
  • Yavapai College, Prescott, Arizona

The FAAs CTI program allows educational institutions to collaborate with the FAA to help students pursue their aviation career goals. The UAS-CTI program recognizes institutions that prepare students for careers involving UAS, commonly referred to as drones.

The new schools join 26 schools that have already been selected to participate in the program. These previously selected schools are listed below:

  • Blue Mountain Community College, Pendleton, Oregon
  • Central Oregon Community College, Bend, Oregon
  • Dakota College, Bottineau, North Dakota
  • Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL, Prescott, AZ, and Worldwide Campus
  • Green River College, Auburn, Washington
  • Gulf Coast Community College, Panama City, Florida
  • Hazard Community and Technical College, Hazard, Kentucky
  • Hinds Community College, Raymond, Mississippi
  • Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho
  • Indiana State University, Terra Haute, Indiana
  • Mira Costa College, Carlsbad, California
  • Mountain Empire Community College, Big Stone Gap, Virginia
  • Mountwest Community and Technical College, Huntington, West Virginia
  • Niagara Community College, Sanborn, New York
  • North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
  • Northeastern Technical College, Cheraw, South Carolina
  • Northland Community and Technical College, Thief River Falls, Minnesota
  • Northwestern Michigan College, Traverse, Michigan
  • Oklahoma City Community College, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • Palomar College District, San Marcos, California
  • Santa Rosa Junior College, Santa Rosa, California
  • Southwestern College, Chula Vista, California
  • Tallahassee Community College, Tallahassee, Florida
  • University of Maine at Augusta, Augusta, Maine
  • University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota
  • WSU Tech, Wichita, Kansas

The FAA launched the UAS-CTI program in April 2020. Participating institutions will engage with the FAA, each other, general industry, local governments, law enforcement, and regional economic development entities to address labor force needs. UAS-CTI school graduates will have the knowledge and skills needed to pursue a successful career in a UAS-related field.

Post-secondary institutions with UAS curriculums seeking recognition as UAS-CTI partners may still apply for this distinction. Program guidelines are posted on our website.

The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-254) required the FAA to establish a collegiate training initiative program relating to unmanned aircraft and to establish a process to designate consortia of public, two-year institutions of higher education as Community and Technical College Centers of Excellence in Small Unmanned Aircraft System Technology Training.

News and Updates – September 14-Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee (COMSTAC) Meeting

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Hear updates about matters pertaining to the commercial space transportation industry at a virtual public meeting.