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News and Updates – FAA Publishes Means to Comply with Part 23

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Last August, the final rule overhauling the Part 23 airworthiness standards for general aviation airplanes officially went into effect. Now, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued 63 means of compliance (MOCs) for Part 23 that will foster faster installation of innovative, safety-enhancing technologies into small airplanes, while reducing costs for the aviation industry.

On May 11, the FAA published a notice of availability in the Federal Register accepting 63 MOCs to Part 23 that are based on consensus standards published by ASTM International. The MOCs listed in the notice are an acceptable means, but not the only means, to comply with the applicable regulations in Part 23, amendment 23-64, for normal category airplanes. The public comment period ends July 10.

The FAA participated with industry and other stakeholders in developing these consensus standards. The agency accepted 46 of the ASTM consensus standards as MOCs without change; the other 17 MOCs are a combination of the ASTM standards and FAA changes.

Accepting MOCsbased on consensus standardsto Part 23, amendment 23-64, is consistent with the Small Airplane Revitalization Act of 2013 and the FAAs stated intent in issuing the overhauled airworthiness rules

A summary of MOCs accepted by this notice is available on the FAA website. Guidance for proposing additional means of compliance to Part 23 for FAA acceptance is provided in Advisory Circular 23.2010-1.

News and Updates – FAA Establishes Restrictions on Drone Operations over DOJ and USCG Facilities

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At the request of federal security partners, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been using its existing authority under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 99.7 Special Security Instructions to address concerns about drone operations over national security sensitive facilities by establishing temporary Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) specific flight restrictions.

Information on the FAA Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), which defines these restrictions, and all of the currently covered locations, can be found on our website.To ensure the public is aware of these restricted locations, this FAA website also provides an interactive map, downloadable geospatial data, and other important details. A link to these restrictions is also included in the FAAs B4UFLYmobile app.

Additional, broader information regarding flying drones in the National Airspace System, including frequently asked questions, is available on the FAAs UAS website.

In cooperation with Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the FAA is establishing additional restrictions on drone flights up to 400 feet within the lateral boundaries of the following federal facilities:

  • United States Penitentiary (USP) Tucson near Tucson, AZ
  • USP Atwater near Atwater, CA
  • USP Victorville near Victorville, CA
  • USP Florence High near Florence, CO
  • USP Florence ADMAX near Florence, CO
  • USP Coleman I near Sumterville, FL
  • USP Coleman II near Sumterville, FL
  • USP Marion near Marion, IL
  • USP Terre Haute near Terre Haute, IN
  • USP Big Sandy near Inez, KY
  • USP McCreary near Pine Knot, KY
  • USP Pollock near Pollock, LA
  • USP Yazoo City near Yazoo City, MS
  • USP Allenwood near Allenwood, PA
  • USP Canaan near Waymart, PA
  • USP Lewisburg near Lewisburg, PA
  • USP Beaumont near Beaumont, TX
  • USP Lee near Pennington Gap, VA
  • USP Hazelton near Bruceton Mills, WV
  • United States Coast Guard (USCG) Baltimore Yard, MD
  • USCG Base Boston, MA
  • USCG Base Alameda, CA
  • USCG Base Los Angeles/Long Beach (LALB), CA
  • USCG Base Elizabeth City, NC
  • USCG Base Kodiak, AK
  • USCG Base Miami, FL
  • USCG Base Portsmouth, VA
  • USCG Base Seattle, WA
  • USCG Operations System Center (OSC) near Martinsburg, WV

These changes, which have been highlighted by FAA NOTAM FDC 8/8653, are pending until they become effective on June 20. Note that there are only a few exceptions that permit drone flights within these restrictions, and they must be coordinated with the individual facility and/or the FAA.

FDC 8/8653 FDC SECURITY SPECIAL SECURITY INSTRUCTIONS (SSI) PERTAINING TO UNMANNED ACFT SYSTEM (UAS) OPS OVER MULTIPLE LOCATIONS NATIONWIDE. THIS NOTAM SUPPLEMENTS FDC 7/7282, AND DESCRIBES THE CHANGES MADE TO THE UAS-SPECIFIC SSI AIRSPACE DEFINED BY FDC 7/7282 AND IMPLEMENTED PURSUANT TO 14 C.F.R. 99.7 FOR NATIONAL SECURITY SENSITIVE LOCATIONS. THESE CHANGES INCLUDE ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS REQUESTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. THE UPDATED LIST OF AFFECTED AIRSPACE AND ASSOCIATED PROTECTED LOCATIONS, AND OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION ARE PROVIDED AT THE FOLLOWING FAA WEBSITE: HTTP://UAS.FAA.OPENDATA.ARCGIS.COM.

SEE FDC 7/7282 FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION ON THESE SPECIAL SECURITY INSTRUCTIONS. 1806060400-1806200359

This is the first time the Agency has placed specific flight restrictions for unmanned aircraft, or drones, over Federal Bureau of Prisons and US Coast Guard facilities. The FAA has placed similar flight restrictions over military installations that remain in place, as well as over ten Department of Interior facilities and seven Department of Energy facilities.

Operators who violate the flight restrictions may be subject to enforcement action, including potential civil penalties and criminal charges.

The FAA is continuing to consider additional requests by eligible federal security agencies for UAS-specific flight restrictions using the agencys 99.7 authority as they are received. Additional changes to these restrictions will be announced by the FAA as appropriate.

News and Updates – FAA Issues Final Environmental Assessment for Cleveland/Detroit Metroplex

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact/ Record of Decision for the Cleveland/Detroit Metroplex project.

The decision enables the agency to move forward with modernized, satellite-based procedures to replace dozens of existing, decades-old conventional air traffic control procedures. Travelers will benefit with safe and more efficient optimized routing through precise flight tracks that keep routes automatically separated. This in turn reduces the need for vectoring and controller-pilot workload.

Prior to making the decision, the FAA conducted a thorough environmental assessment and held public meetings and stakeholder briefings. The agency also evaluated and responded to public comments.

The FAA plans to phasing in the procedures, starting this month and continuing through September 2018. In all, the Cleveland/Detroit Metroplex project includes 71 new satellite-based procedures. This project is a key component of the FAAs Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) and a nationwide effort to build the foundation for future safety and efficiency improvements.

The project also expands the number of entry and exit points into and out of the Cleveland/Detroit airspace, which is like creating more on- and off-ramps in the sky. It includes two major airports and 10 satellite airports.

The FAAs environmental analysis for the project calculated noise at locations throughout the study area. It showed the proposed action would not result in any significant noise increases under the National Environmental Policy Act. However, there would be a reportable noise increase that could potentially affect approximately 335 residents in the Sumpter Township, Wayne County, southwest of Detroit Metro Airport.

The FAA held six public workshops on the project before releasing the Draft Environmental Assessment in November of 2017. Agency officials conducted approximately 78 briefings for stakeholders including community groups, airport officials and local, state and federal officials.

Six additional workshops were held after the release of the Draft Environmental Assessment on November 10, 2017.

Additionally, following a 30-day public comment period, the FAA evaluated and responded to comments before making a final decision on the project.

When the Cleveland/Detroit Metroplex procedures are implemented, some people might see aircraft where they did not previously fly. This is because some air route changes will occur, and because satellite-based procedures create more concentrated flight paths than conventional procedures.

Some people will experience slight noise decreases, some will see no changes, and some will experience small noise increases.

Some flight track dispersion will continue to occur after the new procedures are implemented because the Metroplex project would not change a number of existing procedures. Also, air traffic controllers will need to occasionally vector aircraft for safety or efficiency reasons or to reroute them around weather systems.

The Finding of No Significant Impact/ Record of Decision, as well as the Final Environmental Assessment, are available on theCleveland/Detroit Metroplex website, as well as local libraries. You may see them here:http://www.metroplexenvironmental.com/cle_dtw_metroplex/cle_dtw_docs.html

A complete list of libraries with electronic copies is available here: http://www.metroplexenvironmental.com/cle_dtw_metroplex/cle_dtw_introduction.html

Updates on procedure implementation dates will be provided on theproject website.

News and Updates – FAA is Hiring for Safety-Related Aviation Positions

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Today, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that it will accept applications from experienced candidates to fill aviation safety positions at various facilities throughout the country. These positions are critical to the agencys mission to provide the safest, most efficient aerospace system in the world.

The FAA is hiring for the following safety-essential positions:

  • Aviation Safety Inspectors to administer, investigate, and enforce safety regulations and standards for the production, operation, maintenance, and modification of all flying aircraft. Aviation Safety Inspectors work in four specialty areas: avionics, maintenance, operations, and manufacturing.
  • Aviation Safety Technicians to provide technical support to safety inspectors for inspections or investigations. This includes searching for, gathering, screening, and providing facts or explanations related to an inspection, investigation, or compliance program.
  • Aerospace Engineers to ensure the continued operational safety of manufacturers aviation and space products from airplanes to spaceports. Aerospace engineers have opportunities in two key disciplines: aircraft certification and commercial space transportation.
  • Operations Research Analysts to provide expert analytical support and to conduct significant analytical studies and projects related to aviation. Operation research analysts also use advanced techniques, data mining, statistical analysis, and mathematical modeling to develop solutions for business processes and to enhance oversight for all commercial operations.
  • Medical Officers to determine medical qualifications for complex medical conditions referred for further review. Medical officers also support specialty panels at the request of the Federal Air Surgeon and assist the Medical Education Division with seminar presentations.

For more information on qualifications and specialized experience, interested applicants should visitwww.faa.gov/Jobs to find out application deadlines or www.usajobs.gov to start their applications.

News and Updates – FAA Modifies Restrictions on Drone Operations over DoD Facilities

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At the request of the Department of Defense, and federal security and law enforcement agencies, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been using its existing authority under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations 99.7 Special Security Instructions to address the potential threat posed by malicious drone operations by establishing Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) specific airspace restrictions over select, national security sensitive locations.

Information on the FAA Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), which defines these restrictions, and all of the currently covered locations, can be found on our website. This linked FAA website provides an interactive map, downloadable geospatial data, and other important information. A link to these restrictions is also included in the FAAs B4UFLY mobile app. Additional information, including frequently asked questions, is available on the FAAs UAS website.

In response to recent requests by federal agencies, the FAA is establishing new or modifying existing restrictions on drone flights up to 400 feet within the lateral boundaries of the following four sites:

  • Naval Support Activity Monterey, Monterey, CA (new)
  • Naval Air Station Kingsville, Kingsville, TX (new)
  • Naval Support Activity Orlando, Orlando, FL (new)
  • Naval Support Activity South Potomac, Indian Head, MD (boundary change)

These changes, which have been highlighted by FAA NOTAM FDC 8/9176, are pending until they become effective on June 1.

FDC 8/9176SECURITY SPECIAL SECURITY INSTRUCTIONS (SSI) PERTAINING TO UNMANNED ACFT SYSTEM (UAS) OPS OVER MULTIPLE LOCATIONS NATIONWIDE. THIS NOTAM SUPPLEMENTS FDC 7/7282, AND DESCRIBES THE CHANGES MADE TO THE UAS-SPECIFIC SSI AIRSPACE DEFINED BY FDC 7/7282 AND IMPLEMENTED PURSUANT TO 14 C.F.R. 99.7 FOR NATIONAL SECURITY SENSITIVE LOCATIONS. THESE CHANGES INCLUDE THE ADDITION OF NEW COVERED LOCATIONS AND THE REVISION OF SOME PRE-EXISTING INDIVIDUAL SSI AIRSPACE. THE UPDATED LIST OF AFFECTED AIRSPACE AND ASSOCIATED PROTECTED LOCATIONS, AND OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION ARE PROVIDED AT THE FOLLOWING FAA WEBSITE: HTTP://UAS.FAA.OPENDATA.ARCGIS.COM. SEE FDC 7/7282 FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION ON THESE SPECIAL SECURITY INSTRUCTIONS.
01 JUN 04:00 2018 UNTIL 15 JUN 04:00 2018.

Note that there are only a few exceptions that permit drone flights within these restrictions, and they must be coordinated with the individual facility and/or the FAA.

Operators who violate the airspace restrictions may be subject to enforcement action, including potential civil penalties and criminal charges.

The FAA is continuing to consider additional requests by federal agencies for UAS-specific airspace restrictions using the FAAs 99.7 authority as they are received. Additional changes to these restrictions will be announced by the FAA as appropriate.