| |
[ Back to Archives ]
AVIATION NEWS: June 2000
FAA to Buy New Ground Surveillance System for 25 Airports
APA 47-00
June 26, 2000
Contact: William Shumann
Phone: 202-267-3883
WASHINGTON - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced today it will buy a new ground surveillance system that the agency says will improve runway safety at 25 airports. FAA Administrator Jane F. Garvey made the announcement today at the opening of the agency's Runway Safety National Summit here.
Called ASDE-X, the new airport surface detection equipment will provide detailed coverage of runways and taxiways at an airport and also alert air traffic controllers in the tower to impending collisions. "ASDE-X will provide an increased level of safety at these airports, and will also give controllers detailed information about aircraft locations and movement at night and in bad weather," Garvey said. "It will help us meet or highest safety priority - reducing accidents and collisions on airport runways."
The new system provides similar data to the current ASDE-3 ground radar that is installed at 34 of the nation's busiest airports. Those airports will have the Airport Movement Area Safety System (AMASS) in operation by late 2002. AMASS is a computer enhancement to the ASDE-3 radar that alerts controllers to an impending collision on or near the runway. In essence, ASDE-X offers the functions of ASDE-3 and AMASS at less-busy and complex airports and at lower cost. The FAA plans to award a contract for production of ASDE-X in September.
Garvey said the 25 airports that will get ASDE-X were selected through a rigorous safety risk assessment the FAA and MIT conducted. The safety assessment focused on potential accidents and fatalities in determining which airports have the greatest need. (A list of the 25 proposed airports is attached.)
The Runway Safety Summit, Garvey said, is the latest in a series of steps the FAA has taken to reduce runway incursions - incidents in which an aircraft landing or taking off comes too close to another aircraft or ground vehicle. The number and rate of incursions increased during most of the previous decade before dropping slightly last year. However, the number of incursions increased 27 percent in the first five months of this year compared with the same period in 1999.
Garvey placed new emphasis on the runway safety program last fall by elevating it to a higher level, providing more resources and appointing a director of runway safety. This spring, the FAA held nine regional runway safety workshops around the country. These involved the entire aviation community - airlines, general aviation, airports, pilots and air traffic controllers -- in working together to share experiences and to develop ways to reduce incursions.
The Summit is a forum to share the results of nine regional workshops and a symposium on human factors the FAA held earlier this spring. It will also explore ways to increase the education, training and awareness of the hundreds of thousands of pilots, air traffic controllers and airport vehicle drivers who operate daily at more than 450 airports.
Garvey also announced the FAA will act shortly on several recent recommendations the NTSB made regarding runway safety, including modifying current taxi-into-position-and hold procedures and developing coded taxi routes at airline airports. The agency will expeditiously review the other NTSB recommendations, she said.
[ Top ]
Opening Comments for Jane Garvey White House Press Briefing
June 13, 2000
Contact: Eliot Brenner
Phone: 202-267-3883
As you know, demand for air travel has been growing steadily. Unfortunately, the FAA budget is strained and that's affecting our ability to deal with the growing number of flights.
The Senate Appropriations Transportation Subcommittee marked-up the Transportation Appropriations Bill this morning. Although FAA's capital accounts were appropriately funded, FAA's Operations account was cut about $250 million below the President's request.
While we will not compromise safety, this reduction could create substantial delays in a system already strained to meet the demands arising from the rapid growth in air travel.
As the economy has grown over the past several years, air travel has increased significantly. Some 650 million people traveled last year. We estimate that a billion people will fly annually by 2010. We're seeing the number of flights go up roughly four percent a year.
In March, the Administration asked Congress for a $77 million urgent supplemental for this year. It is included in the Senate Agriculture Appropriations bill, but it has not passed the Senate yet.
Let me tell you what it means if we cannot get that money this year. We will not be able to hire 170 more safety inspectors and medical certification staff. The number of safety inspections will be cut 10,000 below last year's level.
In addition, we will have to reduce maintenance for critical air traffic control systems which will result in more frequent equipment outages, increased time to restore these outages, and greater air traffic delays during the busy summer travel season.
The issue is broader than just the need for a supplemental. For FY2001, the Administration has requested $6.59 billion for FAA Operations.
During the past two years, FAA has faced a very tight budget for operations, and has lived within its budget by implementing a hiring freeze in many areas, putting off maintenance, deferring training, drawing down our stock of spare parts, and reducing the redundancies within our communications network.
[ Top ]
FAA Gives El Salvador IASA Rating of Category 2
APA 45-00
June 13, 2000
Contact: Paul Takemoto
Phone: 202-267-8521
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced that El Salvador does not comply with international safety standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), giving the country a Category 2 rating following an evaluation of information currently available on the country's civil aviation authority.
This announcement is part of the FAA's International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program, under which the agency assesses the civil aviation authorities of all countries with air carriers that operate to the U.S., and makes that information available to the public.
The assessments are not an indication of whether individual foreign carriers are safe or unsafe; rather, they determine whether or not foreign civil aviation authorities are meeting ICAO safety standards, not FAA regulations.
The FAA will continue to work with the civil aviation authority of El Salvador to address the safety and operational oversight issues that do not meet ICAO safety standards.
The FAA believes that El Salvador is committed to internationally agreed-upon safety oversight obligations as evidenced by thecountry's strong support of the new Central American Agency for Flight Safety (ACSA). ACSA is part of the Central American Corporation for Air Navigation Services (COCESNA) agency; its primary responsibility will be to provide flight safety oversight for the region.
Travelers may call 1-800-FAA-SURE (1-800-322-7873) to obtain a summary statement about whether a foreign civil aviation authority has been assessed and the results, if available.
Countries with air carriers that fly to the U.S. must adhere to the safety standards of ICAO, the United Nations' technical agency for aviation that establishes international standards and recommended practices for aircraft operations and maintenance.
The FAA, with the cooperation of the host civil aviation authority, assesses countries with airlines that have operating rights to or from the United States, or have requested such rights.Specifically, the FAA determines whether a foreign civil aviation authority has an adequate infrastructure for international aviation safety oversight as defined by ICAO standards. The basic elements that the FAA considers necessary include: 1) laws enabling the appropriate government office to adopt regulations necessary to meet the minimum requirements of ICAO; 2) current regulations that meet those requirements; 3) procedures to carry out the regulatory requirements; 4) air carrier certification, routine inspection, and surveillance programs; and 5) organizational and personnel resources to implement and enforce the above.
The FAA has established two ratings for the status of these civil aviation authorities at the time of the assessment: (1) does comply with ICAO standards, (2) does not comply with ICAO standards.
- Category 1, Does Comply with ICAO Standards: A civil aviation authority has been assessed by FAA inspectors and has been found to license and oversee air carriers in accordance with ICAO aviation safety standards.
- Category 2. Does Not Comply with ICAO Standards: The Federal Aviation Administration assessed this country's civil aviation authority (CAA) and determined that it does not provide safety oversight of its air carrier operators in accordance with the minimum safety oversight standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). This rating is applied if one or more of the following deficiencies are identified:
(1) the country lacks laws or regulations necessary to support the certification and oversight of air carriers in accordance with minimum international standards; (2) the CAA lacks the technical expertise, resources, and organization to license or oversee air carrier operations; (3) the CAA does not have adequately trained and qualified technical personnel; (4) the CAA does not provide adequate inspector guidance to ensure enforcement of, and compliance with, minimum international standards; and (5) the CAA has insufficient documentation and records of certification and inadequate continuing oversight and surveillance of air carrier operations. This category consists of two groups of countries. One group are countries that have air carriers with existing operations to the United States at the time of the assessment. While in Category 2 status, carriers from these countries will be permitted to continue operations at current levels under heightened FAA surveillance. Expansion or changes in services to the United States by such carriers are not permitted while in category 2, although new services will be permitted if operated using aircraft wet-leased from a duly authorized and properly supervised U.S. carrier or a foreign air carrier from a category 1 country that is authorized to serve the United States using its own aircraft. The second group are countries that do not have air carriers with existing operations to the United States at the time of the assessment. Carriers from these countries will not be permitted to commence service to the United States while in Category 2 status, although they may conduct services if operated using aircraft wet-leased from a duly authorized and properly supervised U.S. carrier or a foreign air carrier from a Category 1 country that is authorized to serve the United States with its own aircraft.
No other difference is made between these two groups of countries while in a category 2 status.
The FAA has assisted civil aviation authorities with less than acceptable ratings by providing technical expertise, assistance with inspections, and training courses. The FAA hopes to work with other countries through ICAO to address non-compliance with international aviation safety oversight standards.
The FAA will continue to release the results of safety assessments to the public as they are completed. First announced in September 1994, the ratings are part of an ongoing FAA program to assess all countries with air carriers that operate to the United States.
[ Top ]
FAA to Hold Runway Safety National Summit
APA 44-00
June 13, 2000
Contact: William Shumann
Phone: 202-267-3883
WASHINGTON- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will hold a Runway Safety National Summit June 26 - 28 in Washington, DC. The meeting will explore ways to improve safety on runways, particularly at the nation's busiest airports. Improving runway safety is one of the highest priorities in aviation safety and has proven to be a complex challenge.
Attendees will include aviation safety experts and representatives of the airlines, pilot and air traffic controller unions, general aviation groups and airports. The summit will focus on the recommendations, actions and results of the FAA's nine regional workshops, human factors symposium and other industry-wide activities now under way to improve runway safety.
Administrator Jane F. Garvey will open and participate in the summit; National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Jim Hall will be the keynote dinner speaker on Tuesday, June 27, and Kenneth M. Mead, Inspector General of the Department of Transportation, will speak on Tuesday.
The Summit will be at the Washington Hilton and Towers, 1919 Connecticut Ave. NW. Accredited news media representatives who want to attend should call William Shumann at (202) 267-9294 or Drucella Andersen at (202) 493-4152.
[ Top ]
FAA Strengthens Security Procedures for Law Enforcement Officers Flying With Weapons
43-00
June 8, 2000
Contact: Rebecca Trexler
Phone: 202-267-3883
WASHINGTON-The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today is issuing directives to the airports and air carriers that will strengthen procedures for verifying the credentials of law enforcement officers who need tocarry arms on board aircraft or into secure areas of the airport. Today's action will not change in any way the ability of law enforcement officers to carry weapons as they have in the past.
"We learned from the GAO investigation made public last month that law enforcement credentials can be easily counterfeited using sources on the Internet," said Cathal L. Flynn, associate administrator for civil aviation security. "The law enforcement agencies are working with us to create a new counterfeit-proof credential, but in the meantime, we're intensifying airport and air carrier checks required for officers carrying arms."
Law enforcement agencies and the FAA have already begun working together on the Carriage of Weapons Task Force to develop a unique form of identification that would be difficult to counterfeit and tightly controlled. This new credential is expected to make verification more efficient and reliable. With all the agencies focusing attention on this effort as a matter of urgency, the FAA expects the new identification to become available in just a few months.
At this time, the FAA has no plans to reduce the number of law enforcement agencies with officers who are allowed to carry weapons into airport secure areas or on board aircraft.
[ Top ]
FAA to Charge Overflight Fees
APA 42-00
June 5, 2000
Contact: Rebecca Trexler
Phone: 202-267-3462
WASHINGTON-The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced aircraft operators will be required to pay fees for air traffic control services provided to aircraft that operate in U.S. airspace, but do not take off or land in the United States. Unlike other aircraft operations, these "overflights" have not been paying for the FAA air traffic control services they receive.
"This rule assesses fees directly related to services provided by one of the safest air traffic control systems in the world," said FAA Chief Financial Officer Donna F. McLean. "The charging of overflight fees is consistent with the practices of almost every other nation and will recover most of the costs of the services provided."
The authority to charge fees to aircraft conducting U.S. overflights was contained in the Federal Aviation Reauthorization Act of 1996. The agency issued an interim final rule in 1997 but a U.S. Court of Appeals decision in January 1998 determined that FAA's calculation of fees was inconsistent with the statute. In today's interim final rule, FAA has based its new overflight fees on the agency's costs as calculated by the FAA's recently developed cost accounting system.
Under the new rule, fees will be based on the distance flown through U.S.-controlled airspace. Overflights will be charged at the rate of $37.43 per 100 nautical miles in the enroute environment, and $20.16 per 100 nautical miles in the oceanic environment. These fees will apply to operators of aircraft that fly over U.S.-controlled airspace. There are some exceptions. No charges will be assessed on military and civilian aircraft operated by the U.S. government or by a foreign government. In addition, users who accrue $250 or less in fees per month will not be charged for these operations.
The FAA will bill users by sending a monthly invoice. Affected users are requested to designate and submit to the FAA the name and address of a U.S. agent for billing. Users not providing a billing address will be billed at the address of record of the aircraft owner as maintained in the country where the aircraft is registered.
The fees will go into effect Aug. 1. The FAA will hold a meeting June 29 to hear comments from the public and will accept public comment until Oct. 4, 120 days after the interim final rule's publication in the Federal Register. A final rule will be issued after a thorough review of public comments. For a copy of the interim final rule, check the Department of Transportation's docket web site at http://dms.dot.gov. The docket number is FAA-2000-7018.
[ Top ]
Media Advisory
APA 40-00
June 2, 2000
Contact: Alison Duquette/Paul Takemoto
Phone: 202-267-3462
WASHINGTON- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will hold a media briefing today at noon to discuss the results of a recent national safety inspection of Alaska Airlines.
The off-camera, on-the-record briefing will be held at FAA Headquarters (800 Independence Avenue, SW, Room 9AB) and will be conducted by Nick Lacey, director, Flight Standards Service. His remarks will be limited to the inspection findings and proposed FAA actions. He will not comment on the ongoing National Transportation Safety Board investigation of the Alaska Airlines Flight 261 accident.
Accredited media only are invited to attend. Reporters outside the Washington, D.C. area may listen to the briefing and ask questions via telephone. Interested out-of-town reporters should call Alison Duquette or Paul Takemoto for the telephone number.
[ Top ]
FAA Refines International Safety Program
APA 39-00
June 1, 2000
Contact: Alison Duquette
Phone: 202-267-3462
WASHINGTON - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced that it's changing the categories used in its International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program to rate a foreign civil aviation authority's ability to meet international aviation safety standards. As of May 25, the agency moved from a three- to a two-category rating system.
Since September 1994, the FAA has provided the public with safety information about countries with air carriers that operate to the United States. Foreign civil aviation authorities, not individual airlines, are assessed for adherence to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards. ICAO, the United Nations' technical agency for aviation, establishes international standards and recommended practices for aircraft operations and maintenance.
"By working in cooperation with the international aviation community, the IASA program is producing real improvements to aviation safety," said FAA Administrator Jane F. Garvey. "Since the program began in 1992, 16 countries have moved from a conditional or unacceptable rating to Category 1."
Until now, the FAA has used three categories to rate a country: (1) acceptable (2) conditional and (3) unacceptable.
Countries in Categories 2 and 3 did not meet international standards. Category 2 was distinguished from Category 3 by the fact that, at the time of the assessment, an air carrier from the Category 2 country was providing air service to the United States. Countries in the former Category 1 will remain Category 1. Countries in the former Categories 2 and 3 will be laced in the new Category 2. The FAA is changing the categories to eliminate any confusion from having two different categories that address non-compliance with ICAO standards.
IASA ratings will now be as follows:
- Category 1, Does Comply with ICAO Standards: A civil aviation authority has been assessed by FAA inspectors and has been found to license and oversee air carriers in accordance with ICAO aviation safety standards.
- Category 2, Does Not Comply with ICAO Standards: FAA inspectors assess a civil aviation authority and find areas that do not meet ICAO standards. This rating applies if the country: lacks laws or regulations in accordance with ICAO standards; lacks the technical expertise or resources to license or oversee air carriers; does not have adequately trained and qualified technical personnel; does not provide adequate inspector guidance for enforcement and compliance with ICAO standards; or has insufficient documentation and records and inadequate ongoing oversight of air carriers.
Countries in Category 2 with existing operations to the United States will only be permitted to continue operations at current levels under heightened FAA surveillance. New services may only be added if aircraft are wet-leased from a U.S. carrier or a carrier authorized by a Category 1 country. Carriers that do not have air carrier service to the United States will not be permitted to commence service while in Category 2, except by using wet-leased aircraft.
There are 105 countries participating in the IASA program. To date, 95 assessments have been completed; 10 are pending. The FAA will conduct biennial reassessments for those countries with air carrier service to the United States.
The FAA has assisted civil aviation authorities with less than acceptable ratings by providing technical expertise, assistance with inspections, and training courses. Working with ICAO, the FAA hopes to continue to assist countries that have Category 2 ratings.
The FAA's policy statement on changes to the IASA program was published in the May 25th Federal Register. Comments may be provided to the FAA.
Travelers may call 1-800-FAA-SURE (1-800-322-7873) to obtain a summary statement about the foreign civil aviation authority assessment results. Visit the FAA's IASA web site at www.faa.gov/avr/iasa/index.htm.
[ Top ]
Call 1-800-320-5660 (US/Canada) or +1-303-858-6325 (Worldwide)
|
