The FAA looks forward to working with the Kingdom to enhance our aviation cooperation in the Caribbean, said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta.

The Kingdom of the Netherlands is pleased to join the Federal Aviation Administration to promote the air safety of the Dutch Caribbean. The Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United States share values, history and a commitment to safety, in the air, on the land or sea. This agreement strengthens our cooperation to the benefit of the Caribbean, the United States and Europe, said Ambassador Rudolf Bekink.

The United States is responsible for providing air traffic flow services in the San Juan Flight Information Region which is adjacent to the Kingdom of the Netherlands airspace. This agreement will promote cooperation between the two nations to include coordination of traffic flows between U.S. controlled airspace and the airspace controlled by Sint Maarten and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It also provides for the FAA to work directly with the authorities in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom to facilitate the installation and maintenance of FAA air navigation equipment and facilities as needed, to provide technical assistance, and for the exchange of information on the regulation and oversight of aviation safety.

We cannot become complacent about safety, Huerta said. Together, we must improve the safety culture to drive the GA fatal accident rate lower.

In the short term, the group agreed to raise awareness on the importance of basic airmanship and to promote a positive safety culture. The following organizations attended the meeting and are partnering with the FAA to reach out to the many diverse facets of the general aviation community: Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA), Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), Helicopter Association International (HAI), International Council of Air Shows (ICAS), National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA), National Air Transportation Association (NATA), National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the U.S. Parachute Association (USPA).

For the long term, Administrator Huerta called on the aviation community to install life-saving equipment (angle of attack indicators, inflatable restraints, two-axis autopilots) in older airplanes, to improve general aviation data, and to improve airman certification testing and training. To meet these goals, the general aviation community and the FAA agreed to work together to move forward as quickly as possible on three key initiatives:

Participate and invest in the General Aviation Joint Steering Committee (GAJSC): Industry participation is key to data analysis that leads to the development of voluntary safety enhancements. The group uses a data driven process modeled on the highly successful Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST). Sharing data through the Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing (ASIAS) system and other voluntary programs will help educate and shape the safety culture of the GA community. The FAA plans to expand ASIAS to general aviation in the next few years. FAA and industry will work together to find incentives to increase voluntary reporting.

Support the overhaul of airmen testing and training standards: An industry and government working group is overhauling the standards by incorporating risk management and decision-making into flight training and testing.

Expedite the Part 23 certification process to reduce costs and install new technology in airplanes: An industry and government committee is working on streamlining certification for the installation of certain safety technologies.

>See FAA Fact Sheet-General Aviation Safety

Air transportation continues to grow within and amongst nations, said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. These new environmental standards and procedures recognize that we can work together internationally to achieve positive advancements in making aviation as environmentally efficient as possible.

Relating to aircraft noise, CAEP has recommended a new international standard for newly designed aircraft that would reduce noise by 7 decibels relative to the current noise standard. The new requirement would become effective in 2017 for large aircraft and in 2020 for smaller models.

To address global warming greenhouse gases produced in air travel, CAEP has agreed to new international certification procedures for aircraft relating to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. At previous CAEP meetings, the committee had agreed on how to measure CO2. These new certification procedures now open the door for CAEP discussions on how stringent the standard should be set and whether the standard should only be applied to newly designed aircraft or some application to in-production aircraft. These discussions are expected to be completed by 2015.

The FAA issued a supplemental type certificate for the avionics, which were developed as a result of a January 2009 agreement between the three parties. Under that agreement, the FAA awarded ACSS $6.3 million to equip the 20 aircraft with ADS-B In and ADS-B Out. ADS-B In, which the FAA does not currently mandate, provides pilots with a cockpit display showing the location of other aircraft. ADS-B Out, which will be required for all aircraft operating in transponder airspace in 2020, broadcasts aircraft positions to air traffic controllers and aircraft equipped with ADS-B In. Nine of the 20 US Airways A330s are equipped with ADS-B Out.

The ADS-B In avionics will significantly improve the situational awareness for pilots of the 20 aircraft by allowing them to see with satellite precision the other planes flying nearby. This in turn will allow pilots to take advantage of airspace procedures that will let them fly more directly from point A to point B, such as enhanced merging and spacing, and to fly at more efficient altitudes using In-Trail Procedures. As with other NextGen technologies and procedures, this will save time and money and will reduce fuel burn.

Among the feature articles in this issue include:

• how to avoid get-home-itis, (pg. 9)
• a review of FAA's WINGS pilot proficiency program, (pg. 14)
• and a look at the importance of setting priorities and avoiding risk (pg. 18)

The issues Nuts, Bolts, and Electrons department (pg. 25) looks at complacency in the workplace, while Angle of Attack (pg. 28) features a Q&A with NTSB Board Member Dr. Earl Weener.

The FAA anticipates that test site operator privacy practices will help inform the dialogue among policymakers, privacy advocates, and the industry on broader questions about the use of UAS technologies. The privacy requirements the FAA has proposed are specifically designed for the operation of the UAS test sites. They are not intended to pre-determine the long-term policy and regulatory framework under which commercial UASs would operate. Rather, they aim to assure maximum transparency of privacy policies associated with UAS test site operations in order to engage all stakeholders in discussion about which privacy issues are raised by UAS operations and how law, public policy, and the industry practices should respond to those issues in the long run.

Details on how to register and participate are at https://www.eventbuilder.com/event_desc.asp?p_event=s6b6g2p7

Information on the proposed UAS test site privacy policy is available at the same site and at

http://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=14313

The planned outage will begin at 5 p.m. EDT on March 14. Service should be back online by 8 pm EDT, March 17. During this time, Aviation Medical Examiners (AMEs) will be unable to access the medical records system, and will not be able to print medical certificates. AMEs can still conduct examinations, and medical certificates will be available once the system is back online Monday morning.

Anyone who has a physical exam scheduled for later this week should complete the MedXPress online application prior to 5 p.m. Thursday and print a copy of the summary page immediately after submitting the application. Take the printed copy of the summary history page to the medical examination.

The FAA has notified Aviation Medical Examiners of this temporary interruption in service, but anyone who has an exam scheduled during this time should contact their AME.

The comprehensive report looks at all aspects of aviation including the numbers of flights, commercial airline passenger totals, aircraft fleet size, private flying, and international travel.

The FAA uses the forecast to determine how best to devote its workforce and resources, and the aviation community also uses the forecast for planning and investments. A fact sheet** is available to provide a snapshot of the report's projections.

• FAA Aerospace Forecast Fiscal Years 2013-2033 (PDF)
• FAA Fact Sheet

The secretary's decision and exemptions with specific conditions are based on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Privatization Program requirements that the selected private operator is qualified to operate the airport, meets federal expectations regarding grant assurances, and can comply with general statute requirements relating to airports.

View the public comments (PDF) and the secretary's Record of Decision (PDF).

Among the changes we are considering are furloughing the vast majority of our 47,000 employees for approximately one day per pay period; closing over 100 air traffic control facilities; eliminating the overnight shift at over 60 facilities; and reducing preventive maintenance and support for all air traffic control equipment. All of these changes will be finalized as to scope and details through collaborative discussions with our users and our unions.

We will begin furloughs and start facility shut-downs in April. You can read more about this process in this letter from Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and FAA Administrator Michael Huerta (PDF).

The lists of affected facilities can be viewed here:

• Facilities Where Overnight Shifts Could be Eliminated (PDF)
• Air Traffic Control Facilities That Could be Closed (PDF)