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FAA Proposes $470,950 Fine Against Jetpower Aviation for Alleged Maintenance Violations
FAA Alleges Jetpower Aviation Acted in a Reckless Manner
WASHINGTON – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposed a $470,950 civil penalty against Jetpower Aviation of Doral, Fla., for alleged maintenance violations.
The FAA alleges that between January 2019 and March 2021 Jetpower Aviation did not follow the required maintenance or testing procedures on specific aircraft parts.
The FAA further alleges the company did not use proper tools, keep an accurate record of the work or properly train its maintenance personnel.
Jetpower Aviation has 30 days to respond to the FAA after receiving the agency’s enforcement letter.
Air Traffic Control Association Global Conference -- Keynote
Remarks as prepared for delivery.
Thank you, General Bruckbauer, for the introduction, and for the invitation to speak today.
You hear us often say that the FAA operates the most complex airspace in the world. And that’s true! While we have much to celebrate, and while we are immensely proud of everything that has been done to get us this far, the airspace of the next aviation era is about to become even more complex.
We see this across the country, but nowhere was it more pronounced than in Florida last winter: Higher than pre-pandemic levels of commercial and general aviation aircraft, and record numbers of commercial space launches – all vying for the same sliver of airspace.
So today calls for us to stare into the challenge ahead, and do what aviation does best: collaborate with those in this room, and look for others not yet here who may hold the key to solutions we could not imagine.
The good news is what we have achieved in recent years give us confidence that we can meet the task ahead of us.
It was only a little over six years ago when we outlined the rules for commercial drone pilots. Now we have just over 300,000 remote pilots certified to fly around the country!
But we know that the 1 million drones we have today will reach more than 2.5 million in the near future. Many of those will need to operate beyond visual line of sight because doing so safely delivers not just packages to our doorstep, but a better world.
We saw this in Florida after Hurricane Ian. Beyond-visual-line-of-sight flights were critical to supporting response operations. The FAA worked with Florida Power and Light to approve the use of their drone to inspect infrastructure. The utility even found itself assisting in search-and-rescue operations. Those seven missions—with more than 24 hours of flight time—marked the first use of a large civilian drone after a natural disaster.
To make this more routine, we are working purposefully through the recommendations an advisory committee provided earlier this year. And I can commit to you that we will match the industry’s tempo while maintaining our commitment to safety.
So while low altitudes get more crowded, so are low-earth orbit altitudes. And there is no slowing down. We had 54 launches in 2021; and 67 already this year.
The collaboration we have seen with the commercial space industry, the FAA and others in this room have made a marked improvement. Greater data sharing now only requires us to reroute the aircraft that would actually cross restricted airspace, instead of moving large numbers of aircraft inland.
And we know which of those specific aircraft will need to be rerouted because space operators provide us insight into trigger events when there is likely no turning back. Just those two efforts have cut airspace closures down to 2 hours instead of the 4 hours before. And with the Space Data Integrator, we can reopen the airspace sooner. We are grateful that SpaceX is participating and eager to have Blue Origin and others join in the coming months.
We need other operators to join this work because if you thought the 67 launches we’ve had this year is a lot, just wait until next year. We may double it. Yes, double it!
Advanced air mobility is coming at us fast as well. In fact, just yesterday we approved the certification blueprint Joby will have to meet for its eVTOL. There are others in the pipeline that have 2024 and 2025 as their takeoff date, provided safety allows.
As 2024 gets closer, the agency’s framework for the operations and pilot training is progressing at pace. While many of them will fly VFR initially, we need your help and your collaboration to build the airspace that will support thousands of their operations. Data sharing will be key, and I know the agency is sharing how this will be possible, and what we need from you to get there during this conference.
All of this is a good start as America steps into a new era of aviation. And this era will require us to bring people into aviation that aren’t in this room, that likely never thought of aviation before. As an agency, we know this and stepped outside our comfort zone earlier this year to recruit air traffic controllers.
Our “Be ATC” campaign was our most successful recruitment yet! And it was successful in two ways. First, we received five times as many applications as in past campaigns. And even better, the applicant pool was far more diverse than in the past.
As we work to increase diversity in the current ranks of aviation jobs, the jobs themselves are becoming more diverse. We increasingly need data scientists and others that haven’t traditionally been part of aviation. And that’s a good thing.
We need people and companies that can attack a problem from novel angles, driving greater innovation. At the same time, we need our industry partners to help us keep the focus squarely on the safety record we have all worked so hard to achieve. The demands of innovation and safety are in constant tension and all of us here today must be committed to striking the right balance.
I’ve covered a lot of territory today, and you may have questions. I’m happy to field a few of those formally here at the podium, and informally as I walk the exhibit hall for a little while afterward.
Airman Certification Standards and Practical Test Standards for Airmen; Incorporation by Reference
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is proposing a rule that will streamline the communication of what is expected of prospective pilots, flight instructors, flight engineers and other certificate holders by incorporating existing practical test standards into the federal regulations....
GA Surface Safety Summit – Opening Remarks
Good morning, everyone. Thank you for joining us today.
I’ve been a pilot for many decades. In the Army, I flew helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft like the U-21 and C-12 King Airs. I went on to become a commercial pilot. During my 26 years, I flew the MD80, the 757 and the 767 all over the world.
So I’ve spent a lot of time around runways and I’m aware of the safety challenges. That’s what today’s event is all about – staying safe on the runway.
The safety data shows us that over the past roughly 10 years, we’ve seen the overall GA fatal accident rate decrease. That’s great news. But the data also alerts us that we are seeing too many times where pilots depart from or land on, the wrong runway, or sometimes, on a taxiway.
I encourage you to view the videos in the FAA’s From the Flight Deck series on YouTube. These are more than 110 runway safety videos covering airports where our data shows a greater chance of either wrong surface landings or departures, or runway incursions.
And starting last Thursday (Nov. 3), SkyVector is featuring these videos on their respective airport sub-pages.
These videos can make a pilot aware of a problem before you even leave the house. And when you’re aware, you can be more careful.
But we know that awareness and the best of intentions may not always be enough.
So that’s why we’re working to develop new tools like Digital Co-pilot for tablets and smart phones. This tool gives electronic flight bag apps the ability to warn you if you’re landing at an airport that’s not in your flight plan, or if you’re lined up for the wrong runway, or a taxiway.
Safety is a joint effort between the pilot and the air traffic controller. So anything that affects their communication could be a cause for concern.
It’s essential that pilots stick to the prescribed phraseology as spelled out in the Aeronautical Information Manual and other official sources. For example, if your response to a taxi clearance or a hold short instruction is “Roger,” that’s not acceptable, as much as it may seem O.K.
Today’s event is focused on these topics. But we know there are other key concerns related to GA safety.
The FAA is working with the GA community on many other efforts to reduce risks across every phase of flight. We continue to focus on ways to reduce inflight loss of control, engine issues, controlled flight into terrain, and runway incursions.
Some of the most enthusiastic, passionate people I’ve met are part of the GA community. I certainly see this at Oshkosh and other air shows. But nothing will dampen enthusiasm and the public’s impression of GA more than if there’s an accident.
When it comes to flying, whether you’re a veteran pilot, a student, an instructor, or a safety official, we must all do our part to foster a strong safety culture in aviation.
At the end of the day, the most important thing is coming home. The best way to do that is to fly safe. So let’s have an informative discussion today. Thanks again for joining us, and doing your part for general aviation safety.
Flight Safety Foundation International Aviation Safety Summit – Opening Keynote
Thank you, Hassan [Shahidi]. And good morning, everyone.
Seventy-five years ago, the jet age was just beginning. And with it, new challenges, new opportunities, and a new world that opened. And with all of that, new risks.
But over those years, The Flight Safety Foundation has always been there as a guide, as a conscience that safety would come first in this new age.
That the time and effort we put in, and the collaboration we undertake would be worth it, because a safer aviation system was not just the right thing to do. But it was possible to achieve.
People like Jerry Lederer and David Morrison started that work. And it continues today under Hassan’s leadership, and the stewardship of the Foundation’s members.
The level of safety we experience today is simply unparalleled. And while we celebrate it – as we should – we cannot take it for granted.
Our work is not done!
Because just like Jerry and David, a new era of aviation has started for us. And with it come new and unique challenges
We have a public that demands—rightfully so—not one accident even when new forces show up. Like a pandemic. Or cyber threats.
We’ve seen the promise of Safety Management Systems, especially throughout the pandemic for airlines. It has absorbed risk shocks from both the rapid downturn in traffic to the faster-than-expected recovery.
Now it’s time for that safety system to expand to other parts of the aviation system: Manufacturers producing commercial aircraft and charter, commuter and air tour operators. We hope to have a draft rule out soon.
Now, don’t get me wrong: I’m an evangelist for SMS.
But that’s just one layer of safety. It’s a good one. A preventative one.
The challenge of our age is to move to a predictive safety system.
Through SMS and other systems, the aviation community has amassed large and valuable amounts of safety data. Hidden inside are risks we likely didn’t know existed but that we need to address.
Within the FAA, we’re evolving toward using predictive analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, to yield quality, consistent streams of safety data.
The System Safety Management Transformation program is giving us a more comprehensive risk picture showing where accidents are more likely to happen.
This program also provides a predictive analytics engine that detects possible safety events, combines them statistically, and estimates the likelihood that a string of events could lead to an accident.
Through these tools, we can connect the dots and share risk information with industry stakeholders and international partners.
The foundations for this data sharing culture already exist: The Commercial Aviation Safety Team, the General Aviation Joint Safety Committee, and the Aviation Sharing Information and Analysis System. These platforms are working in the U.S. and we’re seeing similar ones around the world.
Working with international partners to collectively harmonize our safety analytics and metrics, and working to build a shared risk portfolio, are critical to establish a predictive safety system.
Insight from data alone won’t get us to the next level of safety. We still need a human in the loop, as they say. And we must continue our work on how the machine and the human interact.
We expect to issue an Advisory Circular on flight path management in December. It’s going to help operators and simulation training centers improve operational procedures and training to mitigate risk in the areas of: manual flight operations, managing automated systems, pilot monitoring, and energy management.
This is especially critical during times of heavy workload. So to maintain manual flight operations skills, we advise operators to fly manually when risk is lower, like during flight line operations or during passenger operations when traffic is light and the weather is good.
On Wednesday morning, Joshua Jackson from the FAA’s Flight Standards office will provide more details about the AC.
And Dr. Kathy Abbott, the FAA’s Chief Scientific and Technical Advisor for flight deck human factors is leading an ICAO Working Group to look at how we can promote this guidance throughout the world.
Safety requires us to be honest and direct about risks, even when they may not be comfortable topics. One of those is pilot mental health. I’ve worked in this area and led employee safety and health efforts.
Before that, I was a crisis volunteer in the pilot’s union. During those conversations providing counseling and resources, it was a reminder that pilots are people.
The stresses and strains of the job can get to anyone. Not only are they better when there is an open, supportive culture. The whole aviation system is healthier.
We have much work to do to remove the stigma and fears about coming forward about experiencing mental health challenges.
With the kind of growth and innovation we continue to see, and the retirements hastened by the pandemic experience, this industry needs new people. Aviation has always had the biggest breakthroughs and been at its best when disruptors show up.
We can only imagine what kind of innovation, and what challenges, the next 75 years will bring.
One thing is certain – if this industry isn’t safe, then it won’t be successful. The efforts we make today will determine the course of the future.
Thank you.
IATA Safety Conference -- Keynote Address
Thank you, Mark [Searle]. Good afternoon, everyone.
It’s good to be back in UAE. I was last here in 2016 for the Global Aerospace Summit. This region continues to be one of the world’s fastest-growing regions for air travel.
Dubai recently unveiled a tribute to the spirit of innovation – the Museum of the Future. I had a chance to see it this morning, and saw stunning displays of what the world might be like 50 years from now – if we see current concepts, technologies, and human skill sets develop further.
But here’s the thing: The future is happening now. Today. What we once thought only possible in movies and cartoons is coming true.
And while we are excited about the future, it must be one that shares the high-standard of safety that has come to define aviation today. That’s the challenge of our time: To usher in the next era of aviation safely.
And the traveling public will expect that high standard of safety – whether they fly to and from Dubai, Mumbai, Miami or anywhere else.
And we must achieve all of this while building a more sustainable aviation system, and one that can withstand the shocks of pandemics, or new threats, like cyberattacks.
Let me start by discussing ways to ensure safety.
We’ve seen the benefits of Safety Management Systems in driving down safety risk for commercial aviation. Now, the FAA is working on a proposed rule to require charter, commuter and air tour operators, and aircraft manufacturers, to implement SMS.
SMS has given us significant insight into operations and the ability to spot looming risks. It has also given us mountains of data that hold the keys for us to move from a preventive safety system to a predictive safety system.
That is our next goal: to become predictive. We’re evolving toward using advanced analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence to yield quality, consistent streams of safety data.
Through these tools, we will more effectively mine the safety data to connect the dots and share risk information with industry stakeholders and international partners.
We are seeing U.S. safety models – like the U.S. Commercial Aviation Safety Team and the Aviation Sharing Information and Analysis System – being implemented around the world. This will enable greater international collaboration through the sharing of safety risk information. We can take the next step by collectively harmonizing our safety analytics and metrics … and working to build a shared risk portfolio.
And while SMS and data analysis are essential programs to have in place, it’s important to stress that a mature safety culture is what makes these programs successful.
We want to see a Just Culture and a Learning Culture of safety throughout the world – where aviation professionals can openly report unintentional mistakes and safety concerns without fear of punishment.
In a mature safety culture like this, aviation professionals feel empowered to speak up openly and honestly, and are supported for doing that by the entire organization.
This kind of open, supportive culture is essential to address pilot mental health. Our pilots and all aviation professionals should ask for help the moment they begin to experience emotional or mental health challenges.
They should start treating the underlying problems before they become worse. And we must provide increased support to aviation professionals who ask for help. There should be no stigma, or fears, about coming forward about experiencing mental health challenges. Period.
We must also be proactive and transparent when it comes to mitigating cyber risk in aviation. Cyber threats don’t respect borders on a map and they are continuously in flux.
The FAA values its participation in ICAO’s work to support aviation cyber resilience, and we’re working with international stakeholders to design the International Aviation Trust Framework. This effort seeks to provide confidence in the integrity of aviation-related digital information and its secure exchange across the global aviation ecosystem.
In all of the areas I’ve discussed, the FAA is eager to expand our safety collaboration and continue sharing best practices with the airlines and other aviation stakeholders.
In fact, we’re developing an ICAO course on aviation system safety … and the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority has collaborated closely with us on SMS best practices for the course. We value this partnership and look to build on it.
This kind of collaboration is essential, because this industry is changing rapidly.
And nowhere is that more present than air taxis and eVTOLS.
We expect to certify the first of these aircraft around the 2024 timeframe, provided safety allows. And we’re looking at how we might align our certification processes and standards globally for AAM aircraft.
With the kind of growth and innovation we continue to see, and the retirements hastened by the pandemic experience, this industry needs new people, including those with new skill sets.
Government and industry should continue to work together, and find more creative ways to help build the future workforce, and help them develop the advanced skill sets they’ll need to match the advancements of the industry.
We’re going to need the best people not just to help us make aviation safer, more efficient, or more innovative, but also to make it more sustainable. Earlier this month, at the ICAO’s 41st Assembly, States adopted a long term, global aspirational goal to achieve net zero emissions for international flight operations by 2050.
This outcome is a tremendous success, and a credit to both the Member States who adopted the goal, and industry who supported it.
And now we all need to work together to achieve it.
The Museum of the Future has many exciting ideas, but that’s what they are at the moment. Just ideas.
Unless, we do the work to make global aviation safer, more secure, sustainable, and resilient, and also recruit a diverse and highly skilled next generation workforce.
This conference is an opportunity to make progress in these areas. Thank you, and I look forward to working with all of you.
FAA Updates Recreational Drone Flying Guidance
WASHINGTON— The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today issued guidance on how to become an FAA-recognized community-based organization for recreational drone flying.
Under federal law, recreational drone flyers must follow the safety guidelines of a FAA-recognized community-based organization. The...
FAA’s Monroney Aeronautical Center Recognized for Energy Leadership
Facility Earns Designation from U.S. Department of EnergyU.S. DOT Names New Members to the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee
WASHINGTON— The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is welcoming 21 new members to the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee (COMSTAC). U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg approved the nominations along with the re-appointment of seven members.
Committee members provide information, advice and recommendations to the FAA and DOT about technology, business and policy...