FAA Posts

Joe Sharkey: Quite a Different Perspective on the Brazilian Midair
May 12, 2007

Joe Sharkey: Quite a Different Perspective on the Brazilian Midair

Being a passenger on board an airplane that barely escapes becoming a pile of twisted metal and flesh would probably be enough to drive most men’s passions for air safety, at least that’s what I’d say about Joe Sharkey.Sharkey, th…
Why Airline Industry Unions Will Never Die
May 9, 2007

Why Airline Industry Unions Will Never Die

Being married to a psychologist gives me a never-ending look at the insights those professionals use to tell when someone’s thinking has gone off kilter. Take being neurotic for example.That’s when someone tries attacking a problem the…
Remember When Talking About Aviation Was Just Plane Fun?
April 30, 2007

Remember When Talking About Aviation Was Just Plane Fun?

Since it’s a beautiful spring afternoon in Chicago – sunny, temperatures in the high 70s (around 25 for you Celsius folks) it seemed like the right time to blog a bit about a piece of aviation that’s not quite as serious as the FAA…
FAA Has a User-Fee Bridge for Sale
April 25, 2007

FAA Has a User-Fee Bridge for Sale

Henry Ogrodzinski thinks the FAA’s Valentine’s Day funding legislation is “a solution in search of a problem.” He’s the president and CEO of NASAO, the National Association of State Aviation Officials. We caught up with…
It Takes a Community to Maintain an Airport
April 16, 2007

It Takes a Community to Maintain an Airport

When the City of Chicago’s Department of Aviation destroyed Meigs Field in the middle of the night a few years ago, it transformed KCGX into a poster child for the failure of both pro and anti-airport groups to work together successfully. With…
Perfect Storm Brewing for Pilots, Airline Employees, and Passengers
April 11, 2007

Perfect Storm Brewing for Pilots, Airline Employees, and Passengers

Air Line Pilots Association President John Prater recently painted a bleak picture of airline travel for the upcoming tourist season, “This summer is going to be brutal,” he told Air Transport World Online. Prater believes this summer w…
ATC User Fees; It’s Crunch Time with FAA
April 2, 2007

ATC User Fees; It’s Crunch Time with FAA

Airlines are Pulling Out All the Stops FAA Administrator Marion Blakey expressed surprise recently at the heat her user-fee proposal generated so far with industry professionals, but also from Congress.Blakey was shocked … shocked mind you, …
Aviation User Fees … They’re My Fault
March 19, 2007

Aviation User Fees … They’re My Fault

No one I know disagrees with the need to constantly upgrade the U.S. air traffic control system. We all know system demand is on the rise. We just disagree on who should pay, how much they should pay and whether of course the sky is actually falling…
Aviation User Fees: It’s About More than Money
March 1, 2007

Aviation User Fees: It’s About More than Money

With less than a year to go before long-running Aviation Trust Fund legislation expires, FAA administrator Marion Blakey has been developing some serious rhetoric about the need to fix a funding system no one else except the airlines seems to think …