Federal Aviation Administration News

Helicopter Trade Group Had Fought Open-Door Tours for Years

The leading trade group for helicopter operators has, for at least two years, urged a halt to open-door tours such as the one that ended in the death of five people in the East River off Manhattan on March 11. …

New Jersey Advances Bill That Would Bar Drunken Drone Flying

State lawmakers on Thursday passed legislation that would bar people from operating drones while drunk. The National Conference on State Legislatures says at least 38 states are considering drone legislation this year, going beyond the Federal Aviation Administration’s regulations. The …

FAA Awards New Mexico Film Company First Drone Waiver

An Albuquerque, N.M. cinema drone company says the Federal Aviation Administration has issued it a waiver that will allow it to fly drones over cast and crews on film locations. Flytcam Motion Pictures Managing Partner Luke Davis says they are …

Las Vegas ZIP Code Has Most Drone Hobbyists in Nation

Researchers say the ZIP code containing the highest number of registered hobbyist drone users in the country is in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported drone researchers at Bard College in New York analyzed data from the Federal Aviation …

Additional Runway Incidents at San Francisco Airport Under Investigation

U.S. officials are investigating two more incidents at San Francisco International Airport where planes could have wound up on the same runway, the National Transportation Safety Board said . The incidents include an event in December 2016 when a SkyWest …

San Francisco Airport Experiences Another Air Canada Jet Safety Issue

Another Air Canada safety issue at San Francisco Airport is under investigation. The Federal Aviation Administration said this week it is investigating the second serious safety issue in three months involving an Air Canada passenger jet landing at San Francisco …

Year After Texas Balloon Crash, NTSB Wants Medical Certification Exemption Tossed

The National Transportation Safety Board has called on the Federal Aviation Administration to remove its medical certification exemption for commercial balloon operators, saying it contributed to a July 30, 2016, balloon crash in Texas that killed 15 passengers and the …

California Commissioner Wants Investigation Following Airline Near Miss

California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones, who was a passenger last week on the Air Canada flight 759 that nearly landed on a taxiway at San Francisco International Airport, has sent a letter to the airline and three aviation and transportation …

Travelers’ Drone Program Is Changing the Way Its Claims Reps Do Business

Travelers’ Claim University, founded in 2007, is working to change the way its claims professionals do business through the use of drones to assist in property inspection and claims analysis. The nearly 200,000-square foot facility in Windsor, Conn., offers hands-on …

Massachusetts Officials Urge Drone Owners to Be Safe Over Holidays

State officials in Massachusetts are urging drone owners to fly responsibly this holiday season. The state Department of Transportation released suggested guidelines for operating the small, unmanned aircrafts this week. They say drones should not be flown over populated areas, …