Message from Central Region Administrator Joe Miniace
Although the Congressional Outreach Season has come to an end, my team and I have not stopped working. We are currently planning for FY 2017 and how we can take our Congressional Outreach to new levels. We will be looking to each of you for your ideas, feedback as well as ways we can be more present in each of the four states that make up the FAA's Central Region. In FY2016 we more than doubled our outreach trips, meetings and events, and this year we hope to do even more!
A major part of our outreach efforts will be to increase education on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Laser Strike awareness - a new and important addition to our briefings. Because information on these topics is constantly being updated, we want to make sure we are sharing the latest news and assisting the community, law enforcement and our State Aviation Directors with whatever questions, issues or needs they might have.
As always my staff and I are here whenever you need us, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. And please continue to keep us updated on your events and news that we need to be aware of. Thanks and we will see you all soon!
Data Comm Now at Chicago O'Hare, Midway
The FAA is now helping to reduce or eliminate one source of delay at Chicago O’Hare and Midway through the use of Data Communications (Data Comm), part of the FAA’s NextGen air traffic control modernization. Data Comm will help reduce delays by making pilot-controller communications shorter and more accurate, which could help keep a plane in the departure line and on schedule. It is now operational at both of Chicago’s major airports.
Data Comm is expected to save operators more than $10 billion over the 30-year life cycle of the program and save the FAA about $1 billion in future operating costs.
FAA Evaluates Drone Detection Systems
Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) that enter the protected airspace around airports can pose a serious threat to manned aviation safety. The FAA and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are conducting drone-detection research with state and local officials, and academia, to evaluate new technologies for detecting unmanned aircraft near airports. Recent field-testing at Denver International Airport was a major milestone in the development of minimum operational performance standards for drone detection at major airport and critical infrastructure locations.
The work in Denver is one of six technical evaluations scheduled over an 18-month period as part of the FAA’s Pathfinder Program for UAS Detection at Airports and Critical Infrastructure.
NextGen Flight 101
“Take off” on NextGen Flight 101 to see firsthand how the FAA has optimized communications, operations, and performance to deliver direct benefits to airlines, airport operations and the flying public. From ground operations to in flight communications, this NextGen experience illustrates how the FAA and its partners are changing the way we fly.
Unmanned Aircraft Systems Safety Outreach
Attention holiday drone shoppers: Fly smart this holiday season and all year long.
Controllers Save Lives
Listen to an air traffic audio recording of Jacksonville controller Dwayne McLean as he aided the pilot of a single-engine airplane struggling to maintain orientation in heavy cloud cover on Sept. 4.
NextGen at FedEx
A few seconds can make a big difference during the busy holiday package season. Dan Allen, managing director of flight technical and regulatory compliance at FedEx Express, describes benefits his company is experiencing through the use of three of FAA's NextGen technologies: Wake Recategorization, Optimized Profile Descents, and Data Communications.
ADS-B Rebate Program for General Aviation Aircraft Owners
Watch a video overview of the ADS-B Rebate Program Process and the five simple steps to claiming $500:
- Decide
- Reserve
- Install
- Fly & Validate
- Claim
Aeromedical Advisory: The Big Question
The FAA Extension Act of 2016, with its provisions for medical certification relief, was signed by President Obama on July 15. When the law was signed, we immediately assigned a team to work on sorting out the details so we could write a rule that complies with the legislation and meets the required timeline.
Space Data Integrator
The Office of Commercial Space Transportation is testing the Space Data Integrator a tool to help reduce the size and time airspace must be closed for space launch and reentry operations.
The Space Data Integrator builds a flight plan based on launch and re-entry trajectories provided by the space operator. Once the mission begins, the operator constantly feeds flight data such as latitude, longitude, speed and altitude from the space vehicle’s telemetry system into the SDI via the FAA’s William J. Hughes Technical Center.
New Small Airplane Safety Certification Standards
This innovative rule will reduce the time it takes to move safety enhancing technologies for small airplanes into the marketplace and will also reduce costs for the aviation industry.
"The FAA’s rule replaces prescriptive design requirements with performance-based standards, which will reduce costs and leverage innovation without sacrificing safety.” - U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx
FAA’s new Part 23 rule (PDF) establishes performance-based standards for airplanes that weigh less than 19,000 pounds with 19 or fewer seats and recognizes consensus-based compliance methods for specific designs and technologies. It also adds new certification standards to address general aviation loss of control accidents and in-flight icing conditions.
