FAA

FAA gives priority clearance to flights carrying COVID vaccines

An air traffic control tower.

Flights carrying COVID-19 vaccines will receive priority landing privileges from the  Federal Aviation Administration to help with the rush delivery of the lifesaving medicines. 

“The FAA will handle flights carrying COVID-19 vaccines the same way we handled flights carrying personal protective equipment in the spring. Airlines will provide lists of flights carrying COVID-19 vaccines to the FAA’s Command Center, which will alert traffic facilities in the field that these are priority flights....

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/faa-gives-priority-clearance-to-flights-carrying-covid-vaccines

FAA issues dry ice alert to airlines carrying vaccines

A big cargo plane with door open to load cargo. Photo from side, under wing on a sunny day.

Dry ice is a hot commodity. It is a primary way COVID-19 vaccines will be preserved during transport from the manufacturer to administration sites and for storage in some locations.

But too much of a good thing can be hazardous in a confined space. 

On Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration cautioned commercial aircraft operators to pay close attention to the risk of carrying too much dry ice in the cargo hold. 

“Operators may plan to carry dry ice quantities larger than quantities they...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/faa-issues-dry-ice-alert-to-airlines-carrying-vaccine

Freight interests, pilots press for priority vaccinations

Black man wearing a face mask stands in front of white cab.

Freight transportation groups and airline pilots on Thursday asked the Senate Commerce Committee to use its influence to ensure they receive priority access to new COVID-19 vaccines because of their essential role keeping the economy moving.

Eleven organizations, including the American Trucking Associations, said immunizing truck drivers, longshoremen, engineers and other transportation workers is critical to minimize supply chain disruptions and delays in vaccine distribution.

“Ensuring vaccine...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/freight-interests-pilots-press-for-priority-vaccinations

Delta Air Lines cabins to go naked

A big white Delta jet with blue tail early in takeoff. Delta wants to take out some seats in planes to make way for cargo.

Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) is the only major U.S. airline that currently plans to take advantage of federal authorization to strip passenger aircraft of their seats and substitute boxes of cargo.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) a month ago issued an exemption for domestic airlines to operate aircraft with floor-loaded cargo in the cabin, but the determination came after an airfreight bubble. Industry watchers wondered whether rates were still high enough to justify the conversion...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/exclusive-delta-air-lines-cabins-to-go-naked

How Air Canada beat US airlines removing seats for cargo

Boxes of face masks and tied down with nets on the passenger cabin floor of plane after seats were removed. Air Canada was faster than U.S. airlines to modify planes for this type of cargo operation.

It took the Federal Aviation Administration two months to authorize U.S. airlines to remove seats from passenger aircraft for cargo purposes. Air Canada (TSX: AC) received its governmental OK in a week.

Industry urgency to innovate also was greater north of the border. Canada’s flag carrier was already flying cabin-loaded flights by mid-April, one month before U.S. carriers even applied through their trade association to remove seats from their airplanes.

The delay may have cost U.S. carriers...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/how-air-canada-beat-us-airlines-removing-seats-for-cargo

Investigators blame pilot error for 2019 Atlas Air crash

A white Amazon Air plane with light-blue lettering on runway.

Quick Take:

  • Inadvertent activation of landing abort mode and the co-pilot’s inappropriate response to being disoriented sent the plane straight into the ground, the National Transportation Board said..
  • The captain’s delayed awareness of the situation led to an ineffective response.
  • Cockpit imaging recording devices would help in crash investigations.
  • FAA should set up a database for airlines to share employment histories and performance records for pilots.

The co-pilot of an Atlas Air cargo...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/investigators-blame-pilot-error-for-2019-atlas-air-crash

FAA clears airlines to remove passenger seats for cargo

Boxes stored in cabin where passenger seats normally go.

The Federal Aviation Administration late Friday gave U.S. airlines permission to remove passenger seats and transport cargo on the floor of the cabin in aircraft being deployed on cargo-only flights.

The exemption to existing regulations governing aircraft operations lasts for one year. The FAA also extended until July 10, 2021, its prior ruling that airlines could fly with cargo strapped into the seats through the end of this year.

The FAA’s response may be too late to benefit passenger airlines...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/faa-clears-airlines-to-remove-passenger-seats-for-cargo

Senators blast FAA ‘stonewalling’ 737 MAX investigation

Large bald man, the head of the FAA, speaks before congressional committee.

Federal Aviation Administration chief Stephen Dickson on Wednesday acknowledged that the agency and Boeing (NYSE: BA) made mistakes in the development of the 737 MAX, and said he is committed to improving the certification process and that the plane must go through several more review steps before it can be recertified for commercial service.

During a hearing that got testy at times, members of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee accused the FAA of “stonewalling” their...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/senators-blast-faa-stonewalling-737-max-investigation

Senate bill targets FAA certification process used for 737 MAX

A blue and white 737 MAX next to a hangar at a Boeing facility.

Bipartisan legislation introduced in the Senate Tuesday would reform the way the Federal Aviation Administration certifies aircraft after investigations found problems with how the Boeing 737 MAX was deemed airworthy before it suffered two mass-casualty crashes.

The Aircraft Safety and Certification Reform Act of 2020 would address a number of issues related to the manufacture of commercial aircraft, most notably incorporating human factors in assessments of pilot responses to cockpit alerts and...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/senate-bill-targets-faa-certification-process-used-for-737-max

Breaking: FAA approves cargo to ride in passenger seats

Cargo strapped in passenger seats.

U.S. airlines will soon fly temporary freighters with cargo, instead of passengers, in the seats.

Since domestic passenger carriers began operating some aircraft in cargo-only mode two months ago, they have been largely restricted to loading freight in the lower hold where baggage and shipments normally ride. On Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration issued an exemption allowing airlines to carry cargo on seats.

Airlines had requested a two year break from existing regulations, but the FAA...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/breaking-faa-approves-cargo-to-ride-in-passenger-seats

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