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• Matt Thurber
The FAA is making progress on its air traffic control reform effort, but a Government Accountability Office review criticized the agency’s implementation schedule. The findings point to a need for clearer timelines as the FAA advances changes to a critical national aviation system.
Policy & Regulation
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The FAA is making progress on its air traffic control reform effort, but a Government Accountability Office review criticized the agency’s implementation schedule. The findings point to a need for clearer timelines as the FAA advances changes to a critical national aviation system.
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FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford defended schedule slips affecting the Brand New Air Traffic Control System, while urging Congress to provide additional funding. The modernization effort’s delays and financing needs underscore the challenges of replacing critical U.S. air traffic management infrastructure.
Legislation backed by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association has cleared committee and will advance to the House floor. The bill seeks to streamline FAA aircraft certification, a process with direct implications for manufacturers developing and bringing new aircraft and systems to market.
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Families of the 67 people killed in the January 2025 midair collision near Washington’s Reagan National Airport are pressing Congress and regulators for action. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said one-third of the FAA’s responses to post-crash recommendations remain unacceptable, while lawmakers have yet to mandate key safety equipment.
The FAA administrator is set to discuss U.S. air traffic reforms with lawmakers as air traffic controller shortages continue to affect airline operations. A pilots’ union and an aviation consultant say carriers should do more to prevent weather- and staffing-related delays from cascading into broader network disruptions.
Aeroflot is proposing restrictions on foreign charter operators flying from Russia, a measure that could reshape access to the country’s outbound charter market. The available report does not specify the proposed limits, affected operators or the regulatory process for implementing them.
A report says the FAA’s accelerated air traffic control overhaul could face operational disruptions and cost overruns, challenging the agency’s planning assumptions. The FAA disputes those findings, arguing that it has developed reliable cost estimates and a detailed implementation schedule.
The US is considering a cap on arrivals at Washington National Airport and the elimination of some operating slots, a move that could reshape access to one of the country’s most constrained airports and affect regional operators including PSA Airlines’ American Eagle CRJ700 fleet.
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