AI Employed To Prevent Incursions
Universal Avionics has developed a ground environment sensor system that provides enhanced guidance for pilots at airports and can warn them if they are headed for an incursion, even if they’re following ATC instructions. The system uses artificial intelligence to meld voice recognition of individual ATC controllers with instantaneous transcription of their instructions to create a “magenta line” to a crew’s runway or gate. If the controller messes up, a flashing red hand warns the pilots of potential impending doom. Universal CEO Dror Yahav said the system will give flight crews the information, both graphic and voice, to avoid the kind of incursions that have made headlines in the last year.
Wheels Up Buying 100 Jets
On demand/membership charter Wheels Up secured $332 million to fund a three-year expansion and modernization program its CEO George Mattson says will put it on firm footing. The company, which started with King Airs and Beechjets in 2013, grew meteorically to become one of the largest charter operations in the world, but shortly after going public in 2021 it almost folded. A consortium led by Delta Airlines, a major investor, bailed the company out with a $500 million package that kept it alive until a reorganization could be launched. The company’s Beech/Hawker and Cessna Citation Xs will be replaced by used Embraer Phenom 300s and Bombardier Challenger 300s respectively and the King Air fleet will be retained.
FAA Says Medical Deferral Delays Diminishing
Federal Air Surgeon Dr. Susan Northrup says the average time taken to process medical deferrals has been cut from one year to less than three months and she’s working on making it shorter still. She also said the agency is working on a pilot medical Bill of Rights and making progress on initiatives that will encourage those who require FAA medicals to report and seek treatment for mental health issues. Northrup said she and her staff are noticing an uptick in mental health-related declarations and they’re doing their best to ensure timely assessments and decisions. The agency is also working on an online medical file tracking system.
Power-Lift Final Rule Enacted
New initiatives and amendments to existing regs were signed into reality to regulate integrating advanced-air-mobility aircraft into the National Airspace System. The rules create a new category of aircraft, each of which require type certificates for pilots because of the wide variety of designs and methods of operation. The new rule also addresses some operational quirks that manufacturers say will ensure viability without compromising safety. Power lift aircraft that can land vertically will be able to use the same energy reserves as helicopters and those designed for single pilot operation will be allowed to be used as training aircraft as long as instructors can easily take over if necessary. The first instructors will be the test pilots now working through company assessments and FAA certification work. The first students will be high time ATPs or commercial pilots.
Signature Reduces Light Aircraft Fees
Signature Aviation has reduced service fees and offered more transparency for light-aircraft. After years of prodding by the AOPA, the world’s largest chain of FBOs, piston singles will be assessed a flat $30 handling fee that will be waived if the operator buys 10 gallons of avgas. The fee for twins is $60 that is waived with a 30-gallon top-up. AOPA says that’s a 50 percent cost reduction for most customers. Signature locations at 16 large international airports will not be included. AOPA President Mark Baker welcomed the move.
NOTAMs
Maintenance supervision “Moss Rule” on hold … Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport facing closure … Experimental aircraft safety stats improve … Drone swarms spotted over Langley Air Force Base … FAA introduced rule to remove CFI expiration dates … Coalition fights counterfeit parts … Air Canada pilots ratify new contract … The FAA’s new expedited air traffic controller training program goes live … FAA launches runway safety audit … Find breaking news in general aviation at AVweb.com.
