Full FAA Chronology at this link.
19621105: FAA announced acceptance of a design concept for a standard air traffic control tower. Prepared by the New York architectural firm I. M. Pei and Associates, the concept featured a free-standing tower providing greater visibility from the cab, improved space for operating radio and radar equipment, and a better environment for air traffic control personnel. Acceptance of the Pei design was recommended by FAA engineers and the agency’s Design Advisory Committee, a group of citizens prominent in the fields of architecture or design. (See December 14, 1964.)
19661105: A two-day exercise designated Metro Air Support ’66 began as a demonstration of aviation’s ability to provide emergency access and logistic support to a city center. The first major operation of its kind, it involved more than 200 airplanes, helicopters, and Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) aircraft.
FAA was a key participant in planning the exercise, and a number of airlines cooperated by flying supplies from distant points to airports in the New York City vicinity. The key operation involved airlifting supplies from the fringes of the city to its center, which was accomplished by helicopters and STOL aircraft. The exercise had its headquarters at a pier on the Hudson River, and one of its objectives was to encourage the development of waterfront locations for STOL ground facilities. (See April 1966 and June 30, 1968.)
19761105: FAA commissioned the first Minimum Safe Altitude Warning (MSAW) system, an add-on computer software feature specially devised for use with the ARTS III radar terminal system, at Los Angeles International Airport. MSAW had the capacity to spot unsafe conditions by automatically monitoring aircraft altitudes and comparing them to terrain maps stored in the computer’s memory. If aircraft descended dangerously close to the ground, aural and visual alarms on their consoles alerted controllers who could then radio warnings to pilots (see October 28, 1977). Sperry Rand’s UNIVAC division developed MSAW under a contract announced by FAA on July 17, 1974. The need for such a system had been highlighted by the crash of an L-1011 near Miami (see December 29, 1972).
19821105: FAA announced that it would accept applications for air traffic controller positions from certain categories of specially qualified persons from 31 to 35 years old. Previously, all controller applicants had to be less than 31 years old at the time of appointment. The change would apply during the November 8-30 application period, and any future application periods before the end of 1984.
19901105: The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 authorized funding for FAA and other Federal entities for FY91-92. Title IX of that legislation included as subparts three acts pertaining to aviation
The Aviation Safety and Capacity Expansion Act included permission for FAA to draw on the Trust Fund for up to 75 percent of its operations and maintenance costs and authorized $5.5 billion for modernization of air traffic Facilities & Equipment over the two years. It also empowered the Department of Transportation to authorize airports to levy Passenger Facility Charges of up to $3. per enplaning passenger (see May 22, 1991). Other features of the law provided: encouragement of capacity development at former and current military airports (see May 30, 1991); continuation of the Essential Air Service program; development of a system of Auxiliary Flight Service Stations (see November 8, 1991); and more flexibility for FAA in procurement contracts.
The Federal Aviation Administration Research, Engineering and Development Authorization Act further defined FAA’s research functions (see November 3, 1988). It included a mandate for the establishment of a Catastrophic Failure Prevention Program to develop technologies to combat the failure of parts and equipment that could result in aircraft accidents.
The Airport Noise and Capacity Act required airlines by mid-1999 to phase out Stage 2 noise-level jets (see February 18, 1980), although those carriers that met this deadline for 85 percent of their fleet might apply to operate their remaining Stage 2 aircraft until the end of 2003. The law also directed the Secretary of Transportation to prepare a national noise policy by mid-1991, and placed limitations were upon airports’ authority to impose noise restrictions (see September 19, 1991).
20031105: FAA announced U.S. certification of an innovative diesel aircraft engine that used automotive parts and ran on jet fuel. Administrator Marion Blakey made the announcement before the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association annual conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 4-cylinder, 135 hp TAE 125-01 was developed by German-based Thielert Aircraft Engines (TAE), an auto racing engine and global automotive parts manufacturer. This newly certified aircraft engine could be installed in general aviation aircraft such as two- seat Cessna and Piper models.
20101105: FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that, when finalized, would require each certificate holder operating under 14 CFR part 121 to develop and implement a safety management system (SMS) to improve the safety of their aviation related activities. A SMS included an organization-wide safety policy; formal methods for identifying hazards, controlling, and continually assessing risk; and promotion of a safety culture. (See October 7, 2010.)
20131105: FAA issued a final rule to improve pilot training. The rule stemmed in part from the tragic crash of Colgan Air 3407 in February 2009, and addressed a congressional mandate in the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010 to ensure enhanced pilot training. The rule was one of several rulemakings required by the act, including the requirements to prevent pilot fatigue that was finalized in December 2011, and the increased qualification requirements for first officers who fly U.S. passenger and cargo planes that was issued on July 15, 2013 (see that date). The final rule required
* ground and flight training enabling pilots to prevent and recover from aircraft stalls and upsets. These new training standards will impact future simulator standards as well (See December 3, 2014);
* air carriers to use data to track remedial training for pilots with performance deficiencies, such as failing a proficiency check or unsatisfactory performance during flight training;
* training for more effective pilot monitoring;
* enhanced runway safety procedures; and
* expanded crosswind training, including training for wind gusts.
20151105: FAA announced it would create a working group to review helicopter safety regulations, saying regulators could do a better job increasing the chances that helicopter occupants survived a crash or hard landing. In a notice published in the Federal Register, FAA said it would ask the working group to scrutinize current crash safety regulations, develop cost-benefit estimates for possible changes, and formulate a list of recommendations for the agency to consider.
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This Day in FAA History: November 5th
