The graphic (website) version of this newsletter can be accessed at:
http://pages.prodigy.net/rockaway/newsletter438.htm
Quote of the Week: "The FAA has single-handedly created a crisis in the
skies over New York and done next to nothing to correct it." comment this
week in a news story from Sen. "Chuck" Schumer, D-N.Y. when he called
for
the resignation of the FAA administrator, Marion Blakey
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Aviation Conspiracy Newsletter
#438................................................................................July
22, 2007 Past newsletters can be accessed at:
http://pages.prodigy.net/rockaway/ACNewsmenu.htm
The PASSUR air****t
flight
tracking system at many major U.S. air****ts
http://www.passur.com/sites.htm
(you must have Java installed to view it). If you want to get the
newsletter
sent to you every week, sign up to AviationWatch. Bill Mulcahy
rockaway@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Schumer Calls For FAA Boss's Resignation!!!
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As Bill Sees It (Editorial): What's Behind Senator Schumer's Call For FAA
Administrator Blakey's Resignation? Has there ever been a politician more
obsessed with personal power and influence like New York's Senator
Schumer?
Its been said that "Chuck" Schumer (AKA Sen. Schemer) never saw a camera
he
wouldn't trample over someone to stand in front of. You can hardly find a
gathering of democrats in Wa****ngton where Schumer hasn't pushed and
elbowed
his way to the front of assembly for the photo-op. Yet this week's latest
effort to grab the headlines by his calling for the resignation of FAA
boss,
Marion Blakey, seems to be different. Why is Schumer doing this now? We
have
had increasing delays for years, yet he decides to call for Blakey's
resignation two months before her 5-year term of office ends!!! I think
Chuck wants to influence the appointment of a new FAA administrator. I
also
believe he wants a new FAA administrator who will be beholding to him and
will continue the unscientific, unjust, racist and politically-influenced
routing policies that favor Schumer's (and many other politicians)
politically-connected communities. Schumer Closely Involved With New York
Aviation Expansion And Routing Issues: Chuck has been involved with
aviation
ever since he was my congressman representing Rockaway in N.Y. City. I
remember how he always ****trayed himself as being concerned with the
increasing JFK Air****t aircraft noise on his constituents. All that
changed
when he became a U.S. senator. Now he can't help expand New York state
air****ts fast enough. After helping cause the air****t delay problem by
pu****ng for expanded aviation, he is calling for Marion Blakey's
resignation
for the delay problem!!!
Is America Due For A Brazil-Like Aviation Disaster? While I'm sure even
the
FAA does a better job at inspecting planes than countries like Brazil. The
fact is that this agency is constantly looking for ways to reduce
separation
between planes in order to jam more planes into the skies and air****ts.
This
reduction in safety margins can only lead to a major air disaster. Frankly
I'm surprise one (or more) haven't occurred already.
Air****t Delays Gives Schumer Another Photo-Op Op****tunity: WA****NGTON-As
more travelers find themselves waiting-and waiting-in air****ts this
summer,
Sen. Charles Schumer said Tuesday that the head of the nation's aviation
agency should get the ax. Federal Aviation Administration chief Marion
Blakey came under fire from the senator over seemingly constant backups at
New York City's major air****ts, which cause cascading delays across the
country. "It falls clearly in the lap of the FAA and the FAA
administrator,"
said Schumer, D-N.Y. The senator faulted Blakey for what he said was a
destructive feud with the nation's air traffic controllers. He said the
controllers' decades-long poor relation****p with the government has gotten
even worse under Blakey. "She has engaged in a counterproductive fight
with
the air traffic controllers, cut the number of controllers that are
needed,
and they sometimes lash back," said the senator. An FAA spokeswoman did
not
immediately comment. The problem is particularly acute at the three major
air****ts in the New York City area. Between January and April, 38 percent
of
all flights at Newark Liberty, John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia air****ts were
either late or canceled, leading to disruptions nationwide. In some cases,
the delays seem to come without any weather- or crowd-related reason. At
LaGuardia Air****t between January and February, total passenger traffic
dropped 3 percent compared to the same period a year ago, but delays still
jumped 13 percent. http://www.mercurynews.com/travel/ci_6395668
FAA's Change In Re****ting Criteria Draws Criticism From Air Traffic
Controller Union!!! The Federal Aviation Administration softened the
re****ting language for minor incidents of airplanes flying too closely to
each other a few weeks before a government re****t accused air traffic
managers in North Texas of covering up similar cases. The decision to
label
some "loss of separation" errors as "proximity events" has drawn criticism
from observers who think the FAA is merely trying to make its numbers look
better, The Dallas Morning News re****ted in Saturday editions. "The FAA's
definition of safety is when nobody gets killed," said aviation industry
consultant Michael Boyd, head of The Boyd Group of Evergreen, Colo. The
new
record-keeping policy began June 25, a few weeks before the U.S. Special
Counsel alleged that managers of the air traffic control system at
Dallas/Fort Worth International Air****t were hiding errors and blaming
them
on pilots. The D/FW system also controls traffic at Dallas Love Field.
Basic
separation standards require aircraft to stay apart by five miles
horizontally or 1,000 feet vertically, with the horizontal separation
decreasing to three miles closer to an air****t. Under the new formula, the
"error" designation will be removed from the most minor incidents.
According
to a briefing made to air traffic control personnel, there were 967 "loss
of
separation" errors in 2004; 1,181 in 2005 and 1,103 in 2006. The number is
projected to drop to about 790 for 2007, when the minor incidents become
"proximity events." Doug Church, spokesman for the National Air Traffic
Controllers Association, said the agency's new way to re****t minor
infractions paints a rosy, but incorrect, picture. Editor's Note: I wonder
if the air traffic controller's union really cares about safety or whether
this is just being used as contract bargaining chip to further increase
their bloated paychecks. The air traffic controllers union has never said
a
word about the people on the ground who get the impacts from aviation.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8QH135O0.html
Westchester County, New York Waking Up To Impending Aircraft Noise
Increase!!! Under the new scenario, despite the FAA's calculations, people
who never worried about aircraft noise will find it has become an issue.
Besides writing a letter to Steve Kelley, the program manager for the
FAA's
airspace redesign, Spano reached out to Westchester's congressional
delegation for sup****t. Plans to change where planes fly when they leave,
travel over or land in Westchester are even worse for local noise levels
than first believed, the county executive said yesterday. "The impacts are
a
lot greater than the FAA said publicly, and we think they should keep the
comment period open, have hearings in Westchester County and (do a more
in-depth environmental review)," Andrew Spano said. The Federal Aviation
Administration wants to reduce air****t delays by changing the use of
airspace over a five-state region that includes the tri-state area.
Despite
repeated public requests and pressure from elected officials and the
public
in Westchester, Rockland, Connecticut and New Jersey, the FAA has insisted
it will keep to its tight timetable and will not grant the public more
time
to respond to its proposed redesign. The public comment period ended May
11.
http://www.nyjournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070717/NEWS01/707170344
England: Noise Complaints Almost Double In ONE YEAR!!! Complaints about
the
air****t rose from 4,500 in 2005 to 7,978 in 2006, with almost 60% of last
year's complaints generated by a few local residents. An EMA spokesman
said
all complaints were taken seriously by the air****t. The spokesman added
that
fines and surcharges of £42,000 were imposed last year on airlines who
broke
noise rules. Retired air traffic controller, David Coulson, said he was
methodical about registering his complaints. "Every time I'm disturbed, I
note the time down, that's it. It works out at about 150 to 200 times a
month." Mr Robinson said part of the increase in complaints was due to a
change in the re****ting system. People are now able to record multiple
complaints in one phone call, rather than having to call in several times.
Editor's Note: Ever notice how the American government does everything it
can to avoid monitoring noise pollution even to the point of removing
funding from the EPA's Office of Noise Abatement and Control (ONAC) which
is
supposed to monitor noise pollution!!! It shows who controls America and
congress.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/derby****re/6904848.stm
Buffalo, New York: Air****t Neighbors Complain Soundproofing Bribe System
Is
Unfair!!! Pam Theobald's next-door neighbor qualifies for soundproofing to
her home to help lessen the roar of jet engines - but Theobald does not.
Leonard Kuczkowski lives less than 3,000 feet from the runway at Buffalo
Niagara International Air****t in Cheektowaga, and his house is not on the
list for improvements. But those living behind him and two doors down from
him fall within the guidelines. "We're getting it just as much as they
are,"
said Kuczkowski, of Marilyn Drive. "The whole setup they've got just
doesn't
make sense." He isn't the only one saying that. "This is just crazy," said
Susanne C. Austin, of Evergreen Place, whose house is not included in the
improvements. "My house is now worthless. They're improving. Who's going
to
want to buy my house?" There are several neighborhoods around the air****t
where some residents' homes are included while their neighbors' homes are
not. The Niagara Frontier Trans****tation Authority has been fielding
questions from homeowners who did not qualify for the noise abatement.
"This
whole program was voluntary to improve the quality of life for those that
we
could based on the guidelines," said C. Douglas Hartmayer, director of
public affairs for the NFTA. The Federal Aviation Administration and the
NFTA are spending $60 million over 10 years to make improvements to houses
to help reduce interior noise. The homes that qualify could get
triple-pane
windows, improved insulation, soundproof doors, new furnaces and central
air
conditioning. http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/122456.html
Aviation Safety Financing Up in the Air As Senate Debates Bill: The
Federal
Aviation Administration is breaking a sweat as time is running out for the
Senate to reauthorize an aviation bill that would increase funds to
modernize what critics call "antiquated aviation systems." FAA officials
discussed their immediate need for more money for the Air****t Airways
Trust
Fund at a hearing Thursday before the Senate Committee on Finance. The
AATF
provides funding for flight control systems at U.S. air****ts and airway
systems.
The FAA predicts that the number of passenger will increase from 740
million
to 1 billion by 2015. The number of flights will rise by one-third to
61,000. Business aviation is expected to grow twice as fast as the
commercial airlines over the next 14 years. Both committee members and FAA
officials agreed that the current 50-year-old aviation system is ill
equipped to handle the increased demand for air travel. FAA Administrator
Marion Blakey said transforming the current system into NextGen, an
estimated $4.6 billion project over the next five years and $22 billion by
2025, require that users pay according to the costs they generate, which
is
lacking in the current system. "The primary goal of the administration is
to
tie the cost of our service to our revenue," Blakey said.
General aviation drives about 16 percent of the costs of the air traffic
control system, but pays only 3 percent of the taxes, Blakey said.
http://www.infozine.com/news/stories/op/storiesView/sid/23967/
@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Im****tant Aviation News Stories This
Week
FAA change in re****ting of plane incidents draws criticism
07/21/2007 Associated Press
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8QH135O0.html
The Federal Aviation Administration softened the re****ting language for
minor incidents of airplanes flying too closely to each other a few weeks
before a government re****t accused air traffic managers in North Texas of
covering up similar cases.
The decision to label some "loss of separation" errors as "proximity
events"
has drawn criticism from observers who think the FAA is merely trying to
make its numbers look better, The Dallas Morning News re****ted in Saturday
editions.
"The FAA's definition of safety is when nobody gets killed," said aviation
industry consultant Michael Boyd, head of The Boyd Group of Evergreen,
Colo.
The new record-keeping policy began June 25, a few weeks before the U.S.
Special Counsel alleged that managers of the air traffic control system at
Dallas/Fort Worth International Air****t were hiding errors and blaming
them
on pilots. The D/FW system also controls traffic at Dallas Love Field.
The FAA said the new system isn't meant to hide anything. Instead, it
takes
the subjectivity out of incident evaluations without changing any minimum
standards, said Tony Ferrate, director of the Air Traffic Safety Oversight
Service, a division of the FAA.
"We think that this is a quantum leap forward," he said.
Basic separation standards require aircraft to stay apart by five miles
horizontally or 1,000 feet vertically, with the horizontal separation
decreasing to three miles closer to an air****t.
Under the new formula, the "error" designation will be removed from the
most
minor incidents. According to a briefing made to air traffic control
personnel, there were 967 "loss of separation" errors in 2004; 1,181 in
2005
and 1,103 in 2006. The number is projected to drop to about 790 for 2007,
when the minor incidents become "proximity events."
Doug Church, spokesman for the National Air Traffic Controllers
Association,
said the agency's new way to re****t minor infractions paints a rosy, but
incorrect, picture.
"Standards have not changed. What has changed is the way (the FAA is)
counting them," he said. "They believe their motives are pure. We believe
their motives are not as pure. Changing numbers around to try and show the
system is safe doesn't mean the system is safe."
FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown said the agency will still count each time an
airplane gets too close to another. The new way to calculate errors will
enable the FAA to focus more on "really serious incidents," she said.
Monday, July 16, 2007
http://www.infozine.com/news/stories/op/storiesView/sid/23967/
Aviation Safety Financing Up in the Air As Senate Debates Bill
By Garesia La'Shay Randle - The Federal Aviation Administration is
breaking
a sweat as time is running out for the Senate to reauthorize an aviation
bill that would increase funds to modernize what critics call "antiquated
aviation systems."
Wa****ngton, D.C. - Scripps Howard Foundation Wire - infoZine - FAA
officials
discussed their immediate need for more money for the Air****t Airways
Trust
Fund at a hearing Thursday before the Senate Committee on Finance. The
AATF
provides funding for flight control systems at U.S. air****ts and airway
systems.
The FAA predicts that the number of passenger will increase from 740
million
to 1 billion by 2015. The number of flights will rise by one-third to
61,000. Business aviation is expected to grow twice as fast as the
commercial airlines over the next 14 years.
Both committee members and FAA officials agreed that the current
50-year-old
aviation system is ill equipped to handle the increased demand for air
travel.
"Just like it was the right time to replace the old television years ago,
now is the right time to replace the old radar technology with real time
GPS
technology," said ranking committee member, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.
But as the committee considers the FAA's request, the question remains of
how much modernizing the system will cost.
Most im****tant, committee members want to know who should pay for it.
Excise taxes, including ticket taxes and fuel taxes, now bring in $10.6
billion to pay for more than 80 percent of AAFT costs. But if Congress
doesn't act before Sept. 30, taxes will be frozen at the current level.
This poses considerable problems for the FAA. It needs more money for the
satellite-based system Next Generation Air Trans****tation System, which
would improve air traffic safety and efficiency.
Committee members and other critics fear that commercial passengers will
end
up paying most of the excise taxes, while general aviation - private
planes
and cor****ate jets - will be given as much priority at air****ts and in the
air without paying as much as commercial passengers.
FAA Administrator Marion Blakey said transforming the current system into
NextGen, an estimated $4.6 billion project over the next five years and
$22
billion by 2025, require that users pay according to the costs they
generate, which is lacking in the current system.
"The primary goal of the administration is to tie the cost of our service
to
our revenue," Blakey said.
General aviation drives about 16 percent of the costs of the air traffic
control system, but pays only 3 percent of the taxes, Blakey said.
The committee's reauthorization of the bill would also impose a $25
surcharge per flight on all owners or operators of aircraft.
But critics say this could hurt small and rural air****ts that serve most
general aviation flights but have small profit margins.
"A $25 surcharge could push them over the brink," said Gerald Dillingham,
director of civil aviation issues for the Government Accountability
Office.
General aviation advocates have said they do no want to pay the surcharge
but are willing to pay an increase in fuel taxes.
Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., said it is not fair for commercial passengers to
share their space with the growing demand of business flights and pay more
for the necessary modernization at the same time.
"Who is going to pay for it? It is always the commercial side," Lott said.
"This time we are going to have a fair bill or no bill."
Mark Hansen, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the
University of California-Berkeley, said fees should not necessarily be
directed toward general aviation, but priority should be given to parties
willing to pay for change.
"If they are unwilling, then priority of access must be given to the
airline
customers who paid for the existing capacity," Hansen said in a written
statement.
Dillingham said GAO has some concerns about the accuracy of the FAA's cost
estimates so far into the future.
Blakey said she is confident in the FAA's ability to use funds adequately
and on schedule, but she said it is too early to determine if the
estimated
fees will be adequate.
Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., the committee chair, said the committee will
look
for a resolution that may not fully satisfy every party but is likely to
be
the best compromise.
"The committee will try to find a fair and equitable solution," he said.
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