2022-April 2024 Update to FAA Historical Chronology: Civil Aviation
and the Federal Government, 1926-1996 (Washington, DC:
Federal Aviation Administration, 1998)
Compiled by Theresa L. Kraus, FAA historian
January 13, 2022: FAA awarded $5 million in Aviation Maintenance Technical Workers
Workforce Development Grants to organizations that will teach technical skills and prepare
participants to pursue aviation maintenance careers. (See January 19, 2021.) Grant recipients
included:
• Macon County School District, Tuskegee, AL
• Pima County Community College District, Tucson, AZ
• North Orange County Community College District, Anaheim, CA
• San Bernardino Community College District, San Bernardino, CA
• International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Washington, DC
• DLK Aviation Inc., Kennesaw, GA
• Iowa Western Community College, Council Bluffs, IA
• Southern University at Shreveport, Shreveport, LA
• Dutchess Community College, Fairview, NY
• Guilford County School System, High Point, NC
• Columbus State Community College, Columbus, OH
• Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
• Pennsylvania College of Technology, Williamsport, PA
• South Carolina Department of Education, Charleston, SC
• Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Madison, WI
January 13, 2022: FAA awarded $5 million in Aircraft Pilots Aviation Workforce Development
Grants to accredited higher-education institutions, high schools, state and local governments, and
flight schools. Grantees can use the funding to create and deliver a curriculum to prepare
students to become aircraft pilots, aerospace engineers, or uncrewed aircraft systems operators.
(See January 19, 2021.) Grant recipients included:
• Florida State College at Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL
• Northwestern Michigan College, Traverse City, MI
• Elizabeth City State University, Elizabeth City, NC
• University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND
• County of Scottsbluff School District #16, Gering, NE
• Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology, Flushing, NY
• Aerotrek Flight Academy, LLC, Wadsworth, OH
• Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission, Oklahoma City, OK
• Harrisburg University of Science & Technology, Harrisburg, PA
• Spartanburg County School District #5 (James. F. Byrnes High School), Duncan, SC
• South Carolina Department of Education, Columbia, SC
• Florence School District One, Florence, SC
• Crowley Independent School District #912, Crowley, TX
• Utah State University, Logan, UT
• Randolph Macon Academy, Front Royal, VA
• Old Dominion University Research Foundation/Virginia Space Grant Consortium,
Norfolk, VA
Grantees could use the funds to establish new educational programs, provide scholarships or
apprenticeships for individuals pursuing employment in the aviation maintenance industry,
conduct outreach about careers in the aviation maintenance industry to primary, secondary, and
post-secondary school students, and support educational opportunities related to aviation
maintenance in economically disadvantaged areas.
January 24, 2022: DOT announced a final rule that enabled it to speed up the rulemaking process
and protect consumers by providing greater flexibility to appoint appropriate hearing officers,
eliminate the requirement for the officer to issue a detailed report, and provide more options for
the officer on when and how testimony would be presented at the hearing. It also clarified that
hearings would only be granted in the public interest.
January 26, 2022: FAA and the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority finalized an
agreement that allowed the two countries to share each other’s evaluation and acceptance of
flight simulators. (See March 25, 2021.)
February 23, 2022: FAA announced a new initiative that outlined how the U.S. could safely
eliminate the use of leaded aviation fuel by the end of 2030. The effort was based on four action
pillars involving FAA, the Environmental Protection Agency, fuel suppliers, distributors,
airports, engine and aircraft manufacturers, research institutions, associations, environmental
experts, communities, and other key stakeholders. (See December 9, 2021; April 22, 2022.) The
pillars included:
• Develop Unleaded Fuels Infrastructure and Assess Commercial Viability
• Support Research & Development and Technology Innovations
• Continue to Evaluate and Authorize Safe Unleaded Fuels
• Establish Any Necessary Policies
March 1, 2022: FAA began installing eight new Automated Weather Observing Systems
(AWOS) across Alaska that would provide continuous, real-time, and accurate weather
information to remote areas of the state. The eight new stations were in Akiachak, Coldfoot,
Crooked Creek, Kotlik, Nulato, Perryville, Tok Junction, and Tununak. Weather information
from these locations provided pilots a preview of what to expect when arriving. It allowed IFR
pilots to conduct instrument approaches to the lowest possible minimums, increasing the safety
and predictability of operations. (See October 14, 2021.)
March 2, 2022: FAA issued orders blocking Russian aircraft and airlines from entering and using
all domestic U.S. airspace as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The notice and regulatory
orders suspended operations of all aircraft owned, certified, operated, registered, chartered,
leased, or controlled by, for, or for the benefit of, a person who was a citizen of Russia. It
included passenger and cargo flights, and scheduled and charter flights, effectively closing U.S.
air space to all Russian commercial air carriers and other Russian civil aircraft. (January 8,
2020.)
March 23, 2022: A jury in federal district court in Fort Worth, Texas, acquitted former Boeing
737 MAX Chief Technical Pilot Mark Forkner on felony charges of deceiving FAA about a key
flight-control system involving 737 Max jets. The jury cleared him of criminal charges of four
counts of wire fraud brought by the U.S. Justice Department. (See October 14, 2021; September
22, 2022).
March 31, 2022: Steve Dickson resigned as FAA Administrator. Billy Nolen, the Associate
Administrator for Aviation Safety, became acting administrator. (See August 12, 2019; July 6,
2022; March 31, 2023.)
April 5, 2022: FAA dedicated the newly commissioned air traffic control tower at Charlotte
Douglas International Airport. The 370-foot-tall, 850-square-foot tower cab provides air traffic
controllers with a clear view of the airfield. A 42,000-square-foot building houses an expanded
terminal radar approach control (TRACON) that handles flights departing and arriving at the
Charlotte airspace. The tower is the second tallest in the nation after the 398-foot-tall tower at
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The existing tower was commissioned in 1979.
(See June 6, 2016.)
April 15, 2022: FAA announced $4.4 million in drone research, education, and training grants to
seven universities. The research focused on electromagnetic compatibility, detecting and
avoiding classifications, and cybersecurity oversight. The grant awardees included the University
of North Dakota, the University of Kansas, Drexel University, Ohio State University, Embry-
Riddle Aeronautical University, Mississippi State University, and Oregon State University.
April 18, 2022: A federal judge in Florida declared the U.S. government’s mask mandate for air
travel unlawful. (See September 10, 2021.)
April 20, 2022: FAA announced it planned to make its zero-tolerance policy against unruly
passengers permanent. FAA implemented the policy on January 13, 2021, after seeing a
disturbing increase in unruly passenger incidents. (See December 21, 2021.)
April 20, 2022: FAA announced it had added a new feature to MedXPress that allowed pilots to
track the status of their medical certificates online throughout the application and review process.
April 21, 2022: FAA downgraded the air safety rating for Russia, restricting any expansion of
service or partnerships since Russia’s Federal Agency for Air Transport did not comply with
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) safety standards. Under the International
Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program, FAA assesses the civil aviation authorities of all
countries with air carriers that have applied to fly to the United States, currently conducting
operations to the United States, or participating in code-sharing arrangements with U.S. partner
airlines. Air carriers from countries with Category 2 ratings are not allowed to initiate new
service to the United States, are restricted to current levels of existing service to the United
States, and are not permitted to carry the code of U.S. carriers on any flights. At the time of the
assessment, no airlines operated regularly scheduled flights between Russia and the United
States. (See May 8, 2020.)
April 22, 2022: FAA and U.S. airports launched an Airport Climate Challenge to help achieve a
goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. FAA offered several funding programs to meet the goal,
including grants for low- or zero-emissions vehicles, renewable energy production, energy
assessments, and other efforts. Airports could receive funding through the Voluntary Airport
Low Emissions Program, Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) Program, and the Airport Sustainability
Planning Program. The agency also announced plans to develop a tool for airports to voluntarily
estimate, track, and report on the emissions reduction achieved when implementing projects
supported by the airport programs. (See February 23, 2022; June 15, 2022.)
May 3, 2022: Norman Mineta died. He served as Secretary of Transportation from January 25,
2001-Juy, 7, 2006, the longest-serving Secretary in the department’s history.
May 13, 2022: FAA issued a license to the Huntsville-Madison Airport Authority in Alabama to
operate the Huntsville International Airport (HSV) as a commercial space reentry site. The
license allowed the airport to offer its place for Sierra Space Dream Chaser vehicles returning to
Earth from future NASA resupply missions to the International Space Station. The Reentry Site
Operator License is valid for five years. The Huntsville site is the 14
th
FAA-licensed commercial
spaceport. (See December 20, 2021.)
May 26, 2022: FAA issued a rule to improve and modernize training requirements for aviation
maintenance technician schools (AMTS). The previous AMTS requirements were almost 50
years old, which limited schools from aligning curriculums with modern industry standards.
June 2, 2022: FAA sought public comments for its Draft Environmental Assessment and Draft
Conformity Determination of the Chicago O’Hare International Airport proposed terminal area
plan and changes to air traffic procedures. The assessment would determine whether proposed
projects could decrease environmental effects.
June 7, 2022: FAA awarded $518 million to build safer, more accessible airports nationwide.
The grants helped fund various projects like maintaining airfields, buying equipment, and fixing
runways.
June 8, 2022: FAA launched the “Be ATC” campaign to recruit the next generation of diverse air
traffic controllers. The application window was from June 24-27. (See July 30, 2021.)
June 8, 2022: FAA updated guidelines on developing and establishing sound insulation programs
near airports to mitigate sound exposure. The updated “Guidelines for Sound Insulation of
Structure Exposed to Aircraft Noise” provided standards, procedures, and processes for creating
and facilitating a sound insulation program.
June 10, 2022: U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg announced the end of the
requirement for a pre-departure COVID-19 test for U.S.-bound air travelers.
June 13, 2022: FAA required SpaceX to take more than 75 actions to mitigate environmental
impacts before the next launch in Boca Chica, Texas. Measures included addressing effects on
wildlife and resources protected by the National Historic Preservation Act and real-time
monitoring of the closure of State Highway 4. SpaceX also had to meet all the requirements for a
FAA Launch Operator License and FAA risk, safety, and financial responsibility requirements.
(September 15, 2021.)
June 15, 2022: FAA proposed a rule, Airplane Fuel Efficiency Certification, to require more fuel
efficiency for subsonic jet aircraft, large turboprop, and propeller aircraft or for new aircraft
manufactured after January 1, 2028. The proposed rule was part of the U.S. Aviation Climate
Action Plan, hoping to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. aviation by 2050.
The proposal also aligned with the ICAO CO2 emission standards and EPA regulations. (See
April 22, 2022.)
June 17, 2022: FAA released a statement on 5G regarding an update for C-band. The aviation
and wireless industries have collaborated to protect air travel from 5g C-band interference while
allowing providers to improve service around airports. FAA issued a phased approach to limit
interference, ordering regional aircraft operators with susceptible radio altimeters to retrofit them
with radio frequency filters before the end of the year. Filters for mainline commercial fleets will
be available by July 2023. (See December 7, 2021.)
July 1, 2022: FAA awarded $371 million in AIP funds for safety, airfield, and improvement
projects at 169 airports in 40 states.
July 5, 2022: DOT reassigned with conditions 16 peak-hour runway timings from Southwest
Airlines to Spirit Airlines at Newark-Liberty International Airport.
July 6, 2022: President Joe Biden nominated Phillip Washington as the next FAA administrator.
A Chicago native, Washington spent 25 years in the U.S. Army, retiring in 2000 with the rank of
command sergeant major. He joined Denver’s Regional Transportation District and later became
its CEO. In 2015, he left to head the Los Angeles County’s Metropolitan Transportation
Authority, where he stayed until becoming the CEO of Denver International Airport in 2021.
(See March 31, 2022; January 3, 2023.)
July 7, 2022: FAA announced it would award almost $1 billion in grants from the Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law to 85 airports to improve terminals, promote competition, expand
accessibility for disabled individuals, increase energy efficiency, and build air traffic control
towers.
July 8, 2022: DOT published an Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights and issued a
notice urging airlines to guarantee that children aged 13 and younger would be seated next to
their accompanying adults. After receiving input from the Air Carrier Access Act Advisory
Committee, DOT crafted the bill of rights.
July 13, 2022: DOT approved American Airlines flight schedules between Miami and Cuba. The
flights began in November 2022. The flights were the first approved flights since a May
announcement regarding steps to strengthen US and Cuban ties. (See August 13, 2020.)
July 21, 2022: DOT issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to update the Disadvantaged
Business Enterprise and Airport Concession program regulations. Both programs were created to
prevent discrimination and alleviate the effects of previous bias toward small businesses owned
and operated by disadvantaged individuals. The proposal included:
● Increasing the personal net worth (PNW) limit from $1.32 million to $1.6 million and
excluding retirement assets from PNW calculations
● Formally adopting COVID-19 flexibilities such as virtual on-site visits
● Empowering certified firms to market themselves to prime contractors via expanded State
directories
● Helping more small businesses participate in FAA-assisted airport projects by requiring
airports to remove obstacles and adopt more race-neutral strategies
● Strengthening prompt payment monitoring and oversight requirements to help ensure that
DBEs in all subcontracting tiers are promptly paid
July 27, 2022: FAA proposed mandating a second barrier to flight decks on select commercial
aircraft to protect flight decks from unwanted intrusion when the flight deck door was opened.
August 3, 2022: DOT awarded $16.9 million in grants from the Small Community Air Service
Development Program to help 25 communities in 20 states improve local air service needs. The
grants gave financial incentives to study, conduct marking programs, and carry out studies on
expansion. The money allowed communities to create new or first air services, provide support,
or re-establish old services.
August 3, 2022: DOT announced a proposed rule to enhance protections for customers seeking
refunds on airline tickets. The proposal responded to the increased complaints from consumers
who were refused reimbursements because they could not travel due to Covid issues or airlines
canceling or changing flights. If passed, the rule would clearly define “significant change and
cancellation” and codify failure to refund passengers as an unfair practice. Additionally, the rule
would require airlines and agents to provide non-expiring vouchers or flight credits when
passengers could not fly due to Covid issues.
August 10, 2022: American Airlines formally accepted a 787-8 from Boeing’s Charleston, South
Carolina, production site, officially marking the resumption of aircraft deliveries following a 14-
month suspension because of production-quality issues. The resumption of deliveries followed
FAA’s July 29 approval of Boeing’s plan to correct the issues and inspect the 118 undelivered
aircraft. The plan, which addressed inspection and repair procedures, provided airframe-specific
compliance processes that Boeing would use to show that each aircraft conformed to
specifications.
August 18, 2022: FAA awarded $2.7 million for drone research to support growing research on
their effectiveness in assisting disaster preparedness and emergencies. Awardees included the
University of Vermont, the University of Alabama Huntsville, New Mexico State University,
North Carolina State University, and Kansas State University. The funding was part of the
Alliance for Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE).
September 1, 2022: DOT launched a new online dashboard to help air travelers know their rights
when they experience airline flight disruptions. The dashboard provided air travelers a one-stop
location to obtain information on the services and amenities they should receive from airlines if
they experienced delays or cancelations caused by something within the airline’s control, like a
mechanical or staffing issue. The dashboard also clearly compared amenities the airlines
committed to providing. The department said it would hold airlines accountable if they failed to
provide the promised services.
September 7, 2022: FAA issued a new policy requiring Organization Designation Authorization
(ODA) holders to protect employees authorized to act on behalf of the agency from feeling
pressure to ignore possible safety risks and ensure they have direct lines of communication with
the agency. The policy codified a 2020 law that called for more protection of ODA employees
delegated to work on behalf of FAA. The new requirements included documented procedures for
monitoring interference among UMs, annual anonymous surveys soliciting feedback on whether
workers have experienced or witnessed pressure, clearly established protocols for addressing
reports of interference, and clear lines of communication with FAA Organization Management
Teams.
September 7, 2022: FAA issued type certificate to Matternet Inc.’s Model M2, a four-rotor
copter capable of carrying a 4-pound (1.8-kilogram) package, the first flying drone explicitly
built for shipping packages.
September 8, 2022: FAA announced plans to establish the agency’s largest solar project at the
Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City. The panels are expected to produce
2,600-megawatt hours annually, the equivalent needed to power 260 average homes. The project
will reduce the Center’s electric bill by an estimated $170,000 - $200,000 annually.
September 9, 2022: FAA and NASA signed a new memorandum of agreement outlining their
roles in investigating commercial space accidents. Under the agreement, the NTSB will be the
lead agency for investigating mishaps that involve a fatality or serious injury, as well as those
that involve damage to property outside the launch site from debris that could reasonably be
expected to cause death or serious injury. FAA will lead all other commercial spaceflight
investigations.
September 14, 2022: Nextgov.com highlighted FAA’s new interactive online dashboard
designed to make the agency’s data more accessible and understandable to the general public.
The interactive Fact Book includes, in part, data and figures on air traffic, safety, airspace
modernization, and uncrewed aircraft systems.
September 22, 2022: The Securities and Exchange Commission said that Boeing will pay $200
million to settle charges that the company and its former CEO misled investors about the safety
of its 737 Max after two of the airliners crashed, killing 346 people. It charged the aircraft maker
and former CEO Dennis Muilenburg with making significant misleading public statements about
the plane and an automated flight-control system that was implicated in the crashes in Indonesia
and Ethiopia. Neither Boeing nor Muilenburg admitted wrongdoing, but they offered to settle
and pay penalties, including $1 million to be paid by Muilenburg. (See March 23, 2022; January
5, 2023.)
September 26, 2022: President Biden proposed requiring airlines and ticket sales websites to
disclose additional fees up front, aiming to add a dose of transparency to booking travel.
According to the Department of Transportation, the disclosures would cover any fees for
passengers to sit with their children, change or cancel a flight, and bring checked or carry-on
bags. The fees would be required to be displayed the first time a ticket price is shown.
September 26, 2022: FAA announced it would work with countries when it sees early indications
that civil aviation authorities are not meeting safety standards. Previously, the agency would
offer assistance only after the country’s safety rating had been downgraded. The agency planned
to work with a country to address developing safety risks before downgrading it. The agency said
if it notifies a country of a safety concern, it will limit foreign operators' direct service and code
sharing to current levels as it reviews whether to issue a downgrade.
September 26, 2022: FAA released new design guidelines for vertiports – infrastructure
supporting Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) aircraft. The design standards will serve as the initial
step to provide critical information for airport owners, operators, and infrastructure developers to
begin the development of facilities that will support operations of AAM aircraft that are
electrically powered and take off and land vertically.
October 1, 2022: ICAO voted to remove Russia from its governing council. Historically, G7
countries, Australia, Brazil, China, and Russia, have held permanent spots as “states of chief
importance in air transport.” Russia secured only 80 votes to remain on the governing council
during the vote, while 86 votes were needed.
October 3, 2022: FAA announced it had upgraded Malaysia's air safety rating to a Category 1
nearly three years after it took action to restrict the country's airlines from adding new flights to
the United States. In November 2019, FAA lowered Malaysia from Category 1 to Category 2,
meaning Malaysian airlines were restricted to current levels of any existing U.S. service and
subject to additional inspections at U.S. airports.
October 4, 2022: FAA issued a final rule requiring that flight attendants receive longer rest
periods between shifts. The new rule increases the rest period from 9 to 10 consecutive hours.
October 11, 2022: FAA announced it would publish 54 Global Positioning System (GPS)-guided
routes in Alaska, allowing pilots to navigate direct flight paths at lower altitudes to avoid icing
conditions. The 30 new and 24 amended Terminal Transition Routes, known as T-routes, are part
of FAA’s Alaska Aviation Safety Initiative. Pilots use T-routes to navigate along specific points
while flying under instrument flight rules (IFR) using approved GPS/Global Navigation Satellite
System (GNSS) equipment.
October 18, 2022: FAA and the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) signed a Declaration of
Cooperation to support future Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) aircraft development and
operation. The declaration continues the safety agencies’ long partnership and formalizes
ongoing discussions on certifying and validating new AAM aircraft, production, continued
airworthiness, operations, and personnel licensing.
October 24, 2022: FAA issued guidance on how to become a FAA-recognized community-
based organization for recreational drone flying. Under federal law, recreational drone flyers
must follow the safety guidelines of a FAA-recognized community-based organization. The
organization must develop its safety guidelines in coordination with FAA, and an applicant may
wish to tailor them to a particular type of uncrewed aircraft.
November 15, 2022: FAA dedicated the Senator Kay Hagan Air Traffic Control Tower at
Piedmont Triad International Airport, designed by women engineers.
November 16, 2022: FAA adopted a final rule requiring commercial hot-air balloon pilots to
hold medical certificates when flying paying passengers. The rule mandated a second-class
medical certificate, the same standard required for other commercial pilots.
November 21, 2022: FAA completed the environmental review of the proposed new passenger
terminals at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. The study analyzed Chicago Department of
Aviation projects, including new terminals, on-airport hotels, airfield and taxiway improvements,
and support facilities. It also reviewed FAA’s proposal to make permanent angled approaches to
Runway 10R/28L to allow simultaneous arrival to multiple runways. The agency concluded that
proposed construction projects and changes to air traffic procedures will not significantly affect
any environmental resources, including noise, air quality, water resources, and historic sites.
November 23, 2022: FAA announced that the Republic of Rwanda had achieved an International
Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) Category 1 rating and complies with International Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
2023
January 3, 2023: President Biden renominated Phillip Washington for FAA administrator; he had
first nominated him on July 6, 2022. On March 30, 2023, the Biden administration announced
that Washington withdrew his name from consideration. (See September 7, 2023.)
January 5, 2023: FAA announced the names of 24 aviation experts to review Boeing’s safety
management processes and how they influenced Boeing’s safety culture after two fatal 737
MAX crashes killed 346 people. The panel, required by Congress under a 2020 law to reform
how FAA certifies new airplanes, included MIT lecturer and aerospace engineer Javier de Luis,
whose sister was killed in a MAX crash, as well as experts from NASA, FAA, labor unions,
Airbus, Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, United Airlines, GE Aviation, FedEx Express,
and Pratt & Whitney. The panel had nine months to complete its review and issue findings and
recommendations. (See September 22, 2022; March 30, 2023.)
January 9, 2023: FAA and the Korea Office of Civil Aviation agreed to partner on future
Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) aircraft development and operations. The agencies signed a
Declaration of Cooperation under which they will collaborate on AAM projects and share ideas,
information, skills, and techniques. The two agencies plan to work together to promote the safety
oversight of AAM, including airworthiness, licensing, and operations. The announcement
followed FAA’s partnerships with Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New
Zealand in the National Aviation Authorities Network to harmonize certification criteria and
integration plans. (See October 18, 2022; May 4, 2023.)
January 11, 2023: When the NOTAM system failed, FAA issued a ground stop order on all
flights. In the second such order in agency history, the agency ordered airlines to delay all
departing flights just before 7:30 a.m. and lifted the order at about 9 a.m. The disruption,
however, was far from over as airlines struggled to get back to normal throughout the day.
Delays cascaded throughout the system, and by the afternoon, about 9,000 flights had been
delayed and 1,300 had been canceled. FAA subsequently determined that contract personnel
unintentionally deleted files while working to correct synchronization between the live primary
database and a backup database. (See September 11, 2001; June 3, 2023.)
January 20, 2023: The State Department announced FAA would be opening its first office in
Mexico. The office provided legal advice to help Mexico implement the requirements and
recommendations through legislative channels to recover FAA’s civil aviation Category 1. (See
September 14, 2020; September 26, 2022; November 23, 2022; July 13, 2023.)
January 25, 2023: Construction began on a new air traffic control tower at the Asheville
Regional Airport. FAA committed $15 million for the new tower, which will be 127 feet tall,
topped by a 440-square-foot cab with three air traffic controllers. The 13,300-square-foot base
building will house the Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) with five air traffic
controllers.
January 30, 2023: FAA announced new Optimized Profile Descents (OPDs) for planes heading
to Orlando, Kansas City, Omaha, Reno, and six airports in South Florida. OPDs safely eliminate
the need for the fuel-consuming stair-step descent procedure. Under traditional methods, aircraft
repeatedly level off and power up the engines. This burns more fuel and requires air traffic
controllers to issue instructions at each step. With optimized descents, aircraft descend from
cruising altitude to the runway in a smooth, continuous path with the engines at near idle.
February 7, 2023: Boeing delivered its final 747 to Atlas Air.
February 16, 2023: FAA issued a new rule to help airports detect and mitigate safety problems
before accidents or incidents occur. The regulation requires certain airports to develop and
implement a safety management system (SMS). The final rule applied to over 200 of America’s
busiest commercial airports. The timeline to implement SMS ranges from four to five and a half
years, depending on the airports’ classification and operations.
February 27, 2023: FAA awarded nearly $1 billion to 99 airports nationwide. The funding would
help meet the growing demand for air travel and invest in key areas to help get travelers in and
out of airports more quickly and improve the passenger experience by investing in new baggage
systems, larger security checkpoints, and improved ground transportation. Other projects focused
on increasing terminal sustainability and improving accessibility for disabled individuals.
Several grants addressed the needs of aging air traffic control towers. The investments went to
airports in 47 states and two territories.
February 28, 2023: The new $1.5 million terminal at Kansas City International Airport opened.
March 2, 2023: FAA announced grant awards to 23 schools to help attract and train students for
careers as pilots and aviation maintenance technicians. Twelve schools received $5 million from
FAA’s Aircraft Pilots Aviation Workforce Development Grants program. The other $5 million
went to 11 schools as part of FAA’s Aviation Maintenance Technical Workers Workforce
Development program.
March 27, 2023: FAA granted a limited waiver of slot usage requirements “due to post-pandemic
effects” at high-density slot-controlled Level 3 airports JFK, LGA, and Ronald Reagan
Washington National (DCA), and at Newark (EWR), a Level 2 slot facilitated airport. The
limited waivers were valid from May 15, 2023, through September 15, 2023, for carriers who
identified the slots and timings before April 30. The agency extended the slot and scheduling
usage waivers through October 28, 2023.
April 6, 2023: FAA awarded $19 million to 14 universities nationwide as part of the Aviation
Sustainability Center (ASCENT). The research projects focused on noise reduction for new
aircraft, noise and advanced air mobility aircraft, drones, rotorcraft, and noise and communities.
(See January 9, 2023.)
April 11, 2023: FAA established a new office to provide independent reviews and decisions on
allegations of manager misconduct at the agency. The Office of Investigations and Professional
Responsibility’s work helped protect whistleblowers and others raising safety concerns.
April 20, 2023: FAA announced the selection of a sustainable design for new air traffic control
towers to be used primarily at municipal and smaller airports. The design by the Practice for
Architecture and Urbanism (PAU) of New York met essential sustainability requirements. The
design allowed for adjustments to tower height to meet each airport’s traffic and sightline
requirements while reducing construction and operational costs.
April 20, 2023: SpaceX’s Starship, with its first-of-a-kind super heavy booster, exploded during
its inaugural flight over its launch site in South Texas. (See June 13, 2023; September 8, 2023.)
April 26, 2023: FAA named a new independent National Airspace System Safety Review Team
to examine ways to enhance safety and reliability in the nation’s air traffic system. The team
expected to complete its work by October 2023. (See November 15, 2023.) Team members
included:
• Former NASA Administrator and astronaut Charles Bolden Jr.
• Former Air Line Pilots Association, International President Captain Tim Canoll
• Former National Air Traffic Controllers Association Executive Vice President Patricia
Gilbert
• Former FAA Chief Operating Officer David Grizzle
• Former FAA Administrator Michael Huerta
• Former NTSB Chair Robert Sumwalt
May 1, 2023: FAA activated 169 new routes along the East Coast that were more direct, saving
passengers time and airline fuel consumption and increasing safety. The change helped prevent
delays by giving the agency more capacity to direct traffic to specific routes based on the
aircraft’s destination.
May 4, 2023: FAA created the UAS Detection and Mitigation Systems Aviation Rulemaking
Committee to ensure that new technologies designed to detect and mitigate risks from errant or
hostile UAS do not adversely impact the safe and efficient operation of the nation’s airspace. The
ARC’s 58 members represented a diverse set of aviation stakeholders.
May 4, 2023: FAA released an updated blueprint for airspace and procedure changes to
accommodate future air taxis and other advanced air mobility (AAM) operations. Under the
blueprint, developed in coordination with NASA and industry, AAM operations would begin
slowly with air taxis flying like helicopters. AAM operations would use existing routes and
infrastructure, such as helipads and vertiports. (See January 9, 2023; July 18, 2023.)
May 9, 2023: Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and Administrator Robin Carnahan of
the General Services Administration led a ceremony announcing the naming of the headquarters
of the Department of Transportation after the fourth Secretary of Transportation, William T.
Coleman, Jr. (1975-1977) and the 14th and longest serving Secretary, Norman Y. Mineta (2001-
2006).
May 22, 2023: FAA announced it had awarded more than $100 million to 12 airports nationwide
to reduce runway incursions. Planned projects included reconfiguring taxiways that may cause
confusion, installing airfield lighting, or constructing new taxiways to provide more flexibility on
the airfield. The agency developed its Runway Incursion Mitigation Program to identify airports
with risk factors that might contribute to runway incursions.
May 30, 2023: U.S. District Judge Jorge Alonso in the Northern District of Illinois ruled that
relatives of people who died in a 2019 Boeing 737 MAX crash could seek compensation for the
victim’s pain and suffering before the plane crashed in Ethiopia. (See January 5, 2023.)
June 3, 2023: President Biden signed into law HR 346, which required the FAA administrator to
establish a task force to provide recommendations for improving the Notice to Air Missions
system. The task force would review existing methods for publishing NOTAMs and flight
operations information for pilots; review regulations, policies, systems, and international
standards relating to NOTAMs, including their content and presentation to pilots; evaluate and
determine best practices to organize, prioritize, and present flight operations information in a
manner that optimizes pilot review and retention of relevant information; provide
recommendations to improve the publication and delivery of NOTAM information; and report to
Congress on its reviews and evaluations. By September 30, 2024, FAA must complete the
implementation of a federal NOTAM system and implement a backup system and brief Congress
on a plan to enhance information delivery through this federal system to promote further global
harmonization and provide users of the National Airspace System a consistent format for
domestic and international operations. (See January 11, 2023.)
June 4, 2023: A Cessna Citation entered restricted Washington, DC, airspace, leading the Air
Force to scramble jets. The jets, which went supersonic, triggered a sonic boom in the region.
The Cessna crashed in Virginia. Accident investigators believed pilot and passenger
incapacitation may have caused the crash because of hypoxia.
June 8, 2023: President Biden designated Polly Trottenberg to serve as acting FAA administrator
upon the resignation of acting administrator Billy Nolan. Katie Thomson, FAA’s chief of staff,
was selected as the agency’s new deputy administrator. Keith Washington, DOT Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Administration, became the agency’s acting chief of staff. DOT also
announced that FAA Deputy Administrator A. Bradley Mims was moving to the Office of the
Secretary to lead the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization at DOT. (See
March 31, 2022.)
June 12, 2023: FAA issued a special airworthiness certificate to a flying car model developed by
California-based Alef Aeronautics, allowing the aircraft to fly in limited locations for exhibition,
research, and development. The Armada Model Zero, dubbed the “Model A,” was a fully electric
flying car that could take off and land vertically.
June 14, 2023: FAA issued a final rule requiring a secondary barrier on the flight deck of new
commercial airplanes to ensure the safety of aircraft, flight crew, and air passengers. The rule
would be implemented 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. (See July 27, 2022.)
June 22, 2023: FAA began operating a mobile tower at Leesburg Executive Airport after
canceling the remote tower being tested there. The airport expected the mobile platform—a
tower cab with radios and weather sensors mounted on a trailer—would stay in place until 2028,
when the town hoped to erect a permanent ATC tower. The agency covered the cost of leasing
the mobile tower through September 2023, after which Leesburg rented the structure for $10,000
a month. FAA agreed to pay controllers’ salaries through September 2028. (See September 29,
2021.)
June 29, 2023: In a six-day flight demonstration, FAA Japan, Singapore, and Thailand
demonstrated the ability to jointly manage flights across multiple countries by using trajectory-
based operations (TBO) to predict the location of an aircraft in flight. TBO used precise aircraft
trajectory data (latitude, longitude, altitude, and time) to show where the aircraft expected to be
on its route from takeoff to touchdown. It allowed aircraft to fly precise flight paths with
seamless information exchange between air and ground systems.
June 29, 2023: FAA asked for public comment on the environmental assessment to replace 31
outdated airport traffic control towers at smaller airports nationwide. The agency had set aside
over $500 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support site evaluation, preparation,
and early construction activities. Comments were due by July 31, 2023.
July 8, 2023: Northern Pacific Airways announced it had received FAA approval to begin
commercial flights. The Anchorage-based carrier expected to begin service on July 14 with
weekly flights between southern California’s Ontario International Airport and Las Vegas.
July 11, 2023: FAA announced nearly $92 million in investments to help airports reach the
president’s goal of net zero emissions by 2050. As part of almost $268 million in grants, about
$92 million went to 21 airports for solar panels, electric buses, charging stations, and
electrification studies. As a part of this sustainability effort, the agency also provided funding to
help general aviation airports safely transition to unleaded fuel for piston-engine aircraft. (See
June 15, 2022.)
July 13, 2023: FAA announced that San Marino achieved its first International Aviation Safety
Assessment (IASA) with a Category 1 rating. Under the Category 1 rating, San Marino’s civil
aviation authority followed ICAO safety standards. As a result of the rating, it could provide
service in the United States and enter into code-share agreements with U.S. carriers without
limitation. FAA’s IASA program assesses a country’s ability to follow ICAO’s safety standards.
Carriers from the countries FAA assesses have either applied to fly in the U.S., currently conduct
operations in the U.S., or participate in code-sharing agreements with U.S. airlines. (See January
20, 2023; July 13, 2023.)
July 13, 2023: FAA announced that Latvia achieved its first IASA with a Category 1 rating. (See
January 20, 2023; September 14, 2023.)
July 18, 2023: FAA released an implementation plan detailing the steps it and others must take to
enable advanced air mobility operations in the near term. The “Innovate 28” plan included
various components and the sequence needed for operations at one or more sites by 2028. (See
May 4, 2023; October 25, 2023.)
July 26, 2023: DOT issued a new rule that required airlines to make lavatories on new single-
aisle aircraft large enough to permit a passenger with a disability and attendant, both equivalent
in size to a 95
th
percentile male, to approach, enter, and maneuver within as necessary to use the
aircraft lavatory.
July 31, 2023: FAA named Kyle A. deCant, senior labor policy advisor. He will oversee strategic
planning on labor issues and advise the agency’s acting administrator and deputy administrator.
This is the first time FAA’s front office has had a permanent position focused on labor issues.
August 4, 2023: In connection with the official state visit between Vice President Kamala Harris
and Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg
and Mongolia Road and Transport Development Minister Byambatsogt Sandag signed the U.S.-
Mongolia Open Skies Agreement. The agreement facilitates greater air connectivity between the
United States and Mongolia and will provide the legal framework for nonstop passenger flights.
August 10, 2023: Virgin Galactic rocketed to the edge of space with its first tourists. The space
plane glided back to a runway, landing at Spaceport America in the New Mexico desert after a
brief flight that gave passengers a few minutes of weightlessness.
August 23, 2023: FAA approved an experimental airworthiness certificate for Boom
Supersonic’s XB-1 technology demonstrator, clearing the way for flight testing at the Mojave
Air and Space Port, California.
September 7, 2023: President Biden nominated Michael Whitaker to be FAA administrator.
Whitaker began his career in aviation as an attorney for TWA in New York and Washington and
then spent 15 years at United Airlines in Chicago, where he served as senior vice president of
alliances, international and regulatory affairs. After leaving United, he served as Group CEO at
InterGlobe, India’s largest travel conglomerate based in Delhi. In 2013, President Obama
appointed Whitaker as deputy administrator of FAA, where he served until 2016. He earned a
private pilot license while at the agency and holds bachelor’s degrees in political science and
French from the University of Louisville and a juris doctorate from Georgetown University Law
Center. The U.S. Senate confirmed Whitaker as FAA administrator on October 24, 2023. (See
January 3, 2023.) The Senate confirmed Whitaker on October 24, 2023, for a five-year term as
FAA administrator. On October 27, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Deputy
Secretary Polly Trottenberg (who had been running FAA on an acting basis) swore Whitaker into
office.
September 8, 2023: FAA closed the SpaceX Starship Super Heavy mishap investigation. The
final report cited multiple root causes of the April 20, 2023, mishap and 63 corrective actions
SpaceX must take to prevent mishap reoccurrence. Corrective actions included redesigns of
vehicle hardware to avoid leaks and fires, redesign of the launch pad to increase its robustness,
incorporation of additional reviews in the design process, further analysis and testing of safety-
critical systems and components, including the Autonomous Flight Safety System, and the
application of other change control practices. (See April 20, 2022; November 15, 2023.)
September 13, 2023: FAA gave U.S. drone operators a six-month extension to March 16, 2024,
to equip their aircraft with remote identification modules.
September 14, 2023: FAA returned Mexico’s aviation safety rating to Category 1 following more
than two years of close work between the civil aviation authorities in both countries. The agency
provided expertise and resources via technical assistance agreements to Mexico’s Agencia
Federal de Aviación Civil to resolve the safety issues that led to the downgrade. With a return to
Category 1 status, Mexico could add new services and routes to the U.S. U.S. airlines could
resume marketing and selling tickets with their names and designator codes on Mexican-operated
flights. (See January 20, 2023; July 13, 2023.)
September 20, 2023: FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that, if finalized, would
require that upper stages of commercial launch vehicles and other components resulting from
launch or reentry be removed from orbit within 25 years after launch, either through atmospheric
disposal or maneuver to an acceptable disposal orbit.
September 26, 2023: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg helped celebrate the completion of
a nearly $51 million stretch of taxiway at Denver International Airport. FAA funded the project.
September 27, 2023: FAA announced it had closed the closure of the Blue Origin New Shepard
23 mishap investigation. The final report cited the proximate cause of the September 12, 2022,
mishap as the structural failure of an engine nozzle caused by higher-than-expected engine
operating temperatures. FAA required Blue Origin to implement 21 corrective actions to prevent
mishap reoccurrence, including redesigning engine and nozzle components to improve structural
performance during operation and organizational changes. During the mishap, the onboard
launch vehicle systems detected the anomaly, triggered an abort and separation of the capsule
from the propulsion module as intended, and shut down the engine. The capsule landed safely,
and the propulsion module was destroyed upon impact with the ground. All debris landed within
the designated hazard area.
September 30, 2023: Congress passed, and the president signed a continuing resolution (CR)
funding the federal government through November 17. Included in the CR was a three-month
reauthorization of FAA. In December, Congress extended the short-term reauthorization to
March 8, 2024.
October 25, 2023: FAA signed a memorandum of agreement with the Air Force Research
Laboratory to exchange data and share capabilities and expertise to integrate safely Advanced
Air Mobility aircraft into the national airspace system. (See July 18, 2023.)
October 31, 2023: FAA completed a safety review of the SpaceX Starship-Super Heavy license.
The agency continued to work on an environmental review and consultation with the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on an updated Biological Assessment under the Endangered
Species Act. FAA and the USFWS must complete this consultation before the environmental
review portion of the license evaluation is completed. (See September 8, 2023; November 15,
2023.)
November 9, 2023: The Sampson Sky Switchblade flying car made its first flight at the Grant
County International Airport in Washington.
November 12, 2023: Joby Aviation, a company developing electric vertical take-off and landing
(eVTOL) aircraft for commercial passenger service, performed an exhibition flight in New York
City, marking the first-ever electric air taxi flight in the city and the first time Joby has flown in
an urban setting. The aircraft, a piloted, four-passenger electric aircraft, has zero operating
emissions. (See December 1, 2023.)
November 15, 2023: The group of outside experts appointed by FAA in April issued a 52-page
report, calling for “urgent action” to address safety risks in the nation’s aviation system,
highlighting issues like staffing shortages among air traffic controllers and outdated technology.
The panel recommended changes in how the agency is funded and warned about the risks posed
by aging technology. (See April 26, 2023; November 17, 2023.)
November 15, 2023: FAA reinstated SpaceX’s Starship launch license, noting “SpaceX met all
safety, environmental, policy and financial responsibility requirements.” SpaceX applied for and
received authorization for one flight. The license indicated FAA was satisfied with SpaceX's
modifications to its rocket and launchpad. (See September 8, 2023; November 18, 2023.)
November 17, 2023: FAA announced it is taking steps to enhance air traffic controller training
and safety reporting following the release of the National Airspace System Safety Review Team
report. (See November 15, 2023.) Those actions included:
• Providing additional support to colleges and universities in the Air Traffic-Collegiate
Training Initiative (AT-CTI) Program. The FAA will work with AT-CTI programs to
ensure that graduates from these programs have the necessary skills to begin on-the-job
training at a facility. These graduates still must pass the Air Traffic Skills Assessment
(ATSA) exam and meet medical and security requirements. Previously, these graduates
were required to attend the FAA Air Traffic Controller Academy before being assigned
to a facility.
• Announcing a year-round hiring track for experienced military and private industry
controllers.
• Filling every seat at the FAA Academy and increasing classroom capacity beyond current
limits.
• Expanding the use of advanced training across the country.
• Finishing deployment of tower simulator systems to 95 facilities by December 2025. The
first system will be delivered to Austin by January 2024.
• Providing reports from the Air Traffic Safety Oversight Service to the FAA
Administrator and Aviation Safety Associate Administrator.
November 18, 2023: SpaceX's uncrewed spacecraft Starship failed shortly after lifting off from
its launch site near Boca Chica, Texas. The rocket's Super Heavy first stage booster exploded
over the Gulf of Mexico shortly after detaching. The launch was the second attempt to fly
Starship mounted atop its towering Super Heavy rocket booster, following an April attempt that
ended in explosive failure about four minutes after lift-off. (See November 15, 2023.)
November 30, 2023: FAA proposed to increase the cockpit voice-recording requirement from
two to twenty-five days for all newly manufactured aircraft. The change would align the FAA
regulations with the International Civil Aviation Organization and the European Union Aviation
Safety Agency rules.
December 1, 2023: Miami-based Doroni Aerospace announced its all-electric flying car, the
Doroni HI, received FAA airworthiness certification, the second flying car, or vertical takeoff
and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to be certified. Powered by ten independent propulsion systems,
the all-electric flying car has a claimed top speed of 140 mph (100 mph cruising speed) and a 60-
mile range. (See November 12, 2023.)
December 3, 2023: Alaska Airlines announced a deal to buy Hawaiian Airlines for $1.9 billion.
December 3, 2023: FAA’s thirteenth administrator, David Hinson, passed away in Roseville,
CA, at 90. He served as administrator from 1993-1996.
December 5, 2023: FAA announced that the agency had officially established the Mental Health
and Aviation Medical Clearances Rulemaking Committee (ARC). FAA expects the ARC to
submit recommendations by the end of March 2024 on how the FAA can identify and break
down any remaining barriers that discourage pilots from reporting and seeking care for mental
health issues.
December 13, 2023: FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker directed the executive director of Air
Traffic Safety Oversight to report to him and the Associate Administrator of Aviation Safety to
address better safety risks.
December 18, 2023: The Transportation Department announced a $140 million fine against
Southwest Airlines over a meltdown last winter that disrupted travel for about two million people
during the holiday season. Of the $140 million, Southwest Airlines will pay $35 million to the
federal government. For the remaining amount, the department is giving the airline credit for
providing frequent-flier points as an apology to customers affected by the meltdown and
agreeing to give out tens of millions of dollars in vouchers to customers affected by future delays
and cancellations. The fine is roughly 30 times what had previously been the department’s
largest penalty against an airline for consumer protection violations, a $4.5 million settlement
with Air Canada in 2021 over customer refunds.
December 20, 2023: FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker announced he had established a
three-member panel, led by former National Transportation Safety Board member Mark
Rosekind, to "examine how the latest science on sleep needs and fatigue considerations could be
applied to controller work requirements and scheduling." He asked the panel for their
recommendations in six weeks. The other two members of the panel were Charles Czeisler, chief
and senior physician, Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Departments of Medicine and
Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Dr. Erin Flynn-Evans, head of the NASA Ames
Research Center Fatigue Countermeasures Laboratory.
December 26, 2023: Mexico launched its army-run airline when the first Mexicana Airlines
flight took off from Mexico City bound for the Caribbean resort of Tulum. It was another sign of
the outsized role that President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has given to Mexico’s armed
forces. The airline’s military-run holding company now also operates about a dozen airports,
hotels, trains, the country’s customs service, and tourist parks.
December 28, 2023: The FAA announced it was closely monitoring targeted inspections of
Boeing 737 MAX airplanes to look for a possible loose bolt in the rudder control system. Under
consultation with the FAA, Boeing issued a Multi-Operator Message (MOM), urging operators
of newer single-aisle airplanes to inspect specific tie rods that control rudder movement for
possible loose hardware. FAA said it would remain in contact with Boeing and the airlines while
the inspections are underway. The agency will consider additional action based on further
discovery of loose or missing hardware. Boeing recommended the inspections after an
international operator discovered a bolt with a missing nut while performing routine maintenance
on a mechanism in the rudder-control linkage.
December 28, 2023: Chinese manufacturer EHang demonstrated the world’s first commercial
eVTOL air taxi flight. Inaugural trips aboard the two-passenger, self-flying air taxi took place in
Guangzhou and Hefei. Passengers—including high-ranking government officials and citizens
alike—were invited to fly and did not need to pay for their tickets. The cities posted no-fly
notices to keep the airspace clear.
December 29, 2023: SpaceX conducted a dual test of engines on the giant Starship and Super
Heavy rocket stages at SpaceX's Starbase proving ground in Boca Chica, Texas. The test, which
lasted about 10 seconds, successfully fired all 33 Raptor engines on the Super Heavy booster,
which serves as the first stage of the Starship rocket.
2024
January 5, 2024: A fuselage section on a Boeing 737 Max 9 jet broke loose during a flight on the
same model operated by Alaska Airlines, leaving a gaping hole in the aircraft while in flight. On
January 6, the FAA grounded all Max 9 jets operated by U.S. airlines or flown into the U.S. by
foreign carriers so operators could conduct emergency inspections. The emergency order
affected about 171 planes worldwide. On January 11, the FAA announced an investigation to
determine if Boeing “failed to ensure completed products conformed to its approved design and
were in a condition for safe operation in compliance with FAA regulations.”
January 8, 2024: The first U.S. moon landing attempt in more than 50 years failed after a private
company’s spacecraft developed a fuel leak just hours after its launch. Pittsburgh-based
Astrobotic Technology hoped to land the craft on the moon on February 23.
January 16, 2024: A federal judge blocked JetBlue Airways proposed $3.8 billion acquisition of
Spirit Airlines, a victory for the Department of Justice, which argued that the deal would harm
travelers. The Justice Department argued that smaller, low-cost airlines like Spirit helped reduce
fares and that allowing the company to be acquired by JetBlue, which tends to charge higher
prices than Spirit, would have hurt consumers.
January 19, 2024: President Biden signed a stopgap measure, securing government funding until
the beginning of March and averting a partial shutdown. The House and Senate, in bipartisan
votes, approved the continuing resolution, which extends current-level funding for select federal
agencies until March 1 and others until March 8. This marks the third stopgap measure passed
since September, as lawmakers strive to finalize a broader spending deal.
January 26, 2024: Virgin Galactic completed its 11th sub-orbital spaceflight, marking its sixth
commercial mission. This mission was notable as it was the first time Virgin Galactic conducted
a flight without a company astronaut on board; instead, all four seats in Unity's cabin were
occupied by paying customers.
January 29, 2024: The FAA announced the first air tower simulator in the nation was operational
at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. After a nationwide safety review in November
2023, it chose Austin as one of 95 facilities to receive the tower simulator systems to boost air
traffic control safety. The simulator includes a visual database to simulate air traffic scenarios on
an airport’s layout, operations, and airspace.
February 1, 2024: FAA announced partnerships with several companies to offer drone pilots
more places to receive official airspace awareness information. The FAA has approved four
companies to provide B4UFLY services through desktop and mobile applications. Approved
companies will offer multiple ways to access B4UFLY and directly bring recreational flyers with
the latest airspace awareness information from the agency.
February 9, 2024: FAA announced plans to accelerate its training and hiring of air traffic
controllers through an Enhanced Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) program.
The Enhanced AT-CTI program will bolster the current hiring pipeline by allowing the FAA to
hire more candidates who can begin facility training immediately upon graduation. The agency is
authorizing institutions in the AT-CTI program to provide the same thorough curriculum offered
at the FAA Air Traffic Controller Academy. After graduating from one of the eligible schools,
new hires can immediately begin localized training at an air traffic facility. These graduates still
must pass the Air Traffic Skills Assessment exam and meet medical and security requirements.
Colleges will apply to join the Enhanced AT-CTI program in April 2024, and the FAA will then
sign partnership agreements with the selected institutions that incorporate the new curriculum.
February 15, 2024: The second attempt of a commercial lunar landing mission lifted off on board
a SpaceX Falcon 9. The Nova-C lander, also dubbed the Odysseus, landed near the lunar south
pole, the first craft to land on the moon since 1972. The Intuitive Machines IM-1 mission is the
second as part of the Commercial Lunar Payload Services program initiative started by NASA to
encourage commercial moon landing missions as part of the Artemis program. It took place
about a month after the failed Astrobotic Peregrine mission that burned up in the Earth’s
atmosphere rather than landing on the lunar surface. Intuitive Machines representatives
subsequently announced that the Nova-C had tipped over upon touchdown and was lying on its
side, limiting its ability to send images back.
February 20, 2024: FAA released a final rule to reduce carbon pollution emitted by most large
airplanes flying in U.S. airspace. The rule requires incorporating improved fuel-efficient
technologies for airplanes manufactured after January 1, 2028, and for subsonic jet airplanes and
large turboprop and propeller airplanes that are not yet certified.
February 21, 2024: FAA announced its intent to establish a new aerospace rulemaking
committee to identify ways to improve further how launch and reentry licenses are reviewed and
approved without compromising public safety. The committee will gather recommendations
from industry and other stakeholders to help the FAA improve the Part 450 launch and reentry
licensing requirements. This includes issuing new licenses, renewing or modifying existing
licenses, and conducting payload reviews. The committee will be formally created in the coming
months. By March 2026, all FAA-licensed launch and reentry operators must comply with Part
450.
February 22, 2024: Aerospace companies, including Airbus, Boeing, and GE Aerospace,
announced the formation of a coalition that would aim to prevent unauthorized parts from
entering the global supply chain. The move comes after jet engine maker CFM International, co-
owned by GE Aerospace and France's Safran last year, said thousands of engine components
may have been sold with forged paperwork by British distributor AOG Technics. The Aviation
Supply Chain Integrity Coalition group included senior representatives from American Airlines,
Delta Air Lines, Safran, StandardAero, and United Airlines. Former National Transportation
Safety Board Chairman Robert Sumwalt and former U.S. Transportation Deputy Secretary John
Porcari served as coalition co-chairs.
February 26, 2024: The Department of Transportation announced that starting on March 31,
2024, Chinese passenger airlines would be allowed to boost their weekly round-trip U.S. flights,
returning the market to about one-third of pre-pandemic levels.
February 27, 2024: Continuing its efforts to improve safety on the nation’s runways, the FAA
informed pilots of an accessible safety tool called Arrival Alert Notice (AAN), a planning and
awareness tool to help pilots avoid lining up to land on a wrong taxiway, runway, or airport.
February 26, 2024: Media outlets reported that Canadian airline Lynx Air, which flew between
Phoenix and its hub in Calgary, Alberta, shut down one year after launching service in Arizona.
February 28, 2024: During an all-day safety discussion, Administrator Mike Whitaker informed
Boeing officials that the aircraft manufacturer must develop a comprehensive action plan to
address its systemic quality-control issues. Whitaker said he expected the company to provide
the FAA with a comprehensive action plan within 90 days that incorporates the forthcoming
results of the FAA production-line audit and the latest findings from the expert review panel
report. The plan must also include steps Boeing will take to mature its Safety Management
System (SMS) program and integrate its SMS program with a Quality Management System.
March 1, 2024: The president signed a continuing resolution providing FY 2024 appropriations
to four federal agencies, including the FAA, for continuing projects and activities through March
8, 2024.
March 4, 2024: The FAA’s six-week audit of Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems involving a new
Boeing 737-9 MAX aircraft found multiple instances where the companies allegedly failed to
comply with manufacturing quality control requirements. The agency identified non-compliance
issues in Boeing’s manufacturing process control, parts handling and storage, and product
control. The audit is one of the FAA's immediate oversight actions after a left mid-cabin door
plug blew out of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 on January 5 while in flight. FAA Administrator
Mike Whitaker had informed Boeing’s CEO and other senior leaders that the company must
address the audit’s findings as part of its comprehensive corrective action plan to fix systemic
quality-control issues. The plan must also address the expert review panel report findings that
examined Boeing’s safety culture. The FAA has given Boeing 90 days to outline its action plan.
To hold Boeing accountable for its production quality issues, the FAA halted production
expansion of the Boeing 737 MAX, explored the use of a third party to conduct independent
reviews of quality systems, and continued to increase its onsite presence at Boeing’s facility in
Renton, Washington, and Spirit AeroSystems’ facility in Wichita, Kansas.
March 8, 2024: David Harris, who broke the color barrier in commercial aviation when
American Airlines hired him in 1964, died at 89. Harris joined the company after serving as a
captain in the U.S. Air Force, flying B-52 bombers. ‘
March 8, 2024: President Biden signed the third extension of the FAA’s authorization until May
11.
March 9, 2024: President Biden signed the multi-agency Consolidation Appropriation Act of
2024, which provided FY 2024 funding to the FAA and other agencies. The legislation provided
a $20.28 billion budget for the FAA, a $1.25 billion increase over FY 2023.
March 11, 2024: A Latam Airlines Boeing 727 Dreamliner, en route from Australia to Auckland,
New Zealand, suddenly plunged, injuring 50 passengers. The drop in altitude appeared to have
been caused when a flight attendant accidentally hit a switch on a seat that sent a pilot into the
plane’s controls. On March 15, Boeing told airlines to check the cockpit seats on the Dreamliner
planes.
March 14, 2024: SpaceX launched its Starship rocket, which traveled about halfway around the
Earth before it was lost as it re-entered the atmosphere. It re-entered the atmosphere about 45
minutes after launch, heading toward a belly-flop splashdown in the Indian Ocean. The video
conveyed near real-time via SpaceX’s Starlink satellites showed red-hot gases heating the
vehicle's underside. Then, 49 minutes after launch, communications with Starship ended, and
SpaceX later said the vehicle had not survived the re-entry, presumably disintegrating and falling
into the ocean.
March 14, 2024: The FAA launched a new surface safety tool, called Approach Runway
Verification (ARV), at air traffic control towers nationwide to improve airport safety. ARV
provides controllers with visual and audible alerts if an approaching aircraft is lined up to land on
the wrong airport surface, or even the wrong airport.
March 15, 2024: The FAA announced that pilots who operated drones required to be registered
must comply with the Remote ID Rule. In September 2023, the FAA issued a policy for
exercising discretion in determining whether to take enforcement action for drone operators who
could not comply with the Remote ID rule. That policy ended on March 16, 2024. Operators who
did not comply after that date could face fines and suspension or revocation of their drone pilot
certificates.
March 15, 2024: After landing at Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport in Oregon,
authorities discovered the Boeing 737-800 was missing an external panel. The FAA is
investigating how the flight departed San Francisco lost the panel. There were no injuries.
March 18, 2024: Airbus Beluga Transport, a new cargo airline established by the European
aircraft manufacturer to carry oversized shipments, arrived at Orlando Sanford International
Airport in Florida in its inaugural North American flight. In January 2024, the U.S. Department
of Transportation granted the airline a foreign carrier permit to conduct commercial charter
service to, from, or within the United States. The aircraft resembles a beluga whale, and the
design is based on an A300 widebody jet that Airbus adapted by lowering the cockpit and adding
a bulbous fuselage shell to accommodate large aircraft sections so they could be moved from the
factory.
March 21, 2024: The Department of Transportation announced plans to undertake a privacy
review of the nation’s ten largest airlines regarding their collection, handling, maintenance, and
use of passengers’ personal information. The review will examine airlines’ policies and
procedures to determine if they properly safeguard their customers’ personal information. In
addition, DOT will probe whether airlines are unfairly or deceptively monetizing or sharing that
data with third parties. As DOT finds evidence of problematic practices, it plans to take action,
which could mean investigations, enforcement actions, guidance, or rulemaking.
March 25, 2024: Boeing announced an overhaul of its management team that included the
departure of its chief executive, Dave Calhoun, at the end of the year. Stan Deal, the head of the
division that makes planes for airlines and other commercial customers, retired immediately.
Stephanie Pope, Boeing’s chief operating officer, replaced Deal. Boeing also said its chairman,
Larry Kellner, would not stand for re-election. The board elected Steve Mollenkopf, an electrical
engineer by training and the former chief executive of Qualcomm, as its new chairman.
April 1, 2024: FAA announced it opened the application process for its Enhanced Air Traffic-
Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI). The FAA developed the Enhanced AT-CTI to create an
additional training pipeline for air traffic controllers by authorizing institutions to provide the
same comprehensive curriculum offered at the FAA Air Traffic Controller Academy. After
graduating from one of the eligible schools, new hires can begin training at an air traffic facility.
These graduates still must pass the Air Traffic Skills Assessment exam and meet medical and
security requirements.
April 2, 2024: The FAA updated the Flight Instructor for Airplane Category Airman
Certification Standards (FAA-S-ACS-25).
April 15, 2024: FAA announced plans to install the Surface Awareness Initiative (SAI) system at
Austin-Bergstrom, Indianapolis, Nashville, and Dallas Love Field airports by July 2024. SAI
uses Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data to display surface traffic to
controllers at airports that do not have a surface surveillance tool. Aircraft and ADS-B-equipped
vehicles appear as icons on an airport map depicting runways, taxiways, hold ramps, and other
areas. The system will be deployed to other airports in 2025.
April 19, 2024: FAA announced plans to revise air traffic controller rest guidelines, mandating
10 hours off between shifts (previously 9 hours) and 12 before midnight shifts. The change came
in response to a report released by a panel of safety experts detailing the impact of fatigue on air
traffic controllers and safety. FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker issued the new rest rules in
an April 19 memo to FAA leadership, noting that the changes would be implemented within the
next 90 days.
