Source: IATA “Several countries are introducing COVID-19 testing and other measures for travellers from China, even though the virus is already circulating widely within their borders. It is extremely disappointing to see this knee-jerk reinstatement of measures that have proven ineffective over the last three years. Research undertaken around the arrival of the Omicron variant concluded that putting barriers in the way of travel made no difference to the peak spread of infections. At most, restrictions delayed that peak by a few days. If a new variant emerges in any part of the world, the same situation would be expected. That’s why governments should listen to the advice of experts, including the WHO, that advise against travel restrictions. We have [...]

Source: CANSO Earlier in December, CANSO became a member of the Radio Technical Committee for Aeronautics (RTCA). Founded in 1935, RTCA has provided the foundation for many modern technical advances in aviation. A private, not-for-profit corporation, RTCA works closely with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), industry experts from the US and around the world to develop comprehensive, industry-vetted, and endorsed recommendations on technical performance standards and the operating environment for utilizing standards. These standards can be used as means of compliance with FAA regulations and other aviation regulatory authorities. RTCA’s historic role in aviation has been to provide the forum and consensus industry voice for government and industry cooperation on concepts of operations for the air traffic control system, along with [...]

Source: TSA The Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Omnibus Appropriations Bill signed Thursday by the President includes funding to bring TSA employee compensation to a level commensurate with other federal agencies. It also supports funding to expand collective bargaining rights for our screening workforce. After years of advocating for fair pay for TSA employees, the provision allows the agency to bring pay rates in alignment with other federal agencies, effective July 1, 2023. TSA's frontline employees, Transportation Security Officers (TSO), have generally been paid up to 30% less than their federal counterparts. The bill also included funding for expanded collective bargaining rights for TSA's non-supervisory TSOs as well as new computed tomography and credential authentication technology acquisitions that will significantly enhance our [...]

Source: FAA Following the Emergency Use Authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has determined that pilots and others who perform safety sensitive duties may receive the vaccine under the conditions of their FAA-issued airman medical certification. FAA and contract air traffic controllers, who are subject to FAA medical clearance, may also receive the vaccine. To maintain the highest level of safety in the National Airspace System, the FAA will require the affected recipients of this single-dose vaccine to wait 48 hours before conducting safety sensitive aviation duties, such as flying or controlling air traffic. The waiting period, which accounts for potential side effects, applies to those holding an [...]

Source: ALPA Launch Paid Advertising Campaign as Company Announces Second-Quarter Earnings In advance of the Company’s second-quarter earnings report, FedEx pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), criticized management for dragging its feet and failing to deliver a new, comprehensive contract to its pilots. FedEx pilots have been in negotiations with FedEx management since May 2021, including expedited federal mediation with the National Mediation Board. “FedEx was profitable before the pandemic, became historically profitable during the pandemic, and remains solidly profitable today,” said Capt. Chris Norman, chair of ALPA’s FedEx pilot group. “Now is the time for FedEx to significantly invest in the future success of our company with an industry-leading pilot contract that recognizes the vast [...]

Source: ALPA The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) today released updated data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) showing that from January through November 2022, there were 8,805 commercial airline pilot certificates (ATP-MELs) issued, once again exceeding analyst forecasts and airline demand for new aviators—and putting the U.S. on pace to break pilot production records this year. In addition to the impressive pilot production numbers, there were a total of 86,774 certified flight instructors, roughly 10 percent more than at the end of 2019, further demonstrating that the commercial airline pilot pipeline remains strong and robust. “The pilot-production pipeline is strong, the aviation industry continues its recovery—and it has never been a better time to become a professional aviator,” said [...]