faa
Random Stuff
FAA Computer Glitch Causing Widespread Flight Delays
5:11AM Sean Fallon | For the second time in 15 months, an FAA computer glitch has rippled through airports across the United States, causing major delays. More »
Vehicles
FAA Concerned About Flight Attendants Carrying Handheld Bombs
1:20AM Matt Buchanan | They’re on pretty much every flight now: Handheld credit-card readers to buy snackies and drinks. None have exploded yet, but the FAA just issued special advisories to airlines, since they’re powered by explode-y lithium ion batteries. More »
Vehicles
Your Next Plane Seat May Well Have An Airbag
1:22AM John Herrman | This week, a long-brewing FAA regulation requiring planes to protect passengers from 16 G crash forces will come into full effect. What does this mean for you? Well, your next seat—or more accurately, seat belt—could have an airbag. More »
Gadgets
5:40AM Wilson Rothman | If you’ve flown lately, you have probably noticed that the “portable electronics” rules are increasingly muddled. It’s time for the FAA and airlines to lift the electronics ban completely, or rewrite it to reflect modern gadgets. More »
Giz Explains: How To Fix the Airlines’ Stupid Gadget Rules
5:40AM Wilson Rothman | If you’ve flown lately, you have probably noticed that the “portable electronics” rules are increasingly muddled. It’s time for the FAA and airlines to lift the electronics ban completely, or rewrite it to reflect modern gadgets. More »
Press
FAA Computers Aren’t Computing, Cause Delays At Airports Everywhere
6:03AM Jason Chen | We don’t know how many airports total are being affected, but FAA computers at one of their facilities are having trouble processing data, which means flights everywhere are being delayed. So far CNN says LaGuardia in NY and Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta were affected, but radar and plane contact is fine. If you’re flying today or tomorrow (like I am), you should get to the airport early. Or late, I guess, if flights are delayed. Maybe just show up at your normal time. [CNN] More »
Random Stuff
June 29 Will Be Like Y2K for Airlines
6:00AM Matt Buchanan | America has never been a fan of frilly international standards, like the metre or the Kyoto Protocol, but for some reason the airline industry is switching flight plans for all domestic flights over to the international standard on June 29. According to our people’s champion brother blog, you might wanna be prepared to at least stand around longer than usual—like Y2K, the switchover could make things screw-y and bork a whole bunch of flights, or it could be totally painless. Make sure your gadgets have a full battery charges, just in case. [FAA via Consumerist] More »
Gadgets
DOT Says Fuel Cells Can Fly; FAA Still Afraid They Might Fry
11:23PM Wilson Rothman | The US DOT has approved transportation of methanol fuel cell cartridges in your baggage and carry-on luggage, according to one fuel-cell maker. If you’re lucky enough to own a fuel-cell system, you’ll definitely be able to fly with it come October, when the ruling goes into effect. But this ruling only allows you to carry the cells, not use them on the plane. I looked into it, and the FAA, a division of the DOT, is still apparently evaluating the fire hazards associated with in-flight operation. More »
Vehicles
Aeros ML866 Air Vehicle Accepted for FAA Approval, Still Three Years from First Flight
10:00PM Jesus Diaz | The FAA has accepted the Aeroscraft Aeros ML866 for certification, the aircraft which is neither an airship nor a dirigible or an aeroplane or an helicopter or a UFO, but is “classified as a fourth type of air vehicle, a buoyancy assisted air vehicle.” However, don’t hold your breath for a pleasant trip in this long-range, 210-feet-long, 5,000-square-feet cruise liner of the skies: the company told the Giz that the “ML866 is preliminary scheduled to begin the flight test activities in 30-36 months.” They couldn’t give us names of their potential customers, but at least they gave us a new picture of the bar onboard: More »
Computers
