New York to Los Angeles in 3 hours? Executive order could make it possible by 2027, reopening the door for commercial supersonic flight | Live Science

July 21, 2025July 21, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Supersonic commercial travel could soon be coming to the U.S. following a new executive order lifting a 52-year ban on overland commercial supersonic flights.

While supersonic flights could cross the Atlantic, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) banned overland commercial supersonic flights in 1973 in response to public pressure over noise concerns. The new executive order, issued on June 6, lifts that ban and lays out a timeline for the introduction of noise-based certification rules for supersonic flights.

This move could cut travel time between New York and Los Angeles almost in half, from six to just 3.5 hours.

SpaceX disputes $633K FAA fine, citing ‘systematic challenges’ with agency | TechCrunch

September 20, 2024September 19, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

SpaceX sent a letter to top congressional leaders on Wednesday denying allegations that it violated its launch licenses on two separate occasions last year, which has resulted in regulators seeking $633,009 in penalties from the company.

Instead, the company asserts that the inability of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST) to process “relatively minor” license updates is further proof that the agency is unable to keep pace with the space industry’s — but chiefly SpaceX’s — rapid growth.

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket grounded for 2nd time in 2 months following explosive landing failure | Live Science

August 30, 2024August 29, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket on Wednesday (Aug 28), following a failed landing attempt that left the spacecraft toppled over in flames.

The reusable rocket booster had just completed its record-breaking 23rd mission, successfully launching 21 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit before touching down on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean roughly nine minutes later, according to Live Science’s sister site Space.com. However, immediately upon landing, the rocket tipped over, bursting into flames.

No injuries or public property damage were reported in connection with the failed landing.

United delays all flights nationwide following ground stop due to ‘equipment outage’ | CNN Business

September 6, 2023September 5, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

United Airlines delayed more than 300 flights after the FAA lifted a brief ground stop that continued to disrupt the carrier’s service nationwide.

On Tuesday afternoon, United Airlines delayed all flights nationwide due to an “equipment outage,” according to an alert from the Federal Aviation Administration.

In an update about an hour later, the FAA alert said the “ground stop is cancelled.”

“We have identified a fix for the technology issue and flights have resumed. We’re working with impacted customers to help them reach their destinations as soon as possible,” United Airlines posted on social media.

FAA approves first autonomous commercial drones | Mashable

January 20, 2021January 18, 2021 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

You can officially claim autonomous commercial drones for your 2021 bingo card.

On Friday, Massachusetts-based industrial drone developer American Robotics announced it had received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to operate its fully-automated “Scout” drones without any humans on-site.

It’s the first waiver of its kind, as the FAA has previously approved the use of autonomous commercial drones exclusively under the condition that human observers be present along the flight path — or that risk of collision be mitigated through otherwise hyper-strict limitations. Advocates of drone technology say those restrictions have long held the industry back.

FAA Working on Rules That Will Allow Drones to Fly Over People | Entrepreneur

February 25, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday said it would develop drone regulations allowing some unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to fly over people, an authorization eagerly sought by a range of industries including real estate and agriculture.

The U.S. aviation regulatory agency, under pressure from Congress and industry to accommodate commercial drones, said it established a rule-making committee that would recommend a new regulatory framework by April 1.

FAA Requires Drone Regulation — Whether Used for Commercial Purposes or Not | Small Biz Trends

December 30, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Whether you are using your new drone for business or any other purpose, all drones within a certain weight range must now be registered with the federal government.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced its strategic drone registration site that’s now up and running. The initiative has put into place to protect the rights of the owners as well as those of the public, the FAA claims.

One Map That Shows Why Regulators Are Freaking Out About Drones | Forbes

November 5, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

In the wake of several high profile drone accidents and a spike in reported sightings over the past year tracked by the Federal Aviation Administration, the government is cracking down on the unmanned flying objects. By the end of the month new drone registration requirements are expected. The AS-MC01-P multicopter unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), developed by Aerosense Inc., a joint venture between Sony Mobile Communications Inc. and ZMP Inc. (Photographer: Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg)

The FAA and the Department of Transportation want drone registration and have called on a handful of interested parties—ranging from drone manufacturers to Amazon and other companies with drone delivery systems in their sights—for recommendations. Thursday marks the final day of a three-day meeting of the new “drone task force,” which has been issued a November 20 deadline to hand in its formal suggestions for policing drones.

Hollywood Drone Approval May Blaze Trail for Farmers: DOT | Bloomberg

September 29, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Score one for Hollywood.

Six movie and television production companies convinced the Federal Aviation Administration that they are capable of safely using drones while filming scenes in the U.S., opening the door to broader commercial use of the unmanned aircraft.

The FAA today said it granted the six companies waivers from regulations on general flight rules, pilot certification and equipment mandates designed for traditional aircraft as long as they meet certain conditions for safety. The agency is working with a seventh company on a similar drone approval and has at least 40 additional waiver requests pending for commercial use of unmanned aerial systems.

FAA Bans The Use Of Drones To Deliver Packages | TechCrunch

June 24, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The FAA made it plain this week that Amazon, or anyone else for that matter, won’t be able to deliver packages using a drone in the near future. In a document soliciting feedback regarding drone policy — a “Notice of Interpretation with Request for Comment ” — the FAA calls “delivering packages to people for a fee” a non-hobby or recreation-based drone activity.

As such, the FAA wants to ban it. A recent court case set the FAA back regarding its wish to ban commercial drone usage in the United States. The agency is appealing that ruling.