Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is a U.S. federal government agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation which regulates civil aviation in the United States and surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic control, certification of personnel and aircraft, setting standards for airports, and protection of U.S. assets during the launch or re-entry of commercial space vehicles. Powers over neighboring international waters were delegated to the FAA by authority of the International Civil Aviation Organization.
Some of the key events about Federal Aviation Administration
- 1956Failed to prevent mid-air collision over Grand Canyon, leading to 128 fatalities
- 1958Established as an independent federal agency to regulate and oversee civil aviation in the United States
- 1967Implemented the first nationwide air traffic control system
- 1970Created the Airport and Airway Trust Fund to finance aviation infrastructure improvements
- 1974Inadequate oversight contributed to crash of TWA Flight 514 in Virginia, killing all 92 aboard
- 1978Introduced the Aviation Safety Reporting System to collect voluntary safety reports from aviation professionals
- 1978Delayed implementation of collision avoidance systems, despite recommendations
- 1981Launched the National Airspace System Plan to modernize air traffic control facilities and equipment
- 1988Insufficient oversight of maintenance practices led to Aloha Airlines Flight 243 incident
- 1995Implemented the Global Positioning System (GPS) for aviation navigation
- 1996Criticized for slow response to safety concerns before ValuJet Flight 592 crash
- 2001Established the Air Transportation Oversight System to enhance airline safety inspections
- 2001Failed to adequately address security vulnerabilities prior to September 11 attacks
- 2003Introduced the Capstone Program in Alaska to improve aviation safety in remote areas
- 2007Initiated the NextGen program to modernize the national airspace system
- 2008Whistleblowers revealed FAA inspectors were too lax with Southwest Airlines' maintenance
- 2009Slow to address pilot fatigue issues, despite NTSB recommendations
- 2013Furloughed air traffic controllers due to budget sequestration, causing flight delays
- 2016Implemented new regulations for commercial use of small unmanned aircraft systems (drones)
- 2019Criticized for oversight failures in certification of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft
Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.
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