FAA
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The Air Traffic Organization is in the middle of one of the largest pilots in government testing mobile computing devices. ATO CIO Steve Cooper said business organizations must have a valid need to use the devices. Cooper said ATO will test other mobile devices this spring.
April 12, 2011 -
President Obama expects to have an answer Friday morning about whether a shutdown can be averted. Meanwhile agencies have new guidance from OMB on how to prepare to close down their offices. Federal workers vent frustrations and ask questions during a town hall meeting sponsored by Rep. Jim Moran.
April 08, 2011 -
The Department of Energy is now accepting grant applications - for a total of up to $74 million dollars - to support the research and development of clean, reliable fuel cells. The solicitations include up to $65 million over three years to fund continued research and development on fuel cell components with the goal of reducing costs, improving their durability and increasing the efficiency of fuel cell systems. Fuel cells use the energy of hydrogen or other fuels to cleanly and efficiently produce electricity or heat with very few - and inert - byproducts. They can produce power in large stationary systems such as buildings or for vehicles such as commercial forklifts, buses and automobiles. Officials say the awards will help support U.S. leadership in the emerging global fuel cell market, while limiting greenhouse gas emissions and reducing the country\'s reliance on fossil fuels.
January 09, 2011 -
A new report from the Office of Special Counsel says the Federal Aviation Administration failed to ensure that Airworthiness Directives were issued in a timely manner resulting in unsafe conditions in some helicopters for a…
December 29, 2010 -
Federal Aviation Administration safety inspectors at the North Pole certified Santa One, the reindeer-powered sleigh piloted by Santa Claus, prior to its 2010 Christmas Eve delivery mission. Santa One - they report - is outfitted with new satellite-based NextGen technology, that allows Santa to deliver more toys to more children with improved safety and efficiency. Rudolph\'s nose has been outfitted with avionics that can broadcast Santa One\'s position to air traffic controllers around the world with improved accuracy. FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt says Santa\'s cockpit display is improved to help improve his situational awareness. Even as energy-efficient as the reindeer-powered sleigh already is, officials say NextGen technologies have further reduced Santa One\'s carbon hoofprint. Shorter, faster routings mean the reindeer consume less hay.
December 27, 2010 -
How does Santa deliver toys to billions of kids around the world? What kinds of tools does the Clause use, besides Rudolph’s nose, to stay on course? The Federal Aviation Administration told the DorobekINSIDER all…
December 22, 2010 -
Washington said he wants to pursue work in the commercial aviation industry.
December 02, 2010 -
The Federal Aviation Administration is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop alternatives to jet fuel. The agencies will examine the availability of different kinds of feedstocks that could be processed by bio-refineries. Officials say, the development and deployment of alternative fuels is critical to achieving carbon neutral aviation growth by the year 2020. As part of the effort, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced the implementation of the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (or BCAP). That program reimburses farmers or other producers for the cost of planting and producing eligible renewable biomass crops - up to 75 percent - within specified areas. To further stabilize the cost of jet fuel, the agencies have also entered a five year agreement to develop aviation fuel from forest and crop residues and other \"green\" feedstocks.
November 01, 2010 -
In a new report, the Government Accountability Office says the Federal Aviation Administration is taking steps to plan for and train its technician workforce but a more strategic approach is needed. Gerald Dillingham, the Director of Physical Infrastructure Issues at GAO, discussed the report with the DorobekINSIDER.
October 28, 2010 -
Move over radar... it won\'t be long before that decades-old technology is replaced by satellites to track all aircraft in U.S. airspace. The Federal Aviation Administration has given the green light for a full-scale, nationwide deployment of a new satellite-based surveillance system called Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast, or ADS-B. The technology has been successfully rolled out at four key testing sites. The FAA says the system tracks aircraft with greater accuracy, integrity and reliability than radar-based systems. Controller screens update more frequently and show more detailed information, including the type of aircraft, its call sign, heading, altitude and speed. Every part of the country now covered by radar will eventually have ADS-B coverage. Nationwide coverage is expected to be complete by 2013.
October 05, 2010 -
The FAA is transitioning between the worlds of ground-based and satellite-based systems. We get an update from Administrator Babbitt.
September 16, 2010 -
By 2018, the FAA expects NextGen to reduce flight delays by 21 percent, provide $22 billion in benefits to the traveling public, and save 1.4 billion gallons of fuel. We get an update on the program from the FAA\'s Vicki Fox.
September 01, 2010 -
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Center will conduct research on next frontier of space exploration
August 23, 2010 -
Vote for the agency with the best gym as part of Federal News Radio\'s Best of the Federal Government series. Your votes determine the winner!
August 17, 2010