Mark Huber is an aviation industry veteran who has worked in the flight training, aircraft sales, aircraft component, and airport development businesses. He has flight time in more than 50 different and diverse aircraft, including helicopters, aerobatic aircraft, vintage warbirds, jet fighters, business jets and turboprops, and transport-category aircraft. He has jumped out of several of these—on purpose—with a parachute. His defense and aviation journalism has been published in a variety of national and international periodicals.

Contributor

Mark Huber

Helicopter Association International president Matt Zuccaro said HAI is evaluating its legal and political options in the wake of a <a href="http://ainonline.com/aviation-news/aviation-international-news/2012-08-05/long-island-north-shore-route-now-mandatory">federal court decision upholding the authority of the FAA to mandate the “North Shore Route”</a> for helicopters transiting New York’s Long Island. 
“We’re frustrated. Everybody agrees this was started as a political action,” Zuccaro said. “We almost view the FAA as a victim. This wasn’t their idea. They did not want to do this. They basically don’t agree with it. However, they were directed by those with political influence to do this. That’s the reality of the world, and when that happens we lose control of the [airspace] process. It’s like telling the FAA to go sit on the steps of the Capitol and wait for instructions. That’s not what we think the agency is about.” 
Zuccaro said the FAA continues to advocate a voluntary and cooperative approach to <a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/s208">helicopter noise problems in the Los Angeles basin</a>, widely seen as the next big battleground on the issue. Zuccaro noted that most helicopter traffic there is from the public sector and that those operations would be exempt from any mandatory noise-abatement routing. “It is kind of ironic. The majority of operations there are public sector, which you need and you want. So the effect of any mandate would be minimal, and that is what the FAA is trying to say. This is not a regulatory problem. This is a problem to be worked out voluntarily as it has been in other venues,” he said. “We want logic to prevail. Noise complaints to an elected official should not be the criteria for changing airspace and safety considerations.”

News, issues, personnel, equipment and developments about air traffic management.

HAI: FAA a “Victim” on North Shore Route

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Charles Alcock

New developments at airports including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Thousands of commercial airline flights were canceled on Tuesday and Wednesday

Bizav Traffic Impacted by UK Air Traffic Control Failure 

Kerry Lynch

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

KDCA and KEWR receive SMR-4 installations, while IDIQ AT&T covers coms

FAA Installs Surface Radars at Key Airports and Awards $74.3M to AT&T

Hanneke Weitering

Issues regarding financing of aircraft; aviation insurance; tax issues for aircraft operators; new companies and people in the aviation financing and insurance industries.

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

Milestone covers the software that talks to air traffic control

Merlin Clears a Certification Hurdle for AI in the Cockpit

Charlotte Bailey

News and issues relating to civil and military unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) of all kinds and sizes, including those used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), combat (unmanned combat air vehicles, or UCAVs), law enforcement, research and other applications. Of particular focus is the FAA's planned integration of UAS into the U.S. national airspace system.

Honeywell-led consortium to consider advanced air mobility integration

Verti-Go Initiative to Lead European Airspace Update

NASA controllers used existing tools to manage simulated autonomous traffic

Wisk Tests 1:3 Supervisor Ratio for Autonomous Flight

Amy Wilder

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

More In ATC

Bizav Traffic Impacted by UK Air Traffic Control Failure

Thousands of commercial airline flights were canceled on Tuesday and Wednesday

FAA Installs Surface Radars at Key Airports and Awards $74.3M to AT&T

KDCA and KEWR receive SMR-4 installations, while IDIQ AT&T covers coms

Merlin Clears a Certification Hurdle for AI in the Cockpit

Milestone covers the software that talks to air traffic control

Verti-Go Initiative to Lead European Airspace Update

Honeywell-led consortium to consider advanced air mobility integration

Wisk Tests 1:3 Supervisor Ratio for Autonomous Flight

NASA controllers used existing tools to manage simulated autonomous traffic

Modern Skies Coalition Urges $20B More for ATC Upgrades

Funds would build on $12.5 billion approved last year

FAA Taps L3Harris To Modernize Surveillance Network

Contract covers more than 700 ground stations nationwide

FAA’s Wilbur To Improve Flight Delay Data Efficiencies

FAA completed an audit to strengthen NAS operations related to flight delays and cancellations

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN