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Government/Legislation
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U.S. airports to receive stimulus money
Numerous airports are on the list to receive infrastructure project funding from the U.S. stimulus package, formally known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Airports are taking advantage of the additional financial support in 2009 as the funding is expected to increase jobs, enable runway improvements and infrastructure projects, and increase safety and security.
The roughly 3,400 airports designated as part of the national airport system are eligible to receive Recovery Act funds. Among the list of airports to receive the funds are Pittsburgh International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Miami International Airport as well as Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, Newark Liberty, Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport and local public airports in Maine and Oklahoma. Projects include: runway construction and repair, runway and taxiway lighting improvements, and the construction of rescue and firefighting buildings.
The current Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program funds total roughly USD $3.5 billion a year, and the stimulus program added over USD $1 billion to allocate to the qualified airports. In order to be eligible for the funds, projects’ design and bid phases must be completed by mid-April 2009. The Recovery Act further requires that 50 percent of the funds be awarded by June 2009.
Sources: faa.gov, dot.gov, usatoday.com
Some Boeing 777s receive new/revised FAA safety directive
Boeing 777s equipped with Rolls-Royce engines have received a revised airworthiness directive that adds further procedures to prevent ice buildup that can clog fuel lines. This directive affects 56 U.S. aircraft, and a total of 228 worldwide. A review of other 777 engine combinations has not revealed this problem in the fuel lines.
Following a Boeing 777 accident in January 2008 at Heathrow Airport, a British investigation found that during long trips ice can accumulate in the main fuel tank and break free, blocking the fuel flow to the engines when the plane’s power is increased.
Source: faa.gov
