Aviation

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) was blocked Tuesday from starting consideration of the Senate budget resolution.

Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) blocked Reid’s motion to start the required 50 hours of debate on the budget. Moran also stopped Reid from scheduling a final vote on the continued spending resolution for later Tuesday.

Representatives from U.S. Airways and American Airlines testified before the Senate subcommittee that reviews potential antitrust law violations.

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After a week of intense focus on the wisdom of allowing knives onto airplanes, lawmakers will turn their attention to other areas of aviation safety.

The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee will hold a hearing Wednesday to check on the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) progress on implementing safety provisions that were included in the $63 billion funding bill that was passed for the agenda last year.

FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Deborah Hersman, Government Accountability Office Director of Civil Aviation Issues Gerald Dillingham, and Department of Transportation Inspector General Assistant Inspector General Jeffery Guzzetti are scheduled to testify. 

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Changes to the design of its 787 "Dreamliner" batteries will prevent electric fires in the future, airplane manufacturer Boeing said after the tweaks were approved this week by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The FAA announced on Tuesday that it was approving a new certification process for the 787 "Dreamliner" airplane's lithium-ion batteries, which the agency and Boeing cast as a vital step toward the plane's return to service.

Boeing said it was confident the fixes would prevent a reoccurrence of the smoke and electrical fire that led the FAA to ground the planes in January.

"Working with internal and external experts in battery technology, we have proposed a comprehensive set of solutions designed to significantly minimize the potential for battery failure while ensuring that no battery event affects the continued safe operation of the airplane," Boeing CEO for commercial aviation Ray Conner said in a statement.

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Tuesday that it was approving the proposed redesign of the Boeing 787 "Dreamliner" airplane, which the agency cast as a vital step toward the plane's return to service.

The FAA said the approval requires Boeing to redesign the lithium-ion battery system that was used in early versions of its 787 to reduce the potential for electrical fires, as well conduct "extensive testing" to demonstrate that the new batteries can fly safely.

The changes Boeing is proposing to make include improving the insulation system of the 787 batteries and insert containment and venting systems to prevent short-circuiting and smoke from emanating from the batteries. 

The reported commissioned by the drone lobby found unmanned vehicles could add $14 billion to the economy.

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