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Politico recently published the results of its investigation of the gaps in government agencies’ legal authorities to investigate space tourism accidents and impose safety protections for space launch participants. Politico’s article detailing the results of its investigation is comprehensive and sobering (A “Wild Environment’: Uncertain safety rules await space tourists,” December 25, 2019, https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/25/space-tourists-safety-rules-089681). There is one particular aspect of the article, however, that calls for clarification – the authority of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to investigate commercial space law accidents.… Read More

In a recent post, we discussed the Safe Landings Act (H.R. 4166), pending legislation introduced in August of this year. In this post, we discuss another piece of pending legislation – the Safe and Quiet Skies Act of 2019.

The Safe and Quiet Skies Act of 2019 (H.R. 4547) was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on September 27, 2019, by Representative Ed Case of Hawaii’s First Congressional District (located entirely on the Island of Oahu, including the City and County of Honolulu).… Read More

With the enactment of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 in October of last year, Congress, to a large extent, has taken a breather from introducing aviation legislation.  Two recent bills, however, address key aviation safety issues and merit examination – the Safe Landings Act and the Safe and Quiet Skies Act of 2019.  We discuss the Safe Landings Act in this post and will address the Safe and Quiet Skies Act of 2019 in a following post.… Read More

On March 6, Representative Garret Graves of Louisiana introduced H.R. 1562, the Commercial Space Transportation Safety Act of 2019.  The bill’s text, which became available only recently, indicates that its main purpose is “to provide certain authority to the National Transportation Safety Board to investigate commercial space transportation accidents.” … Read More

A long long time ago
I can still remember how
That music used to make me smile
And I knew if I had my chance
That I could make those people dance
And maybe they’d be happy for a while

But February made me shiver
With every paper I’d deliver
Bad news on the doorstep
I couldn’t take one more step

I can’t remember if I cried

When I read about his widowed bride
Something touched me deep inside
The day the music died

Lyrics from “American Pie,” by Don McLean, 1971, © Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management

The Day the Music Died refers to a fatal Beech Bonanza aircraft crash that occurred 60 years ago yesterday, near Mason City, Iowa. … Read More

Wow! The clock is ticking and The 2019 Aviation Symposium is rapidly approaching.

Our opening panel will focus upon accidents/incidents/events outside the United States. Nimbus Airlines will (in all likelihood), shortly before the Symposium, experience an issue somewhere in the world.

Our crystal ball tells us there will be serious injuries, possibly a fatality, a criminal investigation, language and cultural issues, time zone problems and more.… Read More