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One of the great innovations of the Part 107 regulations for unmanned aircraft was the ability to obtain a waiver from many of its more restrictive requirements.  The Part 107 waiver process allows operators the flexibility to fly at night, fly beyond visual line of sight, or operate more than one drone at the same time.

Unfortunately, most waivers have an expiration date of 48 months. … Read More

While many states are currently “open for business” to one degree or another, COVID-19 has stubbornly refused to release its hold in some areas.  As a result, while progress is being made, we clearly are not “back to normal.”

In light of this, government agencies that relaxed regulatory requirements at the beginning of the crisis, including the FAA, are beginning to extend these accommodations. … Read More

Join us on February 2-4, 2021

Our last major aviation industry event before the COVID-19 lockdown was the 2020 Aviation Symposium. As the country begins to reopen, it is likely that our first event will be the 2021 Aviation Symposium.

Impacted suddenly by unprecedented change and now on the road to recovery, the aviation industry has faced a monumental year in 2020.

… Read More

For those of you who may have missed the live presentation of the latest Aviation Webinar Series, “Challenges on the Aviation Insurance Industry & Legal Considerations During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic,” you can view the entire presentation by clicking on the link below.

The webinar recording is available HERE

The slides are available for download HERE

 … Read More

The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to establish the standards for remote identification of unmanned aircraft closed on March 2, 2020.  The NPRM garnered over 53,000 comments, both pro and con, concerning the contours of the final rule.  While there is still no official word on what the final rule will look like, FAA actions seem to confirm that the final rule will look a lot like the draft rule.… Read More

The aviation industry, like the rest of America, is gearing up for the reopening of America for business.  As we do so, it is important to keep on top of the latest recommended “best practices” necessary to keep the COVID-19 virus from rebounding.  Unfortunately, finding these resources can sometimes be difficult.

We at Plane-ly Spoken are here to help.  The following is our collection of links, arranged by topic and government agency, of aviation industry related COVID-19 guidance.… Read More

The Federal Aviation Administration has just issued a new Safety Alert for Operators, (SAFO) containing guidance for airlines and aircrews on how to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Overall, the SAFO instructs airlines to follow the CDC’s guidance for the protection for employees in critical infrastructure jobs.  The FAA confirms that no airline employee should work if they have any symptoms of the virus, and that all employees exposed to someone who tests positive for the virus should be quarantined for fourteen days. … Read More

On February 5, 2020, the Department of Transportation (DOT) opened the public comment period for its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) Regarding Traveling by Air with Service Animals.  That comment period officially closed this week, with the proposed rule garnering over 14,000 comments.

While the comment period was open for 60 days, an unusually long period of time for a rulemaking such as this, it did not stop several groups from asking for an extension. … Read More

FREE WEBINAR – 2 PM, THURSDAY, APRIL 2

President Trump has signed a record-breaking $2 trillion stimulus and aid package to help combat the COVID-19 epidemic.  As expected, there is a lot of money in the bill for aviation, including loan guarantees and payroll assistance for passenger and cargo carriers.

There is also good news for other aviation related businesses.  The bill extends relief to contractors and service providers of airlines, such as caterers and baggage handlers, as well businesses that perform inspection, repair, replace, or overhaul services on aircraft. … Read More

With the wrenching and pervasive cessation of normal business and societal activities in the past few weeks, Fox Rothschild has been addressing questions from transportation industry clients concerning their ongoing responsibilities for complying with U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) drug and alcohol testing requirements during these difficult times.

On March 23, 2020, DOT issued Guidance on Compliance with Drug and Alcohol Testing Regulations. … Read More