FAA

Authorities investigate the site of a hot air balloon accident in Maxwell, Texas, on Saturday. All 16 people aboard the hot air balloon died after it hit tall, high-voltage power lines.

National

Oversight Scrutinized After Deadliest Hot Air Balloon Accident In U.S. History

3:44pm August 02, 2016

by Camila Domonoske

A hot air balloon crash in Texas on Saturday killed all 16 people aboard. The cause is not yet clear, but revelations about the pilot are raising questions about the licensing of balloon operators.

National

What You Should Know Before You Test The Holiday's 'Flyest' Gift

9:07am December 12, 2015

by NPR Staff

Drones are expected to be one of the most popular gifts this holiday season. As rules still play catch-up with the tech, here's a few rules new owners should know before flying their new devices.

Queue Listen Now

The company says its drones will fly no higher than 400 feet from the ground — low enough to avoid other aircraft but high enough to bypass traffic-clogged streets.

National

Amazon Offers New Glimpse Of What Its Drone Delivery Could Look Like

3:09pm November 30, 2015

by Jim Zarroli

The company says its Prime Air service will someday deliver packages up to five pounds in 30 minutes or less using small drones.

National

5 Things To Know: FAA Task Force Recommends A Drone Registry

4:00pm November 23, 2015

by Alina Selyukh

A task force created by the Federal Aviation Administration recommends that people flying drones heavier than a half-pound should register with the government. Here are a few things to know.

Alisha Lalani, 10, of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., looks at her phone as her mother and brother check in for their flight to Miami at Washington's Reagan National Airport. Their flight was one of thousands delayed as a result of a technical glitch with an FAA au

National

East Coast Flights Returning To Normal After Glitch Causes Delays

11:05am August 17, 2015

by Scott Neuman

The FAA says it has resolved problems in an automated system that caused problems for thousands of travelers in New York and the Washington, D.C., metro area.

September 13, 2009 photo of Andreas Lubitz, who is believed to have deliberately crashed Germanwings Flight 9525 into a mountain in southern France on March 24, 2015, killing all 150 people on board.

Documents Show FAA Questioned Mental Fitness of Germanwings Co-Pilot Andreas Lubitz

4:32pm April 30, 2015

by Jackie Northam

Newly released documents show the FAA initially declined to give Andreas Lubitz a medical certificate for his U.S. pilot's license because of his history of depression.

A Southwest Airlines pilot and co-pilot preparing for a flight from Dallas last year. In the wake of the Germanwings crash this week, many European airlines are rushing to adopt a two-person cockpit rule similar to the one already in place in the U.S.

Airlines Worldwide Rush To Adopt '2-Person' Cockpit Rule

10:14am March 27, 2015

by Scott Neuman

In the wake of the apparently deliberate crash of a German airliner, carriers in Europe, the Middle East and Asia say they will emulate a U.S. rule requiring two people in the cockpit at all times.

Drones are displayed at an event with the Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) Coalition, last month. The FAA's proposed new rules for their commercial use require certified pilots to fly them and limit their speed, altitude and area of operation.

Commercial Drone Rules To Limit Their Weight, Speed And Altitude

3:59pm February 17, 2015

by Scott Neuman

The long-awaiting Federal Aviation Administration proposal could be a boon to some companies hoping to use unmanned aircraft, but they might complicate the picture for Amazon.

Dennis McCormack of Rockaway, N.J. checks the departure board only to find out that his flight to Newark, N.J. has been canceled at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago.

After Fire, FAA Orders Review Of Contingency Plans, Security

2:32pm September 29, 2014

by Eyder Peralta

On Friday, a contractor intentionally set fire to an FAA air traffic facility that has caused flight delays and cancellations for days.

Travelers lined up Friday to reschedule flights at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport after the region's air traffic control was sabotaged. More flights are resuming Saturday, but hundreds were also canceled.

National

More Chicago Flights Canceled; Suspect Was Told Of Hawaii Transfer

5:06pm September 27, 2014

by Bill Chappell

One day after Chicago's air traffic system was crippled, some flights resume and details emerge about the man suspected of setting a fire inside a federal radar center.