If it weren’t so ludicrous, it might be laughable. Connected is a FOIA request from the FAA that reveals how an egregious regulatory oversight obtained systematically swept underneath the rug. In a nutshell, investigations have been closed, ignoring a 10-plus month lapse in adherence to the stipulations within the BVLOS waiver. Has the lofty aspiration of secure UAS NAS integration gone out the window?
“Adherence to the provisions of this Waiver establishes a degree of security that ensures security throughout the nationwide airspace system.” Laborious to do if you left the corporate ten months prior, no?
You’ll be able to have a look at the “investigation” paperwork and deduce that there have been no ramifications for jeopardizing the security of the NAS within the air or folks and property on the bottom. To my information, a phone name between Diana Cooper and Jeremy “The Superb Grogan” put any regulatory and security qualms to mattress. Neither celebration visited the websites, considered the logbooks, or interviewed a sampling of PICs to
dispute claims or discern the security ramifications of the waiver infractions. In spite of everything, wasn’t information the purpose of the Pathfinder program?
So what have been the remedial actions taken? Revoke the Half 107.31 BVLOS waiver, fines, and legal prices for the supposed specialists. Was something put in “The Superb Grogan’s” file highlighting how his lack of due diligence endangered the FAA’s security cost? No! Despite the fact that PrecisionHawk was out of compliance for months, and nobody was accountable for making certain that the operations have been secure they have been issued a brand new waiver in brief order. What number of months have you ever been ready on your Half 107 favor waiver? Does this incident recommend and even show that waivers in some industrial purposes are superfluous?
At this level, anybody “settling” or paying an FAA positive is a idiot. Sorry if that sounds harsh, however typically actuality has a means of doing that. Between this poop present, the ham-fisted lower and pasted up for revenue favor waivers, and people with lobbyists getting preferential remedy within the queue brings the necessity for a waiver dairy farm into query.
The FAA doesn’t like me as a result of I make them look unhealthy. LOL
On the native degree, the pinnacle of the FSDO didn’t learn his e-mail, missed the unique grievance whereas security violations have been transpiring, and was unaware of BVLOS operations in his FSDO jurisdiction. I needed to name again and ask how the investigation was going to search out out it wasn’t. When the investigation obtained fired up, it consisted of a cellphone name. I requested the investigator if she considered the logbooks or met with the individual accountable for security listed on the waiver. She didn’t know who the correct individual was listed on the waiver and instructed me the FSDO didn’t have the assets to go away the workplace!
I requested them to reopen an investigation to find out what was occurring. I recommended one thing novel like an workplace or flying web site go to, as the security of the NAS was hanging like a free tooth whereas chatting on the cellphone.
I’m the one one shopping for the FAA’s security of the NAS mantra.
Okay, you bag-holders, that $82 billion is on the market simply ready available!
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