More Airports Available For Low-Visibility Landings Amid 5G Rollout

The FAA granted new approvals on January 19th that now allow nearly 62% of the domestic American commercial fleet to perform low-visibility landings at airports with adjacent C-band 5G networks. The move follows the expansion of the safety buffer zones around some areas of concern. Now, the FAA has expanded the number of airports available to planes with previously cleared altimeters to perform low-visibility landings, and the most recent announcement has added another 3 combinations. Now, the majority of U.S. transport aircraft are cleared, including "Boeing 717, 737, 747, 757, 767, 777, MD-10/-11 and Airbus A300, A310, A319, A320, A330, A340, A350 and A380 models."

Florida Flight School Allows FO Pathway for CFIs

Epic Flight Academy, of Smyrna, Florida, has announced its addition to the United Airlines Aviate Program. Epic's students and flight instructors are now able to build time for their career at the school as they train and work, and eventually move on to United as a First Officer once they meet the minimum pilot standards. Epic is a part 141 FAA-certified flight school, where student applicants are invited to sit for an interview with United Airlines for acceptance into the program. If selected, students obtain an Aviate coach, a United pilot, once they complete their training at the school. Once rated, students will, as many flight schools offer, move on become flight instructors as they begin

"Further Study Needed" for Complex Infrared Defense Systems 

The FAA has dashed the hopes of excited aviation nerds everywhere, as they quash the potential installation of an ECM pod on commercial cargo aircraft. The FAA said that a proposal for FedEx Airbus A220s to install anti-missile, infrared dazzler equipment "is not moving forward at this time.” The agency accepted the proposal for consideration earlier this week, following years of development by the company and industry partners. FedEx has felt for years that the proliferation of man portable anti-air systems in countries around the globe merits built-in defensive measures. Similar equipment has been placed into military service for quite some time, to the point that the indust