FAA funding bill authorizes new safety measures

Washington – Congress passed a budget bill on Feb. 3 that will provide the Federal Aviation Administration with funding for new aviation and pilot safety initiatives.

The FAA Modernization and Safety Improvement Act (H.R. 658) will fund the agency through 2015 and includes the following provisions:

• $168 million annually toward the agency’s research program, including safety studies aimed to make aircraft and flights safer
• Higher penalties for aiming laser pointers at aircraft or in their flight path, including a possible five-year prison term
• Installation of flight deck doors on all-cargo aircraft

At press time, the bill was awaiting President Barack Obama’s signature.