FAA grounds Boeing 737 Max 9 planes for mandatory inspections

Jenny Goldsberry

January 06, 02:22 PM January 07, 05:39 AM

The Federal Aviation Administration ordered Boeing 737 Max 9 planes to be temporarily grounded on Saturday.

The administration also issued an emergency airworthiness directive for the planes, which will require "immediate inspections" on the aircraft before they're allowed in the air again. The directive will instruct operators on what to look out for to ensure the safety of passengers.

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"The required inspections will take around four to eight hours per aircraft," the FAA explained in a statement. "The EAD will affect approximately 171 airplanes worldwide."

"Safety will always be the top priority for our Department and for FAA," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. "Administrator Whitaker has acted to order these aircraft grounded pending the inspections necessary to ensure that they are safe to operate."

This announcement comes after Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, a Boeing 737 Max 9, was forced to return to its takeoff destination when one of its windows was blown off mid-flight. The window was discovered to be blown out within an hour of its takeoff, and it delayed passengers flying to Ontario, California. Flight 1282 was cited in the FAA's announcement.

Boeing's affected planes are the updated version of the 737 Max, which is the most commonly flown plane in the world. The ninth version boasts a new fuel-efficient engine that runs quieter and purports lower carbon emissions. It seats 178 passengers.

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It remains to be seen what caused the damage to the window. There have been no reported injuries.

The Washington Examiner has reached out to Alaska Airlines for comment.

Alaska Airlines flight makes emergency return to Portland after losing window

Misty Severi

January 05, 10:51 PM January 06, 04:05 AM

An Alaska Airlines flight was forced to return to Portland, Oregon, on Friday, after a window on the Boeing blew off midflight.

The plane departed from the Portland International Airport at 4:52 p.m. Pacific time but returned just before 5:30 p.m. The passenger plane was expected to land at the Ontario International Airport in Ontario, California.

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It is unclear what caused the window to blow out or how many windows were affected, but passengers told Oregon news outlet Fox-12 that the depressurization from the missing windows caused a child's shirt to be ripped off. However, no injuries have been reported so far.

Friday's incident was not the first time that a plane operated without a window. The flight crew on a plane that departed London in November discovered two windows were missing on an Airbus A321 bound for the United States.

"Several passengers recalled that after takeoff the aircraft cabin seemed noisier and colder than they were used to," investigators with the U.K.'s Air Accident Investigation Branch wrote in a report on Nov. 4, 2023. A crew member then walked toward the back of the plane and spotted a window seal flapping on the left side of the aircraft.

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No one on the London plane was injured, and all passengers were seated in the middle of the aircraft, according to NPR.

The Washington Examiner has reached out to Alaska Airlines for comment.

Driverless cars in California can get out of almost any ticket: Report

Jack Birle

January 02, 05:01 PM January 02, 05:02 PM

California will ticket a driver for violating the rules of the road, but for driverless vehicles, there is reportedly no mechanism to ticket the person responsible because of a loophole in some jurisdictions.

A report from NBC Bay Area found that in California, traffic tickets may only be issued if there is a driver present in the car, meaning that law violations occurring when the car is moving can not be issued to a driverless car.

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"No citation for a moving violation can be issued if the [autonomous vehicle] is being operated in a driverless mode,” an internal memo obtained by NBC News from San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott said. “Technology evolves rapidly and, at times, faster than legislation or regulations can adapt to the changes.”

Driverless cars can be issued tickets for parking violations, but because of the apparent loophole for moving infractions, driverless cars have been able to skirt punishment despite mounting accidents and traffic violations, including not yielding for emergency vehicles.

In San Francisco, where driverless cars have become prevalent thanks to a booming technology industry, there have been several traffic incidents involving driverless vehicles.

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Cruise, a driverless taxi from General Motors, has been taken off the roads after various incidents, including a hit-and-run that left a woman injured and stuck underneath the driverless car. Another incident saw a Cruise car crash into an emergency vehicle it failed to yield to.

Texas and Arizona, states where driverless cars are also on the rise, have rewritten traffic laws so that these vehicles are not immune from moving traffic violations.

Company with private jet trips starting at $102: The 'Uber of flying'

Heather Hunter

December 18, 09:49 PM December 19, 07:18 AM

KinectAir, an on-demand private air travel company, is now booking budget-friendly private planes.

"KinectAir is ‘Opening the Skies’ by making private flight available to a larger demographic," KinectAir co-CEO Katie Buss said in a statement. "One way KinectAir does this is by utilizing fuel-efficient aircraft types. The reduced cost of fuel not only means a cost savings for the passenger, but also means a greener flight."

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The company is making use of its "empty-leg flights" as an opportunity to provide bargains to potential passengers. An empty-leg flight occurs when a private jet is chartered to a specific location and has no passengers for its return flight back to its home base.

KinectAir's mobile app is similar to Uber in providing its availability of planes to book on demand.

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"Like Uber, we have an easy-to-use app and prices are displayed up front – clear, easy, transparent. We applaud Uber's efforts in transforming the way people think about personal mobility," the CEO said.

Buss added, "We want to do the same thing, but in that 50-500 mile sweet spot, flying direct from the local airport down the street means more comfort, more personalization, more joy, and perhaps most importantly, more time with the ones you love."

Biden's auto safety official forced to resign from temporary role

Jenny Goldsberry

December 17, 09:33 AM December 17, 09:33 AM

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's acting head Ann Carlson will resign on Dec. 26.

President Joe Biden nominated the former environmental law professor as the head in September 2022 after Carlson had served as NHTSA chief counsel for over a year and a half. However, due to backlash from Republican members of Congress, Biden withdrew Carlson's nomination in May even though she did not need Senate approval.

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Since Carlson was serving as the head without an official nomination, she had to adhere to a law that limited the term of those serving in a temporary role. Carlson cited the law in an email to employees announcing her resignation.

Senate Commerce Committee Republicans signed a letter to Carlson on May 1, outlining criticisms of her policy record at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and fears of expanding electric vehicle mandates on automakers. These criticisms convinced Biden to withdraw her nomination without announcing a permanent replacement.

NHTSA Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulma will temporarily replace Carlson until Biden nominates someone to head the administration.

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Carlson's legacy included an investigation into the Tesla Autopilot function. According to Carlson, drivers weren't always aware when the system was on, so Tesla recalled 2.2 million of its models to upgrade them with new safeguards.

There hasn't been an NHTSA head confirmed by the Senate in six years. Former President Donald Trump never named a nominee during his first term.

Major automakers tell Biden to reconsider rule propping up EVs that would kill gas-powered cars

Brady Knox

December 15, 05:23 PM December 17, 06:27 AM

An alliance of top automakers urged President Joe Biden to reconsider rules that would prop up electric vehicles at the expense of gas-powered ones.

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, representing General Motors, Toyota Motor, Volkswagen, Ford Motor, Stellantis, and other major manufacturers, took issue with three new proposed rules by the Environmental Protection Agency, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the Department of Energy, Reuters reported. One of the three rules would force automakers to make 67% of new vehicles electric by 2032.

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In a letter to the White House and agencies behind the rule changes, the AAI reportedly warned that the proposed rules "could prematurely force abandonment of many internal combustion engine vehicles and their associated revenue, reducing the availability of capital necessary for automakers to fund the EV transition."

It added that the final rules will "effectively lock in the pace of automotive electrification."

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The letter derided the rule change proposal as putting forward "overlapping, duplicative and sometimes conflicting objectives."

A memo released by the AAI in April ahead of the guideline announcement cast doubt on sweeping measures, stressing the difficulties of such a "massive, 100-year change to the U.S. industrial base and the way Americans drive."

New Jersey trains delayed due to loose bull on the tracks

Jack Birle

December 14, 12:39 PM December 14, 01:13 PM

Commuters in Newark, New Jersey, were subject to delays Thursday morning after a bull got loose on the tracks of Newark Penn Station.

The bull was seen prancing up and down the tracks as various train operators, including PATH, NJ Transit, and Amtrak, said the intrusion would result in delays from the station. Officials have since said the bull has been captured, and service has resumed for all lines.

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"NJ TRANSIT rail service is subject to up to 45 minute delays between Newark Penn and PSNY, due to Police activity near Newark Penn Station. NJ TRANSIT rail tickets and passes are being cross-honored by PATH and Hoboken, Newark Penn and 33rd Street New York," NJ Transit posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

Amtrak said the incident was responsible for causing residual delays but that trains were moving in and out of Newark Penn Station, which is on the route of the Northeast Regional, the most popular by ridership in the Amtrak system.

"Update: As of 11:00 AM ET, Service in and out of Newark has resumed. Residual delays should be expected," Amtrak posted on X.

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The Port Authority Trans-Hudson also said the bull had disrupted service out of the station. Several trains were affected by "livestock in the track area," but officials said that the matter has been resolved.

"The earlier track condition has been resolved. We apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused," PATH posted on X.

Metro budget proposal includes massive layoffs and service cuts to address $750 million deficit

Eden Villalovas

December 12, 03:52 PM December 13, 06:09 AM

On Tuesday, Metro General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke proposed a budget for the next fiscal year that includes massive layoffs and dozens of service cuts as the agency faces a $750 million deficit.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority has been reeling from the effects of the pandemic that reduced ridership, and the agency will exhaust its remaining COVID-related federal relief funding by 2025. The budget proposal will be presented to the Metro board Thursday.

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WMATA is considering the closure of 10 Metrorail stations with the lowest ridership and could stop running trains at 10 p.m., which would affect around 6 million people. The rail system runs until midnight Sunday through Thursday and until 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

"Closing this deficit through major service cuts and fare increases will make Metro unrecognizable, halting the ridership recovery, reducing or eliminating service across all modes, and necessitate steep reductions in maintenance, police presence, and customer service functions," Clarke stated in the proposal.

Also on the table are over 2,200 layoffs, which would slash the agency's 12,000-person workforce by nearly 20%. WMATA would also consider a hiring freeze in January.

"Customers will experience severe crowding, longer police response times, and more frequent elevator and escalator outages," Clarke said. "These service cuts are below current capacity needs and will likely trigger a death spiral of a loss of ridership, detrimentally impacting the region into the future through worse traffic, reduced access to jobs and opportunities, and more pollution."

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Clarke said Maryland, Virginia, and D.C. will have to work together to avoid such extremes, pushing to secure an additional $665 million. The transit agency is expecting around $495 million in fiscal 2025 from D.C., $519 million from Maryland, and $348 million from Virginia. In order to prevent service cuts, fare increases, and the transfer of funds from preventive maintenance, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia would need to contribute an additional $275 million, $209 million, and $180 million, respectively.

This year, Metro’s board voted to increase fares for the first time in five years to tackle disruptions and fund an increase in train frequencies. Taking effect in June, Metro eliminated peak and off-peak pricing on weekdays before 9:30 p.m., and the maximum fare increased from $6 to $6.50. However, Metro rail base fares were reduced to $2, down from the $2.25 base fare during weekday peak periods.

WATCH LIVE: House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee holds hearing on FBI headquarters relocation

Brady Knox

December 12, 09:00 AM December 12, 09:01 AM

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is holding a hearing examining the General Service Administration's site selection for the FBI's new headquarters.

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The hearing is slated to begin at 10 a.m. GSA Public Buildings Service Commissioner Elliot Doomes and FBI Finance and Facilities Division Assistant Director Nicholas Dimos will be testifying. Former GSA Public Buildings Service Commissioner Nina Albert will also be testifying on a second panel.

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The decision of where to relocate the FBI headquarters became a hot-button concern, particularly after the two choices were narrowed down to Virginia and Maryland. The GSA decided to choose a suburb in the latter.

Judge questions if Amtrak taking Union Station is consistent with congressional intent

Kaelan Deese

December 10, 04:00 AM December 11, 06:56 PM

A federal judge weighing Amtrak's bid to seize the historic Washington Union Station wondered whether those plans are consistent with Congress's intent under a 1981 law that requires the station to be managed with "maximum reliance" on the private sector, given the railroad service's desire to have sole domain over the property.

U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta heard arguments on Nov. 28 over the railroad service's effort to take full control of the property in Washington, D.C., which includes a request to set "just compensation" for the station at $250 million despite the owner's $730 million appraisal. Mehta last week fired off a series of questions asking Amtrak's lawyers whether that plan conforms with the Union Station Redevelopment Act of 1981, according to a courtroom transcript obtained by the Washington Examiner.

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The judge cited a section from the law that states its intent is "historic preservation and improved rail use of Union Station with maximum reliance on the private sector and minimum requirement of federal assistance."

"So if that is what Congress meant to do here, how is what you're proposing to do consistent with that?" Mehta asked. "Because you are now essentially removing the private sector part of this from the equation, are you not?"

Amtrak's attorney, Patricia Lambert, pushed back on Mehta's assertion, contending that Amtrak is a corporation.

"I think that the fact that there is no restriction on Amtrak's ability to use the station when Congress could have easily put that into the statute ... established that this is not beyond the purview of the Union Station Redevelopment Act," Lambert said.

Amtrak currently leases a small portion of Union Station, roughly 13.4% of it, from Union Station Investco, which is owned by Rexmark.

Federal law gives Amtrak the authority to seize property for intercity rail passenger transportation, and while such applications are typically used for building new tracks, Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner has said its goal is to "take away that interference and distraction between us and instead have control over the leased area.” The railroad service has also gained a sizable boost from President Joe Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which offered the company a $66 billion investment.

Rexmark contends that Union Station is worth at least $730 million, leaving Mehta to consider whether the railroad service can seize the station for an amount three times lower than the owner's appraisal and just a fraction of the sizable investment provided under the infrastructure bill.

Mehta noted that part of Amtrak's proposal "is to substantially constrain the retail part of Union Station."

"And, of course, it wouldn't pay rent to itself," Mehta said, adding that one could assume "the rents kind of are going to go down a fair amount."

Noting that historically Amtrak "hasn't turned a profit" and is not in the business of retail, Mehta asked, "Shouldn't I be concerned that Amtrak is going to need federal assistance to sustain and maintain the station?"

An attorney for Rexmark told Mehta the proposal would cause "irreparable harm" if Amtrak were "given possession now before the court determined the propriety of the taking." Rexmark founder Michael Rebibo argued that allowing the takeover would "effectively terminate the [existing] leases" at the station.

"They are not retail, commercial, call it what you want," defense attorney Y. David Scharf said. "They're not in the business of doing anything except getting the trains in and out."

Amtrak's eminent domain case coincides with a rising number of vacancies inside the station, which is set to go through a $10 billion redevelopment process over the next two decades. Conversely, Rexmark officials believe allowing the takeover would undo efforts in recent years to attract retail and food businesses to the station and have said the company would continue to work with Amtrak to approve its development requests so as not to interfere with its broader plans.

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The proposed expansion and renovation of Union Station, slated for completion by 2040, includes the use of at least $9 billion in private and public investment.

While it is unclear how Mehta will rule and when, he questioned whether there would be any harm in awaiting a file judgment on possession of the station, meaning it remains to be seen whether Amtrak will have to wait additional months before any decision on the taking request.