FREE ESSAY ON REGULATION OF AVIATION ON A FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL

REGULATION OF AVIATION ON A FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL

Regulation of Aviation at the Federal, State and Local Level
Aviation has an impact on everybody and everything. Not only does it have an impact on a
worldwide base, but it also has as big an impact on local business. Aviation in regulated
in many different ways nationwide. There are many regulations that are federal, such as
airspace, and must be obeyed by everyone and there are regulations that are local, such
as traffic pattern altitude, and must be obeyed as if they were federal regs. As in any
other field of work there are laws and regulations people must obey by. If people were
allowed to do what ever they want, then we would live in a world of chaos. There are many
different levels of regulation in the aviation industry. Mostly it is subsidized in to
three categories, which would be Federal, state and local. Now each category has many
regulations and each one must be followed very carefully for it's the base of our safety.
The laws vary greatly but all serve the same purpose. 
What the aviation industry has to make up all these regulations is what we call the FAA
or Federal Aviation Administration. They act with the DOT (Department of Transportation)
to provide a smooth transition of all aircraft, airmen and air safety. On top of that
there are many other administrations, departments, bureaus, commissions and boards that
regulate aviation. The NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) also works to provide
safety within the aviation world. Each department has its own function and provides some
sort contribution to the aviation industry. The FAA though is pretty much what regulates
and inspects everything that has to do with aviation. The FAA regulates everything from
the first bolt that was put into an airplane to a captain in a 747. Now the level in
which it enforces it is very different. Within the FAA there are thousands of departments
handling all the above. People employed by the FAA range from Pilots to Lawyers to
Mechanics. Each one of them has some type of contribution to regulations. Like for
example a Pilot would do the test flights and make sure the airplane is airworthy. Or
maybe even check out a Pilot to make sure he is "airworthy." Now the Lawyers job is
somewhat different. The lawyers' job in the FAA is to review violations of the
regulations and see whose fault it actually was. The FAA handles cases and regulates on a
nationwide basis, but each level is regulated differently. 
On a local level the regulations are somewhat different. For example like traffic pattern
altitudes, these figures are different in every single airport. That shows enforcement on
local regulation. Now of course that's as simple as it gets. Local regulation is usually
of the airport it involves. Like lets say every airport has many different procedures.
Let's take Republic airport in Long Island. Now republic airport is a general aviation
airport with corporate jets flying in and out of it. Now some of the regulations, which
apply or are made by Republic, are noise abatement. Noise abatement is a procedure you
most follow in order to comply with airport departure procedures. Every single airport in
the country is different so no single one will have to same procedures. Then also
instrument procedures and minimums according to the airport elevation and also
obstruction clearance it differs. There are set minimums by the federal regulation in
case the airport doesn't have minimums, but each airport institutes its own minimums
depending on the type of instrument approach it has. Airspeeds are also a local
regulation. Now there are set standards for airspeeds all around the nation, but in the
local area each airport has it max's and min's. All these regulations are also dealt by
the FAA but the local ATC and airport administration are involved in seeing what's safe
for the airport. Not only does the airport admin. Have say in it but also the people of
around the neighborhood, in the case of Republic. In this case it would towards the noise
abatement. People do not really enjoy having corporate jets flying over their house at
five hundred feet above the ground at twelve mid night. Included in these local
regulation there are State regulations which then apply to everything that has to do with
aviation in that state. 
Now the state regulates aviation in many ways as well. Pretty much all of aviation in
regulated by the FAA, but in smaller level the states have something to do with it. Just
like every department related to the United States government, the FAA is also a
democracy. Being a democracy it depends on all of its supporters to come vote and also
submit ideas. In such a manner the state officials is involved in aviation. On top of
that in every state there are what is called FSDO's or Flight Standards Districts Office.
These offices are located all around the state. Within these offices are all the
departments of the FAA. The FSDO makes sure that all the FAR (Federal Aviation
Regulations) are carried out and not violated. We at Republic Airport have a FSDO. This
office makes sure that no violations within a certain distance are violated. Then there
is one in Albany, which also performs most of the same duties. There is much regulation
state wise towards aviation. The only regulation is over the FSDO's and that's to make
sure everything is running properly. Where the FAA has the most control is over the
nation and it controls it on a federal level.
The FAA was created in nineteen fifty-eight to control air traffic. Due to the growing
quantity on air traffic an organization was developed to organize and keep airplanes
flying smoothly. Now the FAA is in control of pretty much the whole aviation industry.
The FAA regulates aviation in many different ways. What the FAA does is make up
regulations that have to be followed nationwide. They control everything from
certification of seven forty sevens to certification of a recreational pilot. The FAA is
like the DMV of the skies. Their main responsibility is to ensure the safety of all
aviators and if their safety is compromised to see why it happened and try to prevent it
from happening again. The FAA has the authority to suspend a license from a pilot or even
ground an airplane from flying. It says in the FAR that the pilot in command of the
airplane has the last say whether the airplane flies or not. If the airplane is not
airworthy and the pilot decides to fly it anyway, the pilot will suffer the consequences
if the FAA finds out about it. All rules and regulations the FAA makes are meant to be
followed nationwide. For example pilot who fly under IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) follow
federal airways. Federal airways are airways used to Aleve traffic and know where the
airplane is. No the airways are made and enforced by the FAA. The FAA also has to
maintain these airways by making sure the VOR's (Very High Frequency Omnirange Receiver)
are working. Within the FAA there are different departments that handle all these
matters, but the main head is the FAA. 
Besides the FAA there are department like the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board)
which for example would handle the JFK accident. They are in-charge of see the cause and
way that the airplane crashed, or got into an accident. As you see many different people
and agencies control aviation in many different ways. Even though we are only "Pilots"
who steer the airplane, people seem to forget we handle millions of lives a day, usually
more lives than a Doctor, so there are many reason to have so much control over the
industry. Without this control and security the aviation industry would be chaos and
people would refuse to fly. Now because of all the restriction and regulations, flying
has become the safest method of travel.