The FAA and the military

On 13-Jan-2007, Bob Noel wrote:

The FAA doesn't have any say wrt airworthiness certifiation of US military
aircraft (any FAA certification of military aircraft is at the option of
the
service).

I'll add to this, when I was a comm-nav avionics specialist in the USAF
(1980-1991), we didn't have any kind of requirement to recertify the
aircraft transponders every two years. We fixed 'em when the crews said they
were broken but never worked on them otherwise.
Scott Wilson

A point that needs to be made is that the FAA and DoD ATC systems are
not completely independent and parallel systems; they're thoroughly
intertwined. For instance, Ellsworth Approach/Departure handles
civilian traffic into and out of Rapid City Regional; Wichita
Approach/Departure handles McConnell AFB traffic; military controllers
at Sheppard AFB handle traffic for the civilian side of the field
(Wichita Falls Muni) in the air and on the ground. Military sorties
are under FAA control except under two circumstances:

1. When being handled by a military ATC facility. The handoffs
to/from FAA controllers are done in accordance with procedures
established in part at the national level and in part by local FAA/DoD
working groups. Handling of civilian traffic by military controllers
is worked out the same way.

2. When operating in a Military Operations Area (MOA) or a
low-level training route. The sortie is directed to the MOA or the
entry point of the route by the FAA, then it's on its own (unless
there's a military ATC facility controlling the MOA, e.g. Nellis Range
Control) under a policy known as MARSA (Military Assumes Responsibility
for Separation of Aircraft). The FAA tries to keep civilian traffic
out of the way, but is not responsible for mishaps unless the FAA
controllers were negligent. When the sortie has flown the route or is
ready to leave the MOA it contacts Center, declares itself "no longer
MARSA" and is again under FAA control.

Emergencies are handled the same way as in civilian aviation, although
a military crew may have to justify their irregular actions to two sets
of authorities afterward. DoD flight safety regulations are heavily
based on FAA requirements and even preferences; the military comes down
hard on unnecessary violations of FARs. However, I don't know of a
case in which a military pilot who also held an FAA license was
punished by both the DoD and FAA for an action in a military aircraft.

In article . com,
"quietguy" wrote:

A point that needs to be made is that the FAA and DoD ATC systems are
not completely independent and parallel systems; they're thoroughly
intertwined.

in fact, the new STARS is a joint DOD/FAA program with the FAA as
lead and the DOD follower, and the companion ASR-11 (aka DASR)
has the DOD as lead with the FAA follower. In other words, in the
NAS, the FAA and DOD will be using the same systems for TRACONs
and terminal radars (for the most part).

--
Bob Noel
Looking for a sig the
lawyers will hate

On Sun, 14 Jan 2007 02:01:33 -0000, Jim Logajan wrote:

The answer is not simple

Almost an understatement. Somehow as I read your post I kept thinking of
Spaghetti.

Thanks Jim, and all.


--
Dallas

Dallas wrote:
This came up in another group and no one had an answer.

What is the relationship of the FAA to the military? Is the FAA the final
word on regulations for everything in the US airspace with the military
using an additional set of their own regulations?

The FAA is responsible for Civil Aviation. The military and the
government (called public) aviation is not subservient to them.
They cooperate only as it suits their interest.