FAA published its “residential-through-the-fence” policy, following through on a congressional mandate and easing a ban on agreements that permit pilot access to airport runways and taxiways from adjacent homes. The new policy reverses a March 2011 interim policy that prohibited new through-the-fence access points.

Embraer’s Phenom deliveries are showing signs of improvement, reaching their highest second-quarter total since 2010. At the same time, the Brazilian airframer’s backlog fully rebounded from last year’s slide, coming in at the highest level since third quarter 2009.

The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is awaiting court action on its petition that the association hopes will put an end to FAA’s recent efforts to charge for air traffic control services at AirVenture and other aviation events. EAA this month filed a petition with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago to require FAA to refund more than $450,000 in payments that the agency is charging for air traffic control services it will provide during EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis., from July 29-Aug. 4.

A bill calling on FAA to improve certification standards for light aircraft moves to the Senate following House passage July 16. The bill, H.R.1848, the Small Aircraft Revitalization Act, is designed to boost the sagging general aviation segment by mandating the adoption of new Part 23 standards by the end of 2015.

Airbus is targeting a 10% reduction in direct maintenance costs compared to the Boeing 787-9

Congressionally mandated budget cuts that prompted the FAA to put a hiring freeze in place created an additional challenge for the safety agency's inspector workforce, which was already hampered by an ineffective staffing model, a government audit found.

If there are winners in a high-stakes, high-expectations program that generated a mere 262 orders in its first 13 years, then the engine OEM with a 55% share of the business would qualify. Measuring by total aircraft in service and awaiting delivery, the Engine Alliance (EA) GP7200 is the preferred powerplant for Airbus A380 customers, winning 134 of 243 orders with engine choices specified. (Three orders on the books—officially, at least—totaling 19 aircraft remain without engine choices.)

When the first Boeing 737 MAX jets are delivered, operators should benefit from new technologies built on a derivative airframe.