FAA Coverage

The Jetsons' flying car draws closer - FAA grants airworthiness certificate for a prototype

The Federal Aviation Administration has certified for testing a vehicle that a California startup describes as a flying car — the first fully electric vehicle that can both fly and travel on roads to receive US government approval.

FAA: 80 animal strikes reported in NC already in 2023

The FAA said there have been 80 reports of animal airstrikes in North Carolina this year, including eight at Raleigh-Durham International Airport.

RDU takes steps to reduce bird strikes that frighten travelers

The FAA said there have been 80 reports of animal airstrikes in North Carolina this year, including eight at Raleigh-Durham International Airport.

Shelle Jackson, WRAL reporter

FAA holds rare air safety summit after a string of troubling incidents

This morning the FAA held a rare air safety summit after a string of troubling incidents in the sky and on the ground. This comes after another close-call collision occurred on a runway near Washington, DC.

WRAL Investigates new airplane security plans

After a woman forced a plane to land Wednesday at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration once-again called for an additional layer of in-air security to protect the cockpit from unruly passengers.

Keep the cockpit safe: Feds call for additional security after unruly passenger forces plane to land at RDU

A Washington, D.C. woman faces obstruction charges following a Wednesday incident on an American Airlines flight that was forced to land at Raleigh-Durham International Airport.

Cullen Browder, WRAL anchor/reporter

Disruptive passenger prompts ground stop at RDU, FBI investigating

The ground stop occurred just after 3:30 p.m. Wednesday. American Airlines flight 3444 was canceled after it was diverted to RDU.

Flight with 'disruptive passenger' canceled after diverting to RDU

American Airlines agents are working with passengers of the flight, which was diverted to RDU after a "disruptive passenger" forced the flight to change course from Washington D.C.

Planes temporarily halted to RDU International

The FAA issued a ground stop for flights going to RDU at 3:34 p.m. and was lifted shortly after 4 p.m.

RDU: Small plane caught fire Monday

The plane caught fire when the pilot of the Piper PA-28 single engine aircraft started the plane

A tech failure grounded all US flights today, temporarily

A critical Federal Aviation Administration computer system experienced an outage Wednesday and briefly halted all US flights.

FAA computer outage impacts flights across the US

A computer outage at the FAA is affecting flights across the U.S.

FAA computer outage that grounded over 6,000 flights was caused by damaged database file

A computer outage at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has caused 54 delays and eight cancellations at RDU.

Matt Talhelm, WRAL reporter

FAA re-validates RDU airport approach systems

On Wednesday, you may have noticed a plane outfitted with test equipment flying along a path near RDU airport. This FAA check flight was validating recent maintenance of the Instrument Landing System at RDU airport.

Tony Rice, NASA Ambassador

Plane returns to Raleigh-Durham airport after hitting coyote

An airplane departing from Raleigh-Durham International Airport returned to the airport shortly after takeoff when the flight crew reported striking a coyote on the runway.

FAA encourages airlines to fly over water between NC and Florida - just ahead of holiday travel rush

Just ahead of the busiest travel period of the year, the Department of Transportation is putting airlines on notice - equip your planes to better utilize airspace over the water between North Carolina and Florida.

Mark Boyle, WRAL anchor/reporter

FAA encourages airlines to fly over water between NC and Florida

Just ahead of the busiest travel period of the year, the Department of Transportation is putting airlines on notice - equip your planes to better utilize airspace between North Carolina an Florida.

Senators push FAA to stop any further restriction of plane seat sizes

It's not just long security lines, luggage fees or flight delays that could make this upcoming holiday travel season a nightmare. One of the biggest complaints from passengers is the size of seats.

Airline seats are shrinking. Meanwhile, people are getting bigger

One of the biggest complaints from passengers is the size of airplane seats.

NBC News Channel

Pilot lingo: Listen for local flavor, inside jokes, sports heroes along invisible highways in the sky

Pilots and air traffic controllers use five-letter waypoint names to describe paths in and out of RDU and other airports. References to local sports, food, business, and the occasional inside joke have made their way in.

Tony Rice, NASA Ambassador

Newly-released phone calls shed light on law enforcement response to pilot who jumped out of plane

New calls released from Cary Police Department show how first responders coordinated the search for a man who jumped out of a plane prior to an emergency landing at Raleigh-Durham International Airport last month.

911 call released: FAA says pilot described co-pilot jumping from plane before emergency landing

On Tuesday, a recording obtained by WRAL News detailed a conversation between those at Federal Aviation Administration employees in the Raleigh-Durham International Airport Tower and 911 dispatchers.

911 call: FAA says pilot described co-pilot jumping from plane

Two Federal Aviation Administration employees in the Raleigh-Durham International Airport Tower told the Raleigh-Wake County 911 dispatcher that the surviving pilot reported his co-pilot jumped out of a plane last week before making an emergency landing.

Man told RDU tower his co-pilot 'jumped out' of plane before emergency landing

The RDU Police Department said it had interviewed the surviving pilot, whose name was not made public.

Joe Fisher, WRAL reporter & Chris Lovingood, WRAL anchor/reporter

FAA to lead investigation for death of co-pilot

Charles Hew Crooks, 23, died July 29 and was one of two people on board the flight, which had only one person on it when it landed at RDU.