FedEx asks FAA for OK to add anti-missile systems to some cargo planes
Editor's Note
Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night famously keeps United States Postal Service carriers from delivering mail. When it comes to delivering packages and cargo, FedEx wants its planes to be able to keep going if attacked by missiles.
“In recent years, in several incidents abroad, civilian aircraft were fired upon by man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS),” the Federal Aviation Administration said in a notice posted Friday. In other words, weapons like shoulder-fired missiles.
El Al Israel Airlines equips its commercial aircraft with anti-aircraft missile technology and planes used for Air Force One have both electronic and infrared countermeasures to jam or divert incoming missiles when the U.S. president is on board, Politico notes.
The worry is that someone may try to use a heat-seeking missile to attack a jetliner.
But to date, aircraft used for cargo delivery have not been equipped with any anti-missile capabilities. To avoid costly delays and rerouting, and to continue to be permitted to fly over trouble spots that might otherwise be closed to air traffic, FedEx asked the FAA back in 2019 for permission to install laser-based missile defense systems on Airbus A321-200 airplanes, which the company does not currently have in its fleet.
The information came to light in an FAA filing.
“FAA design standards for transport category airplanes did not envisage that a design feature could project infrared laser energy outside the airplane. The FAA’s design standards are inadequate to address this capability,” the FAA notes.
In response to the FedEx request, the FAA is now proposing conditions to allow the package delivery company to proceed with the modification the agency describes as “a novel or unusual design feature when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport category airplanes.”
As explained in the FAA notice, the proposed design feature is a system that emits infrared laser energy outside the aircraft as a countermeasure against heat-seeking missiles. But the agency's regulations don't currently have "adequate or appropriate safety standards for this feature," according to the FAA. “These proposed special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.”
The FAA conditions cover a variety of safety concerns and apply only to Airbus Model A321-200 airplanes with laser-based missile defense systems. “This action affects only a certain novel or unusual design feature on one model of airplane. It is not a rule of general applicability and affects only the applicant,” the FAA said. The special conditions can be applied to other plane models with similar design features, but only if the applicant applies for a supplemental certificate, the government agency noted.
The special conditions include assuring that the system has a way to prevent the inadvertent activation of the system on the ground, including during airplane maintenance and ground handling, and making sure operation of the system in-flight doesn’t damage the airplane or other aircraft or injure any person.
FAA also will require that the airplane flight manual supplement (AFMS) describes the intended functions of the installed laser systems and clearly states: "CAUTION: The operation of the installed laser system could pose significant risk of injury to others while in proximity to other aircraft, airports, and populated areas."
You can learn more about anti-missile systems and the special conditions in the FAA’s Special Conditions notice here.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.