Has Backed Off The 10 Mile Separation On Takeoff, Landing

The FAA has a bit of egg on its face over separation rules issued for Boeing's new 747-8 and 787 aircraft. A spokeswoman said they were issued "prematurely," and that there were "a number of errors."

747-8 File Photo

ANN was among those reporting that the FAA had instructed air traffic controllers to allow 10 miles between one of Boeing's new airplanes and aircraft following behind them on takeoffs and landings. The order also called for 5 miles of separation during cruise. The reason given was the possibility for greater wingtip vortices and wake turbulence.

But the Seattle Times reports that the FAA rescinded the order Tuesday. Spokeswoman Laura Brown said the two airplanes should not have been included in the same order. New guidelines will reportedly be issued for the 747-8 by the end of this week, with rules for the Dreamliner following next week.

Dreamliner ZA006 File Photo

Brown told the paper that the instructions were intended to apply only to the flight test airplanes. "We're gathering data on these test flights," she said. "There are likely to be modifications as we get more data along the way."

Other errors included reference to a "747-800" rather than to a "747-8." The FAA also published incorrect takeoff weight for both airplanes.

FMI: www.faa.gov