AST/AVR turf war is over

The AST/AVR turf war is over. Patti Grace Smith and Nick Sabitini
have jointly published a Notice in the Federal Register, 68 FR 59977,
http://frwebgate5.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate.cgi?WAISdocID=70818015893+0+0+0&WAISactio n=retrieve,
that divides up the pie very evenly. Launch vehicles are AST,
airplanes are AVR, and hybrid vehicles - those which share
characteristics of launch vehicles and aircraft - are both. The
dividing line is clear and unambiguous, is the same as what AST
pre-announced at Space Access in April, and is trajectory dependent.

What this means is that the same vehicle can be an experimental
aircraft on Monday, a launch vehicle on Tuesday, and an experimental
aircraft again on Wednesday. Which it is depends on how you fly it.
If you fly it so it meets the definition of a suborbital rocket, it's
a launch vehicle, and you need a launch license. If you fly it so it
doesn't meet the definition, it's an experimental aircraft, and you
need a pink slip.

This is good news for pretty much everyone. Flight test paperwork is
a whole lot easier, but when we need to start charging for flights, we
can - we just have to get a launch license. This is WAAAY easier than
the equivalent route for airplanes, which is type certification. AST
and AVR did a really good job on this compromise.

-R