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Air France 447 Investigation Interim Report
July 4, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The BEA Interim Report released Thursday covering the crash of Air France Flight 447 show a span of more than nine hours between the last message received from the Flight's crew and the launch of a first rescue aircraft. Though communications on oversea flights can be sparse, the rescue launch order was still a full eight hours from the interval at which time the aircraft sent 24 messages showing onboard faults and system failures. When debris was found, it consisted mainly of light items from all areas of the plane. No evidence of fire or explosion has yet been discovered. Distortions in the metal vertical reinforcements of specific debris "showed evidence of great compressive forces" with crumpled walls and ceilings that were deformed downward while the floor "was curved under the effect of a strong upward pressure from below." This suggests, and investigators have publicly stated, that the aircraft hit hard in a rather level attitude. The translated report summarizes it less obviously stating, "visual examination showed that the airplane was not destroyed in flight ; it appears to have struck the surface of the sea in a straight line with high vertical acceleration." (There is some speculation as to the exact meaning of "in a straight line," which may have translated directly to "in the line of flight," but may have been intended to mean "in a level attitude," or simply that the aircraft had negligible yaw at impact.) |
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AVweb Insider Blog: Greener Airplanes, Bluer Skies
July 3, 2009
In the latest installment of our AVweb Insider blog, editor Mary Grady laments that it can be tricky to be both an aviator and an environmentalist but is thankful for new technologies (and new ways of thinking) that help bridge the gap. When we talk about airplanes getting greener, notes Mary, it's not just emissions that make the difference. |
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Air France 447 Hit Belly First: Investigators
July 2, 2009
By Paul Bertorelli
Investigators said Thursday that Air France 447 apparently didn't break up in flight but fell belly first into the equatorial Atlantic early on the morning of June 1. Thus far, 51 bodies of the 228 people aboard the Airbus 330 have been recovered and the search for additional victims ended last Friday. The search for the aircraft's flight data and cockpit voice recorders continues, but it too is expected to be suspended on July 10. “The plane was not destroyed while it was in flight,” Alain Bouillard, the chief of the investigation told reporters. “It seems to have hit the surface of the water in level attitude and with a strong vertical acceleration. |
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AVweb Insider Blog: Tip o' the Cap to Tampa
July 2, 2009
Ever tried to complain to the airport authority at an international hub? Good luck even finding the number. At Tampa, Florida, they actually call you back. Paul Bertorelli's report on that refreshing experience is the subject of our latest AVweb Insider blog. |
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NTSB Investigating Two Runway Incursions In Cleveland
July 1, 2009
By Mary Grady
The NTSB said this week it is investigating two runway incursions that occurred in June at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport in Cleveland, Ohio, while a controller-in-training was directing the airplanes. On June 26, an ExpressJet Embraer 145, was cleared by the controller to cross Runway 24L at a taxiway in order to depart from Runway 24R. About 19 seconds later, the same controller cleared a CommutAir DH8 for takeoff on Runway 24L. The Express Jet flight crew saw the departing airplane and advised the controller they would not cross the runway. The DH8 rotated about 1,500 feet from where the E-145 was positioned. Just three weeks earlier, on June 3, a B-737 was cleared by the same controller to taxi into position on the same runway on which an E-145 was cleared for takeoff. The E-145 crew was entering the runway and saw the B-737, and queried the controller. The two flights came within 500 feet of each other on Runway 6L. The controller is still on duty and is expected to complete his training. |
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New Airstrip Expands Access To Rocky Mountain Forests
July 1, 2009
By Mary Grady
A new grass runway is now being built on land owned by the U.S. Forest Service in Montana, after four years of effort by recreational pilots. The strip, which is expected to be ready for next spring, will be 4,000 feet long, stretching across a meadow at an elevation 6,300 feet, surrounded by plenty of open grassland for approaches and climbouts. The site is close to a popular trout-fishing area and a campground in the Lewis and Clark National Forest. Members of the Montana Pilots Association and the Recreational Aviation Foundation worked with federal officials to create the airstrip. The agreement required four years of planning, including an environmental impact statement and an opportunity for public discussion. Several sites were considered and rejected before the final site made the cut. "This decision is significant because until this location was selected at Russian Flat, there were no public airstrips on Forest Service lands east of the Rocky Mountain Front," said Dan Prill, of the RAF. The runway is under construction now but is not expected to open until the grass surface has time to develop. |
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Social Media Leads To Project To Promote GA For All
July 1, 2009
By Mary Grady
Two active pilots -- Jason Schappert, a CFI living in Florida, and Vincent Lambercy, a Swiss private pilot living in Germany -- were chatting on Twitter recently when they came up with an exciting idea. Why not go flying in Jason's Cessna 150, from the U.S. East Coast to the West Coast and back, to promote general aviation? "While it's not very fast, [the 150] is a very economical and reliable airplane," the two write on their Web site, FlyingAcrossAmerica.com. "Jason opted to own such a plane because it allows for his students to earn their private pilot license for less than 5,000 dollars! Aviation is not restricted to the elite and affluent. This is an integral part of our message." The two plan to launch next summer, and they are looking for sponsors and donors to help make the trip possible. They will fly a southern route from Florida to California, to avoid having to cross the Rocky Mountains. The two say they see the flight as "a mission" that is more than just flying for fun from coast to coast. "We intend to rally people and promote general aviation on a local grassroots level," their Web site reads. |
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Actuator Failure Prompts Precautionary But Safe Landing For WhiteKnightTwo
July 1, 2009
By Mary Grady
Virgin Galactic's WhiteKnightTwo, also known as "Mothership Eve," was on its way from Scaled Composites in Mojave to fly past the groundbreaking ceremony for Spaceport America in New Mexico on June 19 when the crew noted the failure of a speedbrake actuator as they descended toward the site. Pilot Peter Siebold and his crew made a precautionary landing at Williams Gateway Airport near Phoenix, where they were met by ground crew. They were able to re-launch the next morning and successfully completed several flybys and a low pass over the runway at Las Cruces International Airport for spectators at the Spaceport America event. Systems were evaluated on the high-altitude return leg to Mojave. According to the flight log posted at scaled.com, WhiteKnightTwo has so far flown more than 29 hours, with some flights lasting as long as 7.5 hours, at altitudes up to 52,400 feet. WhiteKnightTwo is the carrier vehicle for SpaceShipTwo, which will transport passengers to the edge of space. |
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Former Kitfox-Lite Model Re-launches As Belite Ultralight
July 1, 2009
By Mary Grady
Belite Aircraft, a new company based in Wichita, Kan., unveiled its prototype airplane Tuesday afternoon in the middle of the city's Old Town neighborhood. The aircraft, which flew for the first time just last week, is an extensively modified version of the Kitfox Lite. Entrepreneurs James and Kathy Wiebe acquired the production rights to the aircraft earlier this year and have redesigned it to reduce the weight below the 254-pound limit needed to qualify as an ultralight under Part 103. The wing, struts, spars and ribs are constructed using a proprietary carbon fiber process that James Wiebe says builds faster than aluminum, wood or composite construction. The aircraft will fly at about 55 knots with a range of 200 miles. It will be on display at EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh later this month and Wiebe said he will release further information at that time about pricing and delivery schedules. It will be offered for sale as a kit or fully assembled. |
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Stratos Will Bring VLJ Mock-Up To Oshkosh
July 1, 2009
By Mary Grady
So far, start-up companies aiming to build very light jets have found the going tough (the now-defunct Eclipse Aviation and Adam Aircraft, for example), but that isn't stopping newer companies whose leaders believe they have a better idea. One of those is Stratos Aircraft, a Bend, Ore., company that is moving forward with its concept of a very light personal jet, the Stratos 714, which it announced last May. The four-seat single-engine jet will go 1,500 nm at 400 knots, and it will be easy to manufacture, easy to fly, and easy to maintain, the company says. A full-scale cabin mock-up will be ready for display at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh later this month. "The full-size mock-up clearly demonstrates the level of roominess and comfort we are aiming to achieve," said CEO Michael Lemaire. "No amount of blueprints or renderings can replace actually sitting in the cabin." Company officials also will use the opportunity to gather feedback that can be incorporated into the final design. |
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AVweb Insider Blog: Air Shows and the $6 Hot Dog
July 1, 2009
As every business struggles in the current economy — especially aviation businesses — it can no longer be business as usual at the big air shows. In the latest installmment of our AVweb Insider blog, Paul Bertorelli argues that the place to start is giving show goers a little break on the price of lunch at these shows. A little consideration could go a long way. |
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Alternative Fuels Move Closer, As Aviation Escapes Emissions Control
June 30, 2009
By Mary Grady
The FAA said last week it has reached a "major milestone" in its efforts to help the aviation industry develop sustainable alternative fuels, and this week, the U.S. House exempted aircraft from a major bill that will impose greenhouse-gas emissions standards. The House bill, which was passed last Friday, still must be approved in the Senate and signed by the president before it becomes law. The Senate, however, is not expected to push for limits on aviation emissions, according to Helicopter Association International. Meanwhile, the FAA said an international panel of experts is working to create new guidelines that will allow for the approval of alternative commercial jet fuels. A number of new alternative fuels could be approved within the next few years, according to FAA's Nancy LoBueand, acting assistant administrator for the environment. She said the approval of new fuels will help lower aviation's carbon footprint. |
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GA Needs A Voice In Security Plans, Alphabets Say
June 30, 2009
By Mary Grady
Both the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and AOPA said this week that current proposals now in play in Washington are good news for general aviation. One bill introduced in the House would require the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to create a rulemaking committee including GA industry stakeholders, which would have input into new security measures that affect the industry. "This legislation shows that Congress understands that we can accomplish more good if we work together rather than separately," said NBAA President Ed Bolen. The committee would address proposals such as the TSA's Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP), which has been widely opposed by GA operators and pilots. After receiving more than 7,000 comments on its proposed LASP rule, most of them in opposition, the TSA has said it will issue a new NPRM before issuing a final rule. AOPA also noted that a House funding bill that passed last week addresses several issues of interest to GA. The bill urges the TSA to work with GA stakeholders before issuing security mandates and provides $275,000 to train GA pilots regarding security measures. |
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Girl Survives Yemenia Crash
June 30, 2009
By Russ Niles
Officials searching for an Yemenia Airways A310 that crashed near the archipelago of Comoros early Tuesday have found a 12-year-old girl who survived the accident. She was swimming amidst debris and bodies and is believed to be the only survivor. She is reported to be conscious and stable in hospital. The aircraft was carrying 142 passengers and 11 crew and reportedly went down after an aborted landing attempt at Moroni Airport. Two French military aircraft and a ship departed the Indian Ocean islands of Mayotte and Reunion early Tuesday to assist in search and recovery. Weather in the area at the time of the crash was stormy, with high seas. The aircraft was enroute from Sana'a in Yemen to the Comoros Islands, off the coast of Tanzania. Comoros is about halfway between Madagascar and Africa. |
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AVweb Insider Blog: Lancair Knows News
June 27, 2009
In the latest installment of our AVweb Insider blog, Russ Niles has some all-too-infrequent praise for the high art of communicating with the media. When the Lancair Evolution suffered a potentially embarrassing gear-up landing, the company was quick to provide information, help news outlets get the details right, and the world didn't come to an end. |
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Viper Claims Experimental "First"
June 26, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Viper Aircraft's new Viperjet LXR fanjet is a 375-KTAS, experimental two-place tandem aerobatic-capable personal jet with an 1100-nm range (with reserves) and room for 125 pounds of baggage -- and it's now available with a special endorsement from the FAA. The company has established standardized qualifications and training for the aircraft that qualifies pilots who've taken that training for an Authorized Experimental Aircraft certificate. The certificate is basically the experimental aircraft version of a type rating and in practice it means its holder "will no longer need to receive a Letter of Authorization (LOA) from the FAA," to operate the aircraft, according to Viper President Scott Hanchette. Hanchette believes that makes his the "first experimental aviation company in its class" to receive such a certificate. According to Viper, the authorized certificate is part of the FAA's vintage and experimental program's goal of establishing standardized pilot qualifications, training and certification in experimental U.S. and foreign aircraft. |
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Eclipse Loses EASA Type Certificate, Suppliers Lose More
June 26, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The EASA Type Certificate covering the Eclipse 500 has been suspended (PDF) as of June 12, 2009, striking a potential blow to the value of Eclipse Aviation's intellectual property assets that may soon be sold at auction. Now in Chapter 7 bankruptcy, Eclipse Aviation has even less to offer potential buyers. Eclipse achieved the EASA certificate in November of last year, hoping to win a new market for the aircraft in any of 30 European nations, but since that time the vast majority of delivered Eclipse 500 very light jets have been registered in the United States. So, on the upside, the suspension shouldn't have much of an effect on aircraft that are currently in use. On the rapidly growing downside, Eclipse's assets will now offer even less to the company's suppliers that have lined up to fill out bankruptcy court claim forms for money due them. The one supplier (of about 145) that may be taking the largest hit, 59-year-old Sun Country Industries, may be stuck with unpaid invoices totaling half a million dollars and "is sitting on an additional $750,000 in parts and material" otherwise destined for Eclipse, according to Aircraft Maintenance Technology online (AMT). To make matters worse, of Eclipse's physical assets, which could be sold to repay its debts, it seems many may have never been paid for by Eclipse. |
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Solar Impulse Is Revealed
June 26, 2009
By Glenn Pew
An aircraft was unveiled Friday in Switzerland that aims to take off with one pilot aboard and fly day and night propelled only by solar energy, flying around the world without expending any fuel or expelling any pollution. The team led by Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg believes the goal is unachievable "without pushing back the current technological limits in all fields." The craft measures 61 meters in span and will carry aloft about 3300 pounds of aircraft and 12,000 photovoltaic cells. There are more efficient options, but the 130-micron monocrystalline silicon solar cells were chosen for their combination of light weight and efficiency. The cells are dispersed over 200 square meters of surface area as part of a 12 percent efficient propulsion chain designed to deliver about eight horsepower from four motors. The motors are housed in under wing pods with lithium polymer batteries that are insulated to conserve the radiated heat that will allow them to function at the -40 degrees Centigrade at 27,000 feet the aircraft may experience. Power collected from the solar cells and stored in the batteries will be used to drive 3.5-meter propellers through a gear reduction that will swing them at 200-400 revolutions per minute -- lifting the giant craft off the ground at about 19 knots and flying it at about 60. And then there's what's on the inside. |
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Klapmeier Makes Play For Cirrus Jet
June 26, 2009
By Russ Niles
AVweb has confirmed that former Cirrus Design CEO Alan Klapmeier is making a bid to acquire the rights to manufacture and sell the Vision SF 50 single-engine jet. A source close to the negotiations, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Klapmeier announced that he has "formed a team of financial advisors and engineers" to try to take over the project. The source said Merrill Lynch is involved in the negotiations between the Klapmeier group and Arcapita Ventures, Cirrus Aircraft's majority investor, over the potential acquisition of the project. The new company will be separate from Cirrus and a name has not been chosen. More details in our podcast interview with Brent Wouters. |
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One Man's Dream: 60 Airplanes At 60
June 25, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Celebrating a 37-year career in aviation and his 60th birthday, Tim Carter has set himself a goal of flying 60 aircraft in the year starting immediately after his Nov. 1, 2008, 60th birthday. He's got about four months left and, according to his Web site, he's flown 29 aircraft. Carter's career has taken him through the United States Air Force and Delta Air Lines before he moved to his current job at a fractional jet company. The man says he has about 17,000 hours total time with type ratings in the B727, 737, 757/767, CE500, CE525 and LOA Folland Gnat. With previous experience flying everything from a Cub through a Zivco Edge to an L29, his logbook may already contain 60 different types, but thought his plan would be a fine "grand finale" to "cap off a great career." Even if he doesn't succeed, the quest has no doubt produced some memorable days, including one spent at the U.S. Flight Academy, where he went once around the patch in eight aircraft (one of which was a helicopter). Carter maintains a Web site where he posts pictures of his conquests. |
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Fractional Cub?
June 25, 2009
By Glenn Pew
American Legend Aircraft announced Thursday that its Legend Cub, a modernized Piper J-3 Cub, could be had for as little as $2900 down and flown for $28 per hour when purchased through the LetsFly four-person joint-ownership program. The LetsFly Cooperative Ownership Program is "the largest aircraft cooperative in the country," according to President Eldon Corry. The company claims to offer an affordable model for pilots "who wish to fly often, but prefer not to rent" in a package that offers "a very appealing aircraft ownership alternative," especially in the context of difficult economic times. For the roughly $110,000 Legend Cub, the company says its four-person system translates into the previously mentioned low initial cost, low hourly cost, and monthly fees that land in the ballpark of about $400 (depending on the loan's interest rate). For what it's worth, LetsFly will also put you in a Mooney Acclaim or Cirrus SR20 for that same initial $2900 ... but you'll be paying about $1500/month and $185/hour for the Mooney, or $710/month and $90/hour in the Cirrus. |
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NTSB To Investigate A330 Air Data Anomalies
June 25, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Investigators recently reported that the crew of Air France Flight 447, lost earlier this month with all aboard, may have been fed faulty air data, and Friday the NTSB announced that it is investigating "two recent incidents" in which A330 instruments may have malfunctioned. Earlier this month, after it was publicly disclosed that Airbus had recommended changes to the jets' pitot tubes, some pilots for Air France were urged by their union to refuse flights on A330/A340 series aircraft if their pitot sensors had not yet been replaced. Of the two incidents the NTSB will be investigating, the first involved a TAM Airlines flight out of Miami May 21, bound for Sao Paulo. The airliner lost "primary speed and altitude information" during cruise. Pilots reported the event was precipitated by an abrupt drop in indicated outside air temperature. Soon after, the Air Data Reference System was lost and the autopilot and autothrust disconnected. The crew flew the jet on backup instruments for about five minutes until primary data was restored. The flight continued to a Sao Paulo, where it landed without incident. A Northwest Airlines A330 flying between Hong Kong and Tokyo on June 23 may have experienced a similar event. The NTSB in its statement did not draw any connection between these investigations and the Air France disaster. |
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FAA Asks Unions, Regional Airlines To Make Changes
June 24, 2009
By Mary Grady
FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said on Wednesday a new rule establishing flight and rest rules for pilots at regional airlines will be drafted by Sept. 1, and called on the airlines and unions to make changes in hiring and safety practices by the end of July. "We know that the airline industry is committed to operate at the highest level of safety," Babbitt said. "Now is the time to push these initiatives forward." The FAA wants airlines to obtain all available FAA records before hiring pilots, and all carriers who don't have Flight Operations Quality Assurance and Aviation Safety Action Programs in place should implement them immediately. Also, airlines that have contractual relationships with regionals should ensure that the regionals follow the same standard of safety. By July 15, the FAA will establish an Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) comprising representatives from the FAA, labor and industry, which will develop recommendations for the new FAA rule regarding flight time and rest standards. |
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Volunteer Pilots, Take Note -- Angel Flight Requirements Vary
June 24, 2009
By Mary Grady
AVweb noted on Monday that some Angel Flight organizations have amended their pilot requirements in the wake of last year's three fatal crashes, but we would like to re-emphasize -- as we stated in that Monday story -- that several different groups use the "Angel Flight" term and not all of them have the same rules. David Prutzman, the president of Angel Flight East, wrote to let us know that his organization reviews its policies, pilot requirements and safety recommendations on an ongoing basis and has recently implemented several changes as a result of those reviews. However, the group is maintaining its previously published requirements for pilot qualifications and aircraft TBO. Aviators should check with their particular volunteer group, whether it is some form of Angel Flight or any other organization, for details on requirements and updates about changes. |
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Waco Updates Its Classic Biplane
June 24, 2009
By Mary Grady
Waco Classic Aircraft, of Battle Creek, Mich., announced this week that it has overhauled its YMF-5C biplane, adding many new features and upgrades, and is now introducing the YMF-5D. "This new model of aircraft delivers greater performance than ever before," the company said in a news release. It has more horsepower, thanks to a new Jacobs R755-A2 300-hp engine, and the weight of the aircraft is lower, due to design changes and the expanded use of lightweight materials. |
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Solar Impulse Unveiling Set For Friday
June 24, 2009
By Mary Grady
Solar Impulse, an airplane designed to fly around the world on solar power, will be unveiled tomorrow, Friday, June 26, at Dubendorf airfield near Zurich, Switzerland. The aircraft has a wingspan of 210 feet and weighs about 3,500 pounds. It's powered by four 10-hp electric motors and carries more than 11,000 solar cells on the wing and the horizontal stabilizer. "The design of the aircraft, pure and futuristic, will itself be the symbol of the spirit of the project in the sky," says the company Web site. The project has been in the works since 2003, and organizers hope to launch the round-the-world flight in 2012. Five flight legs are planned, each lasting three to four days, "which is considered to be the maximum a single pilot can endure," according to the Web site. |
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Electric Aviation Moves Forward
June 24, 2009
By Mary Grady
Last week it was the SkySpark project flying fast on batteries, this week we heard that the first electric-powered airplane has flown in China, and on Wednesday Bye Energy announced that it has received a grant from the Wolf Aviation Fund to research electric motors for small GA aircraft. It's getting easier to believe the age of gasoline is on its last legs -- and while that may not be the case just yet, we do expect to see a lot of new emissions-free technology on display at EAA AirVenture next month. One of those displays will be the new airplane from China, the Yuneec International E430, which flew for the first time on June 12. It has since flown at least two more times, and is now being shipped to the U.S. so it can be ready to fly at Oshkosh. Test pilot Shun Xun said the E430 has plenty of power and the ride is exceptionally quiet and smooth. Takeoff speed was 40 mph and top flight speed was about 93 mph. |
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Boeing's Latest Dreamliner Setback
June 24, 2009
By Mary Grady
Boeing said on Tuesday that first flight of the 787 Dreamliner will be postponed again, due to a need to reinforce an area within the side-of-body section of the aircraft, and it will be several weeks before a new first flight or delivery date will be announced. Boeing officials had said as recently as last week at the Paris Air Show that the Dreamliner's first flight would take place by the end of this month, and deliveries would start by next March. The need to modify the aircraft raised questions about whether the computer models that are used to design aircraft and predict performance are adequate, especially when using advanced composite materials, but officials at Boeing said the process is working as it should: Computer models predict how the design will behave, but extensive real-world testing is always required to validate those predictions and, if necessary, modify the models. The aircraft will require structural reinforcements at about 36 points near the area where the wing joins the fuselage, Boeing officials said, but the changes will not significantly impact weight or performance. |
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FAA's New York Region Airspace Redesign Wins In Court
June 23, 2009
By Mary Grady
The FAA's plan to redesign the New York/New Jersey/Philadelphia region airspace cleared a key legal barrier last week when a court struck down a group of legal challenges, the FAA said on Monday. A federal appeals court ruled on June 10 that the FAA can continue to move ahead as planned. Challenges had been filed by several state and local governments in the region, as well as a citizens group, claiming that the FAA didn't properly perform an environmental impact study of the changes in air traffic patterns that would result from the redesign. The court disagreed. "The FAA's environmental impact analysis was procedurally sound and substantively reasonable," the court wrote in its decision. The FAA says the redesign will help reduce delays by about 20 percent, and NBAA agrees. "This is welcome news for everyone," Steve Brown, NBAA's vice president for operations, told AVweb on Tuesday. "This redesign is absolutely a good thing for airspace users. It will make traffic flow more efficiently, with fewer delays. It will save fuel and increase capacity." The redesign will be completed in 2012, the FAA said. |
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Sam Williams, Founder Of Williams Intl., Dies At Age 88
June 23, 2009
By Mary Grady
Dr. Sam B. Williams, founder and chairman of turbine engine company Williams International, of Walled Lake, Mich., died on Monday at the age of 88, the company announced in a news release on Tuesday. The small, efficient fanjet engines that Dr. Williams developed and patented were crucial to the development of very light jets and today are widely used on general aviation jet aircraft. The first Williams International jet engine, the FJ44-1A, was certified by the FAA in 1992, and since then, 4,000 FJ44 engines have entered service. Dr. Williams was inspired by a "lifelong dream of making jet travel safe, convenient, and affordable," the company said. He left a secure career at Chrysler Corp. in 1955 and started his own company with limited funds. Besides VLJs and bizjets, Williams engines have powered cruise missiles, the X-Jet flying platform, the V-Jet II designed by Scaled Composites that flew in 1997, and military drones. Dr. Williams was the recipient of many awards for innovation, including the Collier Trophy, the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy, and the National Medal of Technology. He was also inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame and the National Aviation Hall of Fame. |
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Lancair Evolution In Gear-Up Mishap
June 22, 2009
By Russ Niles
Lancair International says serial number 01 of its Evolution Turbine kit speedster will be back on tour within a week after a gear up landing at Northeast Georgia Regional Airport, near Winder, Ga. In a news release Monday, Lancair said the aircraft suffered "minor" damage to its rudder and tail cone in the mishap and technicians were dispatched immediately with all the tools and supplies needed to get the plane fixed and back in the air. "True to the nature of high strength composites the damage is expected to be fully repaired in three to five days, the company said. Company pilot Bob Jeffrey was flying at the time. |
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AVweb Insider Blog: Light Sport Amphibs — It Doesn't Get Any Better
June 19, 2009
If you've forgotten why it is you started flying in the first place, Paul Bertorelli and Jeff Van West suggest you pay a visit to Progressive Aerodyne and fly the SeaRey amphibian. If there's not a law against having this much fun, maybe there ought to be. See why it's all Paul can talk about in the latest installment of the AVweb Insider blog. |
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Forward Vision Earns Broad Cessna STC
June 21, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Forward Vision announced last week that most single-engine Cessna pilots may now fit Forward Vision's infrared thermal-imaging camera system to their aircraft with the full blessing of a supplemental type certificate (STC). For about $15,000 uninstalled, the system penetrates haze, fog, smoke and precipitation eight to ten times better than the human eye, according to the company. And because the STC covers some "158 models" of Cessna 100- and 200-series aircraft, it may now be installed on upward of 40,000 Cessnas. The list currently excludes the 208 and P210, but Forward Vision expects the P210 to be covered by a separate STC soon. Forward Vision's EVS systems have been available for business jets for some time. The company's EVS-100/600 systems are designed specifically for light aircraft and are already STC'd on Cirrus models. Check Forward Vision's Web site for more details. Pilots interested in the technology can see it with their own eyes and compare competing products -- we have videos after the jump. |
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Brits Take Contiguous 48 States In Record Time (For Diabetes)
June 21, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Saturday, Diabetes Flight 48, piloted by Douglas Cairns and James D'Arcy, two British pilots living with diabetes, broke the record time for landing in all 48 contiguous states with their final landing in Kenosha, Wis. At the time this was written, the two men had not yet blogged their final time (they had to beat 131 hours, 5 minutes) but noted that they had until 9:45 p.m. Central Time on Sunday evening if they were to succeed. The trip was flown in a Baron starting from Council Bluffs, Iowa, on June 16, and the men aimed to use the trip to raise awareness and funds for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, UK (see video, here.) By Saturday the pair had raised more than $4,500 (donations are always welcome). The trip was originally scheduled to begin June 16, in Iowa, running counter-clockwise after an initial jog from Nebraska. But the best laid plans are changed by weather and the crew reported on June 16 that they began their trip from Iowa, made it to Nebraska and then turned for Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas, later configuring a figure-eight pattern to hit all the states. Aside from the record time, the flight included at least one segment that covered eight states in less than 12 hours, detours around storms and "some tremendous low-level flying in the Rocky Mountains." Of course, then there were the tornadoes. |
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Economy Of Scale May Make F-35 Only Game In Town
June 20, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Lockheed Martin last week said it is seeing growing demand for its F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. As a joint development project in a severely crippled world economy, those countries that can afford to be involved may realize big benefits from joint collaboration. Lockheed Martin believes the aircraft's characteristics will make it a viable replacement for some 13 models currently used by partner countries worldwide. And the company hopes that the vast amount of F-35s to be produced (possibly more than 2,400) will push down the per-unit costs of the aircraft to about $80 million per copy (not including research and design costs), making it ever more alluring when compared with competing designs. Critics claim the aircraft is not as maneuverable as some other available aircraft and not especially stealthy while carrying the munitions that make it particularly lethal. But the aircraft's economics and joint technology mean long-range targeting capabilities and mission versatility at a price that's hard to dismiss. And then there's the support the aircraft is seeing from the U.S. government. |
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APA Uses Continental 61 To Support Age-60 Rule
June 19, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Speaking for the Allied Pilots Association, spokesman Scott Shankland told WFAA TV in Dallas/Forth Worth, Thursday, that incidents like the Thursday death of a pilot aboard Continental Flight 61 will be more likely, and he knows why. Shankland told the TV station, "this is the reality of what we're going to be dealing with on an increasing bases as a result of the increase of retirement age to 65." Pilot Craig A. Lenell died at the age of 60 while serving as captain aboard the Continental flight. He was examined on the flight by a 72-year-old cardiologist who attempted to revive the captain with the aid of an onboard defibrillator (mandatory since 2004). Of the multiple events involving a pilot's incapacitation or death while piloting a commercial airliner that AVweb reviewed for this story, none resulted in additional fatalities as a direct result of the flight losing a pilot -- a point with which Shankland concurs. He did, however, point out that losing one pilot on a domestic airline flight would more often than not leave the flight in the hands of a sole remaining pilot who would be required to then declare an emergency and land soon as practical. But, for Shankland, and presumably APA, there are other considerations. |
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WASP To Receive Top Civilian Honor
June 19, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Legislation honoring the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) who flew more than 60,000,000 miles from 1942 to 1944 on every type of assignment but air combat has passed both houses of Congress. The Hutchison-Mikulski Bill on June 16 passed the House, sponsored by 334 representatives. It had passed the Senate in May, co-sponsored by 75 senators. Upon the signature of President Barack Obama, the bill will award the women with the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of their service. The medal, awarded by Congress, is the highest honor a civilian may receive, along with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and is bestowed for exceptional acts of service to the United States. Said Senator Hutchison of the Bill's passage, "The day that surviving WASP, and the families of those who have passed, get to hold these medals in their hands is at last on the horizon." During their service, the women were never awarded full military status, were ineligible for officer status and afterward were not granted veterans' status until 1977. Some 300 of the women have lived to see the Bill pass. |
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Group Offers Aviation Biofuels Timetable (Best Guess)
June 19, 2009
By Glenn Pew
With at least four biofuel test flights flown by leading airlines over the past 12 months, reports say they perform as well or better than traditional jet fuel and that some of the next generation fuels could cut emissions by 84 percent, so what's the hold up? Some hope to see commercial-scale production within the next few years, but the problem is economics. In the short term, serious hurdles exist, including the price and availability of second-generation feedstocks (there may not be enough raw material to supply the entire aviation industry) like camelina, which are used to produce the fuels. Camelina's oil in particular has been championed by Boeing as a drop-in jet fuel replacement, capable of utilizing existing jet fuel infrastructure without the need for component modifications. Still, those growing pains aren't likely to overcome any economy-induced short-term shortfalls in government support for mid- and long-term value. A report by Pike Research cited last week by the Wall Street Journal forecasts that the combined biodiesel and ethanol markets could climb from about $76 billion in sales in 2010 to nearly $250 billion by 2020. The market research and consulting firm has mapped the key milestones it expects to drive aviation biofuel progress over the next few years, but industry groups may have more conservative goals. |
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Angel Flight Groups Increase Volunteer Pilot Hour Requirements
June 19, 2009
By Glenn Pew
After decades of safe operation, last summer Angel Flight organizations had by August seen three fatal crashes; this summer some of their volunteer pilot requirements will change. A recent letter co-signed by Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic Chairman (AFMA), Steve Craven; president of Mercy Medical Airlift, Ed Boyer; and Executive Director for Airlift Hope America, Jim Smith, written to volunteer pilots listed new pilot qualifications/safety standards effective July 15, 2009. Pilots wishing to participate with those organizations must now have a minimum total time of 500 hours (unchanged) with no less than 400 hours (up from 250) as Pilot in Command with a minimum 50 hours in make and model. Other qualifications for any aircraft to be used for Angel Flights include a minimum of $1 million liability insurance with no less than $100,000 per seat. (There are other requirements, check with the specific groups you're interested in joining.) Contacted Friday for comment, AFMA's Craven told AVweb, "While we had been contemplating increased pilot qualifications and insurance requirements for some time, we were motivated by the fact that after 30+ years, millions of miles and hundreds of thousands of needy patients flown safely, last year the Angel Flight world experienced its first fatal accident." The letter also announced future steps intended to establish a "culture of safety" within the participating organizations. |
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Able Flight's Same Day Coast-To-Coast LSA Flight
June 19, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Earlier this month, Matt Hansen (23) and Jessica Scharle (24) flew From Jacksonville, Fla., to El Cajon, Calif., in an LSA within a single day and believe they set a record in the process, with a couple of twists. The transcontinental flight in a Light Sport Plane logged five stops along the way. It departed Cecil Field at 6:01 a.m., June 8, and arrived at Gillespie Field at 10:22 p.m., totaling 19 hours and 21 minutes en route with a little more than 17 in the air. The Peregrine FA-04 LSA they flew was equipped for night flight (legal when flown by a properly rated pilot) and managed just under 4.9 gallons per hour when the two were able to fly at 8,500 feet. As for the twists, one is that Hansen, a commercial pilot and flight instructor, participates with the nonprofit Able Flight Scholarship program that earned private pilot Scharle her spot on the trip. Able Flight helps facilitate flight instruction for physically disabled pilots. Scharle was born with a condition that essentially works to fuse her body's joints, but her battle with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita did not stop her from becoming the first female Able Flight Scholarship recipient from earning her private pilot certificate. The second twist is that the National Aeronautical Association isn't yet equipped to deal with the LSA category ... but then there's the Guiness Book. |
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DHS OIG Says GA Not Much Of A Terrorism Threat
June 19, 2009
By Russ Niles
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the Department of Homeland Security says general aviation poses a "limited and mostly hypothetical" tool for terrorists. In a report released last month, but first reported by GovernmentExecutive.com this week, the OIG says GA airplanes are too small and the terrorists know that. "Although [TSA's Office of Intelligence] has identified potential threats, it has concluded that most [general aviation] aircraft are too light to inflict significant damage, and has not identified specific imminent threats from [general aviation] aircraft," Inspector General Richard Skinner said. In a podcast interview with AVweb, AOPA spokesman Chris Dancy said the message from the OIG is one that his group has been delivering for years. AOPA President Craig Fuller said the findings validate his and other groups' contentions but that doesn't mean GA can let its guard down. "The report notes that while the threat is minimal, it is not non-existent and that constant vigilance must be maintained, which is why AOPA coordinated with the TSA to develop and implement the Airport Watch program," Fuller said. "We have always done our part and will continue to do so." |
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Captain Dies On Transatlantic Flight
June 18, 2009
By Russ Niles
A relief pilot aboard a Continental Boeing 777 took the left seat of a flight from Brussels to Newark after the 60-year-old captain died during the flight. In a twist of modern communications, all the networks were waiting in breathless anticipation as a fully qualified crew landed without incident at Newark at 11.49 a.m. but CNN says pax told them they weren't told of the drama in the cockpit. The only indication that anything was wrong was the call for a doctor during the flight. Continental says the captain, who had 32 years of service to the airline, apparently died of natural causes. |
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Viking Announces Military Twin Otter
June 17, 2009
By Russ Niles
While the civilian aviation market is depressed at the moment, military representatives from all over the world are at Le Bourget kicking the tires of hardware they might be able to use. Companies whose market is traditionally civilian are obliging by reworking their passenger and cargo planes. As we reported 18 months ago, Viking Air of Sidney, British Columbia, has resumed production of the Twin Otter and it announced a military variant, called the Guardian 400, in Paris. "By offering a customized version of the Series 400 Twin Otter tailored for military and government operations, namely the Guardian 400, Viking is able to provide its customers with a modern and economical solution for their infrastructure requirements," Viking President Dave Curtis said. |
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Wounded Iraq Vet Gets A Chance To Try Flying
June 17, 2009
By Mary Grady
Veterans Retreat, a Miami Beach-based charity that helps enrich the lives of veterans wounded in the Iraq or Afghanistan wars, recently brought retired Army Capt. Mark Brogan and his wife, Sunny, to Florida for a free weekend of flying. "Mark has wanted to fly since he was a kid," Sunny told a local reporter. Capt. Brogan was injured in a 2006 suicide bombing that left him with brain and spinal cord injuries and nearly severed his right arm. Doctors at first told Sunny to be prepared to "pull the plug," he said, but today he is walking and talking, against the odds. "My wife and I have been through quite a lot," he said, in an Air Force Times story about his recovery. "This has mostly been a journey of blind exploration for us." Veterans Retreat offers vets a chance to spend a few days in Florida and try flying, scuba diving, or sailing. Each aviation student receives introductory instruction, their own logbook and advice on how to continue their flight training at a hometown airport, seek a career in aviation or simply fly with an instructor whenever they want an adventure. "A lot of these guys surf the Internet all day long with nothing to do," Tim Sureath, founder of the group, told a local TV reporter. "We want to help them find some purpose." |
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FAA Chief Boosts NextGen Budget, Expects Labor Peace Soon
June 17, 2009
By Mary Grady
Speaking before a House appropriations committee on Tuesday, FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt asked for a 24-percent boost in funding for NextGen projects, a total of $865 million. Babbitt also said that negotiations with the air traffic controllers union, which were stalled and contentious for several years, now are making progress. "I'm optimistic," he said. "The talks are proceeding well, both sides are at the table, and I think we'll reach an agreement. The best agreements are reached when everyone wants an agreement, and right now there is both that desire and a positive atmosphere." Babbitt said the agency will hire more than 1,700 new controllers in fiscal year 2010. "We're hiring more controllers faster than ever," he said. "We are providing them with quality training." He also asked for $3.5 billion to fund airport projects, including runway safety area improvements, runway incursion reduction, and aviation safety management. The FAA's total budget request was $15.9 billion. |
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Italian Electric Airplane Reaches 155 MPH
June 17, 2009
By Mary Grady
Experimenters have made great strides in recent years with electric power for small aircraft, and a step forward took place last week in Italy when a new battery-powered airplane flew for the first time, then two days later reached 155 mph, which is expected to be a new world record for the category. The SkySpark project is a joint enterprise between engineering company DigiSky and Turin Polytechnic University. The two-seat Pioneer Alpi 300 is powered by a 75-kW electric motor using brushless technology and lithium polymer batteries. Electronic control systems make it possible to modulate RPM and torque, "with dynamics which are far beyond what it is attainable in reciprocating engines," and the engine is very reliable and long-lasting, according to the SkySpark Web site. |
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An Entry-Level Warplane Debuts At Paris
June 17, 2009
By Mary Grady
The trouble with warplanes is they are so darned expensive, but at this week's Paris Air Show, bargain hunters found a new option -- the affordable Air Truck, a modified two-seat cropduster, built by Air Tractor of Olney, Texas. The turboprop can carry up to four tons of bombs and missiles and machine guns, and can stay aloft for up to 10 hours to provide support to troops on the ground, or to easily hop across the North Atlantic. The Air Truck's speed tops out at 210 mph, but the ability to maneuver low and slow could be an advantage in many combat situations. The airplane is expected to sell for about $5 million, according to the Associated Press, about half the price of today's military-version turboprops such as the Embraer Tucano or the Beechcraft T-6, and significantly less than the tens of millions that is the usual bracket for even the lowliest jet fighters. |
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NBAA Challenges FAA Release Of Information On Business Jet Travel
June 17, 2009
By Mary Grady
Generally, data about the movements of airplanes using the federal airspace system is open to the public, but owners of business aircraft can ask the FAA to block their tail numbers, citing security concerns and competitive considerations -- and now a federal court will decide if those requests should be open to the public. The FAA said recently that it would release the list, after a Freedom of Information request from a nonprofit journalism group, but the NBAA has challenged that decision. "The Blocked Aircraft Registry Request (BARR) Program was established over a decade ago," NBAA said in a statement. "NBAA has long supported the BARR program and believes the reasons for its creation remain relevant today, given that access to information about certain flights can be used to inappropriately impact the competitive landscape." NBAA spokesman Dan Hubbard told AVweb the organization wouldn't comment further since the matter is pending in court. ProPublica, the group seeking the release of the list, says some companies are using the system to avoid bad publicity about excessive use of their corporate jets. |
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AVweb Insider Blog: Air Safety Behind Closed Doors
June 16, 2009
That's the way it was on Monday when the Transportation Department held a closed-door session with the airline industry to discuss issues related to the Colgan crash in Buffalo. "What's up with this?" wonders Paul Bertorelli in today's AVweb Insider blog. Shouldn't the sun shine in on such governmental meetings? The new administration said it would. TranspoSec Ray LaHood said the meeting was too urgent to wait for the NTSB's full report in another eight months. |
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Two Cirrus Air-Taxi Operators Join Forces
June 16, 2009
By Mary Grady
SATSAir and ImagineAir, two of the new generation of air-taxi operators flying Cirrus SR22 aircraft, said on Tuesday they have entered a "flight networking" or "code-share" agreement, effectively expanding their combined network across a 10-state area in the Southeastern U.S. "Customers of both companies will benefit from the increased aircraft availability immediately," said Steve Hanvey, SATSair president and CEO. "From an operational standpoint, this will also create an opportunity for both companies to route their aircraft in an even more efficient manner." Both operators offer on-demand flights to over 1,000 airports in the Southeast. Each company will retain its own pricing structure and operate its own flights. "While code-shares have been common practice in the airline industry for years, 'flight networking' is really an innovative 'first' for the next-generation air-taxi industry," said Aaron Sohacki, CEO of ImagineAir. |
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FAA Chief Promises New, Safer Rules For Airline Pilots
June 16, 2009
By Mary Grady
FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said on Monday that airlines can expect new rules soon regarding flight and duty hours for pilots, and also that rules will be clarified to ensure that airlines can get data on every checkride a pilot applicant ever took. Babbitt spoke at a high-level closed-door meeting of industry executives, pilot union reps and government officials held in Washington to discuss concerns about safety at regional airlines and what can be done to improve it. "Our job is to deliver and ensure safety, and recently we've seen some cracks in the system," Babbitt said, referring to the publicity about hiring practices and standards at regional airlines during the investigation of the Colgan Air crash in Buffalo. He said he also wants airlines to have a process to ensure that senior captains mentor new pilots as they build experience. Babbitt and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood hosted the "Call to Action" to identify immediate steps that could strengthen and improve pilot hiring, training and testing practices at regional airlines as well as at the major air carriers. |
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AVweb Insider Blog: Why Speculating on Airplane Crashes Is a Good Thing
June 15, 2009
Used to be, we reclined in smug professionalism in being sophisticated enough to know aircraft accidents take months to investigate. But these days, the information comes at you a mile a minute from dozens of sources, so in the latest installment of our AVweb Insider blog, Paul Bertorelli argues that it's actually a healthy thing to offer your own theory or suggestions on crash causes. Not to worry; the NTSB won't pay you the slightest bit of attention. |
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Video Captures Beaver Crash, No One Hurt
June 15, 2009
By Russ Niles
Sometimes the difference between being in the right place at the right time and the opposite is a matter of a few feet and, miraculously, everyone involved came out of this one on the happy side of that equation. Dustin Koehler and his father were videotaping floatplanes taking off from Lake Spenard in Anchorage June 7 when something went wrong in the takeoff run of a de Havilland Beaver. Happily, Koehler, who kept the camera rolling throughout the sequence and the two adults, two children and two dogs on the Beaver were unhurt after the plane went over Koehler (he estimates the wing passed five feet over him) and hit rising ground less than 100 feet behind him. Ironically, the plane came to rest next to the the Alaska State Department of Transportation building. The unidentified pilot reportedly told the NTSB that a gust of wind knocked the aircraft off course and the video practically begs armchair analysts to dissect the sequence. There's even a strategically placed windsock. |
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Red Bull Air Race Cruises Through Windsor
June 15, 2009
By Mariano Rosales
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| Click for photos |
The Red Bull Air Race's last stop in North America for 2009 took place last weekend on the Detroit River between Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan. British pilot Paul Bonhomme narrowly took home the first-place trophy, narrowly beating out Austrian Hannes Arch by 1.15 seconds in the final round. The Red Bull Air Race World Series continues on with their next stop in Budapest, Hungary on August 19. |
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TSA Airport Security List Misleading
June 14, 2009
By Russ Niles
EAA says it's pressuring the Transportation Security Administration to lift the "shroud of mystery" on its implementation of new security requirements for GA pilots at commercial airports after an attempt at clarity misfired last week. On Wednesday, EAA published a list of 454 airports supplied by the TSA that have commercial service and would theoretically be subject to directive #1542-04-08G (SD-8G). AVweb wrote a story and carried a link to the list. However, representatives of some of the airports on that list were surprised (and annoyed) to see themselves on the list. EAA says some airports have been able to avoid implementation of the rule, because they've created their own security plan that meets TSA requirements. That's created inconsistent regulation and added to the frustration over the security plan, which EAA says the TSA is reluctant to provide details about. |
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Gas Trimmer Torches C-182
June 14, 2009
By Russ Niles
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| Click for more images |
Although it happened almost a year ago, the photos are just making the rounds of the Internet now and the lesson they carry are timeless. This almost-new Cessna 182 was destroyed last September at Munising, Mich., after gasoline in a line trimmer being carried on board ignited. According to the NTSB report the pilot put the weed whacker on the back seat for a short and uneventful flight but that all changed on arrival at Munising. |
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US Airways 1549 — Lessons And Next Steps
June 13, 2009
By Glenn Pew
NTSB hearings that last week focused on the Jan. 15 crash of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson have generated potential actions -- from developing on-aircraft anti-bird technology to rounding up and wiping out thousands of Canada Geese. At the hearings, Airbus test pilots supported Captain Sullenberger's decision to take the flight to the river instead of trying to make LaGuardia or Teterboro. Airbus' fly by wire system was praised for allowing Sullenberger to maintain the best airspeed for the ditching simply by holding the joystick fully aft and letting the computers do the work of not stalling the aircraft while he maintained wings level. The hearings also produced a rather compelling NTSB video (see right) that mates animation with ATC audio and CVR content (as text). A board member's call for more research into onboard bird-repellant or bird-deterrent technologies is supported by at least one study, which found that aircraft equipped with pulsed landing lights suffered fewer bird strikes. That study was conducted by Qantas and Precise Flight -- a vendor for a pulse light system. Tests conducted in 2004 by the U.S. Agriculture Department were less definitive, but further research (specifically, into flash frequency and light wavelengths) may be encouraged by the NTSB. That said, New York City in a statement Friday announced a more direct approach to "remove and dispose of" some 2,000 Canada geese residing in the LaGuardia area from mid-June to August.
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Seeking Teachers To Go Weightless For Education
June 12, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Northrop Grumman is accepting applications from educators who can earn a 2009 Weightless Flight of Discovery to depart from three remaining cities on this year's tour. This is the fourth consecutive year that Northrop Grumman has partnered with Zero-G Corporation to offer the weightless flights. The annual program for professional development provides teachers with an opportunity "to prepare for and participate in micro- and zero-gravity flights to test Newton's Laws of Motion," according to a Northrop Grumman press release. Selected teachers are meant to work with their classes in advance of the flight to devise experiments that the teacher will perform while aloft. It's then expected that the teacher will return to the classroom with their experiences where they will translate those experiences into increased enthusiasm among their middle-school students -- specifically in subjects like science and math. The United States is experiencing a shortage of college graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, according to program supporters who hope the results of such flights will help turn the tide. At the time AVweb went to press, Northrop Grumman had openings for flights from three cities, details after the jump. |
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Spectrum Aeronautical's Manufacturing Milestone
June 12, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Developer of the all-carbon-composite, GE Honda HF 120 fanjet powered, nine-passenger S.40 Freedom, Spectrum Aeronautical said last week that its "Fuselage Manufacturing Demonstrator" (FMD) means it can deliver a revolutionary 40% weight savings over similar aluminum aircraft. The FMD is a full-scale, one-piece part made of co-cured composites in a proprietary process that joins major structural components "at the molecular level," according to the company. The process significantly reduces the need for the adhesive bonding required by many other composite fabrication processes and, being composite, eliminates nearly all secondary fasteners from the fuselage structure. That, says Spectrum, saves manufacturing time and airframe weight and helps put the company's performance goals to "cut fuel consumption by as much as half that of comparably sized metal aircraft" within reach. Using the King Air and Cessna Citation XLS as benchmarks, the company has said its Freedom will burn half the fuel of the King Air while providing performance that closely matches the XLS. The Freedom is designed to carry a pilot and nine passengers in a six-foot cabin to cruise at altitudes up to 45,000 feet at speeds up to 442 knots and a range of 2,000 nautical miles. |
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Air France Wreckage Recovery Technology
June 12, 2009
By Glenn Pew
In searching vast stretches of ocean from the surface to its mountainous floor some 20,000 feet below, the technology that determines the area of the search may prove as important as that used to search it. A French nuclear submarine, the attack sub Emeraude, arrived off the coast of Brazil Wednesday to join the search for the remains of Air France Flight 447 and the aircraft's cockpit voice and flight data recorders. Meanwhile, U.S. Coast Guard search-and-rescue experts are applying technology in Portsmout, Va., to help identify those areas of ocean to which winds and currents may have delivered wreckage, based on the time of discovery and location of wreckage already found. The software also uses "reverse drift" technology to help determine where the items may have initially impacted the ocean. With those sets of information search areas are mapped based on their probability of containing debris. The submarine will be working with a mini-sub, the Nautile, which can descend to the ocean floor and was a key tool while searching for the Titanic. It will also be aided by U.S. underwater audio devices that authorities say can pick up signals generated from a depth of 20,000 feet. The Emeraude is expected to cover 13 square miles per day and investigators stipulate that due to complexities of the ocean floor in the search area, they're going to need a lot of luck. |
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Heater Cause Of In-Flight Airbus A330 Cockpit Fire?
June 12, 2009
By Glenn Pew
A loud bang and a bright flash of white flame greeted the pilots of a Jetstar Airbus A330-200 carrying 203 passengers and crew out of Osaka, Japan, for the Gold Coast, Australia, Thursday as it passed four hours en route 37,000 feet over the Pacific. The cockpit crew donned masks as fumes and smoke filled the flight deck and flames rose near the base of the co-pilot's windscreen. Aside from pilot and co-pilot, two trainees were in the cockpit, one of whom passed forward a fire extinguisher that the co-pilot used to douse the flames. After an estimated 50 seconds the fire appeared to be out and the aircraft was about 20 minutes from Guam, where the crew put down safely after a relatively normal descent. Jetstar cited an electrical connection in a windscreen heater element as the fire's apparent ignition point, according to The Australian, but the Australian Safety Bureau has yet to determine the cause. According to a spokesman for Jetstar, "This is quite a new aircraft, well maintained and the part was factory fitted." Captain Ray Banfield told passengers upon landing, "Never in all my years of flying commercial aircraft had I seen anything like it," according to The Daily Telegraph. |
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SUV, Cherokee Collide, All Survive
June 12, 2009
By Russ Niles
Well, we can imagine the paperwork on this one, but thankfully there won't be any obituaries. Amazingly, no one was killed when a sport utility vehicle and a Piper Cherokee collided head-on on a country road near Johannesburg, South Africa last Sunday. According to The Herald Sun (quoting the South African Times, whose site wasn't taking inquiries Thursday) the three people in the SUV weren't hurt but the pilot and passenger in the Cherokee were taken to hospital with serious injuries, although they're reportedly doing well now. The Cherokee had just taken off, ran into trouble and the pilot obviously looked for the best stretch of pavement. Unfortunately, the SUV driver had the same idea. |
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AVweb Insider Blog: GA a Soft Target for Security?
June 10, 2009
When David Perry and his passengers got ready to leave for a brief vacation in Mexico, they were detained, searched and interrogated at gunpoint Long Beach, Calif., Now, the Customs and Border Protection Agency won't say precisely why. In the latest installment of our AVweb Insider blog, Editor-in-Chief Russ Niles wonders if this could be a glimpse of the future of GA security and if there is really a good reason to keep the circumstances of this incident secret. |
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Experimental Balloonists Gather For Annual Fly-In
June 10, 2009
By Mary Grady
The fifth annual XLTA event, held recently in Amherst, Mass., attracted the pilots of 27 lighter-than-aircraft, most of them experimental homebuilts, for a weekend of flying and fellowship. "This is not a public event, not a spectator event, but entirely participatory," organizer Dan Nachbar told AVweb this week. "There is no pressure on the pilots to fly -- but everyone wants to fly as much as they can." This year's 70-plus attendees included pilots and crew from as far away as Wisconsin and Washington state, and five pilots from the UK. They brought with them a variety of creative and colorful projects, from a spectacular tetrahedron-shaped balloon to a hot-air blimp (though the blimp is not a homebuilt but manufactured by Thunder & Colt). About half of the aircraft were "cloudhopper-style," featuring just a harness to hold the pilot aloft, and half had baskets of various kinds to allow passengers. And most satisfying to Nachbar, five of this year's pilots were under 30. "We're generally a gray-haired crowd, not just the lighter-than-air folks, but experimental aircraft in general," Nachbar said. "So it's great to see the whippersnappers get involved." |
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TSA Lists Airports Affected By New Security Directive
June 10, 2009
By Mary Grady
A total of 454 airports will be subject to the TSA's latest Security Directive (SD-8G) restricting the movements of transient pilots, EAA said this week. The list includes airports in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Guam as well as in the U.S. Click here for the full list (PDF). The directive took effect June 1 and requires pilots to "remain close to their aircraft," leaving it only for trips to and from the FBO or airport exit, according to AOPA, although some airports may also offer escorts to transient pilots. Since individual airports may develop a variety of programs that would satisfy the TSA directive, pilots need to call ahead to their destinations and ask the airport operator or an FBO on the field for information about that airport's security requirements, EAA says. |
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FAA, Congress Scrutinize Regional Airline Safety
June 10, 2009
By Mary Grady
FAA inspectors have been told to immediately focus their efforts on training programs at regional airlines to ensure that they are in compliance with federal regulations, the agency said on Tuesday. "It's clear to us in looking at the February Colgan Air crash in Buffalo that there are things we should be doing now," said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. "My goal is to make sure that the entire industry -- from large commercial carriers to smaller, regional operators -- is meeting our safety standard." The agency will host a "call to action" summit in Washington, D.C., on Monday, June 15, to review airline safety and pilot training. Representatives from national and regional airlines as well as industry and labor groups are expected to participate. Officials expect the meeting to result in commitments to act in four key areas: crew education and support, professional standards and flight discipline, training standards and performance, and mentoring relationships between mainline carriers and their regional partners. Two congressional committees this week also are investigating aviation safety issues related to regional airlines. |
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Bass To Step Down As Piper CEO
June 10, 2009
By Mary Grady
James Bass, who has been CEO of Piper Aircraft since 2005, will step down on June 26, the company announced on Wednesday. "All things come to an end," Bass said in remarks to Piper employees. "I have successfully completed my mission at Piper and am leaving the company in very capable hands. What I was brought in to do has been done, and it is now time for me to move on to other challenges." During his four years at the helm, Bass led the development of the PiperJet and initiated a new business alliance with Honda. He also oversaw the introduction of the Meridian G1000 and the popular Piper Matrix, and negotiated $32 million in incentives from the state and county that kept the company in Vero Beach, Fla. "My primary focus when I came to Piper in 2005 was to turn the company around, create a strong, highly competitive business, and make Piper a compelling choice for potential buyers," Bass said. "Now with the sale of Piper to Imprimis, we have achieved that major milestone." Imprimis, a corporate finance and investment management firm, bought Piper on May 1. The next CEO will be Kevin Gould, who is now Piper's VP of operations. |
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Air Force May Open More Airspace To GA
June 10, 2009
By Mary Grady
The FAA said this week it is working with the U.S. Air Force to find ways to allow civilian flights to regularly use airspace that is normally reserved for the military. The effort would help to relieve delays on commercial and general aviation flights when thunderstorms, traffic, or other constraints limit the number of planes that can pass through commercial airspace, the FAA said. Over the last year, the Department of Defense has already let the FAA use portions of special use airspace during a few high-traffic times, such as last Thanksgiving. "Express lanes" allowed commercial flights to transit military airspace in busy regions across the country. The FAA said it is now working to develop a more permanent way to use this airspace. |
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New Test Would Reduce Color-Blindness Barrier For Pilots
June 10, 2009
By Mary Grady
Using new tests that have been developed by researchers in London, 35 percent of pilot applicants who now fail color-blindness exams would pass, the UK's Civil Aviation Authority said recently. "The CAA intends to promote this research internationally with a view to gaining acceptance of the [new] test and its incorporation in worldwide medical standards for pilots," said Dr. Sally Evans, chief medical officer at the CAA. The research, which was co-sponsored by the FAA, was conducted at City University London. Under current guidelines, pilot applicants with minimal color deficiencies will often fail traditional tests, the CAA said. However, researchers found that some of these individuals may be able to perform safety critical tasks just as well as those with normal color vision. About 8 percent of men and fewer than 1 percent of women have some level of color vision deficiency. [more] Current color vision requirements are open to interpretation and often vary between countries. The new test developed in London is accurate and thorough, the CAA said. Click here for a copy of the full report, published by the UK's Civil Aviation Authority. |
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Customs and Border Protection Justifies Ramp Check
June 9, 2009
A spokeswoman for the Washington headquarters of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) says the drawing of weapons in the ramp inspection of an aircraft in Long Beach, Calif., last month was justified but not "normal." Kelly Ivahnenko also told AVweb that general aviation pilots can expect more ramp checks by CBP agents thanks to the newly-instituted Electronic Advance Passenger Information System (eAPIS). She stressed it's unlikely many of the checks will have the level of intensity employed May 22 with Long Beach, Calif., pilot David Perry and his three passengers. Ivahnenko said in an interview on Tuesday that there was a "heightened alert" involved in the Long Beach operation but she also said she could not discuss the circumstances that led to a more aggressive posture than normal by the CBP and local police. She also said that while eAPIS had nothing to do with the Long Beach inspection, information provided through eAPIS could result in more frequent GA inspections. The system, which involves the online filing of flight and passenger information for transborder flights, became mandatory on May 18. In an interview and podcast with AVweb, Perry said he and his passengers were put in unnecessary peril by gun-wielding enforcement officials. Ivahnenko stressed Perry's experience is not what most pilots should expect if they're checked by the CBP. "This I would not classify as common or routine," she said. She said the Long Beach action was justified, even though the search turned up nothing illegal. "While the involvement of more than one law enforcement agency and the heightened alert of the situation were slightly unusual, it is within (CBP's) authority to inspect inbound and outbound travelers, vehicles, planes, cargo, etc.," she told AVweb. She also said that only the Long Beach police officers assisting the operation actually drew weapons and CBP agents kept theirs holstered, something Perry vehemently disputes. "Every one of them had their weapons out," Perry said. |
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Air France Speeds Airbus Pitot Replacements After Pilots Complain
June 9, 2009
By Mary Grady
Air France has accelerated its effort to replace pitot tubes on its Airbus aircraft after members of one pilots union threatened to refuse to fly the unmodified airplanes, the New York Times reported on Tuesday. The airline had said over the weekend it would replace the sensors on all Airbus A330 and A340 airplanes over the next few weeks. But on Monday, Alter, a union representing about 12 percent of Air France pilots, posted a notice on its Web site urging its members to "refuse any flight on an A330/A340 which has not had at least two pitot sensors modified," according to the Times. SNPL-ALPA, which represents the largest share of Air France pilots, made no such suggestion, but union spokesman Eric Derivry told the Associated Press: "What we know is that other planes that have experienced incorrect airspeed indications have had the same pitots. And planes with the new pitot tubes have never had such problems." |
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NTSB Holds Three-Day Hearing On Hudson River Ditching
June 9, 2009
By Mary Grady
The NTSB this week is holding a three-day hearing on the January ditching of US Airways Flight 1549 in New York's Hudson River. On Tuesday, the board heard Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger recall his decision-making process on that day. After considering all the possible choices, "The only option remaining in the metropolitan area that was long enough, wide enough and smooth enough to land was the Hudson River," he said. "I couldn't afford to be wrong." Passenger Billy Campbell, who was the last passenger off the airplane, told the NTSB that the jolt when the airplane hit the water was violent, and water immediately began to rush into the cabin through a broken window. After everyone got out of the airplane, the life raft that some were in began to sink, because it was still tethered to the airplane, but somebody on a nearby boat tossed them a knife to cut the rope. Campbell said there was not just one lucky break that day but many that allowed everyone to survive. "There were 14 or 15 miracles that had to occur," he said. |
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Pilot Protests Customs 'Check'
June 7, 2009
By Russ Niles
Baja Bush Pilots, a group representing pilots who frequently fly to Mexico, is polling members to see if any have had an encounter with Customs and Border Protection agents similar to the experience of Long Beach, Calif. pilot David Perry and his three passengers a couple of weeks ago. In a podcast interview with AVweb, Perry says he was going through his pre-start checklist for a flight to Loreto, Mexico on May 22 when his Cessna 210 was suddenly surrounded by yelling CBP agents and local airport police, weapons drawn (the Customs agents had M-16s) who ordered them out of the airplane. "They were yelling at us to put our hands on our heads," said Perry, a retired military officer who said he makes frequent flights to his second home in Loreto. What followed was almost an hour of interrogation and searches for what was apparently a "random check" according to the senior agent in charge of the operation Perry said. "I couldn't believe I was in the United States," Perry said. AVweb contacted the Los Angeles field office of Customs and Border Protection and a spokeswoman said a statement is being prepared but would not be available before our publication deadline. AVweb will carry a follow-up story on the CBP's take on the incident as soon as the statement is transmitted. |
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Air Force Champions Large Scale Composite Construction
June 6, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The Air Force Research Laboratory and Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works have, on June 2, flown their Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft (ACCA), which they say "has the potential to change aircraft manufacturing as we presently know it, for the better." ACCA program manager Barth Shenk's words reinforce that the aircraft itself isn't designed to be a prototype airframe so much as it is a proof-of-concept technology demonstrator for a composite manufacturing process. The aircraft is basically a modified Dornier 328J in this case built from very large composite sections that are cured and bonded in room-sized ovens. The size of the ovens allows massive parts when compared with what can be produced in more traditional smaller autoclaves, thus minimizing parts counts and complexity during assembly. Compared to the Dornier 328J's metal aircraft structure, which utilizes roughly 3,000 parts and 30,000 fasteners, the parts count for the ACCA is about 300 parts and 4,000 fasteners. That means significant time and money saved. More important, Shenk believes the benefits are not lost to but may be magnified by scale and further improved by the characteristics of composites themselves. |
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Stanford Doctor Crash Shows Holes In Medical Screening
June 6, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Neurosurgeon Doyle Borchers' night flight from Palo Alto to Reno on Aug. 7, 2008, in a Cessna 172S was not authorized by his student pilot certificate and through investigation of his fatal crash that night the FAA and NTSB have found his body contained traces of a wide variety of drugs. The NTSB has not yet released a final report, but a recent update shows the doctor, 41, was influenced by Prozac, mood stabilizers, opiates, anti-psychotic drugs and cocaine. The drug mix in Borchers' system also included buprenorphine, which Borchers prescribed to his own patients who suffered from heroin addiction, according to the doctor's Web site profile. Review of the pilot's FAA medical records show he indicated "no" in December, 2007, in response to "do you currently use any medication" and similarly to "mental disorders of any sort" and "substance dependence." Borcher was on April 22, 2008, accused by the Executive Director of the Medical Board of California of having a history of substance dependence and abuse for more than 10 years and documented an abuse of substances including alcohol. His spouse said he was being treated for addiction anxiety and depression at the time of the accident. |
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United's Bid For 150 New Aircraft
June 6, 2009
By Glenn Pew
United's bid to replace up to 150 of the larger airliners in its fleet is poised to take advantage of a lagging economy and likely intended to cause a potential bidding war, but some feel it may be a sign the airline is having difficulty raising capital against older aircraft. The airline, which currently flies both major manufacturers' products, has asked Boeing and Airbus to generate bids for the potential order that may earn one of them anywhere from $10 billion to $20 billion in orders depending on final aircraft selected, discounts applied and order size. Each manufacturer is theoretically motivated by recent history that's buffeted the industry, first with a 2008 spike in oil prices followed by an international recession and worldwide financial crisis -- all of which led to order deferrals from customers. Outfitting its fleet with new models from either major manufacturer would promise better efficiency and route flexibility for United, aside from the impact it may have on customer decision-making. But the move itself doesn't necessarily mean the company is flush with cash. Actually, at least some analysts appear to be arguing that it may mean the opposite. |
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Pilot Negligent, But Cirrus Party To $14 Million Penalty
June 5, 2009
By Glenn Pew
A Minnesota jury has found that though the pilot was 25 percent negligent in the January 2003 fatal crash of an SR-22 that killed him and a passenger near Hill City, Minn., Cirrus and the University of North Dakota were 75 percent negligent. The result of the case hinges on the jury's belief that that the pilot had purchased and was promised training that he did not receive and that his lack of that training was a direct factor in the crash. The NTSB's factual report states that an individual requested an abbreviated briefing for the flight noting that conditions at the departure airport were 2,800 feet overcast and that he was "hoping to slide underneath it then climb out." One witness who observed the aircraft flying approximately 100 feet above trees noted the engine sound was smooth, the aircraft seemed to be following a road (a notion echoed by at least one other witness) and added "that thing was moving." The witness stated that weather at that location was clear and moon lit. Another witness who saw the post-impact "fireball" stated that weather at his location was clear with a full moon. Cirrus and North Dakota's Aerospace Foundation were sued by the families of the two crash victims claiming they were negligent and had failed to train the pilot to fly the aircraft in bad weather. |
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More Layoffs At Cessna
June 5, 2009
By Glenn Pew
A few days after Cirrus recalled 50 employees, Cessna has held true to its word and Friday distributed 700 60-day layoff notices to salaried employees as part of 1,300 cuts announced in April along with suspension of the company's Columbus business jet program. The total company-wide carnage at Cessna had been sitting at 6,900 layoffs announced since November; the latest cuts are in addition to that. Those cuts mean the workforce at Cessna has been nearly halved. Next, Cessna is planning a four-week shutdown, according to Kansas.com, and the company will make a fourth revision since late 2008 to its production outlook. Where it originally planned to produce 535 jets in 2009, cancellations had dropped the company's most recently projections to under 300 with mid- to large-size jets taking the biggest hits in the form of order cancellations. While demand for the smaller Cessna Mustang remains good, its lower price point means the company's profit per unit are also lower. Still, while Cessna sheds jobs and orders, its order backlog remains in the billions while it's falling. |
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Schrenker Pleads Guilty To Crash Charges
June 5, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Marcus Schrenker's Piper PA46-500TP Malibu Meridian crashed January 11 in the Florida panhandle, without him aboard, and Schrenker Friday pleaded guilty to intentionally crashing an airplane and sending false distress calls related to his use of the aircraft in an alleged attempt to fake his own death. The 38-year-old Indiana fund manager was president of Heritage Wealth Management as the U.S. economy faltered in late 2008. His January flight took him from Indiana to Birmingham, which is roughly where he parachuted out of the aircraft. Schrenker had filed a flight plan to Destin, Fla., where his father lives, but en route sent distress calls via radio saying he had been injured, was bleeding and the aircraft was losing altitude. He followed those with transmissions that he was losing consciousness, then leveled the aircraft at 3,500 feet, put it on autopilot and jumped, landing safely under canopy, according to U.S. attorney Tiffany Eggers. Examination of a laptop later recovered with Schrenker when he was found by U.S. Marshals in a campground near Quincy, Fla., showed he had searched the internet for advice on parachuting from aircraft and "security fraud penalties," according to Bloomberg. |
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Air France 447 Investigation, Bodies Found
June 5, 2009
By Glenn Pew
News came Sunday that 17 bodies from Air France flight 447 were found roughly 400 miles northeast of the Fernando de Noronha islands off Brazil's northern coast. Friday French officials concluded that "wreckage" found by Brazilian authorities in the ocean and an observed 12-mile long oil slick were not in fact from the Air France Airbus A330 that was lost last Sunday with all 228 aboard. Amid reports of the Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) data, which were reportedly sent from the aircraft in its final four minutes, Airbus Friday urged operators to review procedures for flying while receiving conflicting or "incoherent" air data information on the flight deck. Also Friday, an Air France memo obtained by the Associated Press states that pitot tubes are being replaced on the airline's jets. This has led to increased speculation from mainstream media sources that the A330 had entered turbulent air at an improper speed while operating in a confined stall/overspeed performance regime -- at 35,000 feet, roughly 5,000 feet from its service ceiling. While speculation continues, so too do the effects of debris earlier thought to be wreckage, which significantly impacted the search, stretching limited first response resources and widening the search area by 300 miles. With the debris and oil slick set aside, developing theories that the aircraft impacted the water without suffering a pre-impact explosion or substantial fire are no longer so readily supported and reports from an Air Comet flight out of Lima for Lisbon may attract significant interest. |
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AVweb Insider Blog: Air France 447 — This One's Gonna Be Tough
June 4, 2009
The airplane's automation is a popular and understandable whipping boy. But, asks resident blogger Paul Bertorelli on the AVweb Insider, what if the crew just drove the thing into a level 6 thunderstorm? Sometimes the simplest theories are the hardest ones to accept. |
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EAA, AOPA To Work Together For GA
June 5, 2009
By Russ Niles
EAA and AOPA say they've entered into a new spirit of collaboration to promote general aviation. Senior staff from both organizations met recently to figure out how to play on each other's strengths for the common good of GA and members of both organizations, of which there is considerable crossover. "The majority of our nation's pilots belong to one or both of these organizations, so our members expect us to utilize these strengths in a way that addresses the long-term vitality of general aviation," EAA President Tom Poberezny said in a joint news release with AOPA issued Thursday. AOPA President Craig Fuller said it's a natural alliance. "This is a logical collaboration that makes sense for the greater good of general aviation," Fuller said. |
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Flying Magazine Sold
June 3, 2009
By Russ Niles
Flying, the oldest continuously publishing aviation magazine in the U.S., has been sold to the U.S. division of Swedish-based Bonnier Group. Flying was part of a five-title deal made by former owner Hatchette Fillipacchi Media Group, a division of French-based Lagardere. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, and there is also no word on which of the existing staff members will continue with the publication, although it would appear there will be a shift in emphasis to online content. "These five titles from Hachette fit very well within our growth strategy of adding brands that serve markets with multimedia opportunities," said CEO Terry Snow. |
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What Brought Down Air France Airbus?
June 3, 2009
By Mary Grady
Now that the crash site has been located in mid-Atlantic Ocean, the long hard effort to find out what happened to Air France Flight 447 is under way. Flight crews are surveying the site for debris, and on Wednesday, the Brazilian Navy arrived on the scene. A French ship is en route with a remotely operated submersible aboard. The submersible will first help in the hunt for the pinging sound emitted by the airplane's flight data and cockpit voice recorders. If the recorders are located, the submersible may be able to retrieve them from as deep as 20,000 feet. Meanwhile, officials have reported that a bomb threat was received by Air France late last month, targeting the Rio de Janeiro-to-Paris route. However, a Brazilian official said the 12-mile-long fuel slick that has been seen on the surface probably would not occur if there had been a fire or explosion. Speculation so far has focused on weather phenomena, including various kinds of icing and turbulence, and possible issues with the Airbus A330's electronic control systems. Late Wednesday, the NTSB said it will accept an invitation from French aviation accident investigation authorities to assist in the investigation. Along with an NTSB representative, technical advisors from the FAA, General Electric and Honeywell will assist. |
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Terrafugia Completes First Round Of Flight Tests
June 3, 2009
By Mary Grady
There's never any shortage of "flying-car" projects, but the folks at Terrafugia, based in Woburn, Mass., seem to have captured widespread interest with their folding-wing design. On Wednesday, the company announced that its proof-of-concept vehicle has successfully completed its flight-test program. Test pilot Phil Meteer flew the aircraft 28 times over several weeks, and evaluated handling, performance, takeoff, landing, stability, stalls and safety. Work is now under way to design the second vehicle, which will incorporate modifications based on what was learned in the first round of flight testing. The company is taking refundable deposits for copies of the aircraft, with first delivery expected in 2011. |
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NTSB Investigating Near-Collision On North Carolina Runway
June 3, 2009
By Mary Grady
The NTSB said on Tuesday it is investigating a runway incursion that occurred last Friday morning at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) involving a Pilatus PC-12 single-engine turboprop and a CRJ-200 regional jet. At about 10:17 a.m. on May 29, a PSA Airlines CRJ-200 operated as US Airways Express Flight 2390 was cleared for takeoff on Runway 18L. After the jet was into its takeoff roll, the PC-12 was cleared to taxi into position and hold farther down the same runway, the NTSB said, in preparation for a departure roll that was to begin at the taxiway A intersection. The ground-based collision warning system (ASDE-X) alerted controllers to the runway incursion, and the takeoff clearance for the CRJ-200 was cancelled. The pilot of the PC-12, seeing the regional jet coming down the runway on a collision course, taxied to the side of the runway. The FAA reported that the regional jet stopped approximately 10 feet from the PC-12. |
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New Research Center To Focus On Wildlife Hazards To Aircraft
June 3, 2009
By Mary Grady
A new research center that will be based in Prescott, Ariz., will serve as the nation's primary facility for learning about bird strikes and other wildlife conflicts that affect aviation, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University announced this week. The center will bring together aviation wildlife experts to share their research, develop new management solutions to reduce hazards, and serve as a resource to airports around the world. "The US Airways landing in the Hudson River [in January] was the wake-up call that we needed to accelerate our plan to create this center, which was several years in the making," said Archie Dickey, a professor of aviation environmental science at ERAU, who will serve as the project's director. The center staff will also develop training programs for pilots and airport workers to help them prevent aircraft collisions with birds and wildlife. |
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Pilot Reports UFO Over Texas
June 3, 2009
By Mary Grady
A pilot with Continental Express reported that an object resembling a missile or rocket flew straight at his Embraer 145 regional jet and passed within 100 feet of it, shortly after takeoff from Houston, Texas, around 8 p.m. last Friday. The pilot told controllers that a "strange object" flew past as he was climbing through 11,000 feet, and it wasn't visible on radar. The pilot didn't take evasive action and the flight continued on to its destination. The local sheriff's office told the Houston Chronicle that another Continental pilot had reported a similar incident in the area in May 2008. Officials were checking with local hobbyist clubs to see if any rockets had been fired in the area. The FBI and FAA met to review the report with the pilot on Tuesday but no conclusions about the event were announced. |
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AVweb Insider Blog: Good Gov, Bad Gov
June 2, 2009
It's fashionable to rail against government intrusion in aviation, and Paul Bertorelli is nothing if not fashionable. But this time, the FAA is coming to the rescue of his local airport by forcing the city council to get off its anti-aviation rump and approve a proposed new hangar for the local FBO. Score one for the good guys. Paul has the full story in the latest installment of our AVweb Insider blog. |
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Florida Town Presses On With Anti-Flight Training Effort
June 2, 2009
By Mary Grady
The town council of Grant-Valkaria, a small town on Florida's Atlantic coast, voted this week to go ahead with an effort to restrict flight training activities at the Valkaria Airport, even after the town's own zoning board voted against the plan. "Basically it's a travesty, it's an absolute travesty," one unidentified pilot told the local WFTV News. Town attorney Karl Bohne adjusted the ordinance on Monday to clarify that the town is not trying to regulate flying, which the FAA wouldn't allow, but is trying to prevent flight schools from opening facilities at the airport, according to Florida Today. The proposal has brought opposition from AOPA, the National Air Transportation Association, and other aviation advocates. AOPA says the county owns the airport, and it has agreements with the FAA that obligate it to allow aeronautical activity on the field. "Flight training activities cannot be legislated out of existence at Valkaria by the town government," wrote John Collins, AOPA's manager of airport policy, in a letter to the town mayor, Del Yonts. |
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Cirrus Boosts Production, Will Rehire 50 Staffers
June 2, 2009
By Mary Grady
Cirrus Aircraft said this week it will boost production to eight aircraft per week and recall about 50 furloughed workers. "We are extremely pleased with continuing stronger sales trends that began in the first quarter," said Pat Waddick, executive vice president of operations at Cirrus. The company had increased production to six airplanes per week in late April, after nearly six months of significantly reduced production rates that averaged about three to four airplanes per week. It will take some time to ramp up to the new rate, Waddick said, since staff must be recalled and vendor lead times must be adjusted. Workers will be called back at Cirrus facilities in Duluth, Minn., and Grand Forks, N.D. Brent Wouters, president and CEO of Cirrus, said the marketplace is responding to the company's new offerings, including flight into known icing certification for the SR22 and Turbo models. |
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All Believed Lost On Air France 447
June 1, 2009
By Russ Niles
Searchers and investigators are now converging on the area where the Brazilian Air Force found a five-mile debris field where an Air France A330 carrying 216 passengers and 12 crew is thought to have gone down while on a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris Sunday evening. Brazilian authorities are now saying there is no hope for survivors. The Air Force says pieces of metallic debris and seats were spotted in the Atlantic about 400 miles off the country's northern coast. The aircraft sent about four minutes of telemetry to the airline's maintenance base indicating catastrophic failures in at least 12 systems, Air France said Monday, but the cause of the accident has not been determined. It is known the aircraft flew through an area of convective weather about the time of the telemetry burst. The flight was beyond radar range and there were no communications received from the flight crew over the high frequency radio used for transoceanic communications. A lightning strike remained the popular media's most persistent theory for the cause of the apparent crash, although lightning dispersal systems are a well tested and effective feature of all modern airliners. |
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AVweb Insider Blog: Is Stall Training Broken?
June 1, 2009
If an experienced airline captain can stall an airplane on approach, do we need to rethink how we teach stall awareness? Paul Bertorelli follows that train of thought in the latest installment of our AVweb Insider blog — and wonders if reliance on glass panels may be making things worse. |
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Back To Reality: Fiddling Tour Ends
May 31, 2009
By Russ Niles
AVweb's Fiddling Around America tour wrapped up at Dan Gryder's home base in Griffin, Ga. after about 3,000 nautical miles and 28.5 hours of flying time on a trip that took the Herpa DC-3 as far north as the upper peninsula of Michigan, as far west as Watertown, S.D. and through the Southeast. Gryder said the trip was outreach from the aviation community in a way that is fading fast from the aeronautical scene. He said the cost of flying and maintaining vintage aircraft will make it prohibitive and while he expects to keep the DC-3 in the air for the foreseeable future, the opportunities to see and touch historic aircraft will diminish. |
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Extreme Altitude Bird Strike Prompts Action
May 31, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The Indian air force has slanted to a more ornithologically conscious approach to flight planning following a bird strike involving one of its aircraft and reported in the flight levels. A huge four-engine IAF IL-76 transport was flying at more than 22,000 feet when it struck a yet-unidentified bird. The aircraft landed safely, but the IAF is now involved with genetics labs to secure DNA testing for tissue samples recovered from the aircraft. The idea, aside from determining what species of bird hit what aircraft, is to develop a better understanding of those kinds of threats based on seasonal migration patterns along with likely conflict altitudes and locations. While more than 70 percent of the nearly 80,000 bird strikes reported in the U.S. from 1990-2007 occurred below 500 feet AGL, about 2,000 occurred above 5,000 feet. One was reported at more than 30,000 feet AGL. |
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Navy CFM Engine Marks 19,655 Hours
May 31, 2009
By Glenn Pew
A CFM56-2A-2 engine has flown 19,655 hours on the wing of an E-6 before its first removal, surpassing the old mark of 15,000 hours and setting a military aviation record, according to the official newspaper of Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center. The engine was maintained regularly throughout its life on the aircraft, but its most recent maintenance was the first ever to require its removal. The Strategic Communications Wing ONE recently celebrated the milestone with an official ceremony at Tinker Air Force Base with representatives from Navy leadership and CFM International. Rear Admiral Mark Skinner told those in attendance that the engine has served the fleet for the last 20 years. The hours flown represent more than six million miles traveled, or enough service to take its aircraft around the world about 250 times. The fleet of engines has, according to FlightGlobal.com, served without in-flight shutdowns over 489,000 hours and 163,000 cycles, and has had only one other removal since 1996. In other words, it's possible the new record-holder could ultimately prove to be among the least impressive of the crop. |
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Presidential TFR Busted Six Times
May 31, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Flight restrictions in place Wednesday and Thursday last week relating to President Barack Obama's visit to Los Angeles apparently caught six pilots unaware and they may now all pay for their it. Each one may now face anything from certificate suspension to revocation. During Obama's overnight in Los Angeles (where he attended a Democratic Party fundraiser) the FAA placed temporary flight restrictions on flights near LAX, Santa Monica, Hawthorne Municipal, Van Nuys and Burbank airports. Five pilots managed to violate provisions that allowed them to fly 12 to 30 miles from Santa Monica airport and one pilot violated the 12-mile restriction that surrounded that airport, FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said. The TFRs were broadly announced, including non-specific mention in newspapers and local TV news broadcasts ahead of the president's visit. |
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Fiddling Around America: Round Engines, Big Formations
May 30, 2009
By Russ Niles
The wake-up call of choice for those attending the annual Red Star Pilots Association fly-in at Gaston's White River Resort in northern Arkansas is the sound of round engines turning for a flight in the dead-still 6 a.m. air. About 20 Nan Changs and Yaks converged on the picturesque resort where the patrons are usually sinking lures for Rainbow Trout instead of boring holes in the sky. The Herpa DC-3 is a major player in the flying, leading a 13-ship formation through the Ozark foothills that demands plenty of the pilots. There were lots of low passes on the 3,200-foot grass strip and the hundreds of residents of neighboring towns who turned out to see the sights were thrilled with the GA spectacle. |
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Jatropha Oil Biofuel Update
May 29, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Air New Zealand is coming out in strong support of alternative fuel, saying that more than 3,000 pounds of fuel can be saved on a 12-hour flight if that flight is flown on a jatropha-seed-oil biofuel blend instead of straight Jet A. The airline makes the claim after flying the plant's seed oil in a 50:50 blend with Jet A during December 2008 flight tests, pumping the fuel to one Rolls-Royce RB2111 engine aboard a Boeing 747-400. Though the tests consisted of only a few hours, more than a dozen tests were conducted at various altitudes and under a variety of conditions. From that experience the airline believes it has found potential significant savings for the airline industry in fuel and, therefore, carbon footprint that would result in a 60-percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Air New Zealand aims to fulfill 10 percent of its fuel requirements with alternative sources by 2013, but the airline did not work alone on alternative fuel tests. Boeing Continental, Japan Airlines, Air New Zealand and Virgin Atlantic are among those who have conducted tests over the past year and a half. And it appears there is not necessarily agreement on which alternative source would be best, which may complicate fast-tracked certification. |
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TSA Changes Restrictions On Transient Pilots
May 29, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The TSA has enacted a new security directive (SD-8G) that means transient pilots flying into airports with commercial service will not need an airport badge or background check as previously required. The directive takes effect June 1 and instead requires pilots to "remain close to their aircraft" leaving it only for trips to and from the FBO or airport exit, according to AOPA. The TSA is expected to provide future guidance regarding self-fueling and emergencies. The new rules target transient pilots -- those pilots based at commercial-use airports who lease space or maintain a presence will still need to go through procedures and acquire a valid badge if they intend to roam the airport without an escort. Airports looking to avoid the badging will need to approve an alternative like an escort program to remain within the TSA's guidelines. The complication now appears to be what the TSA defines as an airport that offers commercial service and the fact that it hasn't yet released a list. |
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NTSB Widens Public Access To Crash Investigation Info
May 29, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Starting June 1, 2009, the NTSB will begin to release on its public Web site all public dockets regarding to accident investigation. The program helps align the board with the NTSB Freedom of Information Act Improvement Plan and follows closely on the much publicized contortions the FAA went through in considering the withholding of and then providing access to bird-strike data. It also moves the board into compliance with multiple mandates of the legislative and executive branches that are meant to better leverage electronic media to create more transparency in government. Acting NTSB Chairman, Mark V. Rosenker, put the board behind the move saying, "I am proud that the NTSB is taking this enormous step forward by making all accident investigation documents contained in our public dockets available to NTSB Web site visitors." The public dockets will be available in the FOIA electronic reading room. |
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Virgin Galactic's $200,000 Space Ride Inches Nearer
May 29, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Virgin Galactic, the Sir Richard Branson-founded future space tourism provider, Thursday announced that the controllable (on/off) rocket motor to be used in SpaceShipTwo has successfully completed phase-one testing. Virgin believes its hybrid nitrous oxide system is the largest of its kind, capable of propelling payloads (or customers) to more than 2500 mph and heights of more than 65 miles following an aerial launch from its twin-fuselage mothership, Eve. The actual tourism vehicle (SpaceShipTwo) is in the final stages of construction and is expected to embark on its flight test program later in 2009. Virgin is touting the propulsion system as environmentally low-impact, due to the relatively short burn of the rocket motor, thanks to the aerial launch. Going to space via SpaceShipTwo, according to Branson, will involve about 75 percent less pollution per passenger than a trip from London to New York (presumably via airliner). So what's next? |
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Flight 93 Memorial Land Plucked From Owners
May 29, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Eminent domain has been invoked to secure some 500 acres of in Somerset Country, Pa., from seven owners, for a memorial to United Airlines Flight 93, a Boeing 757 that crashed there September 11, 2001, after passengers heeded the call "Let's roll" and attempted to retake the flight from its hijackers. The memorial for the 40 passengers and crew will encompass 1,400 acres, and the Department of Justice has a paperwork deadline at the end of the month. Flight 93 Federal Advisory Commission members, Somerset County Commissioner Pamela Tokar-Ickes and Stonycreek Township Supervisor Gregory Walker, have stepped down in protest of the land grab. Replacements are being sought from a pool of area residents. The National Park Service, which will own the land and could have negotiated for its purchase, was defended by the U.S. Department of Interior. Associate director Steve Whitesell told a local news station "we're at the deadline. We need to start proceeding with construction" to make an opening date of September 11, 2011. Vocal property owners are stating that they were willing to make a less forceful transfer of ownership, but were never engaged in negotiations for the land. |
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Fiddling Around America: Engine Check In Kansas City
May 29, 2009
By Russ Niles
After putting about 20 hours on the Herpa DC-3 on the Fiddling Around America Tour it was time to make sure everything was in order (it was) with the big Pratt & Whitney R1830 engines as the crew stopped at the Airline History Museum in Kansas City, Mo. It's the last stop before the tour heads to Gastons White River Resort in northern Arkansas for a weekend of flying with the Red Star Pilots Association. About 20 Nan Chang and Yak trainers will be at the resort for what's looking like a sunny weekend. Anyone's welcome to fly in for the weekend. |
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Town Seeks To Outlaw Flight Training
May 27, 2009
By Russ Niles
Municipal governments keep coming up with new ways to try and impede activity at their local airports and the burghers of Grant-Valkaria in Brevard County, Fla. have come up with a novel approach to pressuring a local field. The town council will consider a resolution on Monday that would outlaw flight training, including recurrent training, at Valkaria Airport (X59). The ban comes in the form of a zoning amendment that's bound to catch the attention of the FAA, since the airport has received federal funding and the agency frowns on limiting aeronautical activity at such facilities. |
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Australian Company Makes Progress With "Compact Aerial Vehicles"
May 27, 2009
By Mary Grady
Entecho, based in Perth, Australia, is working to develop two aircraft that it calls Compact Aerial Vehicles. The two types of CAV, the Hoverpod and the Mupod, offer many advantages over conventional aircraft such as airplanes and helicopters, according to the company Web site. The smaller one, the remotely operated Mupod, is only about two feet across and weighs 11 pounds, and made its first flight last year. It is powered by a quiet electric motor and has drawn serious interest from defense contractors. The Hoverpod version would be big enough to carry up to three people and cruise at 75 mph, and is expected to fly for the first time sometime this year. Entecho's site says the design overcomes the key challenge of generating lift within a small vehicle envelope by employing a novel rotor fan and a unique combination of lifting surfaces. |
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GA Advocacy Groups Welcome Babbitt To FAA
May 27, 2009
By Mary Grady
Newly confirmed FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt has won a warm welcome from leaders in the general aviation world -- along with realistic assessments that the times ahead will be challenging. "I look forward to working with Administrator Babbitt," said AOPA President Craig Fuller. "During his confirmation hearing, and in my conversations with Randy, he demonstrated that he clearly understands general aviation pilots and our needs." Fuller added that the impending debate over how to fund the FAA and efforts to transition to the satellite-based NextGen ATC system won't be easy. "But by working together we can emerge stronger," he said. Tom Poberezny, EAA chairman and president, also welcomed Babbitt's appointment. "His broad knowledge of the aviation industry should allow him to make an immediate mark on GA," he said. Poberezny added that AirVenture attendees will have an opportunity to meet Babbitt later this summer at the Meet The Administrator forum at Oshkosh. |
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Europe's Air Taxis Forge Ahead
May 27, 2009
By Mary Grady
While next-generation light-jet air taxis have been slow to make headway here in the U.S., a new company in Europe seems to have found a sweet spot. Blink, based at Farnborough, near London, operates a fleet of just four Citation Mustangs, and so far it's working out. "Things are going very well for us at the moment," Peter Leiman, a Blink co-founder, told the Financial Times recently. "There are certainly challenging market conditions. But we're the right product at the right time." The company has contracted for 26 more Mustangs and plans to take delivery of one per month. "We remain firm on our entire order," Leiman said. He told The New York Times that the company beat its business-plan targets last year and continues to be on track in 2009. "Our gross margin is positive much earlier than we thought," he said. Blink operates in Western Europe and Scandinavia. |
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Stratos Moves Forward With VLJ Plans
May 27, 2009
By Mary Grady
With many established aircraft manufacturers putting new projects on hold, fresh start-ups working to introduce new designs are scarce. But Stratos Aircraft, of Bend, Ore., is moving ahead with plans for a new all-composite certified very light jet, and recently unveiled a mockup of the fuselage design. The mockup will debut at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh later this summer. "There's no four-seat aircraft with this kind of performance," Stratos CEO Michael Lemaire told the Bend Bulletin recently. The single-engine jet will fly over 1,500 nm at more than 400 knots, at altitudes up to FL410, according to the company's Web site, and will sell for about $2 million. The company now is trying to raise $12 million to build two prototypes, and then find another $100 million to get the airplane certified and start production, according to the Bulletin. Fully refundable deposits of $50,000 are now being accepted. |
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Continental Accuses Pilots Of Pension Scam
May 27, 2009
By Mary Grady
Continental Airlines says nine of its senior pilots divorced their spouses so they could collect early settlements of up to $900,000 from the airline's pension fund, and later got remarried. Continental says the divorces were intended only to secure the cash long before the pilots normally would have been eligible, but at least one of those accused told ABC News that her divorce and later reconciliation were not falsified. Cindy Ernst said her divorce was real, and her reconciliation was none of the airline's business. Another pilot, Jay Ellis, told the Associated Press: "We were divorced -- that's legal and aboveboard. They can say what they want, but a judge signed ours." Continental said in its lawsuit that the divorces were "subterfuges or sham transactions" that were motivated solely by a desire to obtain lump-sum distributions from pension funds. One of the accused pilots agreed to repay the money and kept his job, but the others have all been fired or resigned. |
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New Branson West GA Airport To Open This Year
May 26, 2009
By Mary Grady
As the first privately built commercial airport in the U.S., Branson Airport got a lot of attention when it opened earlier this month, but another airport is due to open nearby soon -- a municipal general aviation field. While that's not a first, it happens all too rarely in these times when the news is more often about GA fields closing down. The Branson West Municipal Airport is just about 20 miles from Branson, Mo., and will feature a 5,000-foot airstrip, a taxiway, a terminal building, fuel, and about 30 hangars. The airfield is now under construction, after years of planning, and is expected to be up and running by this December. |
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New York's Aviation Tax Break Due To Expire
May 26, 2009
By Mary Grady
Five years ago, New York passed a law that exempts general aviation aircraft repairs, maintenance and parts from state sales tax, but that tax break will expire on Dec. 1 if legislators don't re-enact it. Albany County Airport Authority CEO John O'Donnell told the Albany Times-Union this week that the exemption created "a substantial boom in business," and he is working for its renewal. In addition, he'd like to see sales tax on aircraft purchases eliminated. Like other states, New York is looking for ways to boost revenue rather than offer exemptions, but O'Donnell says many nearby states provide sales-tax relief and such taxes can be an important factor when companies are deciding where to locate. The current exemptions were a factor in deciding to build a HondaJet maintenance facility in New York, Molly Martin Pearce, a spokeswoman for HondaJet East, told the Times-Union. "Some of our other candidate sites were in states that didn't have this exemption," she said. |
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FAA Bird Radar Tests To Expand This Summer
May 26, 2009
By Mary Grady
The FAA has been experimenting with ways to detect bird movements with radar for quite a while, but since an airliner had to ditch in New York in January after its engines ingested birds, interest in the systems has intensified. The FAA told the Wall Street Journal this week that a test of avian radar in Seattle, which started in 2007, has been promising, and new experiments will be deployed this summer in Chicago and New York. "We're very excited about the technologies out there and the ones to come," said Michael O'Donnell, FAA director of airport safety and standards. The FAA system still gets too many "false positive" radar returns to be reliable, showing returns from ground equipment, airplanes, weather, and even insects. However, a company that makes bird-detection equipment for the military told the WSJ its gear is ready now to be deployed in control towers. "The notion that these bird radars aren't ready for prime time is wrong," said Adam Kelly, chief technology officer for DeTect. "You can tell the difference between small birds that would just be a blood smear on a plane or big birds that could be catastrophic." |
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AVweb Insider Blog: Colgan — No Experience Equals No Judgment
May 26, 2009
Regardless of the probable cause, the first officer of Colgan Flight 3407 admitted she had never seen ice and couldn't make judgments about it. To AVweb's Paul Bertorelli, that, more than anything, points to a broken advanced training system in general aviation. And in the latest installment of our AVweb Insider blog, Paul says the aviation press has a hand in it. |
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AVweb Fiddling Around America: Pulled Pork And Tornado Warnings
May 24, 2009
By Russ Niles
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| Click above and below for video of the DC-3 landing at Moontown |
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Moontown Airport, near Huntsville, Ala. is one of the busiest grass strips anywhere but necks were craning at the new sound in the air late Saturday. The Herpa DC-3, making its first stop on the Fiddling Around America Tour landed with room to spare on the 2,200-foot field in front of a healthy crowd of GA enthusiasts. "It's so big," yells one woman in one of the accompanying videos shot by folks on the ground who waited through periods of warm rain for the big aircraft's arrival late Saturday. Although 2,200 feet is short by anyone's standards, Dan Gryder's pride and joy needed only one firm tap on the brakes to slip into the picturesque airport, which is owned by George Myers and is a privately owned, public use airport. Well fed and well entertained the DC-3 crew, made up of six of Gryder's type certificate students, a fiddle player and an AVweb correspondent took off in search of better weather on Sunday morning and found it, for awhile. |
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BuildAPlane, Teachers' Day, AirVenture 2009
May 23, 2009
By Glenn Pew
BuildAPlane, the non-profit organization that gets kids hands-on with aircraft, will this year sponsor Teachers' Day at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, educating educators on ways to weave aviation into their curricula from kindergarten to high school. Attendees can earn complimentary admission to EAA AirVenture after attending Teachers' Day and also one graduate credit through Viterbo University. With programs to motivate children through their learning of science, math, technology and engineering, BuildAPlane's Teacher's Day sponsorship hopes to spark interest in traditional subject matter while also infusing an appreciation for aviation and potentially beginning a lifelong connection. Teachers will learn about products and services that expose students to all aspects of aviation both as a vocation and avocation and they will be encouraged to take materials home with them at no charge. Programs at AirVenture's Teachers' Day sponsored by BuildAPlane will include presentations by the FAA, AOPA, EAA, GAMA and more. |
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Aircraft Becomes Historic Place
May 22, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Well, if they're going to charge property tax it might as well be a "place," and Indiana's Historic Preservation Review Board has apparently found sufficient ground to deem "Hot Stuff" -- a very rare Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon -- worthy of the National and State of Indiana Historic Registers. The aircraft may now be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, according to the group that maintains the aircraft, an honor normally reserved for historic homes, buildings or neighborhoods. The Lockheed PV-2, operated by the Indianapolis based American Military Heritage Foundation Inc. (AMHF), is thought to be one of only two currently in flying condition and the AMHF believes Hot Stuff is fit for the honor. PV-2s served during WWII as submarine hunters along the eastern seaboard and in the South Pacific. They were also used in the Empire Express bombing raids launched from the Aleutians after the Japanese occupation there (spring of 1942 to June 1943), which targeted the Japanese-held Kurile Islands, according to the AMHF. "Hot Stuff" served in an Empire Express squadron and served in the reserves but never saw combat as she was delivered to the Nave in March of 1945. Purdue graduate Ralph Johnson later saved the aircraft when he purchased a fleet as surplus from the Navy and redeployed the aircraft as crop dusters. As a flying aircraft, Hot Stuff will be making public appearances. |
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NY Arrest Turns Up Heat On Missile Defense For Airliners
May 22, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The arrest in New York last week of four people who allegedly planned (among other things) to fire shoulder-launched missiles at aircraft happened at almost the same time a cargo jet was flown by Homeland Security over Memphis to test onboard missile-defense equipment. The New York foursome's alleged plot was to fire missiles at Air National Guard C-5A or C-130 refuelers operating at Stewart Airport in Newburgh, N.Y., but the idea that the missiles could be used on commercial airliners has clearly not left the minds of U.S. authorities. Dozens of terrorist organizations are thought to have, or potentially have access to, shoulder-launched stinger missiles. Defensive systems are already deployed on specific aircraft in this country (usually aboard aircraft that serve government officials) and are more widely used abroad, specifically in Israel where new aircraft will be armed with defensive systems. Saab, which is developing a civil anti-missile system, includes in its promotional brochure that there have been more than 35 attempts to shoot down civilian aircraft in the past 10 years, resulting in at least 24 crashes and the deaths of some 500 people. Homeland Security Program Manager Kerry Wilson says the agency is now flying real-world test scenarios with similar systems to check the response of defense systems amidst the active interference of radio signals and other technological clutter. |
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The Stamp Of Colgan Air Flight 3407
May 22, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The fatal crash of Colgan Air Flight 3407 has commuter air transportation in the public hot seat and hot on freshly minted FAA administrator Randy Babbitt's personal plate. Just last week, and all related to the crash: One carrier was fined, four senators called for an independent investigation into federal oversight of carriers, and a then pre-confirmation Babbitt kept safety high on his list of talking points. Babbitt at a Tuesday hearing told senators, "I think we need to look at the training" and "safety will be my number-one priority." Citing growth as the driving factor that was pushing less experienced pilots to fly more commuter aircraft into unfamiliar airports, Babbit said it all adds up "to make an environment that exposes them to a lot higher risk levels." Senators who heard testimony about the February Colgan crash that killed all 49 aboard and one on the ground near Buffalo are pushing the Transportation Department's inspector general to see if regulations and oversight enforcement and compliance are having their desired effect. And a $1.3 million federal fine was issued against Gulfstream International Airlines, which once trained the Colgan flight's captain, for falsified records that allowed pilots to fly beyond regulated limits. |
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New FAA Administrator -- Babbitt Confirmed
May 22, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The Senate Thursday confirmed Randolph Babbitt to sit at the helm of the Federal Aviation Administration. Babbitt, a former president of the Air Line Pilots Association and an aviation consultant, now faces the immediately popular concerns of pilot training scheduling and fatigue, along with the enduring problems of labor relations (particularly those between the FAA and the air traffic controllers union) as well as air traffic control modernization. Among early congratulatory notes, the Air Transport Association (ATA) "heartily" congratulated Babbitt. "With the right leadership, we know we can begin to see real benefits from NowGen/NextGen within a few years," said ATA president James C. May. |
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House Passes NextGen Funding, No User Fees (Sort Of)
May 21, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The House of Representatives Friday passed the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2009, which would provide funding for the FAA and NextGen development in part through an increase in general aviation fuel taxes. The action brought praise from some camps -- the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and the National Air Transportation Association (NATA). Funding through aviation fuel taxes (not other user fees) is also supported by AOPA. The bill is very similar to the last proposed reauthorization bill, which was introduced in 2007, passed by the House and then stalled in the Senate. The FAA has been operating under a series of funding extensions ever since. The new long-term funding afforded by the reauthorization bill currently avoids user fees other than fuel taxes. It also attempts to address concerns about foreign-based Part 145 repair facilities by requiring two annual inspections by FAA representatives. While NATA had concerns that inspections might jeopardize some trade agreements with foreign carries all the groups mentioned here have generally positive comments when it comes to fuel and ticket taxes. |
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AVweb Insider Blog: Why Did The Feds Seize Claude's Skyraider?
May 21, 2009
The federal government has seized Claude Hendrickson's 60-year-old airplane, and it's not saying why. AVweb Editor-in-Chief Russ Niles has been trying to figure out what the feds were thinking, but he admits in the latest installment of the AVweb Insider blog that he's as stumped as anyone. |
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Attention, Aircraft Owners/Operators: Aviation Consumer Wants to Hear About Your Experiences with Electronic Tachometers
May 29, 2009
By Joseph E. (Jeb) Burnside
Our sister magazine, Aviation Consumer, wants to hear about your experiences with aftermarket electronic tachometers. We'd like to know why you installed an electronic tach; which one you chose and why; how easy or complicated the installation and paperwork were; how well you like the product; and whether you'd do it again. We'd also like to know about any warranty work you may have had and if you're happy with the tach's internal lighting, if any. Please also tell us where you mounted the electronic tachometer and a rough idea of how much you spent, including installation. Please send a note to aviation_safety@hotmail.com and let us know your experiences, including the nature of any problems. (The results will appear in a future issue of Aviation Consumer. For subscription information, click here.) |
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Cessna Owners, Advocacy Groups React To FAA AD On 150s & 152s
May 20, 2009
By Mary Grady
Last week, the FAA issued a final airworthiness directive affecting some 17,000 Cessna 150s and 152s in the U.S., despite widespread input from owners and advocacy groups who had opposed the directive when it was proposed back in 2007. The AD requires owners to either install a placard in the airplane to prohibit spins and other aerobatic maneuvers, or to replace some parts of the rudder, which would cost about $500. "AOPA opposes this AD," Craig Spence, AOPA vice president of regulatory affairs, said this week. "We recommended [in 2007] that the FAA issue a special airworthiness information bulletin for a one-time inspection of the rudder area. This would allow the aircraft owner or a mechanic to check to make sure the rudder parts are installed correctly." The AD stems from two fatal accidents in the aircraft, in which pilots were practicing spins and were unable to recover. |
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Rare Warbird Seized By Federal Officials
May 20, 2009
By Mary Grady
Federal agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which is part of the Department for Homeland Security, have seized a Douglas AD-4N Skyraider that was imported to the U.S. from France last year, EAA said this week. "The feds have seized it," Claude Hendrickson, of Bessemer, Ala., confirmed to AVweb on Wednesday. "It's here in a hangar under lock and key and we are not allowed access to it." Hendrickson bought the airplane in France and flew it home last year. It was registered with the FAA last September and has been flying since then. DHS alleges that required forms were improperly filed, according to EAA. Hendrickson has created a Web site with details about the airplane, and asks that supporters contact their congressional representatives to plead for the preservation and return of the airplane. |
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Babbitt Nomination Moves Forward
May 20, 2009
By Mary Grady
Randy Babbitt, President Barack Obama's nominee to head the FAA, has passed one hurdle -- on Wednesday, the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee unanimously voted to send him along to the full Senate for confirmation. Senate confirmation is the final step before he can move into the post. NBAA applauded the move. "As a pilot, [Babbitt] has operational knowledge of our air transportation system," the organization said in a statement. "He also brings recognized expertise to our highly complex policy issues. As the nation's air transportation system faces many immediate challenges, all of us in the business aviation industry know that Randy will be able to hit the ground running at this critical point in the evolution of our system. We look forward to working with him to achieve our shared goal of leading the world in aviation." Babbitt, an ATP-rated pilot, has a background as a labor relations consultant, and was formerly president of the Air Line Pilots Association. |
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Congress Pushes For More Oversight Of Regional Airlines
May 20, 2009
By Mary Grady
Four senators have asked the Transportation Department Office of Inspector General to investigate safety enforcement at regional airlines, the Associated Press reported this week. Also, Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., chairman of the aviation subcommittee of the Commerce Committee, said he will hold a series of hearings, starting June 10, to investigate the issues. "The disclosures about crew rest, compensation, training, and many other issues demonstrate the urgent need for Congress and the FAA to take actions to make certain the same standards exist for both commuter airlines and the major carriers," Dorgan said. "The NTSB investigation has disclosed some very serious problems that need to be corrected immediately." The issue was also raised Tuesday during confirmation hearings for Randy Babbitt, President Barack Obama's nominee to head the FAA. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., met with Babbitt just before the hearing, and told the AP that Babbitt said he will look into the FAA's regulation of pilot work hours at regional airlines. "I told him it seems to me they underpay and overwork their pilots," Schumer said. "He said he would look at it all. He said he was passionate about pilot fatigue." |
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Help Is Available For Pilots To Learn New Border-Crossing Rules
May 20, 2009
By Mary Grady
New rules that require passenger manifests to be filed online by general aviation pilots crossing U.S. borders became effective on Monday, and this week both EAA and AOPA are offering aids for pilots who need to get up to speed. EAA has developed a "kneeboard fact sheet" to help with flight planning. The one-page PDF file can be downloaded free at the EAA Web site. AOPA's Air Safety Foundation has developed a new interactive course, Understanding eAPIS: A Pilot's Guide to Online Customs Reporting. The course provides a simple overview of the new electronic Advance Passenger Information System (eAPIS). The course outlines how to sign up for and activate an eAPIS account, how to upload manifests and submit arrival and departure notices online, and runs through various flight scenarios. The course is free and available to anyone. |
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USAF High-Altitude Blimp To Provide An 'Unblinking Eye'
May 20, 2009
By Mary Grady
The U.S. Air Force said recently that it plans to build a 450-foot-long blimp within five years that will hover at 65,000 feet and stay aloft for a decade. The unmanned ship will serve as an aerial platform for surveillance gear that will allow the military to observe wide areas in fine detail. "That lets us better understand how an adversary operates, how to anticipate their actions, how to interpret their intent, and many other things that we need today, tomorrow and beyond," said chief scientist Werner J.A. Dahm, who is overseeing the project. The Defense Advance Research Projects Agency, the military's research arm, will start work this year on the Integrated Sensor Is the Structure, or ISIS, a scaled-down version of the blimp, designed to fly for a year. The group already has designed hull material that can withstand temperatures of 150 degrees below zero and retain 85 percent of its fiber strength for 22 years, the Air Force said. Lift will come from helium, and fuel cells recharged by the sun will provide power. |
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GA Groups Ask TSA To Back Off
May 20, 2009
By Mary Grady
Five groups representing the general aviation community this week asked the Transportation Security Administration to withdraw the onerous security directive that requires GA pilots to apply for identification badges from any airport they use, which takes effect on June 1. "We would like to see TSA ... [instead] initiate the required rulemaking process to implement a change of this scope," reads the letter, which is addressed to Janet Napolitano, who heads the Department of Homeland Security. The TSA directive requires airport operators to ensure that anyone in the airport operating area is escorted or has an airport-issued identification card, and all applicants for those cards must undergo a Security Threat Assessment by the TSA. The impact on GA operators is substantial, since every airport requires its own ID, and escorts may not always be available. So far, the TSA has responded to complaints by saying each airport operator can develop an alternate means of compliance and submit it to TSA. "The resulting patchwork of 'alternate means' would likely create far more problems than it would solve," the letter says. The letter was signed by the leaders of AOPA, EAA, the National Business Aviation Association, the National Air Transportation Association and the National Association of State Aviation Officials. |
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AVweb Fiddling Around America
May 23, 2009
By Editor
There's nothing like a little barnstorming to revive the aviator's soul, and when it involves a vintage DC-3 we can't think of a better way to pass the time. Watch AVweb starting May 25 for daily video blogs from Editor-in-Chief Russ Niles as he goes low and slow with Dan Gryder in the fabulous 1938 Herpa Douglas DC-3 for an unscripted tour of America. We know we'll be in Huntsville, Ala. (3M5 - a 2,100-foot grass strip) on the evening of May 23 and at Gaston's White River Resort (3M0) in northern Arkansas for the weekend of May 30. All are invited. In between those dates, we could be anywhere — including your home airport! Join Russ, Dan, champion fiddler Jeff Pritchard, and the DC-3 crew as they rumble in and play bluegrass music at unsuspecting GA airports during the 2,500-nm journey. Watch for reports at www.AVweb.com, and for instructions on how you can follow along, chat with the DC-3 crew live in flight (courtesy of Verizon Wireless) and join the fun! |
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USAF Refueler Spots Airliner Fuel Leak
May 19, 2009
By Mary Grady
Most passengers on an airliner never even look out the window, but about 300 people on a commercial flight bound for Japan are lucky that U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Bartek Bachleda, who works with the 909th Air Refueling Squadron, was paying attention. Shortly after takeoff from Chicago, Bachleda noticed what appeared to be a plume of fuel leaking from the left wing. He told a flight attendant about the apparent leak, but at first got an unconcerned response. Then he told her it was an emergency, and showed her the video he had shot from his seat. "She was completely serious and was no longer handing out drinks," he said. "I told her you need to inform your captain before we go oceanic." The captain came into the cabin to check out the leak and said the cockpit crew had been aware that fuel seemed to be burning too quickly. He diverted the flight to San Francisco, where most passengers were able to catch another flight to Japan. |
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Report Critiques FAA Oversight Of Aviation Safety Action Program
May 19, 2009
By Mary Grady
The FAA is not making good use of the benefits that could be provided by the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP), according to a report by the Transportation Department's Office of Inspector General that was released this week. "ASAP, as currently implemented, is a missed opportunity for FAA to enhance the national margin of safety," the OIG report says. The program allows airline employees to report safety violations to their employers and to the FAA without fear of reprisal. To realize the full benefits of ASAP, the FAA needs to clarify which incidents should be excluded from the program and emphasize to employees that ASAP is not an amnesty program, the OIG said. The agency also should develop a central database of ASAP reports and use it for trend analysis. "While ASAP is a potentially valuable safety tool, we found that FAA's ineffective implementation and inadequate guidance have allowed inconsistent use and potential abuse of the program," the report says. |
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AVweb Insider Blog: Was Buffalo Disaster a Glimpse of the Future?
May 17, 2009
The NTSB hearing into the crash of a Colgan Air Dash-8 Q400 in Buffalo in February has raised a lot of questions for AVweb editor Mary Grady, specifically with regard to the readiness of cockpit staff in regional airliners. If a faulty process is to blame, could the Colgan crash be a forerunner for more to come? Read more in the latest installment of the AVweb Insider blog. |
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AVweb Insider Blog: The Power of GPS Confidence
May 14, 2009
Our sister publication, IFR magazine, talks a lot about GPS and position awareness, but IFR Editor-in-Chief Jeff Van West admits there's another aspect they don't talk about so much. Jeff calls it "position confidence," and over on the AVweb Insider blog, he explains how doubt in the cockpit can cause confusion and delay, but removing the doubt can open the door to a whole new way of dealing with ATC. |
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Citizen Groups Win Airport Noise Monitoring Web Site
May 17, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Vancouver International Airport's neighboring public (and the world) now has access to a new Web site that combines NAV CANADA radar data and Airport Authority noise data to geographically display aircraft noise intensity and facilitate near-immediate public comment. The system, called WebTrak, also retains historical data -- meaning that people can check their clock (and calendar, up to 30 days), go online, and use the system to identify precisely which aircraft is now or was earlier the most audibly pleasant, the most annoying or anything in between. If a user is unable to deduce the exact offending aircraft but is willing to input where they were when they heard it, WebTrak will even offer up likely candidates. Air carriers may be comforted to know that aircraft are identified upon mouse-over not by giant company logos but by type, speed and elevation. Noise is depicted separately with the aid of small circles on the map that change color and shape while numerically displaying decibel levels. The WebTrak site states that "for aviation security reasons" aircraft tracks are delayed by 10 minutes and no military flight information is included. That said, the site does make lodging an aircraft-specific or general complaint or comment quite simple. What airport authorities do with the information remains to be seen. |
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Proving Boeing's 787 Dreamliner
May 17, 2009
By Glenn Pew
First flight of one of six Boeing 787 Dreamliner test aircraft is expected in June, but the flight will test more than the new aircraft; it will also test a new method of manufacture for Boeing and maybe the company's future. With a heavy reliance on both composites and outsourced manufacture, the 787's major components will arrive to Boeing's factory pre-assembled. By stepping past the need for thousands of rivets or hands and machines to buck those rivets, Boeing's goal is ultimately to produce each plane in just three days of work at the factory. However, composites can be affected by air temperature and humidity before, during and after their construction. And with finished parts arriving from Japan, Italy, France and Sweden, it is no small feat for Boeing to ensure that each piece consistently fits precisely with another. That considered, Boeing's current schedule, which includes a short eight- or nine-month flight test program, is very tight. It's also important to keeping the company's two-year delayed 787 on track and converting 861 orders into the $144 billion they represent. Besides which, the 787 isn't Boeing's only delayed project. |
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News Station's Aircraft Mechanics Probe
May 17, 2009
By Glenn Pew
"There is evidence of repair facilities hiring low-wage mechanics who can't read," alleges Dallas/Fort Worth-area news station WFAA. The station has been investigating the way the FAA licenses aircraft mechanics and believes it has found "evidence of years of problems in testing these mechanics" and evidence that "hundreds of mechanics" are working with "questionable licenses" in Texas and elsewhere. While previously citing improperly regulated testing at St. George Aviation Testing Center in Florida in 1999, the latest assertions stem from the station's conclusion that "hundreds of the mechanics" working at 236 FAA-certified aircraft repair stations in Texas do not speak English and therefore can't read aircraft repair manuals. And while "one certified A&P can sign off on the work of dozens of uncertified mechanics," says WFAA, "there is a push to get work out the door." WFAA's recent article on the topic goes on to cite a fatal commuter plane crash (that it does not connect with foreign-language mechanics, but with improper oversight of the repair process); difficulties with foreign pilot licensing; and a licensing center in San Antonio (since closed by the FAA) where, it alleges, mechanics were being tested in Spanish. Certified mechanics quoted in the article note the challenges of working with their foreign-speaking non-certified counterparts. |
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Floatplane To The Rescue
May 16, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Mark Wisdorf was kite surfing at Turnagain Arm, Alaska, when things turned bad, leaving him and his kite floating in the water for nearly an hour and a half before his friend, a seaplane pilot, attempted a somewhat unconventional rescue. The waters of Turnagain Arm meet Cook Inlet in swirling currents that include riptide-induced waves and a daily bore tide (seawater that moves to a shallow narrowing inlet from a broad bay) that can cause waves up to about 10 feet tall traveling at up to 15 miles per hour, according to Alaska.org. Wisdorf was stranded in that mess out of reach of land-based first responders who soon called for a helicopter. But Wisdorf had a friend, a fellow kiteboarder and pilot named Jim Chaplin, who received a call that Wisdorf was in trouble. Chaplin took to the air in his floatplane with a helper aboard and arrived first on the scene. "I just treated it like a river landing and I landed into the current and touched down right near him," Chaplin told the Associated Press. But after a successful landing, the current took Wisdorf right past the plane. |
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Santa Monica Jet Ban Not Upheld By FAA
May 16, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The FAA Thursday announced that a local city ordinance that bans C and D aircraft with approach speeds between 139 and 191 mph "unjustly and unreasonably" discriminates against certain aircraft, meaning the ordinance may be headed to federal court. The city's position is that by allowing the faster jets, the FAA is not following its own safety recommendations for runway safety zones as it applies to airport traffic and neighboring residential properties currently sitting some 300 feet from the runway threshold. The FAA's position is that the ordinance violates the city's obligation to make the airport available to all types and classes of aeronautical activity, which became relevant when the airport accepted nearly $10 million of federal grants. Thursday's decision follows a legal order obtained by the FAA that blocks the city from enacting the ordinance. City officials were expecting that and are likely to file an appeal with the FAA, which it appears they will lose. At that point, the city may file an appeal in federal court. |
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Dollars And Sense, Antitrust Lobbying And LaHood
May 16, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Reports are in on first-quarter lobbying monies spent by airlines and industry interest groups and the results show airlines spend millions ... sometimes working against pilot groups. In the mix are Continental, which spent $810,000, and American, which spent $1.5 million. American's pilot union, the Allied Pilots Association (APA), spent $140,000 lobbying the new administration. Among Continental's interests, the airline is seeking antitrust immunity that would allow it to work with other airlines to set pricing and schedules. Continental's first-quarter lobbying budget was more than twice what it spent in the previous quarter. American has similar interests. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood conveyed his position to reporters earlier this month saying, "These alliances are lifesavers for airlines." Meanwhile, the APA is pushing the Obama administration to pursue violations of antitrust law, citing the Department of Justice, which issued a statement that antitrust enforcers "can no longer sit on the sidelines" and that antitrust laws "benefit consumers." |
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GAO Fires Warning On GPS
May 16, 2009
By Glenn Pew
"It is uncertain whether the Air Force will be able to acquire new satellites in time to maintain current GPS service without interruption," warns the GAO. "If not, some military operations and some civilian users could be adversely affected." The report, issued April 30, notes the Air Force's struggle to successfully build satellites on time and on budget. According to the GAO, the Air Force is running $870 million over its original cost estimate and has delayed the launch of its next satellite (now scheduled for November 2009) by almost three years. As old satellites begin to fail, it is increasingly important that the Air Force does not fall behind its current schedule. Otherwise, warns the GAO, there is increased likelihood that by 2010, "the overall GPS constellation will fall below the number of satellites required to provide the level of GPS service that the U.S. government commits to." That shortfall "could have wide-ranging impacts on all GPS users." While many of the potential problems rely on the Air Force's success working with a new contractor, the GAO has made recommendations. |
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FAA Withdraws Repair Station Rule
May 15, 2009
By Russ Niles
The FAA has taken the unusual step of withdrawing a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that, according to the Aircraft Electronics Association, was a well-intentioned attempt to modernize the standards and ratings that apply to repair stations. Trouble is, according to the more than 500 companies and individuals who commented on the rule, which was proposed three years ago, it would have driven most of them out of business. The FAA threw in the towel last week, saying it "determined the NPRM does not adequately address the current repair station environment and because of the significant issues commenters raised." |
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Able Flight Aims To Set S-LSA Coast-To-Coast Record
May 13, 2009
By Mary Grady
Early next month, pilots Matt Hansen and Jessica Scharle of Able Flight will attempt to set the initial speed record for a transcontinental flight of a light sport aircraft, with a plan to fly coast to coast in a single day. Their purpose is to demonstrate that an LSA is a viable mode of transportation for long-distance flying. Hansen, 23, is a flight instructor who has been active in training people with disabilities to fly, and Scharle, 24, is an Able Flight scholarship recipient who earned her sport pilot certificate last year. She was born with a rare condition that nearly fused every joint in her body into immobility, but after numerous surgeries and years of physical therapy she has become completely self-sufficient. Their Peregrine FA-04 is a factory-built S-LSA that carries 30 gallons of fuel. With an average groundspeed of 110 knots, they plan to make three refueling stops along their 1,814-nm route from Jacksonville, Fla., to San Diego. They will complete the flight in the 17 hours available between sunrise and sunset and stay below 10,000 feet msl. |
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Gweduck Amphib Makes First Flight
May 13, 2009
By Mary Grady
The Gweduck experimental amphibian, pronounced "gooey-duck," made its first flight last weekend, launching from Lake Washington in Renton, Wash. The twin-engine airplane was designed by Ben Ellison, owner of Ellison Throttle Body Injectors. He started the project in the early 1990s as an attempt to build a modern version of the popular Widgeon, using composite materials to avoid corrosion issues. "Over time the project developed into a ground-up redesign ... a completely new aircraft that combines the knowledge and experience of 1940s and '50s flying-boat designs with modern composite construction, and the latest in aerodynamic and hydrodynamic technologies," according to the project Web site. The Gweduck has generated a lot of interest, according to EAA, and its builders plan to fly it to EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh this summer to see if there is enough interest to develop a kit program and sell copies of the airplane. |
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NTSB Looks For Lessons In Colgan Dash-8 Crash
May 13, 2009
By Mary Grady
The crew of the Colgan Air Dash-8 that crashed in Buffalo, N.Y., in February violated the FAA's sterile-cockpit rule, which mandates no extraneous conversation while flying below 10,000 feet, according to evidence released this week during an NTSB hearing in Washington, D.C. In the final moments of the flight, the captain and first officer were talking about their prior experience with icing, as the airplane slowed and approached a stall. When asked by a board member if the crew could have recovered safely, Colgan's head of pilot training Paul Pryor replied simply: "Yes." Wally Warner, of Bombardier, also told the panel that the crew had not reacted properly. "Obviously the initial reaction to the stall warning was incorrect. That set the course of action for what followed," he said. The safety board convened the three-day hearing to examine the evidence that has so far been collected in its investigation of the crash, in which all 49 on board and one person on the ground were killed. No conclusions were drawn about the cause of the accident, since it is only three months into what is probably a yearlong effort, but the evidence that has been collected so far was shared and testimony was heard from experts and witnesses. |
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AOPA Raises Red Flag On User Fees
May 13, 2009
By Mary Grady
Information about the Obama administration's FAA budget proposal that was released on Tuesday "makes it clear that the White House ... seems determined to radically reduce general fund support for aviation in America," AOPA said this week. Starting in 2011, the proposal envisions $9.6 billion coming from user fees, an increase of more than $2 billion from the initial estimate just two months ago. That figure rises to $11 billion by 2014. "We had hoped that the whole user-fee debate was behind us after both the House of Representatives and the Senate opted for a tax-based system during the last session of Congress," said Craig Fuller, AOPA president. "The new budget details open the debate about departing from the efficient and time-tested system of using fuel and ticket taxes along with support from the general taxpayer monies to fund FAA." |
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Oprah: "It's Great To Have A Private Jet"
May 12, 2009
By Mary Grady
We can practically hear the cheering in Wichita from here -- Oprah Winfrey said in a speech to the graduating class at Duke University on Sunday that "it's great to have a private jet." With CEOs across the country shamefaced about corporate excess, and aviation workers paying the price in thousands of lost jobs, could Oprah single-handedly make it OK again to fly? "Anyone that tells you that having your own private jet isn't great is lying to you," she told the grads. "That jet thing is really good." Whether her enthusiasm will turn the tide and make private jets fun again is still an open question -- it could make things even worse. While The Wall Street Journal's "Wealth Report" blog found it encouraging --"Perhaps [the private-jet industry] should forget all the boring arguments about jobs and productivity and efficiency and run a picture of Oprah..." -- others were less impressed. According to Perez Hilton's blog, the message was not a positive one: "Lesson to learn, graduates: It's good to be Oprah and sucks to be everyone else!" |
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Plans Moving Forward For Aerion Supersonic Jet
May 12, 2009
By Mary Grady
Times might be tough right now, but apparently there are still plenty of people who hope to see a supersonic business jet on the market in the near future. The Aerion order book has held steady at $4 billion -- about 50 jets at $80 million each -- Aerion Vice Chairman Brian Barents said at the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition this week, and OEMs have remained committed to pressing ahead with discussions despite economic uncertainty. The company expects to develop a joint Aerion-OEM proof-of-concept design study, which would last nine months to a year. After that, the partners would jointly decide whether to move forward with full-scale development and production. "We are confident we will reach an agreement with an OEM," said Barents. "The challenges are many, but there is a desire on the part of all parties to make this happen." The discussions are complex, he said, involving many technical and business issues, but "they are moving in the right direction." |
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Students Stranded When Florida Flight School Closes
May 12, 2009
By Mary Grady
Students at Jet University, a flight school at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, showed up on Friday to find the place closed, according to local news reports. Many of the students had signed up for ab initio programs that they hoped would take them through all the ratings to qualify for the right seat in a regional jet, at costs of up to $70,000. Some students from the school started a Web site several months ago, where they posted complaints that airline jobs were not materializing, and aired their suspicions that the school was suffering from financial problems. The school was founded in 2006, and as recently as last month was still recruiting students, with a two-day open house at the school. The local CBS4 reporter said the business owner, Heath Cohen, said his business partner decided to shut the program down, but the partner denied that and said he wants a full investigation. |
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AVweb Insider Blog: Sean Tucker's Fuel Exhaustion Adventure
May 9, 2009
Boy, that Sean Tucker sure screwed up when he ran out of fuel, didn't he? Um, yeah — and AVweb's Paul Bertorelli has a little confession to make on that front, too. Read all about it in the latest installment of our AVweb Insider blog — and if you're not in the club with Paul and Sean, be sure to take the lesson to heart. |
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Jail For Spotlighting Jets
May 9, 2009
By Glenn Pew
According to his attorney, Henry Gros, 56, complained via phone to the Navy and city authorities and wrote a senator without effect, until one year ago he shined a spotlight at naval aircraft flying nighttime simulated carrier approaches to Jacksonville Naval Air Station. Gros says the idea was to collect identification markings off the aircraft as they flew 100 feet over the roof of his mobile home, according to The Florida Times-Union. The act succeeded in winning Gros some attention ... from Federal prosecutors and they, through a U.S. District Judge, managed to have Gros sentenced to one year and a day in prison. And so it is that Gros, who was arrested by Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) agents in September, now has until June 4 to report to prison. The appointment falls about four years after Gros moved to the area ... and about four years since he signed a disclosure stating that his property was close enough to the Navy's practice airfield that it would be affected by activity there, assistant U.S. attorney Jonathan McKay told the Times-Union. |
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Photoshoot Official Resigns
May 8, 2009
By Russ Niles
The White House official who authorized the photo shoot of one of the presidential Boeing 747s over New York last month -- and then didn't tell President Barack Obama or other top officials about it -- has resigned. Louis Caldera, the director of the White House Military Office, said in his resignation letter that the controversy made it impossible for him to continue. "Moreover, it has become a distraction to the important work you are doing as president," Caldera wrote in the letter to Obama. Caldera OK'd the flight and told New York police and city officials but also told them the information was classified. He did not, however, tell key Obama officials so Obama was unaware of the flight, presumably until his Blackberry started ringing. |
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The Sporty's Foundation, Year Two
May 8, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Created "to fund initiatives that ensure a healthy future for the general aviation community," Sporty's Foundation Friday released its annual report showing total bequests of $151,355 in 2008. Original funding for the foundation came from Sporty's Pilot Shop and its affiliate businesses but was bolstered by the foundation's online auction of a Cessna Citation Mustang that netted the foundation $500,000 from an anonymous bidder. According to Sporty's, "Donors can rest assured that every dollar contributed goes directly to funded programs." In 2008, bequests went to flight training scholarships, the AOPA Air Safety Foundation, Boy Scouts of America, and Build A Plane, among others. This year the foundation has already funded a Microsoft Flight Simulator for Cincinnati Children's Hospital. The simulator was supported by Sporty's employees who volunteered weekends to teach youngsters the art of simulated flight. And Sporty's Foundation is looking forward. |
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General Aviation's Job Losses Spur Outreach For Aid
May 8, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The letter released last week by 70 mayors and county executives sent to President Barack Obama began, "Recent negative press which has mischaracterized general aviation has created a poisonous climate for the aviation sector of our economy," but for some the message may prove too little and too late. Intended to show the importance of small aircraft and the economies they support, the letter called on the president to "help protect the 1.2 million good paying jobs and $150 billion per year in economic output created by GA." Then, in a press conference with reporters, mayors emphasized losses specific to their communities. Some 13,000 aviation jobs have been lost nationally, according to a supporting press release from the Alliance For Aviation Across America, and Wichita serves as ground zero, accounting for some 8,000 job losses. Overall, manufacturers are suffering a 7-percent slump in general aviation aircraft sales. But theirs isn't the only hand aviation has in the pot, and when the administration's Fiscal Year 2010 budget was released at week's end another segment of the industry was quick to express its disappointment. |
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NTSB Determines Cause In Arizona EMS Heli Collision
May 8, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The NTSB has determined, in the case of two EMS helicopters that collided near Flagstaff Medical Center last June, killing all seven persons aboard, that had the pilots "been more attentive and aware" and communications more thorough the accident could have been prevented. According to the NTSB, the actions of both pilots contributed to the accident that destroyed the two Bell 407 EMS helicopters while on approach to the helipad. En route, the pilots of the aircraft were in communication with their communications centers and both provided position reports. The communications center at Flagstaff Medical Center advised the first pilot that the other helicopter would be dropping off a patient and advised the second pilot's communication center of the first aircraft's arrival. However, that communication center failed to relay the information to the second pilot (and was not required to do so, according to the NTSB). The second pilot then failed to contact communications at Flagstaff Medical Center, which was required, and so arrived on scene uninformed of the first aircraft's presence. Further, the first pilot flew a non-typical approach that was not in accord with noise abatement guidelines and would not have been expected by the second pilot. Neither aircraft had onboard a collision avoidance system. |
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F-22 On Chopping Block, Joint Strike Fighter Not
May 8, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The Obama administration has taken a look and after production of 187 aircraft, "the administration proposes to terminate the F-22 Raptor program," and close the Raptor production line. The quote comes straight from the Terminations, Reductions, and Savings report offered up by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The Raptor program costs the United States about $3.5 billion per year, according to the OMB, and the proposal would halt production after 2009, when the current multi-year procurement contract ends. The OMB states that the 187 examples of the F-22 Raptor air superiority fighter, supported by the planned fleet growth of Joint Strike Fighters (JSF) to 2,443 aircraft, "will meet DOD's requirements to maintain air superiority." And, according to the OMB, the Department of Defense agrees. But while the F-22 has frequently been attacked for its expense it has rarely (if ever) been attacked for its demonstrated real-world abilities. The JSF is a different story, but does come with at least one distinct advantage. |
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Colgan Curbs Speculation Regarding FAA Fatigue Probe
May 7, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The FAA is examining some Colgan Air crew members to determine if they exceeded flight-time limitations, but according to Colgan that examination is not in any way related to the NTSB investigation of Colgan Air Flight 3407 that crashed Feb. 12, in Buffalo, N.Y, killing all 49 on board and one person on the ground. The NTSB previously listed fatigue management and stall-recovery training as factors that it was studying as it investigates that crash. According to the pilots union, letters sent from the FAA to Colgan Air pilots regarding their scheduling do not make mention of the crash. A memo sent by the union for Colgan pilots and obtained by Buffalo News told pilots the FAA is looking at a limited number of pilot schedules dating from last November and that the agency believes some pilots flew in violation of flight or duty-time regulations. Toward that end, Colgan and the FAA may be in disagreement about the interpretation of the rules and specific paperwork under review. Specifically, exception reports may or may not indicate pilots legally flew beyond their allowances due to weather or other factors outside the carrier's control. Colgan said the probe was part of a routine FAA review, that its pilots are "in full compliance" with federal regulations and it is not expecting any enforcement actions as a result. |
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DOT Report: ATC Highly Vulnerable To Cyber Attack
May 7, 2009
By Glenn Pew
In 2008, hackers temporarily gained the power to shut down FAA servers, according to an audit performed by the Department of Transportation. The report states that the United States air traffic control system is highly vulnerable to cyber attack in large part due to Web applications (those accessed via Internet browser) run by aviation authorities nationwide. More than 70 Internet applications used for anything from distributing communications frequencies to those that serve internal air traffic control systems create at least 763 high-risk vulnerabilities, the May 4 report said. Any one of those vulnerabilities could allow an Internet hacker the ability to alter systems, gain access to data, or, worse, take control of a computer. In the last fiscal year, some 800 "cyber incident alerts" were reported to the Air Traffic Organization and by year-end, 17 percent had not yet been remediated, "including critical incidents in which hackers may have taken over control of ATO computers." According to the report, "it is likely to be a matter of when, not if, ATC systems encounter attacks that do serious harm to ATC operations." |
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Obama Budget May Cut Loran-C
May 7, 2009
By Glenn Pew
There may be about $3.6 trillion in the Obama administration's proposed budget, but that may not include funding for LORAN-C because "it is obsolete technology," according to a report released by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) titled Terminations, Reductions, and Savings. Cutting LORAN-C would save $36 million in 2010 and $190 million that would have been spent over five years in support of the system. Operated by the United States Coast Guard, the long-range radio navigation system "for civil marine use in U.S. Coastal areas" is no longer needed, according to the report, because "the federally-supported civilian Global Positioning System (GPS) has replaced it with superior capabilities." The remaining "small group of long-time users" is not seen as reason enough to continue funding and it is the opinion of the OMB that the system "is not capable as a backup for GPS." Federal agencies that rely on GPS "already have backup systems" for their GPS applications, wrote the OMB, but the office appears to concede that a national backup system has yet to be developed. |
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Lopresti Aviation Seals Deal For New Facility
May 6, 2009
By Mary Grady
While some aviation companies wait anxiously for the economic turnaround, other companies have found ways to benefit, and Lopresti Aviation is one of those. People who don't want to spend the money for a new airplane will spend to improve their current airplanes, chief operating officer R.J. Siegel told TCPalm this week -- and that's good for the company, which sells products that help boost airplane performance. But the company also has been working on a side project, to build Fury airplanes, and now they have found another way the downturn can help them out. The city of Sebastian, Fla., eager to bring in new business, has offered Lopresti a 15-year lease on a hangar at the municipal airport, in the hope that will create 45 jobs in the next 18 months as they ramp up work on the Fury program. The deal has been in the works for a while but now the lease is signed and the company hopes to move in and get to work by mid-June. Development and flight testing of the conforming prototype are first on the agenda. |
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Compliance Deadline Near For New DHS Border-Crossing Rules
May 6, 2009
By Mary Grady
The FAA sent out a notice this week reminding pilots that the deadline is May 18 to comply with a new rule from the Department of Homeland Security that requires the pilots of private aircraft on international flights to submit reports with Customs and Border Protection. The rule requires GA pilots to submit crew and passenger manifests at least 60 minutes before departure. The information must be submitted using the CBP's Electronic Advance Passenger Information System (eAPIS) Web site, or through an authorized third-party vendor. Pilots who fail to meet these reporting requirements can be fined $5,000 for the first violation and $10,000 for each subsequent violation. Click here for the full text of the rule, click here for more info about the rules from CBP, and click here for info about how to register at the CBP's eAPIS site. |
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New "Missing Aircraft Search Team" Helps Find Lost Cessna 182
May 6, 2009
By Mary Grady
A group of volunteers who met while working on the Steve Fossett search in 2007 have formed an ad hoc group called the Missing Aircraft Search Team (MAST), and this week they announced their first recovery -- a Cessna 182 that was lost near Sedona, Ariz., in September 2006, with two souls on board. "Our team is made up of about 14 people from around the country, and we meet online or over the phone," spokesman Lew Toulmin told on Wednesday. "One of our volunteers in California, Chris Killian, was checking fire reports and found a report that had been overlooked, from the day that the airplane disappeared." That clue was the turning point, as the hikers who filed the report were tracked down and they were able to pinpoint the site of the fire. Their curiosity piqued, the hikers returned to the woods the next weekend, and found the wreckage of the airplane. Authorities confirmed that it was the 182 that went missing with pilot Bill Westover and passenger Marcy Randolph. Toulmin said MAST is working to organize as a nonprofit group and take on more projects, and also to develop new search strategies using Google Earth and other tools. Toulmin added that MAST also will examine the way that searches are conducted and lobby for improvements. "The data are so scattered," he said. "We found in both cases [Fossett's disappearance and the 182 case] that there were myriad problems with coordination, funding, insurance, standards, routine destruction of vital search data, search command and control, and lack of 'lessons learned' analysis." [more] Another group, InternetSAR, was formed after the Fossett search to promote the use of Internet resources for aerial searching. Toulmin said MAST also will organize ground searches. Two ground searches had already been planned for Arizona this month. The group is now looking at a couple of other cases and will take on another project soon, Toulmin said. He said about 100 light aircraft have gone missing since 1962. For more information about MAST, click here for the news release. |
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Airshow Legend Sean Tucker Makes "Precautionary Landing" On California Highway
May 6, 2009
By Editor
Aerobatic pilot Sean Tucker has issued a statement concerning his off-airport landing Sunday evening. Tucker was flying a photo shoot near his King City, Calif., home base around 7 p.m. when his engine hiccuped and he realized that if it quit altogether, he couldn't stretch a glide back to the airport. With a long empty stretch of Highway 101 nearby, he decided to get the airplane on the ground and check it out. "We did not put a scratch on the airplane and did not jeopardize any vehicles," Tucker said in a statement on Wednesday. "It was a precautionary landing because of a malfunction in the fuel computer." Tucker's crew came and checked out the airplane, and the highway police stopped traffic so he could take off and fly home. Earlier reports by a California television station quoted Tucker as telling California Highway Patrol officers that he had run out of fuel and that fuel was added to the aircraft before taking off. Tucker did not respond to AVweb's request for clarification of the television report. |
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AVweb Insider Blog: "Is Sun 'n Fun, Like, Over?"
May 4, 2009
In the latest installment of our AVweb Insider blog, Editorial Director Paul Bertorelli takes the question of whether Sun 'n Fun faces a dire future. In a nutshell, his answer is yes — but if you've turned on the TV lately, you know times are tough all around. |
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Piper Sold For Profit
May 5, 2009
By Russ Niles
In this market it might be assumed that American Capital, the company that owned Piper Aircraft until last Friday, was bailing on a troubled industry. In fact, the company made a healthy $31 million profit on the sale and the premium paid by Imprimis is indicative of the strength of the company. "We are extremely delighted with the impressive results of our sale of Piper. The sale of Piper during such challenging economic times demonstrates that the market is still receptive to the acquisition of strong assets," American Capital spokesman Steve Price said in a news release. "We are excited for Piper as it moves forward with new ownership under Imprimis and expands in new geographic markets, especially Asia, with its comprehensive product line." |
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New Company Offers Ride-Shares For Jets
May 5, 2009
By Mary Grady
Maybe those auto execs would have suffered less of a thrashing if they had shared a ride to Washington in one jet instead of three -- that's part of the idea behind Greenjets, a new Florida-based company that aims to fill empty seats on private jets, to save money and reduce the environmental impact of the flight. The company said this week it already has 40 jets signed up in its network and plans to start service this summer. Travelers can book a seat online or over the phone, or buy a jetcard that offers discounts and freebies. "The Greenjetcard provides the most cost-effective private jet travel solution available today," the company said in a news release. Special-offer membership starts as low as $1,400 for a year and trip prices from New York to Florida can be as low as $1,800 per person. The company plans to start with service between New York and Florida, and later this year will add service for Chicago, Boston, Washington, and Atlanta. Over the next two years, another 27 markets will be added across the U.S. "Greenjets comes at a time when companies and individuals are looking to save money while maintaining productivity through flying private," the company said. |
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GA Deliveries Decline 41 Percent In First Quarter
May 5, 2009
By Mary Grady
Shipments of general aviation aircraft fell by 41 percent in the first three months of 2009, compared to the same period a year ago, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association said on Tuesday. "This is an extremely difficult time for our industry," said GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce. "We are dealing first and foremost with the severe negative effects of a worldwide economic downturn, but also with unwarranted criticism focused on the industry. The result has been the cancellation of orders for new airplanes and the loss of more than 15,000 high-paying jobs for American workers over the last several months." The piston segment was down 55 percent in the first quarter, with 179 airplanes delivered, compared to 399 in the first three months of 2008. Business jet shipments fell 36 percent, with 191 deliveries, compared to 297 in the first quarter of 2008. The turboprop segment was the only bright spot, showing a 3 percent increase, with 92 units delivered, up from 89 a year ago. A total of 462 GA airplanes were delivered, and industry billings totaled $4.34 billion, down 18 percent. But while the numbers may seem grim, the industry has always been somewhat volatile, and a look back in the GAMA records shows the last time total deliveries sank this low was not that long ago -- in the first quarter of 2004. Growth trended upward each year from 2004 to 2007. |
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Aviation Summit Focuses On Funding, NextGen
May 5, 2009
By Mary Grady
About 200 industry leaders met in Washington, D.C., last week for the 8th Annual Aviation Summit. The summit, hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, brings together experts from government agencies, airlines and aviation advocacy groups. NextGen was a hot topic on the agenda, as was the future of aviation funding and the impact of economic uncertainty. NBAA President Ed Bolen was among those advocating for quicker progress on NextGen. "The general aviation community has been a tireless advocate for modernization of the aviation system," he said. "Accelerating the transition to NextGen will advance important national objectives like expanding system capacity and reducing congestion, reducing long-term costs to the FAA, enhancing safety and even reducing the industry's environmental footprint. We come together recognizing that a unified industry presents a great opportunity to make that a reality." AOPA President Craig Fuller led the summit's panel discussion on NextGen. He said system modernization is crucial, and he added that under the Obama administration's budget plan the general-fund contribution to the FAA would be reduced and about $7 billion a year in user fees would be added. |
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Sean Tucker Lands On Highway "Out Of Gas"
May 4, 2009
By Russ Niles
Sean D. Tucker, one of the world's premiere aerobatic pilots and the owner of an advanced flight school he calls the Tutima Academy of Flight Safety, made an off-airport landing on one of California's busiest highways Sunday and according to the California Highway Patrol it was because he ran out of gas. KSBW-TV is reporting that Tucker put an unidentified biplane down on Highway 101 near his home base of King City about 7:22 p.m. The station quotes the CHP as saying Tucker called a mayday, landed safely and then told them he'd run out of fuel. |
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Lucky AV8OR Winners
May 3, 2009
By Editor
Almost 10,000 people entered our contest, sponsored by Bendix/King by Honeywell, for a chance to win one of five AV8OR GPS units. The lucky winner of the unit given away at AERO Friedrichshafen in Germany in early April was Nikolaus Gable from Memingham, Germany. In conjunction with our daily show coverage at Sun 'n Fun, we gave away four AV8ORs and the winners are: Brian Catchpoole of Lincolnshire, UK; Marianne Blair of Waynsboro, VA; Andrew Vlack of Westmont, IL; and David Joseph of Lakeland, FL. Our thanks to those who entered online and stopped by to see us at our booths at both shows. If you weren't one of the lucky ones this time around, you'll have another chance starting July 13 for AV8ORs that will be awarded after AirVenture 2009. Stay tuned for more details. |
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NetJets And Union Avoid Layoffs
May 3, 2009
By Glenn Pew
NetJets Aviation Inc., the Berkshire Hathaway owned and largest fractional jet ownership operator in the U.S., has agreed with its pilots union on voluntary measures to avoid layoffs. Since December, declines in the use of fractional jets have ranged up to 50 percent in monthly year-over-year figures. NetJets specifically had to contend with that as a reduction in revenue while also writing down the value of its fleet by $54 million to reflect the falling value of its fleet. Faced with that, NetJets executives and union leaders for the NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots cooperatively devised cost-cutting measures that would avoid layoffs during the business decline. NetJets pilots have been encouraged by their union leaders to choose either reduced work hours, leaves of absence or early retirement. In a letter to its members, the union called the measures, "unparalleled in the aviation industry and reflective of a genuine labor-management partnership," and encouraged pilots to select one of the proposed options. |
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AVweb Insider Blog: FAA's Turn Toward Secrecy
April 29, 2009
Between bird strike data and the disastrous photo op for Air Force One over New York City, the FAA seems to be relying more and more on secrecy in public affairs. In the latest installment of our AVweb Insider blog, Paul Bertorelli wonders what this may mean for the larger issue of aviation safety. |
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No Full Plane Parachute? No Problem
May 2, 2009
By Glenn Pew
A Cessna 182 crashed Friday after departing Thun Field, Wash., when the aircraft reportedly lost power and the pilot tried to turn back for the runway -- a move that often puts pilots in a world of ... excrement. Things were no different in this case, but as fate would have it, that world may be exactly what saved the pilot from substantial injury. The aircraft fell short of the runway, clipped a fence and flipped upside-down into a stand of porta-potties. Fortunately for the pilot, the portable toilets had what it took to absorb or dissipate the remaining kinetic energy of the crash and the pilot "walked away apparently unhurt," according to the Associated Press. Fortunately for everyone else (including, we assume, the NTSB), the porta-potties were not deployed in service at the time, but were sitting idle and empty (we pray, of everything) in a storage yard. |
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Cub Survives Crash, Pilot's Career May Not
May 2, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Civil fines and a possible court injunction that would prevent future acquisition of a pilot certificate may be sought for 26-year-old Edwin Stoltenberg, who crashed his father's Super Cub on a sand bar in Alaska last weekend. Stoltenberg may have been at the controls, but he is not a certificated pilot, nor does he hold a valid medical, according to Alaskan NBC affiliate KTUU. The channel reported Thursday that Stoltenberg was denied his medical in August of 2008 because the FAA found he had three convictions for drunken driving and has since acquired a fourth. According to the NTSB preliminary report, witnesses say the young man made several passes on the river, maybe as many as five or six, touching the aircraft's wheels to the water before contact with a sand bar flipped the aircraft. Although on a river in Alaska, the precise area of the flight was populated at the time with at least one family and two other children who were fishing. After the wreck, one young man approached the inverted aircraft saw Stoltenberg inside and heard his first words, "Don't call the cops." But the drama doesn't end there. |
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Piper Has Been Sold
May 1, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The new owner of Piper Aircraft Inc., is Imprimis, "a corporate finance and investment management firm that operates from its offices in Bangkok, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam." Production and product development facilities will remain in Vero Beach, Fla., according to the new owners. Imprimis stated in a Friday press release that it fully supports PiperJet development and intends to aggressively expand Piper's activities, especially in Asia Pacific, targeting pilot training and both commercial and private flying clubs. Speaking for Imprimis, managing partner Stephen W. Berger said his company is dedicated to growing Piper in existing markets and Asian markets "where much of our focus lies." |
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Obama Acts, Controllers React
April 30, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The Obama administration Thursday announced that it will create a mediation team to immediately address the FAA/NATCA contract dispute and NATCA President Patrick Forrey was quick to respond with praise. Controllers have been dissatisfied with work conditions since contract negotiations broke down and the FAA imposed non-negotiated work rules on the union nearly three years ago. NATCA understood the president's comments and action to indicate that the administration's resolve to stabilize the controller workforce and restore a collaborative work environment is a top priority. Said Forrey, "With this bold step, President Obama is fulfilling his commitment to the safety and modernization of the air traffic control system and to the dedicated men and women safety professionals who run the system each day." Forrey added thanks to Transportation Secretary LaHood "for his leadership and commitment to resolving this issue." |
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WASP Seeks Your Voice And Recognition
April 30, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) are the subject of Bill S614 that would recognize, with the award of a Congressional Gold Medal, their service during World War II, and they are asking that supporting voices speak up and be heard. The intent of the WASP program was to free up male combat pilots from stateside duty during the war but ultimately it "served as a catalyst for revolutionary reform in the integration of women pilots into the Armed Services," according to the bill. From 1942 to 1944, WASPs instructed, transported cargo and personnel, ferried aircraft and more, but they were never commissioned or given active duty status and only earned veteran status decades later. Those interested in supporting the congressional award should check the position of their representatives, here, which offers "not" and "on board" lists and suggests simple actions you can take to convey your interests to your representatives. |
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Boeing Floats Date For 787 Dreamliner Test Flight
April 30, 2009
By Glenn Pew
About 60 percent of the required certification work is in the hands of the FAA and the aircraft itself is in the paint shop, but Boeing is setting expectations for first flight of the 787 Dreamliner, saying it anticipates liftoff prior to July 1. First test flights had once been expected in late 2007 with deliveries to begin in mid-2008, but with that development (and those delays) in the past, chief project engineer Michael Delaney told reporters the pace of certification has been "far superior to anything we've ever done before." Prior to certification, six aircraft will be built and deployed for testing. Two will have GE engines and four will run Rolls Royce engines. Customer aircraft will likely be powered by more efficient engines developed as a joint venture by GE and Snecma of France. Flight tests should last nearly 9 months, followed soon thereafter with FAA airworthiness certification and first delivery in 2010. If times then are anything like times now, fuel conservation will be a lead element in airlines' ability to prosper, or survive. |
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HondaJet Announces Delays, Blames Suppliers
April 30, 2009
By Glenn Pew
HondaJet conforming aircraft will probably not fly before January 2010 with customer deliveries now projected for fourth quarter 2011 -- a year later than originally hoped. Honda Aircraft Company Thursday released the news with the explanation that "ongoing global aerospace industry business challenges" have delayed the arrival of critical components. Honda is working with "leading industry suppliers" in the manufacture of many major subassemblies and says that delays in delivery of some critical components forced the company to push back its schedule. The company said in a news release it remains "confident we will deliver to our customers the best-performing and best-valued light jet in the industry." HondaJet is currently priced at $3.9 million and claims "significantly lower fuel consumption than any light jet of its size." |
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Gulfstream Bucks First-Quarter Trend
April 29, 2009
By Russ Niles
Well, Bloomberg got most of its predictions about the state of business aviation right in its pre-first quarter analysis predicting a bloodbath in their numbers. But it included Gulfstream's parent General Dynamics in the doom and gloom and the iconic planemaker actually did quite well. In fact, Gulfstream's margins dipped only slightly from 18.5 percent in the same quarter last year to 17.7 percent in the first four months of this year on new aircraft and that revenue in the aerospace division, which includes Gulfstream, newly-acquired Jet Aviation and General Dynamics Aviation Services, was up 13.8 percent, a Gulfstream spokesman said in an email to AVweb. |
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Air Force One Photo Op: What Was FAA's Role?
April 29, 2009
By Paul Bertorelli
An FAA memo (PDF) floating around the Internet Wednesday suggests that if the FAA didn't originate the secrecy surrounding Monday's White House photo op over New York, it certainly supported it. The memo—authored by James J. Johnston of the agency's security operations branch—clearly indicates the FAA was notified well ahead of the planned flyover and that it recognized the kind of reaction it might cause. The memo begins by saying: "The information in this document is considered FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY, and should only be shared with persons with a need to know. Information in this document shall not be released to the public or media." The document then details the flight planning and the schedule, including the intent to fly around as low as 1000 feet in the Hudson River Corridor in the vicinity of the Statute of Liberty. The flyover occurred on Monday morning and raised a considerable ruckus in lower Manhattan and mid-town, as hundreds of workers panicked and evacuated buildings in the city, fearful of another 9/11-type terrorist attack. Also circulating the news sites are recordings of hysterical calls to New York's emergency services numbers. The FAA did not respond to email and telephone requests for comment and, interestingly, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association told AVweb that it was declining comment because it didn't normally comment on security issues. |
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A Glimmer Of Good News -- Cirrus Boosts Production
April 29, 2009
By Mary Grady
Things might be grim still in the business jet world (see today's Cessna news), but at least one company in the GA piston world is starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel. Cirrus Aircraft announced on Wednesday that it is increasing its production rate to six aircraft per week starting immediately. The increased rate follows nearly six months of significantly reduced production rates that averaged about three to four airplanes per week. "We continue to see very encouraging trends in sales activities and interest from sales prospects domestically and around the world," the company said in a news release. The market has responded well to new upgrades including FIKI and Cirrus Perspective by Garmin avionics across the line, according to Cirrus. "Clearly, this is an upward move and is indicative of a stronger bias toward growth in aircraft orders," the company said. Yet Cirrus is not ready to claim that the worst is over. The company will continue to determine output on a month-to-month basis, in response to market fluctuations. |
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Florida Tech Goes With Remos LSA For Flight Training
April 29, 2009
By Mary Grady
One trend we noticed at Sun 'n Fun last week -- more and more LSA manufacturers are finding that flight schools are interested in their products. The LSAs are less expensive to acquire and operate, and they can be used for flight training right up to ATP. Now that the aircraft have been around for a few years, and have a track record and some maturing of designs, flight schools are finding them hard to resist. Case in point was the decision, announced last week, by the Florida Institute of Technology's FIT Aviation program to utilize new Remos GX 2009 light sport aircraft not only for its flying club but also for primary flight training and time-building in its professional pilot curriculum. "We were very impressed by the useful load factor in the Remos," said Nick Frisch, director of FIT Aviation. "The fact that we could fill it with fuel and take up two large adults with room for plenty of baggage, spoke highly of the aircraft's capability." Copies of various LSA designs were flown by the flight training staff and students at FIT Aviation. "We asked everyone who flew the airplanes for their overall impressions, their response to the ergonomics, the layout of the aircraft, its performance and handling. ... In the end, nine out of ten picked the Remos GX," said Frisch. |
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Air Journey Working To Offer Fly-Yourself Trips From Florida To Cuba
April 29, 2009
By Mary Grady
Flying to Cuba from southern Florida could be an appealing trip for a GA pilot -- it's only about 80 miles away, and the beach resorts and Cuban cigars still have the romantic appeal they had in Hemingway's time. But while flying your private airplane into Cuba is not expressly forbidden, it's not easy to do, and restrictions on spending make it impractical. But Thierry Pouille, CEO of Air Journey, is working to change that, by organizing escorted trips where his company will handle all of the bureaucracy and paperwork. The educational trips, which include meetings with Cuban officials to learn about their aviation system, will depart on a Thursday and return on Monday, with time to visit Old Havana, a cigar factory and more. The journey is pending approval by federal officials, but Pouille said he is hopeful that the first trips will be launching by this summer. |
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Cessna Will Suspend Columbus Program, Close Bend Factory
April 29, 2009
By Mary Grady
In response to a dismal first-quarter earnings report, Cessna's parent company Textron said on Wednesday the Citation Columbus program will be put on hold. Also, the former Columbia factory in Bend, Ore., where the Cessna Corvalis models are built, will be closed, and those airplanes will be built in Kansas instead. The company will lay off 1,600 workers, including all 150 staffers in Bend, plus up to 700 workers in the Columbus program, and will shut down for four weeks this summer. Just last October, Cessna CEO Jack Pelton had said the company would invest $780 million into development of the Columbus, its largest business jet ever, and add up to 1,000 new jobs. The 10-passenger, $27 million jet was expected to start deliveries in 2014. About $50 million in deposits will be returned. "Don't write the Columbus off your radar screen," Textron CEO Lewis Campbell said on a conference call on Wednesday. "Until we know much more about the market we're going to be selling into, we thought it was prudent to suspend it and redirect all of our efforts to reinvest into our core products in Bell and Cessna." |
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FAA Will Develop New HEMS Rules
April 29, 2009
By Mary Grady
Last week, during a hearing convened by the House Aviation Subcommittee to address safety issues regarding the use of helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS), an FAA spokesman said the FAA has reversed its previous stand that the current rules were adequate, and new rules will be forthcoming soon. "We recognize that relying on voluntary compliance [with suggested safety standards] alone is not enough to ensure safe flight operations," said John Allen, the FAA's director of flight standards. "The FAA Rulemaking Council has given approval to begin drafting a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which we are aiming to have published in late 2009 or early 2010." Allen also said the FAA does not support new legislation now in play in Congress that would empower states to impose more regulations on HEMS or require HEMS operators to comply with Part 135 procedures. "The FAA does not believe that new safety legislation is needed at this time," he said. Matt Zuccaro, president of Helicopter Association International, also testified at the hearing, and said FAA action is too slow. "Congress should direct the FAA to review its current rulemaking procedures and revise same to expedite implementation of beneficial safety initiatives, when appropriate," Zuccaro said. |
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Ecoflyer LSA Crashes, Company Owner Killed
April 29, 2009
By Mary Grady
Bernard Laferriere, 56, president of Explorer Aeronautique, was killed on Tuesday when he crashed while en route to Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, in an Ecoflyer, the pudgy-looking LSA that his company has been developing. The Ecoflyer, which aims to be a kind of flying RV, was hard to miss at Sun 'n Fun all last week, on display close by the main entrance to the show, and it also attracted attention at its debut at EAA AirVenture last summer. Laferriere had stopped in Norwich, N.Y., on Monday afternoon, where he fueled the airplane and took a two-hour break, telling airport workers that he had landed because of "abnormal wind conditions" aloft. His next stop was Quebec, but he never arrived, and a land owner found the wreckage near Hamilton, N.Y., on Tuesday afternoon, about two miles from the nearest road. The airplane was broken into several pieces. |
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FAA Backs Off Proposal To Keep Bird-Strike Data Secret
April 28, 2009
By Mary Grady
The FAA said last week that it has decided not to proceed with a proposal that would have designated bird-strike information in the FAA's National Wildlife Aircraft Hazard Database as "protected from public disclosure." The agency said it made the proposal in March "to encourage persons to provide the information to the FAA," citing concerns that information might not be submitted "because of fear that the disclosure of raw data could unfairly cast unfounded aspersion on the submitter." The FAA changed course after reviewing 47 comments from the public, the majority of which were not in favor of secrecy. The FAA said it has determined that releasing the data will not jeopardize aviation safety. The Wildlife Aircraft Strike Web site will be modified "to make the database available to all users consistent with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Agency policy," the FAA said. The news prompted a flurry of reports in the mainstream press, many citing statistics from the "newly available database" -- in fact, much of the wildlife-strike data has been publicly available since the information was first collected in 1990, but the FAA's decision now allows users to access all the details of each report. A small amount of data, such as personal phone numbers, will be blocked out. City papers around the country checked the data on their local airports. Many of the stories cite a dramatic growth in the number of bird strikes, but since the reports are voluntary, it's not clear if the rising numbers reflect more bird strikes or if the strikes are being reported more frequently -- the FAA estimates that it hears of only about one in five strikes. The NTSB has asked the FAA since 1999 to make the reports mandatory, but so far the agency has declined to do so. |
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U.S. Reps Form General Aviation Caucus
April 28, 2009
By Mary Grady
When it comes to dealing with Washington, general aviation needs all the help it can get, and some support appeared recently when two congressmen formed a General Aviation Caucus. Representatives Vernon J. Ehlers, R-Mich., and Allen Boyd, D-Fla., joined together as co-chairs to help inform other members of Congress and the administration about the value of GA to the nation's economy and transportation system. Congressman Boyd, who is a pilot, says he knows firsthand how important GA is to rural communities like the farming region in northern Florida that he represents. "This campaign is an important tool for raising public awareness of general aviation, and I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress to keep general aviation strong," he said. The two representatives have invited their colleagues to join the caucus, noting that the GA industry is one of the few U.S. industries that maintains a positive foreign-trade balance, and it contributes more than $150 billion to the U.S. economy each year and 1.3 million jobs. The two also expressed support for AOPA's GA Serves America campaign. The National Business Aviation Association was quick to respond to the announcement with lots of encouragement. "NBAA and the business aviation community thank Representatives Ehlers and Boyd for spearheading the caucus, and promoting the value of all general aviation, including business aviation," said NBAA CEO Ed Bolen. |
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Air Force One Plane Sets Off New York Panic
April 27, 2009
By Russ Niles
U.S. President Barack Obama is said to be furious over the Air Forces decision to fly one of the presidential Boeing 747s over Manhattan on a Monday morning with an F-16 in trail. That would appear to be the lone saving grace from a photo mission that sent New York into a state of panic and left New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg wondering how something like this could be done without his, and the rest of the city's, knowledge. Now, it's not that the Air Force didn't tell anyone about the flight, which happened on a sunny morning about 10 a.m. The Air Force told the New York Police Department but added that it couldn't release the time and nature of the flight to the public and media, no doubt out of security concerns. Mayor Bloomberg was quite naturally upset. "Why the Defense Department wanted to do a photo op right around the site of the World Trade Center catastrophe defies the imagination," Bloomberg said. "Poor judgment would be a nice ways to phrase it. ... Had I known about it, I would have called them right away and asked them not to." The FAA apparently told a Bloomberg staffer who didn't pass along the message. |
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Storm Damages 22 Aircraft In Ottawa
April 26, 2009
By Graeme Peppler
The front that's hammered the central part of the continent for the past couple of days took a particularly vicious toll on an airport in Ottawa, Canada. On the same night that members of Rockliffe Flying Club were celebrating their annual black-tie Wings Dinner on Saturday night, a destructive weather system ripped through the flight line only yards away on their airport grounds. As they left the dinner, they were greeted by a debris field of aircraft and parts mixed with uprooted trees, a smashed clubhouse, trashed storage boxes, and two inverted aircraft, each of which was left blocking access to the airport's taxiway. According to the Rockcliffe Flying Club Manager Simon Garrett, at least 22 aircraft were damaged by the severe storm, half of which appear to be probable write-offs. |
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Batteries Improve But Need To Improve More
April 26, 2009
By Mike Francis
Michael Dudley of the NASA Ames Research Center provided a presentation of electric aircraft power system requirements. He said NASA is actively investigating electric propulsion as a viable option for some aerial applications but it has a long way to go before it can match the energy storage efficiency of fossil fuels. The internal combustion engine has three times the energy density of even the most sophisticated battery-electric system currently available. He said that situation is unlikely to change in the short term because an "improvement factor" of 20 is required to make lithium ion battery systems even come close to conventional engines. Motor technology seems to be advancing more quickly. |
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Sailplanes Lead The Way
April 26, 2009
By Mike Francis
There was an undercurrent of consensus at the symposium that successful electric airplanes will be similar to sailplanes, at least in the short term. Indeed, there are successful self-launching sailplanes that use electricity, although small internal combustion engines are much more common in the self launchers. A live motor, propeller, and controller demonstration was provided by Greg Cole, chief designer of Windward Performance LLC, Manufacturers of the SparrowHawk self-launching sailplane. |
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CAFE Foundation Electric Airplane Symposium: $1.63 Million Prize In Green Challenge
April 26, 2009
By Mike Francis
Individuals, companies, schools and virtually anyone else are invited to apply to take part in the CAFE Foundation's Aviation Green Prize Challenge. The grand prize is $1.63 million. The so-called "100 mpg race" will take place in northern California in July of 2011, giving participants the time they need to devise a flying machine that will meet the requirements
of the race. The essence of the race, announced at the symposium, is to cover a 200-mile closed course at at least 100 mph and 100 mpg at 4,000 feet without running out of fuel before taxiing across the finish line. There must be two people on board and the aircraft will have to meet safety standards. |
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Hostages Freed In Jamaican Standoff
April 20, 2009
By Russ Niles
Jamaican, described by authorities as a "mentally challenged youngster" was nabbed by police early Monday after he took six members of the flight crew of a CanJet Boeing 737 hostage late Sunday in Montego Bay and demanded to be flown to Cuba. None of the hostages were hurt when police stormed the aircraft after eight hours of negotiations broke down, but early in the drama it's alleged that the hijacker almost killed the First Officer, whose face was grazed by a bullet when a gun discharged on the tarmac. Oddly enough, if the hijacker had a ticket, he would have gone to Cuba as the charter flight was scheduled to stop in Santa Clara, Cuba on its way to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The man barged through security guards, all of whom were unarmed, and briefly held some of more than 180 passengers and crew but he quickly set the passengers and two of the crew free after they gave him money. The freed hostages, all Canadian, were taken to local hotels. |
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All This Week, AVweb Brings You The Sun 'n Fun Experience
April 19, 2009
By Russ Niles
If you can't be in sunny Florida this week for Sun 'n Fun, the first big aviation event of the season, then tune in to your inbox each day for a full report from AVweb. We'll be bringing you video, podcasts, photos, and news from the field each day with a close-up look at all the latest airplane models and engines, avionics upgrades, an update on the status of the 51-percent rule, and lots of other news from the GA world. Cirrus, Piper, and Honda will be here on opening day with news updates on their companies, and throughout the week we'll be hearing from big players in sport aircraft such as Cessna, Maule, CubCrafters, Flight Design, and lots more. |
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New Cold Weather Testing Center
April 19, 2009
By Russ Niles
In this economy you have to go with your strengths and if there is one thing Thompson, Manitoba, Canada has in spades it's reliably frigid temperatures. The mining town about 600 miles north of Winnipeg (no slouch in the cold department, either) often sees temperatures colder than -40 for weeks at a time in a winter that lasts from November to March. It also has a modern airport that will handle most types of aircraft. The Canadian Environmental Test Research and Education Center is a joint project of the Manitoba government and the Canadian government, whose National Research Council will own and operate the facility. It will share the site with the Global Aerospace Center for Icing and Environmental Research (GLACIER), a joint venture of Pratt and Whitney Canada and Rolls-Royce Canada. |
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Schrenker Planning Book
April 19, 2009
By Russ Niles
If you've been wondering what was going on in Marcus Schrenker's head when he bailed out of his turboprop Malibu over Georgia last January, you may be able to read all about it. The former Indiana money manager told the Pensacola News Journal in a jailhouse letter that he's thinking about writing a book about his life and that defining moment Jan. 11 when he told air traffic control his windshield had shattered and he was declaring an emergency. He was arrested two days later in a Chattahoochee campground after parachuting to safety in Georgia and riding away on a motorcycle he'd put in a rented storage unit the day before. Schrenker, who appears in court April 24, says the media got his story mostly wrong at the time. |
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Mechanic Charged With Falsifying FAA Credentials
April 19, 2009
By Russ Niles
If you've had any work done by "The Plane Man" in Casa Grande, Ariz., you might want to have it checked by an A&P before your next flight. A federal grand jury has charged Glen Forsyth, 43, with five felony offenses resulting from a 100-hour inspection on an Alon Ercoupe in July of 2008. A week after the annual, the engine failed and the aircraft was written off in the off-airport landing that followed. LawFuel.com reported the post-accident inspection "caused FAA aircraft safety inspectors to believe that the fuel pump had not been properly inspected." |
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Ford Takes On GA Promo Role
April 19, 2009
By Russ Niles
Aviation's busiest celebrity spokesman, actor Harrison Ford, is taking on another role and the script appears to involve as heroic a plot as any of his day job parts. AOPA will hold a news conference Monday at 10 a.m. in Washington, D.C., to announce the General Aviation Serves America campaign. Details are under wraps until the announcement but a media advisory issued Friday hints that it's an ambitious scheme that will "tell the story of real people who depend on general aviation" and harness Ford's star power as an eloquent spokesman for GA. "In addition to these everyday people, actor Harrison Ford, himself a passionate pilot, will feature prominently in the campaign." |
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Suicide By King Air
April 17, 2009
By Russ Niles
The young man who jumped from King Air 200 over Canada's Arctic last Wednesday had been held the night before under the country's Mental Health Act in Yellowknife and was being flown home to Cambridge Bay by Adlair Aviation as a favor to the family. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police were called to a Yellownknife hotel the previous night to quell a disturbance and took 20-year-old Julian Tologanak into custody. "He was visiting friends and possibly causing a disturbance," said RCMP spokesman Sgt. Wayne Norris. "It was determined the best course of action was to seek professional medical help for him." The next day, despite the "best efforts" of the crew, he managed to open the main cabin door and leave the aircraft while it was flying at least 23,000 feet. AVweb has heard from sources in Canada's north about what went on in the aircraft just before the suicide that might explain some of the lingering questions about the incident. A voice message left at Adlair Aviation's administrative offices was not returned by our deadline. |
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AVweb Insider Blog: OSH Tower Waste Is Tragic
April 19, 2009
The old air traffic control tower at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh was pulverized and hauled to the dump last week. AVweb's Russ Niles thinks that's a tragic waste and reveals some of his hopes and dreams for the parts in the latest installment of our AVweb Insider blog. |
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Henley Benefit Air Show This Weekend
April 15, 2009
By Russ Niles
The greatest lineup of the big names in air shows ever assembled will be at Cecil Airfield in Jacksonville, Fla. April 18-19 in a special benefit for Alan Henley, the leader of the Aeroshell team who was paralyzed in an accident at home almost a year ago. All of the almost 30 performers at the are donating their time and expenses to help the Henley family get through the transition to a new life. Admission prices are reasonable and the entertainment value can't be beat. AVweb will be there, and we hope you will be, too.
Related Content:
We spoke with organizer Bobbi Thompson in a podcast interview late last year. |
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EAA Picks Top Innovations From Aero Friedrichshafen
April 15, 2009
By Mary Grady
Every pilot likes to see a new version of a favorite product, but what really gets attention is something completely new. At Aero Friedrichshafen earlier this month in Germany, there was plenty of innovation going on -- as AVweb's contributor Graeme Peppler reported from the scene -- and this week, EAA created a list of the show's hottest new ideas. Whether any of these will stand the test of time, or even make it into the U.S. market, remains to be seen. EAA's choices include the Isatis LSA, which has moved the engine behind the cabin to allow for helicopter-like visibility. The Alatus-ME self-launching motorglider is electric-powered and folds up small enough to carry on your car's roof rack. Flight Design's hybrid engine made the list, as well as a Swiss anti-collision warning system for small aircraft. A line of electric airplanes from Yaneec International, a joint British-Chinese venture, include a quiet powered parachute and plans for a small twin. Many of these designs will make their U.S. debut later this year at EAA AirVenture, but we'll also be on the lookout for new ideas and innovation next week at Sun 'n Fun. |
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FAA And Industry Respond To NTSB Zodiac Concerns
April 15, 2009
By Mary Grady
The FAA is already looking into concerns about all versions of the Zodiac CH-601XL aircraft, which were raised at an industry meeting back in February, FAA spokeswoman Laura J. Brown told AVweb on Tuesday, but she added that the agency has no immediate plans to call for the airplanes to be grounded. "The manufacturer already has told owners to check the aileron control cable tensions," she said. The FAA has formed a special review team with members from the FAA and the industry to investigate the problem. Brown added that the FAA has told the ASTM that it should conduct a review of its LSA standards regarding aerodynamic flutter. The CH-601XL airplane is sold in a kit version by Zenith Aircraft, which is run by Sebastian Heintz, and is also sold as an S-LSA by AMD (Aircraft Manufacturing & Design), which is run by Matthew Heintz. The CH-601XL was certified as an S-LSA in 2005. In the six accidents cited by the NTSB, two of the aircraft were experimental amateur-built (one in California and one in Utah), one in California was an S-LSA manufactured by AMD, and one in Florida was an S-LSA built by the Czech Aircraft Works. The other two crashes were in the Netherlands and in Spain, and it is not clear what version of the aircraft was involved. On Wednesday, Zenith Aircraft posted a notice online stating that the company first learned of the NTSB's safety recommendation on Tuesday, when the press release was issued. "We continue to believe wing flutter will not occur if the control cables are adjusted properly," the notice reads. |
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NTSB Asks FAA To Immediately Ground Zodiac CH-601XL Aircraft
April 15, 2009
By Mary Grady
In an unusual move on Tuesday, the NTSB issued an "urgent safety recommendation" asking the FAA to prohibit further flight of the Zodiac CH-601XL, which has been involved in six in-flight structural breakups since 2006. The board cited four accidents in the U.S. and two in Europe in which a CH-601XL broke up in flight, killing a total of 10 people. According to the NTSB, there is a problem with the airplane design that makes it susceptible to aerodynamic flutter -- a phenomenon in which the control surfaces of the airplane can suddenly vibrate, and if unmitigated, can lead to catastrophic structural failure. The NTSB wants the U.S. fleet grounded until the FAA can determine that the problem has been solved. "The NTSB does not often recommend that all airplanes of a particular type be prohibited from further flight," said NTSB Acting Chairman Mark Rosenker. "In this case, we believe such action will save lives. Unless the safety issues with this particular Zodiac model are addressed, we are likely to see more accidents in which pilots and passengers are killed in airplanes that they believed were safe to fly." |
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Zeppelin Startup Struggles As Economy Sinks
April 15, 2009
By Mary Grady
The folks who launched the first tour-by-zeppelin business in the U.S. couldn't have had much worse luck with timing -- Airship Ventures launched last October, after two years of planning, just in time for the depths of economic doldrums. With seats selling for $500 each for an hour flight, business has been slow. Toss in the rain and wind of winter in the San Francisco Bay area, and it's even tougher. But Brian Hall, who runs the company with wife Alex, is not discouraged. "It comes with its stresses, there's no big pot of cash, and we're working seven days a week," he told CNN recently. "But if you can ride this out, you can last through anything." He added that he hopes to find sponsors who will pay to paint their logos on the zeppelin, and he may add winery tour weekends, or move to sunny southern California for the winters. The CNN/Money reporter who took a demo flight found the business plan dubious but the view mesmerizing: "We fly over the Golden Gate Bridge just as the sun dips below the horizon. A massive container ship has run aground on the rocks just west of the bridge, and we watch in awe as a Coast Guard boat tows it out to the Pacific," he wrote. "Then we turn and drift back over the Bay as the city lights up and the bright sliver of a new moon rises above it." But will the project prove to be economically viable? |
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NTSB Chair Rosenker Predicts GA Recovery
April 15, 2009
By Mary Grady
NTSB Acting Chairman Mark Rosenker told the Wichita Aero Club this week that private aviation has unfairly become a "political punching bag" and he believes the industry will rebound quickly and decisively from the current hard times. "The world's economy depends upon a robust air transportation system and general aviation and airline travel is absolutely a vital component of that global system," he said. "It is for this reason that I believe aviation will soon fly out of the turbulence that surrounds it today." He advised the industry leaders to get out and lobby for their cause. "Everyone in this room knows the benefits of business aviation, but many outside this room don't get it, so I would advise that you increase your outreach to the public, and Washington, D.C., to heal that black eye." He said that he believes in working in partnership with industry, rather than imposing regulations, to improve safety. He also said he expects to establish minimum performance requirements for lightweight flight recorders for GA aircraft by sometime this summer. "If recorder systems that captured cockpit audio, images, and parametric data had been installed on the Butte accident airplane [the Pilatus PC-12/45 that crashed on March 22], the recorders would have enabled us to quickly determine information about the accident scenario, including precise locations, altitudes, headings, airspeeds, and pilot actions," he said. |
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Avidyne Explains Latest Avionics In Webinars
April 14, 2009
By Mary Grady
For aircraft owners looking to upgrade to the latest new panel, or shoppers ready to buy a new airplane, the big shows like Sun 'n Fun and AirVenture provide great opportunities to check out all the options. But now, buyers who can't be at the show in person can have the next-best thing — an online Webinar, complete with graphics, live audio, and a Q&A session, to get a rundown on all the details in the latest products. This month, Avidyne is making the most of the Webinar format to get the word out about their latest glass-panel upgrade, Release 9. The new system was unveiled late last year — click here for Paul Bertorelli's video tour of the system at AOPA Expo — but with the spring flying season now upon us and FAA certification approaching, the company is offering the hour-long Webinars to show off the system to potential buyers. Avidyne says Release 9 aims to provide "true single-pilot IFR" capabilities while making it easy and simple to use. Click here for a list of the dates for Avidyne's Webinars and to sign up. |
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FAA Responds To Zodiac Concerns
April 14, 2009
By Mary Grady
The FAA is already looking into concerns about all versions of the Zodiac aircraft, which were raised at an industry meeting back in February, FAA spokeswoman Laura J. Brown told AVweb on Tuesday, but she added that the agency has no immediate plans to call for the airplanes to be grounded. "The manufacturer already has told owners to check the aileron control cable tensions," she said. The FAA has formed a special review team with members from the FAA and the industry to investigate the problem. Brown added that the FAA has told the ASTM that it should conduct a review of its LSA standards regarding aerodynamic flutter. |
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NTSB Asks FAA To Immediately Ground Zodiac CH-601XL LSAs
April 14, 2009
By Mary Grady
In an unusual move on Tuesday, the NTSB issued an "urgent safety recommendation" asking the FAA to prohibit further flight of the Zodiac CH-601XL, a light sport aircraft that has been involved in six in-flight structural breakups since 2006. The airplane is designed by Zenair. The board cited four accidents in the U.S. and two in Europe in which a CH-601XL broke up in-flight, killing a total of 10 people. According to the NTSB, there is a problem with the airplane design that makes it susceptible to aerodynamic flutter -- a phenomenon in which the control surfaces of the airplane can suddenly vibrate, and if unmitigated, can lead to catastrophic structural failure. The CH-601XL was certified as an LSA in 2005. The NTSB wants the fleet grounded until the FAA can determine that the problem has been solved. "The NTSB does not often recommend that all airplanes of a particular type be prohibited from further flight," said NTSB Acting Chairman Mark Rosenker. "In this case, we believe such action will save lives. Unless the safety issues with this particular Zodiac model are addressed, we are likely to see more accidents in which pilots and passengers are killed in airplanes that they believed were safe to fly." |
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Want a Chance to Win an AV8OR GPS from Bendix/King by Honeywell?
April 20, 2009
All you have to do is click the image at right to enter your name and e-mail address. And no, we're not going to rent or sell your name, but Bendix may send you information on the AV8OR. You may also forward this newsletter to friends and invite them to sign-up for AVweb's Sun 'n Fun coverage and qualify for the AV8OR prizes also. (We won't spam them, either, but we will send them our e-mail news Flashes.)
Deadline for entries is midnight, Monday, April 27, 2009.
Click here to read the contest rules and enter.
(There's nothing to buy. All you need to do is be registered with AVweb.) |
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Brainteasers Quiz #142: Tame That Checkride
April 12, 2009
By Paul Berge
All pilots experience the jitters when the Designated Pilot Examiner
(DPE) slithers into the aircraft and hisses, "Let's see what you know." So let's quell all fears and see what you know about Practical Tests Standards.
Take the quiz.
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AVweb Insider Blog: Enola Gay — History's Surprises
April 12, 2009
Front and center at the National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center is the Enola Gay, the legendary B-29 that flew into history in August, 1945. The pilot's seat looks as it did in 1945, except for one important detail. Paul Bertorelli has the story in the latest installment of our AVweb Insider blog. |
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NTSB Sets Hudson Ditching Hearing
April 12, 2009
By Russ Niles
The NTSB will hear testimony on the ditching of US Airways Flight 1549 on June 9-10 at its Washington, D.C., headquarters. The public hearing is being held to gather more information on the board's ongoing investigation of the mishap. All 155 people aboard survived the dunking in the Hudson River in New York City after the crew reported multiple bird strikes followed by a dual engine failure. In contrast to most NTSB investigations, at least part of this hearing will apparently focus on what went right in the Jan. 15 incident. |
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Did Missed Switch Bring Down Medical Flight?
April 12, 2009
By Russ Niles
The Detroit Free Press is reporting that the copilot of a Cessna Citation carrying an organ transplant team may have mistakenly turned on the aircraft's autopilot instead of its yaw damper, possibly leading to the crash of the aircraft in Lake Michigan off Milwaukee on June 4, 2007. Both pilots and the four members of the University of Michigan medical team were killed. The paper quotes a report from the NTSB's Recorded Radar and Airplane Performance Study Group, which did a computer simulation of the flight, as saying the results of the simulation are "consistent with the copilot inadvertently pushing the autopilot button instead of the yaw damper on the airplane center console." Shortly after takeoff, the cockpit voice recorder captured comments from the pilot that he was "fighting the controls" and blaming the problem on runaway trim. But the NTSB team says the results of the simulation "do not appear consistent with a pitch trim runaway." |
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Edge Of Space Defined
April 12, 2009
By Russ Niles
For decades, the altitude where atmosphere ends and space begins has been pegged at a largely theoretical 100 km., known as the Karman Line. Theodore von Karman picked that value as the point where any aircraft would have to be flying faster than orbital velocity to stay aloft, and it's become the generally accepted line. Well, a team of scientists from the University of Calgary say the theory isn't far from precise reality. The so-called edge of space is actually at 118 km. |
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Wood Airplanes Making Comeback?
April 12, 2009
By Russ Niles
A Canadian research organization says wood could be incorporated into next-generation aircraft designs, but don't expect to see two-by-fours in the bulkheads. In his technology blog , Seattle Times writer Brier Dudley reports that a technology forum recently heard from FP Innovations President Jim Dangerfield, who said the firm has applied nanotechnology to cellulose and can extract nanomaterials that, in combination with other materials, could find their way into aircraft. The properties of the materials would depend on the source material, of which there is plenty of variety. |
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"Tailstrike" May Write Off A340
April 12, 2009
By Russ Niles
An Australian newspaper is reporting that a $180 million Emirates Airbus A340-500 may be beyond repair and the 225 people who were on it last March 20 are lucky to be alive after a nasty scrape at Melbourne International Airport. New details have emerged about the mishap, which has been declared an accident by the Australia Transport Safety Bureau and resulted in the resignations of both pilots aboard. According to the Sunday Herald Sun the aircraft was bound for Dubai when it failed to get airborne before the end of Melbourne's 12,000-foot runway. The paper reported the flight crew yanked the big airliner off the overrun, scraping the tail in the process. It appears, from the description, the 340 flew in ground effect about two feet off the ground for about 400 yards, wiping out three approach strobes, which are about 30 inches high, and the localizer antenna, before barely clearing the eight-foot perimeter fence. |
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1549 FO Back To Work
April 12, 2009
By Russ Niles
After three months of investigations, public appearances and outright hero worship, the first member of the crew of US Airways Flight 1549 is heading back to work on Monday, almost four months after the Airbus A320 ditched in the Hudson River. First Officer Jeff Skiles told The Associated Press the hiatus is the longest he's spent away from the controls since he was 17 and he's anxious to get back in the cockpit, even though his airline offered him the whole summer off. "I'm the first person to go back. It's not really any psychological reason, at least in my case, it's all these media events have constantly taken up my time -- three, four, five days a week," Skiles said as he prepared to throw the first pitch in the Milwaukee Brewers' home opener near his hometown of Oregon, Wis. "I do miss it and I'm going to enjoy going back." |
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ASA CRJ Holed By Fire
April 11, 2009
By Russ Niles
While we like a good story as much as anyone, those facts are pesky things. Some remarkable pictures making the rounds on the Internet show a big hole burned in the skin of an Atlantic Southeast Airlines CRJ 200 and attribute the cause to an inflight lightning strike, which, considering the location behind the captain's head, conjures up some pretty interesting scenarios, much more interesting than the mundane reality. Within hours of running a photo and the lightning strike speculation, an AVweb reader delivered the straight goods by way of NTSB file number DCA09FA033, which suggests the cause was an electrical fire while the aircraft was being preflighted in Tallahassee for a trip to Atlanta last March 1. |
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Hawker May Supply Eclipse Support, Auction Expected Soon
April 8, 2009
By Mary Grady
With the auction of the assets of Eclipse Aviation, including the type certificate for the E500 jet, expected soon -- perhaps sometime this month -- interest is ramping up, and this week, the Eclipse Owners Group, which plans to enter a bid, said it is working with Hawker Beechcraft on a plan to provide maintenance support for the fleet. David Green, a spokesman for the EOG, said on Tuesday the group has entered into a preliminary agreement with Hawker, contingent on EOG's winning the auction. "This relationship [with Hawker] is sure to create tremendous confidence in Eclipse owners that their planes will be flying for many years to come," said Green. "Hawker Beechcraft is pleased to offer Eclipse 500 owners the highest quality service and support in general aviation," said Bill Brown, president of global customer service and support for Hawker Beechcraft. "We look forward to this new relationship and keeping the Eclipse 500s in the air." The owners group will be competing with at least four other likely bidders, including one that is headed by former Eclipse CEO Roel Pieper, one foreign entity, and one OEM. Randall Sanada, an Eclipse owner who is also chairman of Jet-Alliance, an aircraft management company, told AVweb on Wednesday that the EOG has raised enough money through contributions from its members to be a viable bidder for the company's assets. However, he added that the owners would be glad to see a stronger, better-funded candidate come along and out-bid them. "What we don't want is for another bankruptcy to occur," he said. The challenge is to create a viable business plan that will support the fleet of 260 jets in a way that is affordable for current owners. Sanada also said that Jet-Alliance is working on a plan to acquire DayJet's fleet of E500 jets and disburse them at a discounted price to deposit-holders who have lost their money in the bankruptcy, perhaps on a shared-ownership basis. |
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Support Growing To Change Florida's Onerous GA Tax
April 8, 2009
By Mary Grady
Just in time for spring and cross-country flying plans, the state of Florida has made some progress in getting rid of its aviation-unfriendly user tax, AOPA said recently. Current law allows the state to levy a sales tax of up to 6 percent of the purchase price on out-of-state airplanes that land in Florida, if they were bought within the last six months. The law requires the owner to pay the difference between any out-of-state tax and the 6-percent Florida tax. Bills now gaining support in the state legislature would cut the tax to 3 percent, and would exempt pilots who stay in the state less than three weeks, AOPA said. "Passing this exemption could transform the message Florida is sending to the aviation community," said Greg Pecoraro, AOPA vice president of airports and state advocacy. "Now, pilots who might otherwise come to Florida for maintenance, business, and tourism are avoiding the state altogether. Removing the threat of a hefty tax on visitors will welcome pilots -- and revenue -- back into the state." |
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NTSB Faults Crew, Maintenance In MD-80 Incident
April 8, 2009
By Mary Grady
Mechanics at American Airlines used the wrong procedure to manually start an engine, and when the left engine caught fire during the departure climb the crew mishandled the emergency, the NTSB said this week. The MD-80 was taking off from Lambert-St. Louis International Airport in September 2007 when the left engine caught fire. The crew turned back to the airfield, but the nose gear wouldn't extend, so they went around, got the gear down, then landed on the runway -- with the engine still burning -- and safely deplaned all 143 pax and crew. It sounds like a pretty good outcome to a dicey situation, but the NTSB was not impressed. "The Board examined how the flight crew handled the in-flight emergency and found their performance to be lacking," says Tuesday's news release. The crew got distracted from the engine-fire checklist at a critical point, which prolonged the fire and led to the loss of hydraulic pressure, which caused the nose gear failure. The first officer at one point mistakenly fed fuel to the burning engine, which could have exacerbated the fire, the board said. "Here is an accident where things got very complicated very quickly and where flight crew performance was very important," said NTSB Acting Chairman Mark Rosenker. "Unfortunately, the lack of adherence to procedures ultimately led to many of this crew's in-flight challenges." Yet despite its criticism of the crew, the board found that the decisions they made were "reasonable ... appropriate.... [and] prudent." As a result of this investigation, the NTSB wants the FAA to ensure that flight crews are trained to handle multiple emergencies simultaneously and to communicate effectively with the cabin crew. |
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Pilot Loses Appeal To Regain Certificate After In-Cockpit Sex
April 8, 2009
By Mary Grady
Helicopter pilot David Keith Martz, 52, this week lost his appeal to regain his certificate, which he lost after a video surfaced that allegedly shows him having sex with a Swedish adult film actress while flying a helicopter over San Diego. Martz argued that since his hands never left the controls during the encounter that he was not being "careless or reckless," and he has also said that he knows his actions were unwise and he's more responsible now, according to the Associated Press. The NTSB judge who heard his appeal -- and watched the unedited video of the notorious 2005 event in his chambers -- was apparently not impressed. Judge William Mullins upheld the FAA order revoking Martz's right to fly after a hearing on Tuesday in Gardena, Calif. Martz had no comment after the proceeding. His certificate has been revoked or suspended several times in the past, for incidents such as landing a helicopter on a Hollywood street to pick up a rock star, flying too low over a residential neighborhood, landing too close to a military base, and flying with damage to his helicopter. |
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Talking GPS For Aircraft
April 8, 2009
By Russ Niles
A Silicon Valley company has come up with voice-based GPS for aviation use. GiPSi Navigation Corp., of Menlo Park, Calif., says the GiPSi eliminates "heads-down" navigation by enunciating the information a pilot needs in a "clear human voice." In fact, the GiPSi has no display. It communicates entirely by voice. In a news release the company said the $395 device doesn't require extensive training and allows pilots to maintain situational awareness. "The interaction is very intuitive. It speaks to the pilot. The pilot can focus on flying the airplane." |
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AVweb Insider Blog: Stolen Cessna 172 — Foot, Meet Mouth
April 7, 2009
When you're trying to argue that it's ridiculous to think GA is a security risk, that last thing you need is a pair of F-16s chasing a stolen Skyhawk cross the border. In the latest installment of our AVweb Insider blog, Paul Bertorelli explain why we've got to stop leaving unsecured airplanes on the ramp. |
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Hawker Beechcraft May Support Eclipse 500 Jets
April 7, 2009
By Mary Grady
David Green, a spokesman for the Eclipse Owners Group, said on Tuesday the group has entered into a preliminary agreement with Hawker Beechcraft Corp. under which Hawker would provide maintenance upgrades and other aircraft services to Eclipse 500 owners. "The parties will now begin negotiations for a definitive binding agreement," according to a news release from the owners group. "This relationship is sure to create tremendous confidence in Eclipse owners that their planes will be flying for many years to come," said Green. The agreement depends on EOG's success in acquiring the assets of Eclipse Aviation Corp., including the type certificate for the jet. A bankruptcy auction is expected to occur soon, and EOG will have to compete with several other entities for those assets. "Hawker Beechcraft is pleased to offer Eclipse 500 owners the highest quality service and support in general aviation," said Bill Brown, president of global customer service and support for Hawker Beechcraft. "We look forward to this new relationship and keeping the Eclipse 500s in the air." |
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Colorado Airport Operators Feeling TSA Stress
April 7, 2009
By Mary Grady
The mainstream media is starting to take note of the impact of TSA rules that general aviation pilots and operators have been unhappy about, and if a story in this week's Denver Post is any indication, GA may get a sympathetic hearing. The costs and logistics of TSA regulations on Colorado's airports are significant, Rex Tippetts, director of aviation at Grand Junction's Walker Field, told the Post. New TSA rules will require him to provide 2,000 additional security checks and badges. "It's out of control," he said. "We have a large maintenance operation here with 400 people. We have a large interagency fire-fighting operation here, with maintenance facilities. It's an unfunded mandate we have to comply with. We had to hire people just to comply with it." James Elwood, director of Sardy Field in Aspen, said the regulations will be "time-consuming and difficult to accomplish." Details of the security procedures have been released only to airport managers. The Post reporter said the TSA refused to release a copy of the directive, but a spokeswoman wrote that all personnel with access to secure areas, including private pilots, must undergo a Security Threat Assessment, which includes matching their names against a terrorist database, a criminal background check, and a review of immigration status. Pilots must attain a security badge from each of the 13 commercial airports in the state, and passengers and guests who don't have badges must be escorted. |
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Cessna Takeover Rumors Drive Market Spike
April 7, 2009
By Mary Grady
Market analysts say Textron, the parent company of Cessna and Bell Helicopter, is prime for a takeover bid, and speculation grew this week that a move is imminent, perhaps by Lockheed Martin or Raytheon. Sikorsky officials have also expressed interest in acquiring Bell, according to Reuters. None of the companies would comment on the rumors, but Textron's stocks rose 11 percent by Tuesday, trading at 12 times the usual level. Aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia told the Wichita Eagle that both Cessna and Bell are solid companies that would be attractive to buyers. Other analysts, however, noted that some of Textron's other divisions, such as a golf-cart company, would be less appealing. Officials at Textron have said that divisions may be sold off one by one if necessary to raise cash. Textron share values dropped 87 percent over the last year, and last week more layoffs at Cessna were announced. |
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Lunch Break Issue Resolved
April 7, 2009
By Russ Niles
Common sense and a spirit of cooperation have resolved a peculiar impasse in New Zealand that would have resulted in the closure of towers at five airports for lunch, twice each day. Government officials, the air traffic control provider and employees have reached a deal whereby tower staff will eat lunch in a combination of scheduled meal breaks and traffic-dependent interludes. Late last week Air New Zealand said it would have to cancel 25 regional flights so tower staff at five small airports can comply with new labor rules. The rules, apparently strictly interpreted, would have required all lunch breaks to be scheduled. On the eve of the April 1 imposition of the rules, negotiators worked overtime to come up with schedules that complied with the law but kept the towers open and there were no disruptions. |
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Pilot Arrested After Plane Chase
April 7, 2009
By Russ Niles
Authorities in Missouri arrested a Turkish-born Canadian alleged to be the pilot of a Cessna 172 stolen from a flight school in Thunder Bay, Ont. and the subject of a low speed chase across the Midwest on Monday. Officials at Confederation College in Thunder Bay, Ont. called police when a man was spotted hopping the fence at the Thunder Bay Airport and jumping into one of its 172s for an "unauthorized flight." The pilot, identified as Yavus Burke, but who called himself Adam Leon, apparently picked a plane that was full of fuel because he coaxed about 1,000 nm out of it before setting down on a dirt road near Ellsinore, Mo. The state capitol in Madison, Wisc. was evacuated as the 172 passed overhead around 5 p.m. and the aircraft had plenty of company along the way. |
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Aero Friedrichshafen 2009 Photo Gallery
April 6, 2009
By Graeme Peppler
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| Click for images from Friedrichshafen |
AVweb contributor Graeme Peppler serves up photos from Aero Friedrichshafen 2009, sharing the sights with those who couldn't make it to Germany this year. |
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Flights Cancelled For Lunch
April 6, 2009
By Russ Niles
Air New Zealand says it will have to cancel 25 regional flights so tower staff at five small airports can comply with new labor rules. The rules require lunch breaks to be scheduled, rather than allowing staff to take them as workload permits. The result is the five towers will have to be closed twice a day for up to 45 minutes while staff have their meal break. "We appear to be the victims of an overly rigid dictate to business on how to achieve a healthy and safe workplace, not to mention further constraints to the agility and adaptability we need in these incredibly challenging times," airline spokesman Bruce Parton told reporters. |
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Rotary Engine Certification Eyed
April 6, 2009
By Russ Niles
Rotary engines have been around for decades in experimental applications but MISTRAL, a European company is targeting early 2010 for FAA type certification of a 300-horsepower normally aspirated rotary that it claims will "bridge the gap" between piston and turbine power for GA. The company had its products on display at AERO Friedrichshafen and explained that rotary engines "take the best" from piston and turbine designs. The company, which has a U.S. subsidiary in Deland, Fla., says rotaries will run happily on mogas or avgas, will have a 3,000-hour TBO and run quieter than either piston or turbine engines. Digital engine management will maximize efficiency the company says. |
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Avidyne's ADS-B Traffic Option
April 5, 2009
By Paul Bertorelli
While ADS-B shimmers mirage like on the horizon as (maybe) a really good idea, avionics manufacturers have been forging ahead with active traffic and datalink systems. Avidyne has both, but to cover all of its bets, at last week's Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) show in Dallas, it announced an intriguing ADS-B add-on option for its popular TAS600 line of active traffic systems. Avidyne's Tom Harper told AVWeb that the company believes that even in a world dominated by ADS-B—a world that still appears years away—there will always be a place for active traffic systems. |
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Diesel DA50 Headed To U.S.
April 5, 2009
By Graeme Peppler
Diamond Aircraft used AERO Friedrichshafen as the setting to announce the first delivery of a DA42 NG, with Austro engines, and to firm up timelines for various certifications involving the in-house diesel. The first DA42 NG, which was certified in Europe last month, went to a customer in Sweden. North American customers can expect two Austro-powered Diamonds to be available by mid-2010. Its DA50 Magnum AE300 Austro Engine diesel single was announced as heading towards U.S. certification, probably by mid-2010. A 300-hp gas-powered example -– or a newer high-powered Diesel -– should follow with certification by 2012. Along with the DA50 Magnum, Diamond's Austro Engine DA42 NG will likely achieve U.S. certification sometime in 2010 at which time retrofits should also be available for customers of their Thielert engined products. |
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Solar, Fuel Cell Power Displayed
April 5, 2009
By Graeme Peppler
Sunseeker II came to AERO Friedrichshafen to start a European tour that will cover eight countries: Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, France and Spain. The solar-powered aircraft has already completed hundreds of miles of test flights over the U.S. Southwest, logging more flight hours than all other manned solar-powered aircraft combined. Its latest modifications include greater surface area for solar cell coverage. A teetering propeller reduces vibration, and the new aircraft is fitted with four packs of advanced lithium polymer batteries, which are installed in the wings. Fuel cell power was also front and center at AERO. |
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Innovation Shines At AERO Friedrichshafen
April 5, 2009
By Graeme Peppler
Innovation was alive and well at AERO Friedrichshafen, which showcased plenty of new and novel ideas and designs. One of the more interesting aircraft on display included a composite-based turboprop five-seat amphibian from Hungarian builder Avana Industries Ltd. It looks like a Seawind on steroids. At the other end of the scale was the German-made, two-seat, Rotax-powered Dornier S-Ray 007 that made a subtle appearance at Oshkosh in 2007. Out of Hungary again came another amphibian, the two-seat Hydropteron LSA from IDEA Aircraft, which has Rotax power and is equipped with a ballistic parachute. The Em11 Orka from Poland was on display. It looks like an amphibian, but isn't. This striking four-seat high-winged twin is a pusher propelled by two counter-rotating Lycoming IO-320 engines driving three-blade constant speed props that give a 142-knot cruise at 75 percent power. |
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Flight Design's Hybrid Aircraft At AERO
April 5, 2009
By Graeme Peppler
Flight Design GmbH, the German creators of the popular CT line of light sport aircraft, used AERO Friedrichshafen to announce details of their work on a new hybrid engine concept. The propulsion package consists of a standard Rotax 914 turbocharged engine to which is mated a 40-hp (30 kW) electric motor. The electric motor is coupled to the propeller hub using a poly-V-belt drive that has no overloading impact on the crankshaft and, thus, allows the motor to transmit its power directly to the point where it's needed. Since the basic Rotax is left mostly untouched, its 130-hp output, combined with the electric motor's 40 hp, provide for a combined 170-hp output for the hybrid. The electric motor will be used for takeoffs and climbs, and makes use of its full capacity over a maximum five-minute span. In cruise, power comes entirely from running the gas engine at full power. Twenty minutes is required for a full recharge on the 25 kilos of lithium ion batteries that power the electric motor. |
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Cessna's Pelton: Shouting and Being Heard
April 3, 2009
By Paul Bertorelli
In the midst of one of the deepest economic downturns the GA industry has seen, Cessna's Jack Pelton says that perception as much as dismal market conditions threaten the industry's recovery. Speaking at the 51st Aircraft Electronics Association convention in Dallas Thursday, Pelton said Cessna has determined to take a leadership role in an unapologetic campaign to reestablish the legitimacy of GA as a critical business tool. "We've got to make it clear that it's OK to fly," Pelton told the opening session of AEA.
Listen to AVweb's podcast with Pelton. |
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AEA Convention Bullish, AVweb Is There
April 2, 2009
By Paul Bertorelli
Although new aircraft sales are in the doldrums, some avionics shops are doing brisk business upgrading older airframes and that made the Aircraft Electronics Association convention an upbeat affair. The AEA wrapped up its 52nd annual convention Saturday at Dallas's Gaylord Texan convention center with a record number of new product introductions and strong participation by association members. AEA President Paula Derks told AVweb that some member shops have seen only modest business decline since last fall, if they've seen any. "I can't say certain regions or certain shops are busier than others. Thankfully, our segment of the industry, the repair stations and the manufacturers of avionics system, are not reporting a lot of layoffs," Derks said. |
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ABC Raises Questions About Red Bull Albatross
April 1, 2009
By Mary Grady
An FAA spokesman told ABC News the agency is "comfortable" with the way Red Bull operates its restored Grumman Albatross seaplane -- but former FAA safety inspector Bill McNease told reporters the airplane is "terribly unsafe, because the wing could fall off at any time." The ABC story also notes that the airplane operates under an "experimental airworthiness certificate" and flew above Super Bowl activities in Tampa last month despite the fact that it is supposed to avoid densely populated areas. "Neither Red Bull nor any of its pilots or flight crews have or would operate an aircraft that is known to be unsafe or in an unsafe manner," a Red Bull spokeswoman told ABC. Red Bull also said the airplane is operated in full compliance with FAA regulations, according to ABC. The report includes dramatic video of a "similar seaplane" crashing into the ocean off Miami after its "aged wings had snapped off." The airplane in that video is a Grumman Turbo Mallard G-73T, while Red Bull's seaplane is a Grumman HU-16E Albatross. |
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AVweb Insider Blog: TCM Tackles the Fuel Problem
April 1, 2009
Don't get him wrong: AVweb Editorial Director Paul Bertorelli is keenly interested in Teledyne-Continental's efforts to migrate from 100LL to "94UL" (essentially 100LL minus the lead) — but he can't help doing a double-take when discussing the research. In the latest edition of our AVweb Insider blog, he explains: "For nearly three decades we've been writing stories about the difficult struggle to find an octane enhancer as good as lead, and now here comes TCM to say, well, never mind. It reminds me of that classic headline about World War I: 'Archduke Found Alive; War a Mistake.'" |
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More Layoffs To Come At Cessna
April 1, 2009
By Mary Grady
Textron, the parent company of Cessna, said on Tuesday that it will further lower 2009 manufacturing production rates at Cessna, and Cessna CEO Jack Pelton confirmed in an e-mail to workers that that means more job cuts. "I've never seen any situation as dynamic as this," Pelton wrote, according to the Wichita Eagle. "Financing continues to be problematic for many customers," he said. "Their economic health may have stabilized, but their decision to take delivery of the jet they ordered two years ago now hinges on increased profitability which is still some time away." In addition to the staff reduction, details of which will be announced at the end of this month, the company will shut down for two weeks in July. Other staff may face short-term furloughs as production of some models is suspended pending an upturn in demand. |
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Aero Friedrichshafen Opens Today, AVweb Is There
April 1, 2009
By Mary Grady
Aero Friedrichshafen, which opens today and runs through Sunday, is continuing to grow, and attracting a wide range of exhibitors eager to expand in the European market. Overall, 625 exhibitors from 27 countries are setting up at the show, with German companies in the lead, followed by companies from the U.S. and the Czech Republic. AVweb is staffing the show and will have reports later in the week. Many companies have expanded their space compared to the last show. The show is the biggest for gliders from around the world, and ultralights, LSAs, and helicopters are robustly represented. An E-Flight Expo will showcase aircraft with electrical propulsion, new solar technologies and other innovative propulsion concepts. The show also provides an opportunity for GA folk from various places to meet, and Dan Johnson, chairman of the Light Aircraft Manufacturing Association, said that could have some significant repercussions, perhaps leading to a universal standard for light sport aircraft. "A Certification Specification for Light Sport Aircraft (CS-LSA) is working its way through the European Union and at Aero, some key meetings are planned to help EASA personnel get with FAA people and ASTM committee members," Johnson wrote at his blog this week. "Dull? Maybe ... But look at the prize: the potential for a worldwide standard for LSA." |
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Homemade EMPs A Threat To Aviation?
April 1, 2009
By Mary Grady
Devices that could emit an electromagnetic pulse capable of disabling the avionics on an airplane are fairly simple to build with off-the-shelf components and information from the Internet, according to an article in this week's New Scientist. Such a device, at least theoretically, could be smuggled aboard a commercial airliner or aimed from the ground at an aircraft landing or taking off, the magazine says. Speculation persists that such weapons have already been used in the Persian Gulf and in Afghanistan, though no reports have been confirmed, according to the New Scientist. Concern about the impact of EMPs on aircraft is nothing new, as the pulses are a known side effect of nuclear weapons. GE has been working on a $12 million military contract since 2006 with the goal to find a way to make aircraft immune from electromagnetic threats. Results from the project are due in 2011. Meanwhile, the increasing use of composite materials in aircraft is making them more vulnerable, Yael Shahar, director of a counter-terrorism institute in Israel, told the New Scientist. |
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Signs Of Spring -- New Deals, New Products
April 1, 2009
By Mary Grady
Amid all the economic gloom, a bright spot is growing -- with the approach of spring, and the imminence of the season-opener shows at Aero Friedrichshafen and Sun 'n Fun, bargains for pilots are flowing into our inbox every day, and manufacturers are rolling out new products. Socata announced on Wednesday that it will now offer Garmin's synthetic vision technology in the TBM 850. LSA builder Tecnam has a new model, the P2008. Compared to earlier models, the P2008 has a new wing, a bigger cabin and larger doors. (Click here for a recent AVweb podcast about flying cross-country in a Tecnam LSA.) Other new deals we heard about this week include an amphibious float kit for the Storm Rally LSA, for $9,995, and a new price from Team Tango for its quick-build aircraft, with savings of about $5,000 on each model for the next 90 days. Add in the substantial Glasair Sportsman discounts we told you about on Monday, and the new Super Sport Cub from CubCrafters, and it's like a breath of fresh air. |
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Super Sport Cub LSA Debuts With New ECI Engine
April 1, 2009
By Mary Grady
CubCrafters, of Yakima, Wash., this week introduced the Super Sport Cub LSA, a beefier version of their Sport Cub. Equipped with a new 340-cubic-inch engine developed by CubCrafters and ECI, the airplane can take off in less than 100 feet even at gross weight, and climb out at over 2,100 fpm. The new CC340 four-cylinder engine is certified to ASTM standards and produces up to 180 hp for takeoff and climb while maintaining 80 hp continuous power up to 12,000 feet, with a fuel burn of about 5 to 6 gph. "It's a very powerful engine and probably something that wasn't expected in the LSA industry," CubCrafters CEO Jim Richmond told AVweb on Wednesday. "But the beauty of operating an engine that's more powerful than it needs to be, is that when you power back to cruise speed, the fuel flows are the same as with a smaller engine." At 240 to 245 pounds dry weight, the CC340 is about 35 pounds lighter than a comparable Lycoming engine, Richmond said. The weight savings came from replacing the magnetos with electronic ignition, along with a range of small changes. "A gram here and a gram there, and it all adds up," Richmond said. |
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FAA Predicts GA Growth Will Resume In 2010
March 31, 2009
By Mary Grady
In its annual aviation forecast, released on Tuesday, the FAA said it expects U.S. aircraft operations to decrease almost 6 percent this year compared to 2008 levels but then start to rebound in 2010. Operations overall will then grow at about 1.5 percent per year through 2025, with general aviation growing slightly faster at 1.8 percent per year. The total GA fleet should continue to grow at the rate of about 1 percent per year. "A vibrant, efficient and green aviation system will play a key role in our nation's economic recovery," said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood. The report noted that GA operations at combined FAA and contract towers were down 5.6 percent last year, the steepest decline since 2003. GA activity at consolidated traffic facilities (FAA TRACONs) fell 6.3 percent, while the number of GA aircraft handled at FAA en route centers decreased 7.6 percent. The number of student pilots decreased 4 percent in 2008, the fourth consecutive year of decline in this category. |
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Bombardier Gets $1.44 Billion CSeries Order
March 31, 2009
By Russ Niles
It would be hard to imagine a worse time to be launching a new airliner but Bombardier is forging ahead with its new CSeries single-aisle airplanes and winning new orders that might otherwise have gone to Boeing or Airbus. The company announced a $1.44 billion deal with Lease Corporation International (LCI) on Monday for three of the 110-seat models and 17 of the 130-seat variants and options for 20 more. Earlier this month, Lufthansa committed to 30 CSeries aircraft, with options for 30. LCI represents 20 airlines in Europe and Asia and did not say where the aircraft might end up, but LCI spokesman Tasos Michael told the Montreal Gazette the CSeries offers a combination of technological advancement (launch customer for Pratt and Whitney Canada's geared turbofan engine) and a sweet spot in the market for cabin size. "There are good deals from everybody at the moment. We went with Bombardier," he told the Gazette. |
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AVweb Insider Blog: Is Babbitt Good for GA?
March 27, 2009
After 18 months without an official leader, the FAA will need Randy Babbitt to get to work immediately if he's confirmed as FAA administrator. In the latest installment of our AVweb Insider blog, editor-in-chief Russ Niles speculates on which he'll lean and runs down the best- and worst-case scenarios. |
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Two-Seat Supermarine Spitfire Going To Auction
March 29, 2009
By Glenn Pew
It may be the first time in more than 20 years that a two-seat Supermarine Spitfire has gone to auction and the current example (once stationed at RAF Lyneham in 1944) is expecting to draw bids of more than $2.1 million, next month. Some estimates put the number of flying two-seat Spits at seven (flying single-seaters may number closer to 60). That, from some 22,000 Spitfires flown between March 1936 and 1957. But this particular aircraft did not begin its life as one of the roughly 20 two-seat Spits originally built; it was born as a Mark IX. Classic Aero Engineering was hired by the aircraft's recent owner, Paul Portelli, to restore the aircraft and transform it into a two-seater. That process took seven years, and outlived Portelli, but met the authenticity requirements demanded by CAA to certify the aircraft as an airworthy genuine Spitfire. As such, the auction's lucky winner can expect to carry an annual insurance policy in the $70,000 range for serial number SM520 and about that much for annual maintenance. Fuel will be extra, provided the buyer has the fortitude (and skill) to risk flying the aircraft at all. The auction will be held by Bonhams' at the RAF Museum in Hendon, April 20. |
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The Hotelicopter -- Happy Early April Fools' Day
March 28, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The Hotelicopter is "the world's first flying hotel," and it's a helicopter, according to its promoter. An "elegant modification" of the Soviet Mil V-12 helicopter (only two were ever built back in the late 1960s, one was damaged in a hard landing and the other, according to several sources, is on display at a museum), the twin-rotor Hotelicopter derives added forward thrust from four GEnx turbofan engines that offer "a thrust range" of 75,000 pounds. Aboard the aircraft, each of 18 luxuriously appointed "soundproofed" rooms is equipped with a queen-sized bed "and all the luxurious appointments you'd expect from a flying five-star hotel," according to the promoter. That includes 600-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets on every bed, plus a SkySpa, where you might "touch up those highlights" or "take a soak in the Jacuzzi." As the promotional Web site eloquently notes, "traveling today is getting to be a real pain in the ass." So, obviously ... the Hotelicopter. The 137-foot-long, 91-foot-high, 232,870-pound, 18-room hotel cruises at about 145 miles per hour over about 700 miles suspended beneath two giant rotors, according to promoters. Feel free to sign up now. The inaugural 14-day tour departs from JFK on June 26, according to the Hotelicopter Web site, which comes complete with computer-generated images and a description of a first test flight that "went great" according to the imaginative folks behind it. |
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Virgin Galactic's Eve Goes Faster And Farther
March 28, 2009
By Glenn Pew
WhiteKnightTwo (WK2, also dubbed "EVE" by Virgin Galactic's Sir Richard Branson), which will serve as the launch vehicle for Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo (SS2), has expanded its flight envelope with a third test flight that took the aircraft to 140 knots and 18,000 feet. The flight also tested engine thrust asymmetry parameters and in-flight engine restarts. Burt Rutan, founder of Scaled Composites, which has been instrumental in the development of the vehicles, believes WK2 will ultimately find niche applications "beyond the initial requirements of Virgin Galactic." Powered by four Pratt & Whitney Canada PW308A engines and slung below a 140-foot carbon composite wing spar, WK2 is designed for a payload capacity of more than 37,000 pounds and a "coast-to-coast" range. Tests to 50,000 feet (SS2's launch altitude) are expected to take place during the next few months. As for the huge aircraft's flight characteristics, pilot Peter Siebold commented that the aircraft "might look unique from the ground" but "it is not strange to fly" and is "in fact a great piloting experience." Rutan believes the capabilities of WK2 will find it work outside of space tourism, as well. |
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FAA Wants Bird Strikes Secret
March 28, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The FAA normally releases annual summaries of aircraft/wildlife collisions (in 2007 there were 7,439), but following the Hudson River ditching of US Airways Flight 1549 and a subsequent Associated Press request for access to the FAA's wildlife hazard database, the agency has sought changes. The FAA on March 19 published a notice of proposed rulemaking earlier this month to keep its Wildlife Hazard Database "protected from public disclosure" of relevant data. In essence, the FAA proposes that wildlife hazard reports be treated with the same confidentiality as other voluntary safety reporting systems. The FAA contends that public release of the data may on one hand discourage reporting and on the other "produce an inaccurate perception" of the dangers posed to aircraft by wildlife and compound that by attributing those inaccuracies to specific airlines or airports. Currently, and contrary to a 1999 request by the NTSB, pilots are not required to report all bird collisions and the FAA estimates that only about one in five wildlife collision incidents that involve commercial aircraft are reported. But the FAA's unfortunately timed desire to keep what gory details they do collect within the confines of aviation's regulatory professionals has met official resistance from voices in the United States Senate and former NTSB chairman, James Hall.
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Groups Respond As Babbitt Officially Nominated To Head FAA
March 27, 2009
By Glenn Pew
A pilot, a labor relations consultant, and the former president of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), ATP-rated Randy Babbitt is now officially President Barack Obama's choice to serve as FAA administrator. Babbitt's nomination must now pass the Senate before he can set to the present priorities of (and problems posed by) air traffic control modernization and funding authorization. The FAA has been operating since 2007 without official funding reauthorization, but under temporary funding extensions. Hot-topic issues yet to be resolved revolve mainly around funding plans and the possibility of user fees that go beyond current taxation methods and do not exclude general aviation operations. Babbitt will also walk right into the long-brewed enmity of FAA/air traffic controller relations. AOPA offered a statement, Friday, welcoming the announcement of Babbitt's nomination and looking forward to working with the new administrator, once confirmed. Babbitt's nomination is viewed as "labor friendly" and is supported by ALPA and the Air Transport Association whose president James May called Babbitt "a superb choice." |
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Liberty Hangs On
March 27, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Liberty Aerospace has "no intent to shut down," but has laid off another 14 workers, bringing the once 180-strong workforce down to about 32, president Keith Markley told Florida Today. The company laid off 30 workers in January. The Brevard, Fla., company is maintaining offices in Melbourne and a contract facility in Romania and intends to continue production with its skeleton staff, until such time that it can "put people back on board." All employees laid off by Liberty have received severance packages, according to the company. Liberty worked as a pioneer in the development of FADEC controls, which are available on its models, and bills its product as the "most economical certified aircraft" available in the IFR market. The company had delivered 100 aircraft by February, but blames the economic slowdown for a sharp decline in sales for all general aviation sales. The base two-seat IFR Liberty XL2 is priced at $188,000 is marketed to flight schools and individual pilots. |
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Glasair Offer: Experimental Performance At LSA Price
March 27, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Six new buyers can purchase a 145-knot, 1,000-pound useful load Glasair Aviation Sportsman 2+2 that takes off (and lands) in less than 400 feet and costs less than $125,000 -- finished and flying, complete with a 180-hp Lycoming IO-360, a constant-speed prop and a VFR panel. The promotion, announced Thursday, offers a 25% discount from normal pricing, according to the company, and is first come, first served. The Glasair 2+2 is a kit-built experimental category aircraft, but Glasair offers a "two weeks to taxi" program that is included in the promotional pricing. That program does require purchaser participation for the duration of the two-week build cycle. The company is also offering special pricing for builder assist programs and upgrade programs (including a panel upgrade and firewall-forward plan), which are available to kit builders who bypassed the two weeks to taxi program in their initial kit purchase and even some who are already flying. |
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1549 Pilots At AirVenture
March 26, 2009
By Russ Niles
The pilots every other pilot wants to talk to will be at EAA AirVenture to retell the most celebrated ditching in history. US Airways Capt. Chesley Sullenberger and FO Jeff Skiles will be featured guests at Theatre in the Woods on the evening of July 31 and they'll also show up at other venues during the big show. "These two pilots have told their story to the world since the remarkable events of January 15th, but at EAA AirVenture they'll have the opportunity to talk in person with fellow aviators on how their training, planning and airmanship skills were tested," said AirVenture Chairman Tom Poberezny. "There is perhaps no place better than Oshkosh where an audience would understand the decision-making process that took place in the cockpit that day and learn the lessons from these two pilots' experiences. |
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GA Stimulus Plans -- From Feds And From Manufacturers
March 25, 2009
By Mary Grady
A Pennsylvania airport will be the first GA field to get money from the federal government's stimulus package, AOPA reported this week. Allegheny County Airport, near Pittsburgh, will get $2 million to renovate a taxiway and relocate a ramp. "The money will definitely be put to good use," airport manager Dave Shaw told AOPA. "Not only will it straighten out the taxiways, but it will also make space in the upper-west ramp for future development to allow us to continue to grow and thrive." More money should be coming soon for "shovel-ready" GA projects, AOPA said. Meanwhile, lots of GA companies are offering promotions of various kinds to try to stimulate their own economies. Socata this week announced a new co-ownership program for buyers of its TBM 850 turboprop, offering one-third shares. The program cuts ownership costs and provides professional management services, the company said. Also this week, Continental Motors said it will offer rebates of $1,000 to $2,000 on factory-rebuilt engines through April 15, on top of a recent price cut of 10 percent. "Aircraft owners may want to research the many benefits of installing a genuine factory-new or factory-rebuilt engine versus an overhaul service prior to reinvesting in their aircraft," the company said in a news release. American Legend Aircraft Company also announced this week a new "Aeronomic Stimulus," reducing its price on the next five Legend Cub LSAs sold to $99,895. |
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NTSB Update On Colgan Air Dash-8 Crash
March 25, 2009
By Mary Grady
The NTSB on Wednesday released factual findings from its investigation into the Feb. 12 crash of Colgan Air Flight 3407 in Buffalo, N.Y, in which all 49 on board and one person on the ground were killed. A preliminary examination of the airplane systems has revealed no indication of pre-impact system failures or anomalies, the NTSB said. The flight data recorder shows that the stall warning and protection system, which includes a stick shaker and stick pusher, activated at an airspeed and angle-of-attack consistent with that expected. The Dash 8-Q400's stick shaker will normally activate several knots above the actual stall speed to provide the flight crew with time to initiate stall-recovery procedures, and it activates at a higher airspeed than normal when the de-ice system is active, since icing elevates stall speed. The FDR data indicates that the stick shaker activated at 130 knots, which is consistent with the de-ice system being engaged. When the stick shaker activated, there was a 25-pound pull force on the control column, followed by an up elevator deflection and increase in pitch, angle of attack, and G force. The data indicate a likely separation of the airflow over the wing and ensuing roll two seconds after the stick shaker activated while the aircraft was slowing through 125 knots and while at a flight load of 1.42 Gs. The predicted stall speed at a load factor of 1 G would be about 105 knots. |
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NTSB: "No Working Theories" In PC-12 Crash Investigation
March 25, 2009
By Mary Grady
At a press briefing on Tuesday afternoon in Montana, members of the NTSB said that so far nothing points to a likely cause for Sunday's fatal crash of a Pilatus PC-12, in which 14 people died. One of many mysteries is why the pilot chose to divert to Butte, when Bozeman was the flight's intended destination. "It's a question," Mark Rosenker, the NTSB's acting chairman, told reporters. "There's a lot of questions, but it begins with that question." The pilot, Ellison "Bud" Summerfield, did not declare any emergency. Rosenker said Summerfield's voice betrayed no sign of stress when he spoke with ATC about the diversion. Investigators will be retrieving more ATC tapes from Salt Lake City and they may request cellphone records for the airplane's passengers to see if they can find any clues for the reason the pilot diverted. Rosenker also said an engine performance recorder was found in the wreckage, but added that it might not offer much help. "It will tell us about the engine and how it's doing, [but] it is not designed for accident investigation," he said. NTSB spokesman Keith Holloway said the safety board already has examined the issue of a known problem with the aircraft's elevator controls, which was addressed in an FAA Airworthiness Directive in March, and determined it had nothing to do with Sunday's crash. Although the 10-seat airplane was carrying 14 people, and icing was reported in the area, neither weight-and-balance issues nor icing factors seem to be standing out as likely causes to the NTSB. Seven of those on board were small children, and the airplane was certified for flight in icing conditions. "Nothing is off the table in this investigation," Rosenker said. "But nothing also, at the same time, is leading us to specific working theories." |
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Cessna Commits To Continue SkyCatcher Program
March 25, 2009
By Mary Grady
Cessna said in a news release on Wednesday that it is fully committed to the Model 162 SkyCatcher despite two accidents during the flight test program, in which two airplanes were destroyed. "The need for a modern, cost-effective two-seat trainer aircraft has never been greater, and we believe we are well positioned to meet that need," said Cessna CEO Jack Pelton. "The SkyCatcher program is an important part of our strategy." Pelton said that in the most recent incident, last Thursday, the aircraft was undergoing a very aggressive spin test regime -- power on and cross-controlled -- when it entered a spin that was not immediately recoverable. This spin test was one of more than 500 flown to date using various combinations of center-of-gravity positions, power settings, flap settings and control inputs. The pilot deployed the airframe parachute in accordance with the flight-test procedure and emerged from the aircraft unhurt after it touched down. Last September, an earlier test aircraft was destroyed when the pilot parachuted to safety after being unable to recover during aggressive spin testing. "We test all our aircraft well beyond the limits of what is expected in normal operation," Pelton said. |
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Unrecoverable Spin Led To Skycatcher Loss
March 25, 2009
By Russ Niles
As was the case with the first Skycatcher prototype crash, an unrecoverable spin led to the loss of the second and last flying Cessna 162 last week. The second airplane had been fitted with a larger tail as a result of the first crash. And, as in the first crash, there were complications with the parachute recovery system that led to the aircraft being wrecked, according to preliminary report issued Tuesday by the NTSB. The report says the test pilot set up an unspecified "planned test condition" and the aircraft entered a "rapid and disorienting spin" from which the pilot couldn't recover. Unlike the previous accident, in which the ballistic parachute recovery system failed to deploy, the chute opened this time but caused further problems in the rest of the accident sequence. |
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Got Something New at AEA? Tell Us
March 31, 2009
By Editor
AVweb will be attending the Aircraft Electronics Association's annual show in Dallas and word is that there will be more product announcements than ever. To give our newsteam a chance to cover all the announcements, we'd appreciate companies with news to share to get it to us in advance (embargoed as necessary) so we can give each one the attention it deserves. Send your announcements to editor@avweb.com. |
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Staffing Issues At Denver Tracon Raise Concerns, Restrict Traffic
March 24, 2009
By Mary Grady
Traffic in the airspace over Denver has been restricted because managers at the Tracon say they don't have enough experienced controllers to handle the volumes that once were possible, according to an internal FAA memo that was written last month. Kevin Stark, acting air traffic manager for the FAA at the Denver Center, wrote: "The Tracon has indicated that the loss of a large number of their experienced employees, the relative inexperience of many of their current controllers, and the increase in volume has created a situation they can no longer accept. They have indicated that the volume issues created by eight different routes flowing into their airspace routinely creates situations that put their controllers at risk, and they are unable to provide the level of service our customers deserve." Kathryn Vernon, the FAA's director of Western Terminal Operations, told CBS4 of Denver, "As the letter is written, I would agree with you it sounds alarming. ... [However,] there is not a safety issue in the Denver airspace and Colorado airspace." Doug Church, spokesman for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, told AVweb the problem proves what NATCA has long been saying: "That forced labor rules and pay cuts would drive out a significantly higher number of experienced controllers into early retirement and attrition, leaving the agency ill-equipped to handle today's traffic demands, let alone be able to train the next generation of controllers being hired." |
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Sikorsky S-92 Helicopters Grounded
March 24, 2009
By Mary Grady
On Monday, the FAA issued an emergency airworthiness directive grounding all Sikorsky S-92 helicopters, the type that crashed off the Newfoundland coast on March 12, killing 17 people. The FAA said investigators found two main gearbox studs had broken. "Failure of a stud ... could result in rapid loss of oil, failure of the main gearbox, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter," the FAA said. A similar failure had occurred in a July 2008 accident. "The failures have been tied to fretting and galling of the original titanium studs," the FAA said, "therefore, we are requiring the removal of all titanium studs and replacement with steel studs." The helicopters cannot fly until the replacement is complete, the FAA said. The aviation authorities in Canada and the UK have issued similar mandates. Sikorsky, based in Stratford, Conn., said in a news release on Monday that the majority of the worldwide fleet of S-92 helicopters has already complied with the requirements of the AD. The company said it has delivered 91 of the S-92 helicopters, and contacted all operators on March 20 after broken titanium studs were found during the crash investigation in Canada. "The investigation is continuing, and no determination has been made that the broken studs contributed to the accident or if they resulted from it," Sikorsky said in the news release. Operators were notified "as a safety precaution." As of Monday, at least 50 of the fleet had already completed the retrofit, Sikorsky said. |
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Babbitt May Be Next FAA Administrator
March 24, 2009
By Mary Grady
Randy Babbitt, who served as president of the Air Line Pilots Association during the 1990s, is expected to be nominated by the Obama administration to be the next FAA administrator, perhaps as soon as today, the Wall Street Journal has reported. Babbitt's name has been in the rumor mill for a while, and he's considered to be a compromise candidate who is likely to be acceptable to both airline types and labor leaders, according to the WSJ. The administration is apparently feeling pressured to fill the long-vacant post quickly, due to the recent run of aircraft accidents in the news. The FAA has not confirmed the appointment. |
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PC-12 Crash Probed, 14 Dead
March 24, 2009
By Russ Niles
AOPA is urging observers to refrain "jumping to conclusions" about the cause of the crash of a Pilatus PC-12 in Butte, Mont. on Sunday. The PC-12, loaded with seven adults and seven children, has been described by several witnesses as "nosediving" into a cemetery while on short final for Bert Mooney Airport in Butte, Montana on Sunday. Although there was reportedly the potential for icing in a cloud deck at 1,500, the PC-12 is certified for known icing and Weather Underground says it was about 45 degrees F with a dewpoint of about 26 on the ground when the accident occurred. Without knowing the baggage load on the aircraft (it was a ski trip) there is nevertheless less emphasis on the possibility of overloading since half the occupants were under 10 years old and some were babies and toddlers, the children of six adults on board who were university classmates and some of whom were part owners of the aircraft. |
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Two Dead In FedEx MD-11 Crash
March 23, 2009
By Russ Niles
The pilots aboard a FedEx MD-11 died when the aircraft crashed during a hard landing at Tokyo Narita Airport on Sunday. An airport video camera shows the aircraft landing hard and porpoising before the left wing drags and a fire ensues. Weather was clear but strong crosswinds were reported. Media reports said the crew was from the U.S. The flight originated in Guangzhou in southern China. |
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AVweb Insider Blog: Our Future Starts Now
March 20, 2009
Non-profit aviation organizations are struggling as much or more as the rest of us during this downturn, and in the latest installment of our AVweb Insider blog, Mary Grady explains why it's important to support these groups now — so they'll still be around when the crisis passes. |
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Brainteasers Quiz #141: Through the System
March 23, 2009
By Paul Berge
While you navigate the National Airspace System (NAS), air traffic controllers apply a slug of rules to keep it all flowing. The more you know about how the system works, the smoother you'll sound.
Take the quiz.
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PC-12 Crash May Have Killed 17
March 22, 2009
By Russ Niles
An FAA spokesman is quoted by the New York Times as saying as many as 17 people, many of them children, were on board a 12-seat Pilatus PC-12 and all died when the aircraft crashed and exploded in a cemetery in Butte, Montana on Sunday. Les Dorr told the Times that 14 to 17 people were on the aircraft, which left Oroville, Calif., 70 miles north of Sacramento, Calif. for Bozeman, Mont.. The plane diverted to Butte en route and crashed within 500 feet of the airport. The reason for the diversion has not been released but Butte would have been a closer alternative if the pilot had been experiencing problems. According to FlightAware, the flight originated at Brown Field in San Diego and made three stops before the crash. |
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Terrafugia Roadable Aircraft Post-Flight Report
March 22, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Terrafugia last week celebrated the public announcement of the successful first test flights made by its two-seat roadable folding-wing aircraft, the Transition, March 5, and maintains its intent to deliver production models for under $200,000 and by 2011. Test pilot Col. (Ret) Phil Meteer reported that the test vehicle remained stable on the ground through 90 mph in earlier tests and said that in flight the aircraft was both "smooth" and "controlled" exhibiting stability that was "rock solid." Meteer said, "the rotation speed [70 knots] is 25 knots above stall speed [45 knots]," and that helps make the vehicle very stable in car mode and after landing. The first flight was filmed and took place over the runway at Plattsburg, N.Y., where the aircraft became airborne after an extended ground roll and with large control deflections. Under non-test conditions, the company predicts the Transition will take off over a 50-foot obstacle in 1700 feet. Per the test pilot, the aircraft touched down at 70 knots with 2000 feet of runway remaining (a 1,000-foot overrun was available). With four-wheel braking, the pilot said the Transition came to a stop in about 500 feet. |
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Boeing: 787 "On Schedule," Has 878 Orders
March 22, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The sixth and final 787 Dreamliner test aircraft is in final assembly at Boeing's Everett, Wash., facility as the first test aircraft gets final paint and analysts continue to apply their doubts. The aircraft's release to customers is almost two years behind schedule and some analysts are not ready to accept that Boeing will meet its plans to start shipping the aircraft early next year. The company, however, is hoping for first flight this summer. The all-composite airliner represents a departure from prior production lines and so many observers suspect that small (or large) issues may creep up during the flight-test process, causing further delays. For now, Boeing says the aircraft is moving well through testing and there are assemblies for 31 more aircraft already in the supply chain. The economy has caused some order cancellations, according to the company, but 878 aircraft are still due to 57 customers worldwide. |
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Eclipse Jet Enlists Eclipse Aviation's Roel Pieper
March 21, 2009
By Glenn Pew
"Roel [Pieper] reluctantly took over as CEO of Eclipse in July of 2008," according to a press release that now announces him as a partner with Mike Press, Mason Holland, Raul Segredo and John Cracken in Eclipse Jet LLC (a.k.a. New Eclipse) -- a company that seeks to acquire and operate the assets of Eclipse Aviation. Pieper, who succeeded Vern Raburn as Eclipse's CEO, found himself unable to fund his plan to turn the financially failing Eclipse Aviation around as the economy collapsed. But, says Holland, he has engaged himself with Eclipse Jet in a way that "proved very useful." Specifically, Holland says Pieper, who will act as Director of Eclipse Jet, has guided cost reduction and market expansion for the Eclipse 500. The team hopes to combine Pieper's experience with Segredo's, whose company, Avionica, was founded in 1992 and now stands to equip Boeing's first 787 as a provider of satellite-communications gear. Cracken is managing director of a Dallas-based private-equity firm that specializes in "the acquisition of middle-market companies." Mike Press is an Eclipse owner and Mason Holland is a 60-percent deposit holder. Press and Holland have been working to form a group that might, according to Holland, "restore the vision of Eclipse and honor the company's commitments to owners and depositors." Eclipse Jet LLC set specific objectives earlier this month. |
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Quest Kodiak Fulfills Promise, Delivers Aircraft "At Cost"
March 21, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Quest Aircraft turned over the first of many short takeoff and landing, heavy-hauling, single turboprop Kodiak aircraft to be sold "at cost" as part of the manufacturer's Quest Mission Team (QMT) program. The Kodiak was designed for the rigors of off-airport mission work and can carry 3,100 pounds (or 10 passengers) into the air after a 760-foot ground roll, cruise more than 1,000 miles at 179 knots, and land in a little more than 900 feet. Both the company, Quest Aircraft, and the aircraft, the Kodiak, were created with the intent of filling the demands of mission aviation work. The company owes its origins and much of its startup capital to money raised by churches and mission aviation organizations. In return Quest has said it will deliver every 11th aircraft as a QMT plane to one of those organizations, "at cost." Quest has now met that goal with its first delivery to the Mission Aviation Fellowship, and as production continues to ramp up, a second QMT aircraft is already on the line at the company's Sandpoint, Idaho, facility. The unique capabilities of the aircraft have earned interest from other markets, as well. |
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Possible Sikorsky S-92 Grounding Follows Fatal Crash
March 21, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Following the March 12 crash of a Sikorsky S-92 helicopter off the coast of Newfoundland that killed 17 people, both the U.S. and Canada are reportedly considering temporarily grounding the fleet. Some 90 S-92s are in operation throughout the world and though a cause of this month's crash has not yet been determined, investigators have new concerns after finding a broken stud relating to the aircraft's main gearbox oil filter system. Those parts had been the subject of a voluntary safety alert issued by Sikorsky that warned operators to replace certain titanium studs with steel replacement parts. Failure of the studs could lead to loss of oil pressure and potential loss of control. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is leading the investigation and by Friday, the FAA had confirmed they were considering the action. Sikorsky has publicly supported the investigation but did not have additional details or recommended actions for operators by late last week. The pilots of this month's crash aircraft reportedly declared a mayday minutes before the crash, citing a problem with the main gearbox oil pressure. The aircraft appeared to fly a controlled descent from 9,000 feet but lost control near 800 feet, according to early reports. Only one person survived. |
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Williams Tests Alternative Fuel FJ44 Engine
March 20, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Williams International announced Friday that it has completed "extended testing" that burned 2,000 gallons of "coal-based alternative fuel" in a Williams FJ44-3 gas turbine engine. The test engine endured 118 cycles and 21 hours of operation and "performed extremely well," showing performance numbers that were "identical" to its Jet-A burning counterparts, according to the company. Further, the test engine required no modifications for the demonstration, which Williams says "validates the flexibility" of the FJ44 in its ability to operate with different compounds created from alternative processes. The fuel used in the tests was developed at Penn State University in cooperation with Intertek-PARC and Duquesne University. It was "essentially free" of sulfur and nitrogen while retaining a higher energy density than Jet-A, which may translate to longer-range flights. Williams is using the test both to promote the "robust" nature of the FJ44 and also the company's participation in alternative fuel development. |
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Mass Grounding Of Bell Helicopters Revised
March 20, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The FAA Thursday drastically reduced the number of aircraft affected by an emergency airworthiness directive it issued Tuesday from about 2,715 aircraft to about 50 helicopters registered in the U.S. The earlier AD had required emergency inspection of some 2,715 Bell 206, 407 and 427 models. (Bell 206 and 407 helicopters are the company's bestselling civil helicopters and are widely used in first responder and police work.) The more recent emergency airworthiness directive requires inspections for an improperly installed the cyclic control lever bearing -- on aircraft with fewer than 50 hours flight time. Problems with the bearing could lead to control problems and possibly control failure. Affected operators are now directed to inspect the part before the aircraft's next flight and replace the part if necessary. Bell discovered the problem about a week ago during delivery of a helicopter. |
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Second Skycatcher Prototype Crashes
March 19, 2009
By Russ Niles
A Cessna spokesman says the company may have to reconsider the delivery schedule for the 162 Skycatcher after the second crash of a prototype Thursday. The pilot, who was doing unspecified flight test maneuvers, pulled the ballistic parachute, which deployed and he was uninjured in the incident. Photos show the aircraft ended up inverted, likely because the parachute pulled it along the ground. The crash aircraft was the only flying example of the 162 after September crash destroyed the first prototype. Deliveries were to begin later this year, but Bob Stangarone, Cessna's vice president of corporate communications, told the Wichita Eagle, that schedule will have to be adjusted. |
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Imeson Found Dead In Wreckage
March 18, 2009
By Mary Grady
Officials in Montana found a Cessna 180 flown by Sparky Imeson, author of the Mountain Flying Bible and he died in the crash. The plane had been missing since Tuesday afternoon. Imeson was reportedly alone aboard the airplane, and his last known radar position was about 18 miles north of Bozeman, Mont., at about 2:23 p.m., over the Big Belt Mountains. He had taken off from Bozeman with a destination of Helena, about an hour's flight away. The wreckage was found about two miles from a private airstrip in Canyon Ferry, Mont. |
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Aviation's Volunteer Groups To Meet In April
March 18, 2009
By Mary Grady
Since charitable contributions have been sinking across the board, and the endowment funds that many nonprofit groups depend on have shrunk, we expect that the challenging economy will be a major topic of discussion at the upcoming Air Care 2009 national conference, scheduled for April 17-18 in Kansas City, Mo. Leaders of volunteer pilot groups from around the nation will discuss strategies for fundraising, lobbying and organizing. A keynote talk and discussion with Bruce Landsberg, executive director of AOPA Air Safety Foundation, will address safety issues affecting public benefit flying. The annual event is organized by the Air Care Alliance, a nationwide league of humanitarian flying organizations whose volunteer pilot members are dedicated to community service. Volunteer pilots support missions for health care, patient transport, disaster relief, educational experiences for youth, environmental support and other types of public service. For more information about the conference, or to register, click here. |
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Electric Aircraft Symposium Will Explore New Technologies
March 18, 2009
By Mary Grady
The Aero Friedrichshafen aviation show coming up in Germany April 2-5 will feature an E-Flight Expo showcasing aircraft with electric motors and other alternative propulsion systems, but if you can't make it there, another opportunity is coming up soon on this side of the pond to catch up with all the latest advances. The 2009 Electric Aircraft Symposium, hosted by the CAFE Foundation, is set for Friday, April 24, in San Carlos, Calif., near San Francisco. A new hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered two-seat aircraft from Germany is expected to be on exhibit. Top innovators who are developing new ways to make lithium batteries that can hold more energy and charge faster will be in attendance. Another topic on the agenda is the development of GA airplanes that can fly themselves. The conference will explore "the latest technologies ... toward a green mobility solution to our climate, energy and transportation needs," Brien Seeley, president of the CAFE Foundation, told AVweb. Seeley also expects to introduce the NASA Aviation Green Prize, a CAFE flight competition to produce two-seat aircraft capable of 100+ mpg for emission-free commuting at 100+ mph, to be determined by a 200-mile race. |
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TSA Names GA Liaison To Take Your Questions
March 18, 2009
By Mary Grady
The Transportation Security Administration has created a new position for a general aviation liaison, and named Juan Barnes to the post. Barnes will be available via e-mail to address the public's concerns about security measures that impact GA operations. AOPA says questions may be submitted to Barnes via the e-mail address TSAGeneralAviation@dhs.gov. AOPA will automatically be carbon-copied. "General aviation stakeholders are encouraged to submit inquiries regarding TSA programs, policies and security directives," wrote Barnes in a letter to GA stakeholders. "Your inquiry will be reviewed, and forwarded to the appropriate office and personnel within TSA to ensure a prompt and accurate response. Our goal is to provide responses to inquiries within two business days." The TSA also will address concerns in monthly teleconferences with stakeholders beginning this Friday, March 20, at 1 p.m. AOPA said it will participate in the teleconferences, during which TSA officials will answer questions submitted previously by e-mail. |
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FAA Gives Up On Stronger Crew-Rest Rules
March 18, 2009
By Mary Grady
The FAA has given up on an effort to mandate enhanced crew-rest rules for airline pilots flying legs over 16 hours long, according to a recent report in The Wall Street Journal. The FAA had proposed new rules that would have allowed some pilots on such legs, which require two crews, to work more than eight hours in a single workday as long as they were assured extra-long rest periods before and after each extra-long flight. But last week, the FAA said it was dropping the proposal based on industry comments. "We remain committed to addressing the issue of fatigue ... but believe additional data is necessary" before new rules are imposed, the agency wrote in an e-mail to stakeholders, the Journal reported. The new rule would have also required some carriers to provide more sleeping areas on board. More airlines are scheduling extra-long legs, such as a Continental Airlines route from Newark to Hong Kong and American Airlines flights from Chicago to Delhi. When it proposed the new rules last fall, the FAA had cited "scientific evidence and studies" that show such long legs can induce fatigue at levels that can impair safety. Several airlines sued in court to block the FAA's proposal, arguing that the restrictions would be unnecessary and ineffective. |
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Study Shows Older Controllers Can Do The Job — But Do They Want To?
March 17, 2009
By Mary Grady
Older air traffic controllers can head off midair collisions at least as well as younger controllers, using experience to compensate for age-related declines in mental sharpness, according to a report published this month by the American Psychological Association. Controllers in the U.S. face a mandatory retirement age of 56, which the report suggests should be reconsidered. "Given substantial experience, older adults may be quite capable of performing at high levels of proficiency on fast-paced demanding, real-world tasks," wrote Ashley Nunes and Arthur F. Kramer, researchers at the University of Illinois. However, while airline pilots lobbied for years to raise their mandatory retirement age of 60, no such movement has been seen among controllers. "Only 2 percent of all controller retirees the past three years reached the mandatory retirement age of 56," Doug Church, spokesman for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, told AVweb on Tuesday. "So it's irrelevant and foolish to raise the issue of mandatory retirement in any discussion of this kind. Controllers in this country are not staying to 56." Church blames hostile working conditions and pay cuts for destroying morale and removing any incentive to stay even until 56, never mind beyond. |
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Cessna Exec Predicts Upturn Soon; SATSAir Thrives
March 17, 2009
By Mary Grady
"We think we're probably close to the bottom" may not seem like the most optimistic words about the global economy, but the upside is that the sooner we get to the bottom, the sooner we start back up. That was the take from Roger Whyte, Cessna's senior vice president for sales and marketing, on Monday as he delivered two new Citation XLS+ jets to a customer. Whyte told the Wichita Eagle that a little historical perspective helps in keeping a positive outlook -- the bizjet business has been through slow times in the past, he said, before it boomed in the last 10 years or so. And even with the projected decline in deliveries for the next couple of years, the numbers aren't expected to fall below where the industry was in 2005, he said. Meanwhile, SATSAir has found an aviation business model that works, with record growth last year despite a slight downturn in the fourth quarter. The South Carolina air-taxi company operates a fleet of Cirrus SR22s, serving hundreds of airports in the eastern U.S. "We're extremely pleased with the strong 2008 numbers and the expanded presence in the Southeastern growth corridor that they represent," said Steve Hanvey, SATSAir president and CEO. "2008 was a landmark year for our business concept from a financial perspective and signals a growing acceptance of this innovative approach to business and personal air travel." |
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Man Hijacks Plane, Kills Self And Daughter
March 14, 2009
By Glenn Pew
A man convinced a pilot Thursday to take himself and his 5-year-old daughter on an aerial sightseeing tour, but forced the pilot out at gunpoint on the runway, prior to takeoff in Brazil. At that point, Kleber Barosa da Silva took control of the aircraft. Da Silva, who was being sought for his alleged rape of a 13-year-old girl then flew the aircraft for more than an hour. Local TV networks would later broadcast video of the aircraft after an air force aircraft found it and formed up loosely on its wing. In the end, Da Silva, 31, crashed the aircraft into a mall's parking lot in Goiana, Brazil, killing himself and his daughter. It is not known if that was his intent, if he was aiming for the mall, or if the aircraft simply ran out of fuel. |
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Booming Business: Aircraft Repossession
March 14, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Ken Hill is an airplane repo man who in January recovered 12 aircraft from eight states and expects to recover 27 more over the course of about 40 days. With the economy as it is, homes aren't the only subjects of foreclosure and, like homes, aircraft cost owners money whether they're used or not and whether or not the owner's income can support the payments. In that framing, Hill's business has become brisk enough that it attracted the attention of New York Times, and his business became a published article, Friday. Hill told the Times he normally recovers about 30 aircraft per year, but last year the number swelled to 50. This year, he expects that number to double again, to 100. Most repossessions, it turns out play out in civilized conversation and agreeable transactions, but Hill always brings along a portable radio, hand-held GPS and hundreds of keys and a prop-lock, just in case. And in those disagreeable cases, other methods must be employed. |
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Pilot's Certificate Revoked (Again), This Time For In-Cockpit Sex
March 14, 2009
By Glenn Pew
David Keith Martz, 52, has appealed the revocation of his certificate, which he lost after a video surfaced that allegedly shows him having sex with a Swedish adult film actress while flying a helicopter over San Diego. The revocation marks the fifth time Martz' license has either been revoked or suspended, according to the Associated Press, which noted a prior infraction that the FAA deemed as reckless flying. In that 2006 case, "reckless" meant landing a helicopter on a Hollywood street to pick up a rock star and deliver him to a concert. Other incidents include flying too low over a residential neighborhood, landing too close to a military base, and flying with damage to his helicopter. A public hearing will be held in San Diego sometime within the next month. According to the L.A. Times, "it is unclear if the video will be shown." |
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Boeing 777 Flying With A Known Problem
March 14, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Rolls-Royce Trent 800-series engines can suffer from ice-induced fuel constriction in flight, and in the opinion of the NTSB, current precautions are "insufficient" to prevent the possibility of a fatal crash -- and they'll be flying like that for at least six more months. So why not just add an anti-icing additive to the fuel? That solution, along others is being considered after both the NTSB and the AAIB released reports last week. Unfortunately, all solutions will come with cost. In the case of anti-icing additives, one drawback is the need for more frequent maintenance, but an additive may still be a part of the short term solution. Any fuel system modifications (currently in the works at Rolls-Royce) will require extensive testing and certification that may take more than 12 months. The NTSB is recommending a fix be available in six. In the meanwhile, the problem that's already caused un-commanded rollbacks on two separate passenger flights still exists. The current fleet of about 736 Boeing 777s includes about 220 powered by the Rolls-Royce Trent engine/fuel system in question. |
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Textron Tightens Belt: Cessna Delays Columbus, Plans Furloughs
March 14, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Cessna has announced it will delay development of its Citation Columbus -- the jet CEO Jack Pelton in October said "will create a billion dollars of revenue annually" -- and that more furloughs are coming. The company is investing $780 million in development of the 488-kt. luxury business jet, that can carry eight people 4,000 nautical miles, but is slowing construction of what will be the Columbus' production facility. That should delay the jet's production by at least six months. The furloughs, however, are not expected to be tied to the Columbus program, but will be targeted at Citation CJ, Sovereign and Citation X production personnel; and cutbacks extend up the ladder to Cessna's parent company. Textron's CEO, Lewis B. Campbell, saw a 16 percent decrease in total compensation, down to $9.8 million in 2008 from $11.8 million in 2007, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Thursday. A full $1.6 million of that was due to a cut in his performance bonus. But beyond Cessna and Textron, changes in production schedules at Cessna will affect other companies, too. |
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LASP Not Winning Support In Washington
March 14, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, which has jurisdiction over the TSA, thinks the TSA's Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP) should not go forward without industry input. The Chairman, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (Mississippi), submitted a letter to the TSA stating his opinion that LASP, as proposed appears "unfeasible, or overly burdensome to the industry." In a meeting last week, members of the House aviation subcommittee told the TSA that LASP goes too far in applying commercial security regulations to general aviation operations, according to AOPA representatives who attended the meeting. The guidelines that would be imposed by LASP could not only have a stifling effect on operators, but airports as well, and impede economic growth -- especially in rural areas, according to its opponents. |
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Aviation Funding Uncertain
March 14, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The DOT may not be able to fund aviation programs at levels previously assumed because of declines in actual revenues generated by the excise taxes that fund the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). In the report released last week the GAO says that going forward, the forecasts of future revenues have also declined corresponding with a drop in passenger traffic, airfares, and fuel consumption. On top of that, the Fund's uncommitted balance has been shrinking since 2001. The GAO also warned that timely reauthorization of the FAA's funding is important to the initiation of programs like NextGen infrastructure development. Meanwhile, AOPA has joined with 16 other industry groups in signing a letter that presses the House Transportation Committee to derive 25-percent of the FAA's budget from the general tax fund. That increase funds (up from 18 percent), according to the letter, could go a long way toward NextGen development. |
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Helo Pilot Rescues Uncooperative Niagara Diver
March 14, 2009
By Russ Niles
Sometimes it's hard to be a hero, especially when the person being rescued has other ideas. That didn't stop Ruedi Hafen, owner of Niagara Helicopters, from saving the life of an unidentified 30-year-old Ontario man who went over Niagara Falls without a barrel. He became only the third person known to have survive the plunge unaided (and perhaps the first to skinny dip) but it wasn't for lack of trying. In the end, it was only Hafen's flying feat that put the man into the arms of rescuers whom he'd been trying to avoid. |
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AVweb Insider Blog: Note to Air Force — Butt Out
March 13, 2009
The Air Force has gotten itself into quite a snit over the CAF's rare F-82 Twin Mustang. It wants the airplane back. In the latest installment of our AVweb Insider blog, Paul Bertorelli wonders why there wasn't just one starred officer to say, "Ya know what, let's not do this. We'll look really dumb, and, anyway, we already have a Twin Mustang in the museum." Too bad it didn't happen that way. |
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DOJ Investigating Anti-Trust Issues in Superior Sale
March 11, 2009
By Paul Bertorelli
Did the U.S. Department of Justice nix Lycoming's bid to buy the assets of bankrupt Superior Air Parts? Sources in the engine business tell us this may be the case. Several have been contacted by Department of Justice investigators looking into the details of Lycoming's bid to buy Superior, which filed for bankruptcy in early January. Lycoming submitted a bid of $11.5 million through a bankruptcy court, which rejected the offer last week. A second offer from Continental was also rejected. Two engine shops told us that DOJ lawyers contacted them last month inquiring about competitive conditions in the aircraft engine and parts business and one of those investigators mentioned a possible Hart-Scott-Rodino Act probe. |
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Time To Pay Attention To Preflight Briefings
March 11, 2009
By Mary Grady
Many passengers ignore the safety briefing when flying commercial, convinced that the only useful action to take in the event of an emergency is to call your loved ones (flagrantly disobeying the no-cellphone rule) and say goodbye. But a series of recent crashes -- the ditching in the Hudson and the Turkish Airlines accident in Amsterdam, for example -- have reminded us that in fact many accidents are survivable, and it might be a good idea to pay attention after all. And it turns out that there is much that passengers can do to save themselves and others in the event of an emergency. British Airways knows this, and has trained over 9,000 frequent flyers in Flight Safety Awareness courses at its simulator center in West London. CNN's business-travel reporters tried out the course recently, and found the simulated evacuation "unsettling -- almost frightening." CNN lists the main lessons that passengers should remember -- know where the exit rows are, be sure to know how to open the door if you are sitting next to one, avoid wearing high heels and other restrictive clothing, and assume the brace position when told -- and "ignore Internet rumors that the brace position guarantees to break your neck and back to make death as painless as possible." The position has been proven to minimize injury, says CNN. |
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United Technologies To Cut 11,600 Jobs
March 11, 2009
By Mary Grady
United Technologies, the parent company of Pratt & Whitney and Sikorsky, said this week it will eliminate 11,600 jobs worldwide, or about 5 percent of its workforce. "The outlook for commercial aerospace and global construction markets has continued to deteriorate since UTC's December investor meeting and the economic recovery previously anticipated in the second half of 2009 now appears unlikely," said CEO Louis Chenevert in a news release on Tuesday. "In 2008, UTC anticipated slowing economies for 2009, although not at the severity which has since developed. ... Employment reductions will total approximately 18,000 or slightly more than 8 percent over the two years. These difficult actions will allow us to continue outperforming peers." The company, based in Hartford, Conn., also owns aerospace manufacturer Hamilton Sundstrand and several non-aviation businesses. |
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Archie League Awards Honor Controllers For Grace Under Pressure
March 11, 2009
By Mary Grady
"A calm voice on the radio keeps a scared pilot from becoming further rattled." So noted Mark Harris, an air traffic controller with the Anchorage TRACON, as he recalled a day last October when he helped a pilot cope with a cockpit full of smoke. Harris was one of 11 controllers honored last week with an Archie League Medal of Safety Award, bestowed by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association during a safety forum in Las Vegas. The awards, named after the first air traffic controller, honor the efforts of those who remain calm and focused while helping to resolve dangerous situations. A special NATCA President's Award went to air traffic controller John Charlton of Lake Charles, La., who gave extra attention to a nervous student pilot who had unsuccessfully attempted to land twice. After alerting fire and rescue in order to be prepared for any outcome, Charlton, who is a pilot himself, coached the student through two more approaches till she made a successful landing on her fourth try. Other controllers helped a pilot whose engine died over dark terrain at night, a crew stricken with hypoxia, and a pilot who was trying to navigate a complex and unfamiliar instrument approach in the mountains, with inadequate fuel for a go-around. In every case the controller's advice and professionalism contributed to a successful outcome. For more stories about the award winners and audiotapes from the events, check out this AVweb podcast. |
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Drug Smugglers Turn To Ultralights
March 11, 2009
By Mary Grady
An ultralight aircraft might not seem the ideal transport for a drug smuggler trying to move contraband across the U.S.-Mexico border -- they can't carry much weight, and flying an overloaded little trike low and slow above dark terrain at night seems like a recipe for disaster. But officials in Arizona know of three such attempts in recent months, The Associated Press reported this week, and all of them ended badly for the pilot. One pilot was killed when the aircraft crashed into a field, another smuggler hit power lines and was paralyzed, and the third flier was caught and arrested. Officials said ultralights were more commonly used about 20 years ago, before smugglers upgraded to bigger airplanes that could carry more bales of marijuana. Officials say the ultralights seem to be coming back because of increased vigilance along the border, which drives smugglers to attempt new strategies. The small aircraft are hard to spot on radar, and they are cheap and easy to fly. Officials were unsure if the recent uptick represents a trend. "If the cartels feel they're successful, they'll go with it," Rick Crocker, a deputy special agent with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Tucson, told the AP. "If we can shut it down, they'll go with other means." |
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CAF Loses F-82 To Air Force, But Will Pursue Appeal
March 11, 2009
By Mary Grady
A rare F-82 Twin Mustang that has long been operated by the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) is now being dismantled in Midland, Texas, for shipping to the National Museum of the Air Force (USAFM) in Dayton, Ohio. The CAF has operated the airplane since the 1960s, but its right to do so has been in dispute since 2002, when the CAF said it was going to trade the airplane and the Air Force said it couldn't. A judge ruled in September that the Air Force owns the airplane, but CAF has been pursuing an appeal. This week, the CAF said it had offered to drop the appeal if the Air Force would allow the F-82 to remain on static display in Midland, but that proposal was rejected, leaving the CAF no choice but to hand over the airplane. "I had great hopes that this would be an amicable way to agree to disagree, yet still concede to the USAFM's policy to not fly the F-82, which has supposedly been their concern," said Stephan Brown, president and CEO of the CAF. "This decision to reject our proposal is confusing and disappointing." The response to the CAF proposal by the director of Air Force History and Museum Policies and Programs states: "After a robust and thorough discussion, the voting members of the Heritage Board unanimously decided that, based on the history of this matter and the precedential import of the judicial determination concerning the ownership of the F-82 to the National Museum of the United States Air Force and the other Armed Services, the offer of settlement could not be accepted." Brown said the CAF will now move forward with the appeal process. |
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Europe's GA AERO Show Offers Expanded Space, Fresh Ideas
March 10, 2009
By Mary Grady
AERO Friedrichshafen, Europe's biggest general aviation trade show, is coming up April 2 to 5. This is the first year of the show's switch to an annual event -- in the past it was held every other year -- and also the first year since AERO and EAA announced they would engage in a "strategic relationship" to promote the show. About 570 exhibitors will be on hand, and the crowds are expected to exceed the 2007 total of over 45,000. Exhibit space has expanded from seven halls to 11, featuring a wide variety of GA aircraft and interests, from gliders and ultralights to model airplanes, skydiving and corporate jets. A new Helicopter Hangar will display rotary aircraft and gyrocopters. An E-Flight Expo, billed as a trade show within the show, will showcase aircraft with electrical propulsion, new solar technologies and other innovative propulsion concepts. A hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered trike, a solar-powered motorglider, and other unique aircraft are expected to be on display. The AERO show is also the place where Europe's GA community can discuss issues of common interest, such as fuel supplies, environmental concerns, and the health of the industry. On Thursday and Friday, exhibitors will offer demo flights, and on the weekend, an air show will feature fly-bys and aerobatic performers. |
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Aviation Companies Forge Ahead, Despite Economy
March 10, 2009
By Mary Grady
Every crisis is an opportunity for somebody, and as the economic news continues to sour, plenty of aviation entrepreneurs are finding ways to adapt to the new markets. This week, Revolution Air, a charter broker based in New York, said it has seen an increase in corporate charter flights from companies receiving government assistance. "It's no secret that corporate flight departments are currently being
regarded as luxury items for businesses, which is rather unfortunate given their necessity in today's worldwide competitive corporate environment," said company President Ron Goldstein. When commercial flights are not an option for time or security reasons, Goldstein's charters offer a cost-effective solution. He added that he is seeing a trend to use charters for business travel only and executives are switching to commercial travel for skiing and golf trips. In Europe, new air-taxi startup Blink, which launched in June 2008 with a fleet of Citation Mustangs, has also seen growth in demand as corporations downsize from larger jets. The company promises the benefits of personal air travel at prices competitive with commercial business class and up to 50 percent cheaper than other corporate jet services. In Boston, Mass., Eclipse 500 operator Linear Air said revenue in February grew 131 percent over the year before, and it is now adding flights between several East Coast airports and the Bahamas. "While the fractionals, major airlines, and even low-cost airlines reported serious declines in February, demand for our unique low-cost personal air service more than doubled in New England," said CEO Bill Herp. The company also operates a fleet of Cessna Grand Caravans. And Hopscotch Air, an air-taxi service based in New York, is moving forward with plans to launch a fleet of Cirrus SR-22s next month. The company promises airline-competitive prices for personal service to convenient airports. |
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Key Congressman Raises Questions About LASP
March 10, 2009
By Mary Grady
Those in the GA community opposed to the intrusive Large Aircraft Security Proposal (LASP) proposed by the Transportation Security Administration gained some important support, AOPA said on Monday, when U.S. Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, D-Miss., asked the TSA to delay implementation of the program. Congressman Thompson chairs the House Committee on Homeland Security, which has jurisdiction over the TSA. In written comments on the proposed rule, submitted last week, Thompson told the TSA that several critical elements of its plan "appear to be problematic, infeasible, or overly burdensome to industry." He urged the TSA to delay implementation of the proposed regulations until the new TSA leadership has a chance to review the NPRM and discuss it with Congress and industry stakeholders. "Chairman Thompson understands the negative impact the LASP would have on general aviation," said Andy Cebula, AOPA executive vice president of government affairs. "We hope the TSA will stop its plans for the program and address the grave concerns being expressed by the Committee on Homeland Security and so many others who have spoken out against LASP." |
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AVweb Insider Blog: Swift Fuel — Can It Replace 100LL?
March 8, 2009
The concept and the numbers more or less add up, although industry experts we've talked to think the claims may err on the side of optimism. In the latest installment of our AVweb Insider blog, Paul Bertorelli sorts through the clutter. |
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AVweb Insider Blog: F/A-18 at Miramar — How Could This Happen?
March 4, 2009
If we've got this straight, a highly trained Marine pilot flying a Hornet with one engine caged and the other wheezing passes up a sure-bet runway for one 20 miles away surrounded by suburban sprawl? That seems to be it. In the latest installment of our AVweb Insider blog, Paul Bertorelli opines that judgment like this is all too human. |
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TMB Avenger Lands On Fire At Millville, N.J.
March 8, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Terry Rush, 63, was departing Runway 28 at Millville Airport in New Jersey, Saturday at roughly 5 p.m. in a Grumman TBM Avenger, when he noticed his left wing was on fire, according to early reports. The pilot flew the aircraft, on fire, back to a landing at the airport, but not before the fire had spread. Rush, who was himself beginning to burn, successfully landed the burning aircraft, jumped onto the wing, then to the ground as the aircraft rolled out and became engulfed in flames. Local fire companies arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire within about ten minutes. But by then, the historic restored aircraft had been transformed into a hardly recognizable wreck sitting some 400 feet from where its pilot had evacuated it. Rush was flown by medevac helicopter to a local hospital where he was listed in critical but stable condition, having suffered second and third degree burns to his left side and both hands. |
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Gulfstream Drops 2700 Employees
March 8, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Gulfstream Thursday announced that it is laying off 1,200 workers and will furlough an additional 1,500 for five weeks. The company is Savannah, Georgia's largest private employer, with 6,000 employees in Georgia and 4,000 at other facilities in Texas, Wisconsin, California and 11 service centers spread throughout the country. The company says the job cuts will be spread throughout its facilities and were triggered by a shrinking order backlog as customers push back their orders waiting for positive economic news. Gulfstream spokesman Robert Baugniet said it has not helped that President Obama has singled out corporate jets as a symbol of greed and largesse, according to the Atlanta Journal and Constitution. Gulfstream's upcoming fly-by-wire G650 long-range business jet is expected to sell for $60 million per copy. |
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Startup Air Taxi ImagineAir More Than Optimistic
March 6, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Startup air taxi ImagineAir flew its first operations in 2007 and in spite of the economic downturn in 2008 doubled its business, flying more than 600 routes between more than 200 airports in the Southeast. Founded in 2005 and operating five Cirrus SR22 GTS aircraft with 15 employees, the Atlanta-based company saw 117 percent more flights year over year from 2007 to 2008. Company president Ben Hamilton, 25, told the Atlanta Business Chronicle ImagineAir will follow that initial success by doubling its fleet in 2009, spacing planes throughout the Southeast and expanding service to Texas by 2010. The company reportedly lists its 2008 revenue at about $800,000 but has a goal to operate 50 aircraft and employ 100 pilots within five years. If the company survives to enjoy that success, it may be due to a business model that makes its cost and convenience perhaps unexpectedly well-suited for the times. |
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FAA Funding Bill Passes Transportation Committee
March 6, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2009 (H.R. 915), drafted without user fees, has met the approval of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, but AOPA warns fees may still be an issue. The Ways and Means Committee, which is next in line and takes charge of imposing taxes, has so far been opposed to user fees. But that committee says it will have to look at President Obama's budget details (due in early April) before it makes a determination on FAA reauthorization. NextGen modernization efforts may require more funding than is provided by fuel taxes and amid a push for transportation infrastructure stimulus money, upgrades to the system may be deemed necessary. General aviation aside, the bill, in its current form, may make alliances between U.S. and foreign airlines tougher to come by and expose airlines previously granted antitrust immunity to loss of that status. |
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Fossett Crash NTSB Factual Report, Pilot Statements
March 6, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The NTSB's factual report of the Sept. 3, 2007, fatal crash of a Bellanca 8KCAB-180 (Super Decathlon) piloted by Steve Fossett does not include a "cause," but does offer details. The NTSB attempted to reconstruct potential wind patterns for the day through numerical simulations and also took statements from pilots who flew in the area at the time. The board's weather modeling found downdrafts in the accident area in excess of 300 feet per minute. Investigators determined the crash site to be at a density altitude of about 12,700 feet with a deviation from standard temperature of about positive 23.2 degrees C. The aircraft's maximum rate of climb at a pressure altitude of 13,000 feet was 300 feet per minute at standard temperature. Its wreckage was found "severely fragmented" and burned. The NTSB's report included comments from pilots who flew in the area that day. |
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More Benefits Of Carbon Nanotubes
March 6, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Composite materials reinforced with carbon nanotube "stitching" are not only ten times stronger than those that go without, but they are also one million times more electrically conductive, according to a report soon to be published in the Journal of Composite Materials. Benefits to aircraft structures therefore include increased strength and lightning protection along with decreased weight for composite aircraft. Carbon nanotubes are not new, and have been flown aboard aircraft, including a Giles G-200 high-performance homebuilt aerobatic aircraft in 2008, as part of that aircraft's cowling. But researchers at MIT say that through a process called "nanostitching," they can add nanotubes, "the strongest fibers known to humankind," to the composite's weakest part -- between its layers -- adding strength, without adding weight. What's more, in other applications, they can be used to actually help "heal" damaged composite structures. |
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New Hybrid Propulsion System For Aircraft
March 6, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Flight Design GmbH, which makes the popular CT line of light sport aircraft, has announced it will debut in early April, at the Aero show in Friedrichshafen, Germany, a hybrid engine concept for light aircraft. The concept engine is based on "a well-established certified aircraft engine" mated with an electric booster only used to boost performance for takeoff and climb, according to the company. "The result is an optimized engine in respect to size, weight and fuel efficiency for cruise," Flight Design said in a news release, that offers 40 additional horsepower when demanded, or redundant power in the case of fuel starvation. Flight Design has worked for two years with Franz Aircraft Engines to develop the hybrid, which it promotes as a short- to middle-term solution for efficient environmentally friendly aircraft still waiting for readily available electric or hydrogen powered propulsion solutions. Unlike concept cars that never make it to the mass market, Flight Design does have consumers in mind. |
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Continuous Descents Cut Fuel, Emissions, Noise
March 6, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Both Boeing and the FAA have tested arrival procedures and both have found that continuous descents flown at a single busy airport can save the airlines millions of pounds of fuel and save the atmosphere millions of pounds of carbon dioxide. The FAA's testing at LAX shows that continuous descent approaches could save airlines flying into that airport 1 million gallons of fuel (and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 18 million pounds), each year. Boeing's trials, carried out at San Francisco International Airport over the course of a year, cut fuel consumption by 1.1 million pounds and carbon dioxide emissions by 3.6 million pounds. International aviation is cited as a contributor that accounts for roughly two percent of manmade greenhouse gas emissions, worldwide, and the European Union is expected to include aviation into its emission control scheme by 2012. Both Boeing and the FAA's programs are proactive in that regard while also addressing airlines' bottom lines. |
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NTSB Issues Facts On Fossett Crash
March 6, 2009
By Russ Niles
It was a beautiful day in the equally beautiful mountainous area that straddles the Nevada/California border. A perfect day for what Steve Fossett's wife called a "Sunday drive" in a sporty aerobatic Decathlon. The NTSB's factual report of the aviation icon's final flight suggests a combination of high altitude and unpredictable winds led to the crash of Fossett's aircraft into a mountainside near Mammoth Lakes, Calif., in September of 2007. A nearby remote weather observation site recorded average winds of more than 20 mph with gusts to 55 mph at the time of the crash and anecdotal evidence supports that. |
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Two Former Eclipse Employees File Suit
March 4, 2009
By Mary Grady
Eclipse Aviation was required by federal law to give employees 60 days' notice before laying them off, but failed to do so, according to a suit filed by two former employees on Tuesday in Delaware. Annette Varela, who worked in Albuquerque, and John J. Dimura, who worked at a service facility in New York, are asking for back pay and benefits, and may pursue the matter as a class action if other former employees join them. Jack Raisner, their lawyer, told KQRE.com that the two face "an uphill battle." However, he also said that when money is raised by the Chapter 7 bankruptcy sale of the company's assets, some money might be left over for former employees. A judge was due to decide on Wednesday whether to allow the company to convert its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing to Chapter 7 liquidation, but at our deadline, the judge had not yet ruled. A newly formed company, New Eclipse Acquisition LLC, is working to acquire the assets of the company and eventually resume production. |
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Optimism Rules At Women In Aviation Conference
March 4, 2009
By Mary Grady
These may be tough times for the aviation industry, but at the 20th Annual International Women in Aviation Conference, which wrapped up last Saturday in Atlanta, the mood was upbeat. The economy and jobs were on everyone's mind, and older WAI members assured the younger attendees that ups and downs are nothing new for the aviation industry. "Companies and organizations continue to hire, and we had active career recruiting by many of our exhibitors, especially for mechanics and technicians, but also for pilots, air traffic controllers and other positions as well," said WAI President Peggy Chabrian. "Our members and conference attendees are proactive and steadfast; they are the top-tier candidates that any employer would want to hire." About 3,000 people from 15 countries attended the event, which featured 125 exhibitors plus forums and workshops. Scholarships totaling $459,450 in value were awarded to WAI members at every stage of life from university students to some seeking a midlife career change into aviation. Five women were inducted into WAI's International Pioneer Hall of Fame: Jacqueline Cochran, the first woman to break the sound barrier; Patricia Malone, a U.S. Navy WAVE who trained aircraft carrier-based pilots on instrument flight procedures; Ruth Nichols, who holds more than 35 aviation records; Dawn Seymour, the first woman accepted into the Civilian Pilot Training Program at Cornell University; and Anna Timofeyeva-Yegorova, one of the most famous Soviet women to fly in a male combat regiment during World War II and holder of the Hero of the Soviet Union award. |
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Changes At The Top At EAA
March 4, 2009
By Mary Grady
For the last 50-plus years, two Pobereznys have been at the helm at EAA -- first Paul, the founder, now 87, and then his son Tom -- but that is about to change, at least partly. On Wednesday, EAA said Tom Poberezny will take over as chairman of the board, a position that Paul stepped down from recently, and also announced that Tom is ready to step down as president as soon as EAA finds the right replacement. Tom Poberezny said he will begin work with the board to initiate and lead a search for a new president, who will assume responsibility for day-to-day operations. As chairman, Tom Poberezny will provide ongoing counsel to the organization while focusing specifically on building EAA's endowment. "It is my goal to responsibly secure the future of this organization and provide continuity of leadership," Poberezny said. |
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Upgrades For Business Aircraft May Qualify For Bonus Depreciation, Cessna Says
March 4, 2009
By Mary Grady
According to the folks at Cessna, you may not have to buy a new airplane to qualify for the tax benefits of bonus depreciation in 2009 -- upgrades such as new avionics, which add value to the aircraft or increase its lifespan, may qualify. The company added a note that it can't give tax advice, but it offered to work closely with customers' accountants to ensure they have all the information they need to explore specific tax situations. "This is a good time to consider enhancements to your Citation, such as a glass cockpit, productivity features in the cabin, upgraded operational or navigational systems," said Mark Paolucci, senior vice president, Cessna Customer Service. "As a result of the current business climate, utilization is lower which makes now the perfect time to schedule major upgrades -- less disruption to operations," Paolucci said. Upgrades that may qualify include new communications and avionics gear, TCAS and radar upgrades, enhanced instrumentation, RVSM, WAAS/FMS updates, interior upgrades, and new paint, he said. |
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Faulty Altimeter Downed Boeing 737, Investigators Say
March 4, 2009
By Mary Grady
When a Turkish Airlines 737-800 crashed short of the runway in Amsterdam last week, killing nine people, it was one of those relatively rare accidents where no apparent cause was readily discernible. But on Wednesday, Dutch Safety Board investigators said a faulty radio altimeter fed misinformation to the autopilot. The altimeter registered that the airplane was approaching ground level when in fact it was still at 1,950 feet. The autopilot initiated a power-down of the engines in preparation for landing and the airplane slowed to near stall speed. The pilots responded to the situation too late, and the airplane hit the ground. The 737 data recorder showed that problems with the altimeter had occurred twice before, investigators said. Boeing has issued a statement to 737 operators reminding pilots to carefully monitor instruments during critical phases of flight. |
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Marine Officials Blame Bad Choices In Fatal F/A-18 Crash
March 4, 2009
By Mary Grady
In California on Tuesday, Marine officials held a news conference to explain their findings in the December crash of an F/A-18 that killed four people on the ground. The officials blamed "a series of well-intentioned but incorrect decisions" by the pilot and his advisors. Nine people were reprimanded and four were relieved of duty. The airplane had a known fuel-flow problem and should have been grounded, officials said, and once the in-flight emergency occurred, the pilot and ground crew should have opted to land at North Island, a nearby airfield with an over-water approach. "Landing at North Island was the prudent and correct decision to make," said Col. John Rupp at the news conference. "Unfortunately, that decision was never made." The FAA released a tape of the conversation between the pilot and ATC in which the North Island option was offered and the pilot chose to head for Miramar, which is further inland. (Click here to listen to AVweb's podcast of the ATC audio). |
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Remos Reminds Owners To Check Ailerons Before Flight
March 4, 2009
By Mary Grady
Remos Aircraft announced this week that it has issued a Mandatory Safety Directive to owners to ensure that proper checks are made to secure the aileron controls when extending folded wings. A preliminary NTSB report of a fatal accident in January found that the left aileron quick fastener had not been secured prior to takeoff. The directive contains illustrated directions for the proper method of securing the aileron controls when extending the wings, which can be folded for easy storage or trailering. The company also issued replacement pages for the POH and additional placards that prompt additional pre-flight checks for control quick fasteners. "We have issued this mandatory safety directive to assure that all pre-flight procedures are followed with precision," said Corvin Huber, CEO of Remos Aircraft. "We are in the process of making a safe airplane even safer." The Remos GX Special Light Sport Aircraft crashed Jan. 25, during the Sebring Light Sport Expo at Sebring Regional Airport in Florida, seriously injuring the aircraft's pilot and killing its passenger. |
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FAA Issues Guidance For Eclipse Owners
March 3, 2009
By Mary Grady
With Eclipse Aviation facing Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation -- a court hearing is set for today, March 4 -- and all operations closed, owners of the little jets are left with plenty of questions, and the FAA attempted this week to answer some of those most frequently asked. Question number one, naturally, was this: Can I still fly my Eclipse EA500 airplane? The answer, says the FAA, is yes, as long as the aircraft is in an airworthy condition in accordance with 14 CFR Part 91. "Contrary to media reports, the FAA has no plan to ground the EA500 airplanes," the FAA said. However, if the airplane becomes un-airworthy -- for example, if owners can't get replacement parts or approved repairs -- then pilots can't legally fly. The FAA noted that the EA500s with IS&S cockpit displays require a navigation database that must be updated by Eclipse every 29 days, and since this update is not available, the types of approaches that the pilots can make with these airplanes may be limited. The airplanes with Avidyne displays may be updated through other sources, the FAA said. Spare parts are not available from Eclipse, but owners can get some parts directly from suppliers, and the FAA said several suppliers have asked about getting approved to sell parts directly to owners. "Be aware," warned the FAA, "that there may be interface issues that only Eclipse can address." |
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FAA Reinterprets Maintenance Rule, Aircraft Owners Benefit
March 3, 2009
By Mary Grady
A review by the FAA about what the word "current" really means in a regulation regarding maintenance of multiengine turboprops and turbine-powered aircraft is good news for owners and operators, AOPA said this week. The legal interpretation arose from a question regarding whether an aircraft operator is obliged to comply with the maintenance standards that were in place when the aircraft was manufactured or with updated maintenance instructions. Although the industry has historically interpreted the rule to mean that the latest standards must be applied, the new interpretation says the operator is not obliged to do so. The FAA notice says an operator needs only to adopt a manufacturer's inspection program that is "current" as of the time he adopts it, and that program remains "current" unless the FAA mandates revisions to it. Such a mandate would be adopted in the form of either an AD or an amendment to the operating rules. "By extension, this interpretation applies to ANY aircraft," says AVweb's Savvy Aviator columnist Mike Busch. "What it means is that no change that the manufacturer makes to its maintenance manual or ICA subsequent to aircraft delivery or STC installation is compulsory UNLESS it is explicitly FAA-approved." AOPA says the FAA's review is particularly good news for owners of Cessna 425 and 441 Conquests, which were built 20 to 30 years ago. Recently, these owners were facing the possibility of having to comply with extremely invasive inspections, including the removal of the aircraft's wings, because of multiple updates to Cessna's maintenance program, AOPA said. They now can comply with the maintenance program in place at the time their airplanes were built. |
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Gulfstream G650 Completes First Flight -- Simulated, That Is
March 3, 2009
By Mary Grady
We're used to reporting the first flight of new aircraft designs, but this week, Gulfstream announced the first simulated flight of its G650 bizjet -- a less satisfying milestone, perhaps, but nonetheless significant. "This achievement demonstrates the successful integration of numerous cockpit systems, including those designed by Gulfstream and those provided by our suppliers," said Gulfstream spokesman Pres Henne. The first flight was conducted on Dec. 15 in Savannah, Ga., by the project's lead test pilots, although a team of engineers and other pilots also got a chance to try out the controls during the simulation -- a chance they are unlikely to get when the non-simulated first flight occurs. The G650 simulator, which was developed in-house by a team of Gulfstream engineers and technicians, comprises a full-scale cockpit with avionics, hardware and sensors, as well as a full-scale cabin mock-up with a galley. The simulator enables all aircraft systems to be thoroughly evaluated and tested by engineers and pilots in a controlled lab environment well before the aircraft makes its maiden flight, says Gulfstream. The G650 will be Gulfstream's biggest-ever jet, carrying up to 18 passengers as far as 7,000 nm. With a max operating speed of 0.925 mach, it aims to displace Cessna's Citation X as the fastest civil aircraft flying. The first flight in our real world is expected by the end of this year. |
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Brainteasers Quiz #140: Winter Be Damned
March 2, 2009
By Paul Berge
When temperatures drop below an acceptable level of civility, pilots must face some cold realities: What you don't know about ice could severely chill your flight plans. Ace this ice-bound quiz to once again feel the warmth.
Take the quiz.
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LASP Comment Period Ends Amid Widespread Rejection
February 28, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Framed by some commenters as a "death sentence" for the functionality of operations that, according to the EAA, "raises serious constitutional questions about personal liberty," the Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP) comment period ended Friday amid a chorus of new negative opinion. The National Air Transportation Association Thursday released its recommendation that LASP, a TSA-proposed program that would govern security operations for all aircraft weighing more than 12,500 pounds, be withdrawn. "Overall, this NPRM demonstrates a troubling lack of knowledge and understanding of the general aviation community by the TSA," stated NATA President James K. Coyne. In Alaska, where aviation is often a critical component of daily of life, State Sen. Gene Therriaut and Rep. Mike Kelly separately introduced identical resolutions in the Senate and House this week expressing the legislature's opposition to LASP. Friday, GAMA added that while it was willing to work with the TSA toward a practical effective proposal, the current one "completely misses the mark." Both EAA and AOPA have expressed comments opposing the proposed security rules as well. |
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NTSB On Remos Light Sport Expo Crash
February 27, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The NTSB has released a preliminary report that includes a witness account of the Remos GX Special Light Sport Aircraft that crashed Jan. 25, during the Sebring Light Sport Expo at Sebring Regional Airport in Florida and notes evidence of problems with the controls. The crash seriously injured the aircraft's pilot and killed its passenger. A witness who took off in-trail of the accident aircraft reported that both the left and right ailerons of the accident aircraft appeared to be drooping as the accident aircraft started to roll right and climbed through 50 feet. The right roll progressed as the witness observed the aircraft's rudder "fully deflected to the left." The accident aircraft then flew a slipping right turn to roughly 100 feet agl but lost altitude as the bank angle increased. Eventually turning through 270 degrees, the aircraft struck the ground at 80-degrees right wing down. |
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First Responders: Be Careful With Your Old ELT
February 27, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Concerned that an exodus from old 121.5 MHz to new 406 MHz Emergency Locator Beacon (ELT) technology may translate into otherwise capable ELTs activating as they're tossed into dumpsters, AOPA and CAP have initiated a communications offensive. Feb. 1, 2009, marked the end of satellites' ability to notice your 121.5 MHz-specific ELT, while 406 MHz ELTs are satellite supported. Though responders still make efforts to monitor 121.5, 406 MHz is more widely supported and "switching to the new beacon is important," CAP said in a news release. It is similarly important that the people who would search for you and your downed aircraft aren't dispatched to spend their time digging through dumpsters and landfills to shut off improperly disposed of equipment. If you're changing out your ELT, properly disconnect the ELT from its battery or make sure that whoever does the work does so. Do not risk misusing search and rescue resources and personnel through improper removal or disposal of your old unit. The stories are already piling up. |
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Relatives Of Buffalo Crash Victim Sue Continental
February 27, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The lawsuit filed Thursday in federal court alleges that the Continental Connection Dash 8 that crashed Feb. 12 in a Buffalo suburb had inadequate deicing equipment and was flown by an improperly trained crew. The suit names Continental, Pinnacle Airlines, and Colgan Air, along with Bombardier -- all of which have declined comment. Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 aircraft operate in frequently cold parts of the world. But attorney (and pilot) Ronald Goldman, acting on behalf of the victim's family, told Fox news that the aircraft's deicing system "cannot guarantee the safety of passengers on a commercial flight." He concludes that the aircraft therefore "should never be flown in these kinds of conditions." The NTSB has not yet offered its own conclusions and a full investigation by the board could take more than a year. Goldman says his legal team will conduct its own investigation and is seeking wrongful death damages, along with monetary compensation for any pain and suffering endured in the flight's final moments. |
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Rolls-Royce Presents Helicopter Forecast
February 27, 2009
By Glenn Pew
From 2009 through 2018, Rolls-Royce predicts deliveries to total roughly 15,000 turbine helicopters. The new number represents a 5-percent increase from the company's February 2008 forecast and that uptick is entirely due to an expected increase in civil helicopter deliveries. Over the next 10 years, the civil market is expected to account for 9,000 aircraft -- most of which will be entry-level turbine helicopters. The value of those airframes is expected to chime in at about $26 billion, with a combined cost of $4 billion for engines. Still, the market, according to Rolls, will not escape near-term weakness, but should come out of that period with a resumed strength that translates into growth and strong demand by 2013. Overall, the projected 15,000 turbine helicopter deliveries are valued at some $130 billion in airframes and $12 billion in engines. |
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Russians Are Coming (Again)
February 27, 2009
By Glenn Pew
About 24 hours prior to President Obama's Feb. 19 visit to Canada, Norad CF-18 fighters were dispatched from Cold Lake, Alberta to intercept a Russian military bomber that closed on northern Canadian airspace. The Canadian Hornets met the Russian aircraft and "sent very clear signals" that the Russian aircraft was to turn around, Defence Minister Peter MacKay said at a press briefing. The Minister did not name the type of bomber and said he would not "stand here and accuse the Russians" of any particular intent regarding the president's visit. MacKay said the incident was not especially unusual and said the timing of the event could have been either deliberate or coincidental. He did however say it was a "strong coincidence," regarding Canada's temporary focus on Ottawa and the visiting American president. The aircraft did turn around prior to entering Canadian airspace. |
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New Eclipse Lining Up Support
February 27, 2009
By Glenn Pew
New Eclipse Acquisition LLC moved forward with plans to acquire the assets of defunct Eclipse Aviation over the weekend, holding meetings with various stakeholders in Albuquerque. Phil Friedman, who's spearheading the bid, told AVweb in a podcast interview that he met with key Eclipse employees to try to bring them into the new company and get working on a two-year recovery scheme. He's also busy lining up support among existing aircraft owners, investors and creditors of the old company. He said that by first upgrading existing aircraft the new company can generate cash flow necessary to resume production in 2011. The company is setting production goals, "at modest levels, approximately 100 aircraft per year," and hopes to price the jets at roughly $2.4 million each. Friedman, currently CEO of an aircraft electro mechanical and structural assembly company in Wichita said he intends to take advantage of "an excellent business opportunity if managed correctly." Friedman says he's studied Eclipse for a year and, working for the past several months with former Eclipse CFO, Peter Reed, has developed a business plan that aims to first upgrade and service the existing fleet, driving the jet's value "up to the $2 million range." |
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$7 Billion In Aviation User Fees In Obama Budget
February 26, 2009
By Russ Niles
Aviation groups are raising the alarm after combing President Barack Obama's first budget and finding the term "direct user charges" in relation to FAA funding. In fact, the Obama administration targets raising $7 billion annually, roughly half the FAA's budget by "repealing some aviation excise taxes and replacing these taxes with direct user charges." The charges would begin in 2011. The language is on page 129 of the budget. (View the PDF.) Not surprisingly, general aviation groups are unanimous in their opposition to the language. |
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GA Badging Plan Delayed
February 26, 2009
By Russ Niles
AOPA says it's working behind the scenes to mitigate the effects of a so-far secret plan by the Transportation Security Administration to require background checks and badging of general aviation pilots using airports served by airlines. AOPA says it's been aware of the proposal for some time and its lobbying efforts resulted in a 60-day delay (to June 1) for implementation while the TSA considers input from general aviation operators. It's hoped that security measures more in tune with GA operations and requirements will result. This latest security news, on top of a veritable blitz of attention on GA by the TSA has lit up blogs and forums and suffice to say there's not much support for the initiative. |
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'Eclipsers' Reach Out To One Another
February 26, 2009
By Russ Niles
A Web site created to help laid off Eclipse Aviation employees get on with their lives says there have been reports of a group forming to create a company that would at least support the 260 aircraft now flying. Although there are no details provided, it's evidence that the wheels are already turning as Eclipse enters Chapter 7 liquidation. "I know of at least one group that is trying to put something together to at least support the 260 finished aircraft," former Eclipse engineer Brian Turner, the host of the site, wrote there Wednesday." I am guessing there are others also looking at the bankruptcy as an opportunity to buy the assets cheap. We will not know anything until we see what happens in the bankruptcy. " |
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Pip Borrman, Australian Aerobatics Star, Killed During Practice
February 25, 2009
By Mary Grady
Peter 'Pip' Borrman, 54, one of Australia's most popular aerobatic performers, was killed on Wednesday afternoon while practicing in his new Pitts Samson biplane, which he planned to fly for the first time in public for next month's Australian International Airshow. A witness, Peter Lott, told local reporters that the airplane took off, Borrman flew one maneuver, then there was a "weird bang" and he saw the smoke. "When I got over there the plane was just a ball of flames in the paddock," he said. According to the Edge Aerobatics Web site, Borrman was just nine years old when his father taught him to fly, and he fell in love with aerobatics as a teenager. He put his flying dreams on hold after his father was killed in a Tiger Moth accident in 1975 and went into business, but some years later he returned to aerobatic flying and eventually bought a Zivko Edge 540. He flew the Edge in airshows around the country, and in 1999 he received one of only two Ground Level Waivers ever issued in Australia. His wife of 30 years, Janet, said, "Flying was his passion, he just loved it ... he lived, ate and breathed it, he really did. Any spare time he had it was practice, practice, practice, he was just so particular." |
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FAA Finds Self-Certification Process Effective For LSA
February 25, 2009
By Mary Grady
When the light sport aircraft industry launched, less than five years ago, with an FAA mandate that would allow manufacturers to essentially self-certify their airplanes, there was some concern about whether buyers or even insurers would consider such a process adequate. But now, the FAA has completed 23 of a planned 29 assessments of LSA manufacturers, and so far has been pleased with the results. "The FAA is confident that LSA manufacturer's compliance can match that of the commercial aviation manufacturers," John Colomy, acting manager of FAA's Small Aircraft Directorate, recently told LSA industry officials. "This will be a major accomplishment since using consensus standards and compliance self-declarations is a new way of doing business for the LSA industry." Dan Johnson, chairman of the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association, points out that self-certification is not really new for the LSA industry, since that's how it's been done from the start -- however, it's new for the FAA. "And congratulations to this federal agency for stepping back from their normal regulatory control," Johnson said. The FAA added that it found some areas where improvements could be made, and the manufacturers are sure to hear more about that soon. Johnson said that's to be expected. "How could it be otherwise? We have an industry barely four years old while Cessna, for example, has had 80-plus years to get it all right." |
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EAA Confirms WhiteKnightTwo Will Fly At AirVenture
February 25, 2009
By Mary Grady
As has long been expected, EAA confirmed this week that the Virgin Mothership Eve, also known as WhiteKnightTwo, will make its public debut at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, on opening day, Monday, July 27. The space launch vehicle, which is the largest carbon-fiber aircraft ever built, will be on view all week, departing during the Saturday airshow. EAA said it hopes to arrange showcase flights during the week. "This will be a major highlight of our event," said EAA President and AirVenture Chairman Tom Poberezny. "Since the appearance of the X-Prize-winning WhiteKnight and SpaceShipOne at AirVenture four years ago, our members have eagerly awaited the next advancements from the Virgin Galactic and Scaled Composites innovators." The ship has a unique heavy-lift, high-altitude capability and an open architecture-driven design that provides for maximum versatility in the weight, mass and volume of its payload potential, said Will Whitehorn, president of Virgin Galactic. Besides serving as a launch vehicle for SpaceShipTwo, VMS Eve can also be used to launch satellites, conduct space science projects and train astronauts. "Its carbon composite construction also gives unprecedented fuel efficiency and the strength to perform high g maneuvers and parabolic flight," Whitehorn said. The ship has a 140-foot wingspan. Burt Rutan, chief designer for Virgin Galactic's spacecraft, is scheduled for two forums on Wednesday, July 29, one during the day at the Honda Pavilion and one in the evening at Theater in the Woods. |
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LASP Comment Deadline Is Friday, Court Challenge Expected
February 25, 2009
By Mary Grady
The Transportation Security Administration's proposed Large Aircraft Security Program is causing quite a high level of concern among the GA alphabet groups, and this Friday marks the end of the comment period on the proposal. The advocacy groups are asking their members to submit comments and protest this plan, which they say would impose crushing burdens on GA airports and operators. The program would apply only to aircraft of 12,500 pounds and up, but it would mark the first time for TSA to gain access to purely private flight operations. "It would, in effect, require governmental review and authority before you could operate your own personal vehicle," says EAA. "The TSA's proposal raises serious constitutional questions about personal liberty, privacy, and freedom of movement." The plan would also impact sport aviation, such as skydiving and historic aircraft flights, and EAA says it would be especially onerous in the Alaska aviation community. "What the TSA calls an 'all-encompassing solution' is a legal death sentence to the functional present-day means that provide essential services to most of rural Alaska," one commenter wrote last week. At least one company, Carrington Capital, of Greenwich, Conn., the parent of Peregrine Jet, aims to challenge the matter in court. The suit, to be filed on Friday, contends that Congress never gave TSA the authority to institute LASP, but only directed TSA to "transmit a report on airspace and other security measures that can be deployed, as necessary, to improve general aviation security." |
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737 Down In Amsterdam, 9 Killed
February 25, 2009
By Mary Grady
A Boeing 737-800 operated by Turkish Airlines crashed into a farmer's plowed field in Amsterdam on Wednesday morning while on approach to Schiphol airport. The airplane, which took off from Istanbul, hit the ground about 2,000 feet short of the runway. The engines sheared off and the fuselage split into three pieces. There was no fire. Of the 134 people on board, nine were killed, including the two pilots and a third crewmember who was in the cockpit. Of those who were hurt, 6 were in critical condition, 25 were seriously wounded and 24 had slight injuries, according to the Associated Press. Visibility was reportedly good at the time of the crash, with a low overcast and some light rain and light wind. An official said Turkish Airlines has a good safety record, although the airline has had three fatal crashes since 1983. The 737 was just seven years old. Early reports were inconsistent regarding how much fuel may have been on the airplane and whether it had stalled or was still under control when it hit the ground. Officials said that there was no evidence of a terrorist attack. Investigators have recovered the cockpit voice and flight data recorders, and the NTSB has sent a team to help with the inquiry. |
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AVweb Insider Blog: Looking Past Eclipse
February 25, 2009
AVweb Editor-in-Chief Russ Niles has had a long, sometimes strange relationship with Eclipse. In the latest installment of our AVweb Insider blog, he muses on failure of Eclipse and the long shadow it will cast over general aviation. |
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Congress Hears From Hudson Controller, Captain, And Crew
February 24, 2009
By Mary Grady
On Capitol Hill on Tuesday, Patrick Harten, the air traffic controller who was on duty the day US Airways Flight 1549 ditched in the Hudson, spoke about the event publicly for the first time. He told members of the House Subcommittee on Aviation that when he heard Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger tell him, "We're gonna be in the Hudson," he asked him to repeat himself, even though he heard him just fine. "I simply could not wrap my mind around those words," Harten said calmly. "People don't survive landings on the Hudson River, and I thought this was a death sentence. I believed at that moment, I was going to be the last person to talk to anyone on that plane alive." Harten said that during the emergency itself, he was hyper-focused. "I had no choice but to think and act quickly, and remain calm. But when it was over, it hit me hard. It felt like hours before I learned about the heroic water landing that Captain Sullenberger and his crew had managed. Even after I learned the truth, I could not shake the image of tragedy in my mind. ... I felt like I had been hit by a bus." Harten will return to work later this week for the first time since the ditching. The panel also heard from Capt. Sullenberger, who warned that airlines of the future may not be as safe as airlines today. "I am worried that the airline-piloting profession will not be able to continue to attract the best and the brightest," Sullenberger said. |
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LASP Comment Deadline Is Friday
February 24, 2009
By Mary Grady
The Transportation Security Administration's proposed Large Aircraft Security Program is causing quite a high level of concern among the GA alphabet groups, and this Friday marks the end of the comment period on the proposal. The aviation advocacy groups are asking their members to write in and protest this plan, which they say would impose crushing burdens on GA airports and operators. The program would apply only to aircraft of 12,500 pounds and up, but it would mark the first time for TSA to gain access to purely private flight operations. "It would, in effect, require governmental review and authority before you could operate your own personal vehicle," says EAA. "The TSA's proposal raises serious constitutional questions about personal liberty, privacy, and freedom of movement." The plan would also impact sport aviation, such as skydiving and historic aircraft flights, and EAA says it would be especially onerous in the Alaska aviation community. "What the TSA calls an 'all-encompassing solution' is a legal death sentence to the functional present-day means that provide essential services to most of rural Alaska," one commenter wrote last week. |
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Canada Marks 100 Years Of Powered Flight
February 24, 2009
By Russ Niles
There's some irony that the re-enactment of the 100th anniversary of the flight of the first powered heavier-than-air vehicle in Canada was scrubbed by cold, snow and wind. As organizers planned the re-enactment, the overriding fear was that Baddeck Bay on a lake on windswept Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia wouldn't be frozen over as it was on Feb. 23, 1909 when J.A. Douglas McCurdy lifted off smoothly from the ice in the bamboo-and-wire Silver Dart. The bay hasn't frozen in the last six years. But Cape Breton has been pummeled by an old fashioned Canadian winter this year and, quite literally in the calm before the storm, flying conditions were perfect Sunday for a number of "test flights" in which Canadian astronaut Bjarni Tryggvason flew the replica aircraft in front of about 1,000 people. |
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AVweb Insider Blog: ADM, Chaos Theory, and Why There Will Always Be Crashes
February 23, 2009
IFR magazine editor-in-chief Jeff Van West joins the AVweb Insider blog with some thoughts on the Colgan crash. While the reasons for are still being sorted out, but crashes like this will continue to happen from time to time, and Jeff speculates that this one may have been a case of doing the wrong thing for the right reasons. |
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Gear-Up Landing From The Inside
February 22, 2009
By Russ Niles
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| Click to watch the video alongside this story |
We can't count the times we've been alerted to breathless cable news anchors waiting as a pilot burns off fuel for a mechanically-induced gear-up landing. And while they're a heart-stopping event for those on board, not to mention the news-starved anchors, they almost always turn out the same way, with a slide along the runway, bent prop(s) and scraped bellies. Well that's how this one in a Cessna 182 in January of 2007 at Charles W. Baker Airport, near Memphis, turned out too but it's from a decidedly different perspective. |
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Grenade In Baggage Destroys BT-67
February 22, 2009
By Russ Niles
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| Click for larger image |
A Colombian policeman obviously didn't heed those signs at the airport with all the diagonal slashes through things you shouldn't put in your checked luggage. The grenade he had in with his skivvies went off while the turbine-upgraded DC-3 he and 26 others were on was getting ready to leave Medellin Airport. Now, the official line from the Colombian government was that it was a tear gas grenade but the damage portrayed in a photo released afterward suggests it might have been considerably more powerful. The aircraft was split in two by the detonation, which also removed most of the aircraft's upper fuselage. No one was killed but eight people were injured. |
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Aviation Tax Breaks And Stimulus Money
February 21, 2009
By Glenn Pew
Congress has approved a tax break stimulus package targeted at airplane buyers as states get ready to apply $1.1 billion intended for airports as part of the stimulus package signed last week by President Barack Obama. The tax break takes the form of accelerated depreciation and, like the one first used post-9/11 to help manufacturers recover from the economic slump that followed the 2001 terrorist attacks, sharply cuts the initial tax bill for companies that buy aircraft for business purposes by allowing larger early year deductions. The industry has already lost about 11,000 jobs to the slump. Todd Tiahrt, a Republican Representative from Kansas, has seen his state account for some 7,000 of those job losses (mostly from Cessna and Hawker Beechcraft). Tiahrt told The Associated Press, "this is exactly the type of financial incentive that should be included in a stimulus bill." Meanwhile, state governors encouraged by industry advocate groups like AOPA to push lists of airport improvement projects as "shovel ready" stand ready to apply government stimulus money to aviation infrastructure projects from sea to shining sea. |
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Two Light Aircraft Packed With C4 Fly "Suicide" Mission
February 21, 2009
By Glenn Pew
The nightmare scenario sometimes conjured to push for further regulation of general aviation aircraft in the U.S. played out in Sri Lanka Friday and ended with one aircraft crashing into a government building and the other close to an air force camp. Used as weapons of war by rebel forces, two men flew two 1,600-pound Zlin Z-143 light piston single aircraft at night using handheld GPS and "torch light" (presumably flashlights) to guide them in an effort to deliver themselves and about 280 pounds of C4 high explosive to their targets. Sources differ in their reports regarding of the amount of explosives carried -- some cite 215 kg, or close to 473 pounds. According to rebel sources, the men were not meant to return from what they called suicide missions and they were not shot down. Rebels claim the two defense installation targets were hit and both the military and rebel accounts seem to agree that one aircraft struck the Inland Revenue Department building and exploded. The other aircraft crashed into a marsh, according to the Sri Lankan air force, which said both aircraft were turned away from other targets by a darkened city (defensive blackout) and ground fire. The two pilots were killed and more than 40 people were injured in the attacks. The local government claims each aircraft had engaged after the aircraft were spotted on radar and said their destruction, plus that of another aircraft destro | | | |
