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| Top News: NTSB Looks to Human Error in Wis. Crash | back to top |  |
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NTSB Finds Pilots At Fault In Citation Crash
The NTSB met on Wednesday to discuss the results of its investigation into the crash of a Cessna Citation 550 in June 2007 and laid the blame squarely in the lap of the pilots. The jet had just taken off from Milwaukee, carrying a medical team with a human organ for transplant. Shortly after takeoff, the captain had trouble controlling the airplane, and the crew was trying to return to the airport when the jet crashed into Lake Michigan, killing all six on board. The safety board investigators said they didn't have enough information to say for sure what happened -- it might have been a runaway trim or the inadvertent engagement of the autopilot, rather than the yaw damper, at takeoff -- but in either case, the crew's failure to respond adequately was the cause of the accident. "Regardless of the initiating event, if the pilots had simply maintained a reduced airspeed while they responded to the situation, the aerodynamic forces on the airplane would not have increased significantly; at reduced airspeeds, the pilots should have been able to maintain control of the airplane long enough to either successfully troubleshoot and resolve the problem or return safely to the airport," the board said in its synopsis. The NTSB released an animation of the crash sequence.
The board said the first officer had poor flying skills and was inadequately trained, and the captain, who was also the chief pilot for the charter operator, contributed to the development of an "inadequate safety culture" at the company. The board also noted a number of contributing issues that it would like to see addressed, such as better oversight by the FAA of safety protocols at charter companies, better design for circuit breaker panels, and upset recovery training for flight crews. As an interim measure (pending an available aileron trim system retrofit), Cessna should notify Citation pilots and operators of the potential hazards related to the sensitivity and responsiveness of the airplane's aileron trim system, the board said. The board posted online the docket of documents and the PowerPoint presentations used in Wednesday's meeting.
A lawyer for the first officer's widow told the Detroit Free Press that it wasn't reasonable to think the pilots could have recovered from the situation at such a low altitude. Marlin Air, the charter operator, did not immediately respond to the Free Press's request for comment. The University of Michigan, which had chartered the aircraft, said in a statement: "We hope that this review will help prevent such incidents around the country so that no other medical institution, and no other families, will have to face such a loss." |
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or call 1 (877) REMOS-88.
| China International GA Convention Underway | back to top | |
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China Hosts GA Convention This Week
For manufacturers of GA aircraft that have been eagerly awaiting the opening-up of Asian markets, this weekend's China International General Aviation Convention, in the northwestern city of Xi'an, is a good sign. More than 80,000 visitors from around the world are expected, according to China Daily. The convention will feature several airshows, a static exhibit with more than 100 aircraft, talks and forums. To promote the event, a new series of postage stamps has been released that features images of GA aircraft built by Cirrus, Diamond, Cessna, and Flight Design. "When Chinese citizens can buy Mercedes automobiles in large numbers, they demonstrate they can also afford light aircraft," said Matthias Betsch, CEO of Flight Design. "We are very honored to be included with these famous brands [in the stamp series] as China opens its doors to general aviation." In other news from China, Yuneec Intl. announced recently that it flew its electric-powered trike for one hour 16 minutes near its facility in Shanghai, and hopes to stretch that to an hour and half by the end of this month.
The trike was powered by the Yuneec Power Drive 10Kw motor system. Also, an airshow in Beijing this week unveiled the design for a twin-engine single-aisle airliner that will seat up to 190 people. The airliner will be developed by the Chinese government. China's domestic airlines are expected to need up to 4,000 new airplanes over the next 20 years. |
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| Pilots on Food Stamps? | back to top | |
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Michael Moore, NY Times Address Pilot Pay
In the first post of a new blog on his Web site, filmmaker Michael Moore this week addressed the issue of pilot pay, and The New York Times also explored the topic in a lengthy Page One story on Wednesday. "I have a whole section in my new movie [Capitalism: A Love Story] about how pilots are treated," Moore writes. "In the movie I interview a pilot for a major airline who made $17,000 last year. For four months he was eligible [for] -- and received -- food stamps. Another pilot in the film has a second job as a dog walker." The Times story focuses on Bryan Lawlor, a pilot for ExpressJet who was one of 130 captains downgraded to first officer in a cost-cutting measure. He took a 50-percent pay cut, to $34,000 per year. Click here for the full NYT story, or here for an audio slideshow. Moore's movie features interviews with several pilots and excerpts from Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger's testimony before Congress in February, when he talked about the pay cuts and pension reductions taken by pilots. Click here for an audio podcast of Sullenberger's testimony.
In his blog post, Moore says that on a recent airline flight, the pilots -- who were unaware that pilot pay was addressed in the new film -- asked to talk to him after they landed. One showed him a letter from the airline noting that he had already taken three sick days in the past year and warning him not to take any more. The other pilot showed Moore a pay stub for $405 for a week's work. "My life was completely and totally in his hands for the past hour and he's paid less than the kid who delivers my pizza," Moore writes. At least one of the pilot interviews in the film was apparently shot at Wittman Field in Oshkosh, though it wasn't identified -- the airport's distinctive new control tower was visible in the background. The young pilot who was interviewed said she owes $100,000 in student loans but tried not to think about it. An older pilot said the airlines take advantage of the fact that pilots love to fly and thus will put up with poor treatment. The film also mentions the Colgan Air accident and the poor pay of the pilots involved. During the final credits, a note appears asking viewers to donate to "Pennies for Pilots," but we were unable to find any further information about any such effort. |
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| Aerion's SSJ Forges Ahead in New Economy | back to top | |
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Aerion Reports Progress In Partnership Talks
Aerion remains determined to be first to market with a supersonic business jet, company chairman Robert Bass said in a news release this week. Armed with an order book worth $4 billion, Bass has been shopping around for an OEM partner to take on the project. "I said at EBACE earlier this year that I am committed to the Aerion program as long as we see progress in our discussions with OEMs," said Bass. "We are seeing progress. In fact, we are quite encouraged by our discussions. There is no question that the economic impact on the industry has slowed their decision-making progress, but it has not lessened interest in this program." He said the Aerion design is practical, because no regulatory changes are required for the jet to operate efficiently, and the supersonic natural laminar flow wing design is well proven. "There are no barriers to success," said Aerion Senior Advisor John Holding. "Technical risks are low, and the development of the jet is well within the capability of several manufacturers."
The Aerion team will be at the NBAA Convention in Orlando, which runs Tuesday to Thursday next week, with a mockup of its design. "Even when some of the major industry players are hunkering down, we have come to tell the industry that they will soon be able to embrace a faster future," said Vice Chairman Brian Barents. "That is why we are here at NBAA -- to spread this message." Watch for AVweb's team coverage of NBAA events all next week. |
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| News Briefs | back to top | |
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Las Vegas Launches Lighter-Than-Air Tourist Attraction
Las Vegas visitors now can fly in a tethered helium balloon to enjoy a view 500 feet above the Strip. The new business, called Cloud Nine, launched last Thursday, and claims to operate the largest balloon of its kind in the world. The 70-foot-tall balloon can carry up to 30 passengers at a time, at about $25 each for a 10-minute flight. The Las Vegas Sun, in its report on the new venture, noted that the company has some tough competition -- an observation deck at the Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas is 460 feet high and charges just $10, and the Stratosphere hotel has a deck at 1,149 feet for just a $16 admission. A blimp operator that offered tours around the city about 10 years ago was unable to make a go of it, according to the Sun. But Cloud Nine CEO Kevin Michaels seems confident. "We've got 40 million people that come here on an annual basis. I thought it was a great opportunity for the visitors and the 2 million locals, alike," he told the Sun.
Michaels spent two years working to get the project off the ground, and hopes to expand to other tourist destinations such as Hawaii, California, Mexico, and Europe. |
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| What You Missed in AVwebBiz This Week | back to top | |
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Can Wichita Weather The Storm?
Wichita, Kan., has been the hub of the U.S. aircraft manufacturing industry since the 1920s, when the companies that would become Hawker Beechcraft, Cessna, and Boeing all had their roots there. But the current downturn has hit the city hard, with about a quarter of the aviation workforce laid off. According to a story in Monday's Wall Street Journal, the city may never recover those jobs. Many manufacturers had started work on new production facilities in China, Mexico, and elsewhere to increase capacity during the boom times, and when orders do start to pick up again, the work might go there, rather than back to Kansas. Company officials told the WSJ it's unlikely that they would expand their Wichita operations beyond today's level. Any future growth would probably happen abroad. "We're going out and trying to recruit new businesses here to diversify what we have," Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer told the WSJ. But some of those new businesses might still be in the aviation sector, he added.
Meanwhile, Tom Buffenbarger, president of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, has been asking President Barack Obama to visit Wichita to see the job losses that have resulted from negative characterizations of business jet use and the recession. Buffenbarger, who was a staunch supporter of Hillary Clinton in the presidential race, was in the news last year for angry remarks he made about then-Senator Obama and his supporters, in which he characterized Mr. Obama as two-faced and cowardly.
Stratos Finds First Customer, Will Bring Cabin Mock-up To NBAA
Stratos Aircraft, of Bend, Ore., announced this week it has received the first deposit for a Stratos 714 Very Light Personal Jet. The company also said it will display its full-scale cabin mock-up at next week's NBAA Annual Meeting & Convention in Orlando, Fla., for the first time at that event. "The need for speed, performance and value drew me to Stratos," said Verson Pandian, the first buyer to take advantage of the Stratos fully refundable deposit program. Pandian is the owner of Cascade Air Charter, in Bend, and plans to use the jet in his business. "Knowing that I am not at risk with my deposit made me feel like the Stratos team really understands my perspective," he said. The Stratos single-engine jet will fly 1,500 nm at 400 knots carrying four people plus baggage, the company says. "We are excited to bring the 714 mock-up to this year's NBAA convention, especially since there is a focus on the light business aircraft owner," said Stratos Chairman Michael Lemaire. "We look forward to a great show."
The company's fully refundable Assurance Deposit Program aims to reassure skittish buyers that their deposits will be held in escrow, and can be refunded at any time. Lemaire says the 714 will fill a market need that right now is going unmet. "There are many piston and turboprop owners that have the need for more speed and range but also want a more efficient jet option with low acquisition and operating costs in these challenging economic conditions," says Lemaire. "The 714 matches this need and is the only aircraft that will give these pilots business-jet performance in a very light jet." The full-scale mock-up was first displayed at Oshkosh AirVenture this summer. The company said it will release further details and updates about the program at next week's NBAA event.
AVwebBiz Brings You Daily Updates from NBAA 2009
October 20-22 is the annual NBAA Convention, and we'll bring you news and announcements every day from the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. To follow our daily coverage, take a moment to make sure you're signed up for our no-cost AVwebBiz e-newsletter.
Add AVwebBiz to your AVweb subscriptions today by clicking here and choosing "Update E-mail Subscriptions." |
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| The Top Reporter on Our Crack Staff ... Is You! | back to top | |
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Aviation Consumer's Flight-Planning Software Survey
Do you use software for flight planning? Aviation Consumer magazine wants to know what computer tool you prefer, be it a package you paid for, downloaded for free, or just use on the web. Even if you just glance at the METARs on ADDS and figure you'll stop for gas somewhere on the way, we'd appreciate you taking a couple of minutes to answer at least some of these questions. Hey, you might even discover flight-planning options in the survey questions you never knew existed. Click here to participate.
(The results will appear in a future issue of Aviation Consumer. For subscription information, click here.)
AVweb's Newstips Address ...
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| New on AVweb | back to top | |
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Columns | Features | What's New | Calendar | Brainteasers
Question of the Week: Is Flying Still Fun for You?This Week's Question | Previous Week's Answers PREVIOUS RESULTS *** Last week, we asked what AVweb readers thought of the possibility that teen-aged alleged serial airplane thief Colton Harris Moore learned to fly from the internet. The biggest segment of you (43% of those who answered) said, Sure; the information is readily available, detailed, and comprehensive — but another 28% of thought it was possible but this kid must have at least been in a cockpit before. For a complete (real-time) breakdown of reader responses, click here. THIS WEEK'S QUESTION *** Between rising costs, onerous security, and more regulation, sometimes it seems like the fun is going out of aviation. Do you agree?
Have an idea for a new "Question of the Week"? Send your suggestions to . NOTE: |
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As a Mooney owner himself, Wayne can guide you through the purchase process.
| AVweb Media: Look, Listen, Laugh and Learn | back to top | |
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Exclusive Video: Flying the Zeppelin NT with Airship VenturesOriginal, Exclusive Videos from AVweb | Reader-Submitted & Viral Videos Pilots who signed up for sightseeing flights over San Francisco in the new Zeppelin NT kept asking the crew if they could take a turn in the front seat. Tired of having to say no, the company created a special day-long program just for pilots. AVweb's Mary Grady tried it out during a session in Long Beach last month, and here is her report.
Exclusive Video: Garmin's New Traffic ProductsOriginal, Exclusive Videos from AVweb | Reader-Submitted & Viral Videos At Oshkosh this year, Garmin announced the new GT-series traffic awareness and collision avoidance products. These devices are priced according to capability and aircraft mission. In this video, we take a quick look at all three systems.
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| Your Favorite FBOs | back to top | |
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FBO of the Week: AirFlyte, Inc. (KBAF, Westfield, Massachusetts)
Nominate an FBO | Rules | Tips | Questions | Winning FBOs
AVweb's "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to AirFlyte, Inc. at Westfield-Barnes Airport (KBAF) in Westfield, Massachusetts.
AVweb reader James Labrie recommended brought AirFlyte to our attention with this tale of stellar service:
AirFlyte's lineman professionally guided us to parking and literally provided us with a red carpet treatment, a genuine smile, and a giant umbrella to shield us from the light rain. We were quite impressed with the beautiful FBO in the brand new terminal building. ... Our children immediately entertained themselves with the Wii and giant flat screen TV. ... I was most impressed with the courteous and prompt service I received, in a spotless new facility. The rental car agency and excellent dining experience all in one building added to my satisfaction. I would definitely recommend AirFlyte to all pilots. They treat a C-172 pilot as importantly as an executive jet pilot. I absolutely will return to AirFlyte.
Keep those nominations coming. For complete contest rules, click here.
AVweb is actively seeking out the best FBOs in the country and another one, submitted by you, will be spotlighted here next Monday! |
| Reader-Submitted Photos | back to top | |
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Picture of the Week: AVweb's Flying Photography ShowcaseSubmit a Photo | Rules | Tips | Questions | Past Winners 
Each week, we go through dozens (and sometimes hundreds) of reader-submitted photos and pick the very best to share with you on Thursday mornings. The top photos are featured on AVweb's home page, and one photo that stands above the others is awarded an AVweb baseball cap as our "Picture of the Week." Want to see your photo on AVweb.com? Click here to submit it to our weekly contest. *** THIS WEEK'S WINNERS *** You thought last week's batch of "POTW" submissions were impressive? Buckle up, because we've got a stash this week that may be even better! (Seriously, we had to resort to the old quarter toss method of tie-breaking more than once this week.)
You'll find more reader-submitted photos in the slideshow on AVweb's home page. Trust us: You don't want to miss this week's batch! Click here to submit your own photos to "POTW." — A quick note for submitters: If you've got several photos that you feel are "POTW" material, your best bet is to submit them one-a-week! That gives your photos a greater chance of seeing print on AVweb, and it makes the selection process a little easier on us, too. ;) A Reminder About Copyrights: |
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| Names Behind the News | back to top | |
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Meet the AVwebFlash TeamAVwebFlash is a weekly summary of the latest news, articles, products, features, and events featured on AVweb, the internet's aviation magazine and news service.
The AVwebFlash team is:
Click here to send a letter to the editor. (Please let us know if your letter is not intended for publication.)
Comments or questions about the news should be sent here.
Have a product or service to advertise on AVweb? A question on marketing? Send it to AVweb's sales team.
If you're having trouble reading this newsletter in its HTML-rich format (or if you'd prefer a lighter, simpler format for your PDA or handheld device), there's also a text-only version of AVwebFlash. For complete instructions on making the switch, click here.
Aviate. Navigate. Communicate. |
