On The Fly…

0

Christie’s Concorde auction helped raise $3.8 million for The Air France Foundation for children. A speed indicator was auctioned for $94,000 and a nose cone for $500,000. While the children benefit from the cash, they will — unlike the generation before them — grow up in a world devoid of supersonic commercial flight, at least for now…

All four on board survived the fiery crash of a Learjet that went down shortly after takeoff from St. Louis Downtown Airport. The plane skidded about 300 feet before stopping in a field about four miles from the airport. The survivors weren’t immediately identified but the plane belonged to Multi-Aero Inc., a Festus, Mo., charter company…

Air Canada has been bailed out by a Hong Kong billionaire. The bankrupt carrier will get a $499 million injection from Victor Li, son of Li Ka-shing, in exchange for 31 percent of the company. Two top executives will each get a 1 percent stake in the airline if they pull it back to profitability. Shares, which once traded at $20, are now worth less than $1…

The FAA says its Alaska safety programs are working in light of a major decrease in accidents in the 49th state. There were 106 accidents in the first 10 months of the year, the lowest number in 10 years. Ironically, the number of fatalities increased, with 29 people dying this year, the most in several years…

Avid Aircraft has shut down its Ennis, Montana, factory and a recorded message indicates the owners are looking to move to a more populated area, possibly in the Midwest. Avid was founded in 1983 and, until recently, produced five kitplanes…

Three senior NASA managers will take over the agency’s new safety and engineering center created in the wake of the Columbia disaster. Ralph Roe, Paul Munafo and Larry Crawford were named last week. Roe was the NASA official who, based on faulty analysis by other staff, concluded the foam that felled the shuttle was not a “safety of flight” issue…

Andrew Grant probably just wanted an airplane ride but he ended up in the history books. The 15-year-old German Valley, Ill.- boy became EAA’s one millionth Young Eagle on Oct. 25. Andrew took the ride with Rick Ellis, who has flown more than 860 Young Eagles. Andrew’s next ride is with Gen. Chuck Yeager at Kitty Hawk Dec. 17.

LEAVE A REPLY