Listed With Short Notice NOTAM:  3/1511  Issued:  12/04/2003 20:21  Effective:  12/05/2003 23:05 - 12/06/2003 01:45  State:  TX  Facility:  ZFW - FORT WORTH (ARTCC),TX.  Type:  VIP  Description:  FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS ABILENE, TEXAS, DECEMBER 5, 2003 LOCAL 

Singer Barbra Streisand's lawsuit against a helicopter pilot accusing him of violating her privacy was thrown out of court Wednesday. Not only that, but she's going to have to pay Ken Adelman's legal fees -- estimated somewhere in the six-figure range. Sweet. "It was a clean sweep," Adelman (with wife and pilot Gabrielle, above) said after the ruling. "We didn't win just on a technicality, but on all the substantive issues. The judge ruled that what we did was free speech and not an infringement of privacy."

'Free Speech Protections Upheld for Landmark Aerial Database' ANN Note: This is the offical statement released by the Adelmans... we felt it should be presented and read in its entirety... In a decision that reaffirms the public’s First Amendment right to participate in matters of public significance, a Los Angeles Superior Court issued a 46 page opinion today holding that Barbra Streisand, the well-known entertainer and Hollywood celebrity, abused the judicial process by filing a lawsuit against aerial archivist Ken Adelman, his Internet Service Provider Layer42.NET, and Pictopia.COM. The court also firmly rejected Streisand’s request for an injunction to force the removal of a panoramic photographic frame that happens to include her spra

A Sad and Scary Tale By ANN Contributor Ralph McCormick (Editor, Fly-Low) The day before Thanksgiving, Pablo Pinzon did what every pilot loves to do. He took a local flight in his pristine 1946 Champ (File Photo, below). Pablo flies out of Chickasha (OK). The day was a beautiful clear Oklahoma day. The Champ was performing exceptionally well. Suddenly, there was a slight shutter and vibration. Not expecting any problems, Pablo began to look for the cause. Nothing could be found, so he headed to the nearest airport. The vibration got worse, the oil temp and pressure remained good. And then, every pilots nightmare, the engine just stopped dead cold. Realizing that he wasn't going to make it to any airport, he decided to land on U. S. Highway 81, which was right under him. At t

Klyde Talks Strike!

Nearly 100 years after the dawn of powered flight, a new generation of high-speed, unmanned air vehicle successfully has began flight testing. The Boeing Company’s Canard Rotor/Wing (CRW) concept demonstrator completed its first hover flight at the U.S. Army Proving Ground in Yuma, Ariz. During the flight test, the CRW advanced technology demonstrator – known as the X-50A Dragonfly – flew for about 80 seconds at 8:10 a.m. MST, December 3rd, 2003. It lifted off vertically from the launch site to an altitude of 12 feet above the ground, hovered and then vertically landed, commencing the flight test program.

AOPA President Phil Boyer has called directly upon the US Navy to lift the four "permanent" TFRs (temporary flight restrictions) in the Puget Sound area. In a letter to the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Vern Clark, Boyer said, "Our organization appreciates the formidable challenges that faced the defense community directly following the [September 11th] terror attacks. However, the TFRs are no longer warranted." Boyer noted that in the two years since the attacks, numerous steps have been taken to address general aviation and national security.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) has released, for the first time, monthly data on the causes of airline delays, showing that weather in October was a major factor in flight delays by larger U.S. airlines. Of the nearly 550,000 flights operated in October by the reporting carriers, almost 1,700 were delayed by extreme weather which interfered with flight operations, and more than 13,000 were delayed by weather that prevented the aviation system from operating at full capacity. Other flights were delayed when the previous flight using the same aircraft was delayed by weather and other causes.

No one was hurt Wednesday night when Goodyear's newest airship, Spirit of America, crash landed after an apparently missed approach. Witnesses say, instead of landing, the blimp tried recovered after completing a TV photo flight over an NBA game in Los Angeles. "We're thankful there were no serious injuries," said Jennifer Arnold, speaking for Goodyear. But it's not yet clear what condition the blimp is in. A large tear was spotted in the fabric covering the non-rigid airship. The gondola's front windscreen was shattered.

Amazing Technology Now Being Fielded Worldwide (Part IV) The Gyro-IPT The GL-1500 is still on the drawing board today. The next step down from the G-FET-II in the regular ETC line, regularly being delivered, is the Gyro-IPT. IPT stands for "Integrated Physiological Trainer" and ETC is on its second generation of these machines. This machine doesn't have the centrifugal acceleration cueing or the plug-and-play interchangeable cockpits of the G-FET-II. It doesn't have the same degree of customer customization. It also doesn't have the treasury-busting price tag.

The airline wanted 30 percent. Instead, the most well-paid pilots in the business Thursday offered just nine percent in wage concessions -- their contribution to improving the airline's ailing bottom line. Pilots also offered to give back a pay raise contracted for next year. Delta says that's going to mean its costs are about $1 billion higher than its competitors. Committee members think Delta wants wage concessions along the lines of those granted by bigger bankrupt airlines like American and United. The union's negotiating committee said it "does not believe (Delta's) pilot costs must be aligned with the pilot costs at restructured or bankrupt airlines for our company to be profitable."

Guess Who's Coming To Tulsa? NOTAM: 3/1516 Issued: 12/04/2003 21:12 Effective: 12/05/2003 16:40 - 12/05/2003 17:45 State: OK Facility: ZKC - KANSAS CITY (ARTCC),MO. Type: VIP Description: TULSA, OKLAHOMA, DECEMBER 5, 2003 LOCAL.

The number of applicants to the Air Force Academy is 301 students more than this all of last year, the academy’s admissions department officials said. “As of Dec. 2, the total number of applicants to the academy is 11,081,” said Rollie Stoneman, admissions associate director. “By the end of the admissions cycle, Jan. 31, we could be close to 13,000 applicants.” By comparison, the academy received a total of 10,780 applications for the current freshman class.

The transition to a new airplane can occasionally be difficult, even hazardous. In the case of a Kentucky accident, the new owner of Pulsar N97JW found it to be a fatal one. The Pulsar (File Photo, below) went down next to the small grass runway at Samuels Airfield, in Bardstown, KY, during what was reported by the FAA to be a low-altitude flight or a high-speed taxi attempt. An airport official, Mike Forsee, reported that the deceased, Carl R. McDaniel, (62) of Shepherdsville, was the only person aboard, and that he had purchased the plane earlier in the day.

First (Ever) Such Agreement Between the Two Countries As part of the continuing effort to strengthen US-Vietnam relations, ease travel and expand trade between the two countries, US Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta and Vietnamese Transport Minister Dao Dinh Binh today signed the first-ever comprehensive US-Vietnam air services agreement. "Since our two countries signed a bilateral trade agreement late last year, our economic ties have become stronger," said Secretary Mineta. "Last year, the United States and Vietnam engaged in almost $3 billion in direct trade. Today's agreement solidifies that partnership and lays the groundwork for even greater growth and success in our economic relationship."

On December 3, 2003, Don Dominguez of San Luis Avionics, Inc. presented Matt Pittenger of Atascadero with the 4th Annual San Luis Avionics Youth In Aviation Scholarship Award. This $2000 scholarship will allow Pittenger to begin private pilot training at the flight school of his choice, beginning January 2004. Pittenger competed against a number of qualified applicants from throughout San Luis Obispo County, completing an application, a written essay, and an oral interview given by a diverse panel of individuals involved in aviation. He is currently attending Atascadero High School and plans to pursue a career in aviation. By achieving this scholarship he will qualify for a Marine Scholarship that will enable him to become part of the NROTC Aviation Program at Uni

Alteon Training tells ANN that they now offer Cabin Safety and Service Training for business jet flight attendants. The 5-day course includes training in: evacuation, firefighting, first aid, ditching, as well as aviation operation subjects such as security, HAZMAT, and crew resource management. Additionally, flight attendants receive training in food handling and service. The course is FAA FAR Part 142 approved.

For Sale: Aventura II Aventura II: Boat-hull amphibian, Rotax 912S 100 HP engine, 185 hrs TTAE, electric flaps, 18 gallon tank, ICOM radio, Mode C transponder Exterior Quality: 8, Interior Quality: 7 Used, will sell for $34,000.00 (or best offer)

NAFI Lauds November's Masters NAFI has shared with ANN their pride in announcing a significant aviation accomplishment on the part of these very special aviation educators. Recently, they were all designated Master Instructors by NAFI, their professional aviation organization. To help put this achievement in its proper perspective, there are approximately 81,000 CFIs in the United States. Fewer than four hundred of them have earned the Master designation thus far. As a measure of the prestige conferred by this title, the last eight FAA National Flight Instructors of the Year were Master CFIs. In addition, the FAA recently approved the designation as an alternate means for CFIs to renew their flight instructor certificates.

AD NUMBER: 2003-24-13 MANUFACTURER: Cessna SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2003-24-13 SUMMARY: The FAA adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Cessna Aircraft Company (Cessna) Models 172R, 172S, 182S, 182T, T182T, 206H, and T206H airplanes that are equipped with a Honeywell KAP 140 autopilot computer system installed on the center instrument control panel near the throttle. This AD requires you to install an update to the operating software of the KAP 140 autopilot computer system, change the unit's part number, and change the software modification identification tag.

BizJet Industry Adds A New and Major Player A long-awaited lfight, described last week as "imminent," has come off quite nicely. Confirmed by officials at the airport, Honda's experimental business jet prototype took to the skies Wednesday from Piedmont-Triad Airport in Greensboro, NC. The Honda HF118-powered twin-jet flew for "over an hour" and apparently performed fairly well throughout an initial flight that was originally rumored to be set for December 17th (which was still being reported as late as yesterday, in the Japanese press). The Honda Jet is an interesting apparition, in that both its powerplants are mounted on vertical pylons atop each wing, instead of underneath them or attached to the rear of the fuselage, as we see in most other desi