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All News

October 18, 2011

NASA, NRO, USAF Establish Strategy For Certifying New Expendable Launch Vehicles

New Policy Will Be Based On Established NASA Risk Mitigation Criteria

NASA, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and the U.S. Air Force signed an agreement last week to establish clear criteria for certification of commercial providers of launch vehicles used for national security space and civil space missions. The U.S. government is committed to procuring commercial launch services for its satellite and robotic missions, including Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle, or EELV, launches.

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FAA Certifies Super Tucano Aircraft

Airplane Will Be Employed By Military Contract Training Provider

The FAA has completed final certification for Embraer's 314 Super Tucano aircraft, paving the way for the airplane to be placed on contract with Tactical Air Defense Servicesc (TADF). The company had acquired the airplane through a joint-venture Services Agreement with Tactical Air Support ("TacAir").

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G-YROX Circumnavigation Attempt Stalled Again

'Faceless Pen Pushers' In Russia Blamed For Latest Delay

Adventurer Norman Surplus has been delayed for another winter in his quest to become the first person to circumnavigate the globe in an autogyro. He's conceded the need to park his yellow AutoGyro MT03, G-YROX, in Japan to wait for the late arctic spring to arrive again before crossing the Bering Straits to Alaska.

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Carl Hicks Named Executive Director Of The Recreational Aviation Foundation

Long-Time Rec Pilot Becomes Orgnaization's First Formal Leader

Following a nationwide search, the Board of Directors of the Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF) have announced Carl Hicks, 58 of Gig Harbor Washington, as their first Executive Director. Truly a recreational pilot, Hicks received his private pilot license in August, 1975, and has several thousand hours of flight experience, remaining current ever since.

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ACI-NA Commissioners Award Scholarships To Aviation Students

Two Students Receive Scholarships Of $2,500 Each

Airports Council International - North America’s (ACI-NA) Commissioners’ Committee accepted the Scholarship Review Committee's recommendation to award scholarships of $2,500 each to two aviation students, at the ACI-NA Commissioners’ Committee meeting in San Diego, CA. Recipients include Cameron McGillicuddy, a student at Western Michigan University’s College of Aviation in Battle Creek, Michigan and Andrew Roybal, a student at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

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FAA Breaks Ground On New Air Traffic Control Tower, Radar Facility In Cleveland

Project Will Bring New Jobs, Strengthen Local Economy

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt broke ground Monday on a new $69 million air traffic control tower and Terminal Radar Approach Control facility at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, representing a significant investment in the future of air traffic control. The new tower will replace one that has served the airport since 1988.

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City Planners: No Ads On Rouge Vally Control Tower

Airport Officials Had Sought Permission For A New Revenue Stream

Some called it corporate underwriting, some said it was "branding" and some just called it advertising, but regardless, city planners in Medford, OR, have nixed the idea of placing corporate logos on the control tower at Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport (KMFR).

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FAA Grants STC For Garmin G600 RVSM In Cheyenne III, IIIA & 400LS

JetTech Modification Approved For Dual G600 RVSM Installation

The FAA has awarded an STC to JetTech for the installation of new Garmin G600 “Glass Panel” Dual EFIS installation specifically for Cheyenne III, IIIA and 400LS aircraft. The approved modification includes dual G600 RVSM primary instrumentation with RVSM capable ADC’s.  The Garmin GTN 650 and 750 instruments, shown in the center panel stack, are available as an additional installation.

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Qantas Management, Unions Warned To Mind Safety During Labor Dispute

CASA Says It Will Be Watching Very Carefully

The Australian aviation safety agency CASA has sent a letter to Qantas saying it had better keep an eye on safety during a labor dispute that is expected to be protracted. The letter indicates that Civil Aviation Safety Authority will continue to pay close attention to the airline during the dispute, according to a report in The Australian in conjunction with the Wall Street Journal.

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NTSB Highlights International Aviation Safety

Board Participates In More Than Just Domestic Accident Investigations

The NTSB late last week outlined the agency's role and participation in international aviation safety investigations; a lesser known role for the agency. "Aviation safety knows no borders - and there are no boundaries to what we can achieve when we work together," said NTSB Chairman Deborah A. P. Hersman.

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Off Road Race Driver, Two Others Fatally Injured When Plane Goes Down

Driver Rick Houseman And Brother Jeff Killed, Third Person Not Yet Identified

A well-known off-road race driver, his brother, and one other person were fatally injured Sunday when the plane they were flying went down in desert terrain five miles from Dagget, CA. According to the FAA registration database, the airplane was a 1967 Beech E-33 Bonanza/Debonair registered to West Island LLC in East Providence, RI.

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Gone West: Parachute Entrepreneur Ted Strong

Founded Strong Enterprises, 'The Parachute Company With Imagination'

Strong Enterprises reports on the company website that company founder Ted Strong passed away on Friday. No cause of death was listed in the notice. Strong Enterprises was formed in 1960 in Quincy, MA, moving to its present location in Orlando, FL, in 1976.

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P-51 Gear Collapses On Landing At St. Augustine

Pilot, Passenger Uninjured, But Warbird Is Damaged

The right main landing gear on a P-51 Mustang collapsed on landing at St. Augustine, FL, airport Saturday, damaging the airplane but not resulting in any injuries.

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Aero-TV At NBAA2011 Revisited: Real Progress -- Piaggio Makes Best Of Tough Year

Yes... 2011 Has Not Been A Good Year For Aviation, But Piaggio Is Making The Best Of It

No one has to tell you that the 2010-2011 timeframe has been tough on those of us in aviation. Its been a tough few years to sell airplanes... and even tougher on those attempting to show the public the true value of business aviation. Be that as it may, there are a few bright spots here and there. And one of those bright spots surrounds none other than one of the curviest birds in all of BizAv... the speedy Piaggio P.180 Avanti twin turbine pusher. The good news surrounding the Avanti is the fact that sales improved significantly over the 2010 season, and

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Aero-TV At NBAA2011 Revisited: Bombardier 2011 -- Learjet 85 Progress Report

Newest Lear On Track For 2013 EIS

Production of the new Learjet 85 aircraft has officially begun as the program successfully exited the Aircraft Level Critical Design Review. Development and production teams in Wichita, Kansas; Montréal, Québec; Belfast, Northern Ireland; and Querétaro, Mexico, are actively engaged in the manufacturing validation phase. Ralph Acs, Vice President and General Manager, Learjet, Bombardier Business Aircraft said the airplane is making solid progress. He said the manufacturing sites are ready, production has begun, and they have been successfully building parts and we are ensuring that all

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Gourgeon Ousted As Air France-KLM CEO

Alexandre de Juniac Expected To Be Named To The Post

The board of Air France-KLM has voted to fire the company CEO amid declining revenues and increased scrutiny of the airline's safety culture. Pierre-Henri Gourgeon had been re-appointed to a new four-year term in the position just over four months ago.

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Hilton Software Recommending Caution With iOS 5 Upgrade

'Feature' In New Operating System Could Cause Charts To Be Deleted

The Apple iOS 5 upgrade released last week has a design feature that could cause problems for users running apps like WingX which store large amounts of data on the devices.

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Eclipse Jet Donated To Veterans Airlift Command At NBAA

Eclipse Aerospace Will Upgrade Aircraft To Total Eclipse Standards

The Veterans Airlift Command (VAC), based in St. Louis Park, Minnesota announced the donation of an Eclipse Jet to benefit the organization at the recently-completed NBAA convention in Las Vegas. The jet's manufacturer Eclipse Aerospace has agreed to upgrade the aircraft to Total Eclipse standards and return the aircraft to active service.

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'Virgin Galactic Gateway To Space' Dedication Held At Spaceport America

Branson Family Rappels Down The Face Of The Facility's New Terminal

The ‘Virgin Galactic Gateway to Space’ and New Science and Education Customers to Bring Benefits of Space Access to Students and Researchers was dedicated on Monday. Some 800 guests joined Sir Richard Branson and New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez for the festivities, and Virgin Galactic’s commercial space vehicles performed a flyover of Virgin Galactic’s new home at Spaceport America in the New Mexico desert.

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FAA Issues Emergency AD For Sikorsky S-70 Helos

Condition Could Result In Loss Of Tail Rotor Drive

The FAA has issued an emergency AD (2011-22-51) for Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Sikorsky) Model S-70, S-70A, S-70C, S-70C(M), and S-70C(M1) helicopters. This emergency AD was prompted by an accident that resulted from the blockage of the internal oil passages of the intermediate gearbox (IGB).

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China Eastern Sheds Orders For 24 Dreamliners

Converts Order To 45 737s, Shifts $2.5 Billion To Airbus For 15 A330s

Boeing executives likely knew that the lengthy delays in getting the Dreamliner up, flying, and certified would cost it some businesses, and that rang true Monday as China Eastern converted $3.3 billion in orders for 24 of the new airplanes to 45 737s. The airline also said it plans to buy 15 Airbus A330s over the next four years at a price tag of $2.5 billion.

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Aero-News: Quote Of The Day (10.18.11)

"(Y)ou could get to the airport and find that WingX Pro7 and/or its databases (e.g. sectionals) have just disappeared." Source: Hilton Software founder Dr. Hilton Goldstein. 

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ANN's Daily Aero-Term (10.18.11): Semimonocoque

A fuselage design that includes a substructure of bulkheads and/or formers, along with stringers, to support flight loads and stresses imposed on the fuselage.

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ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (10.18.11)

Ask A CFI

Online answers to flight instruction questions from a Certified Flight Instructor. This blog is the brainchild of an Ohio flight instructor who was looking for a better way to answer the questions of his students, many of whom asked the same questions.

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