Rutan: Space Tourism Still A Long Way Off

When SpaceShipOne officially broke into space Monday, television news announcers giddily told us they were already in line to become some of the first private space tourists. But the man who designed that historic spacecraft says, don't pack just yet. For the vast majority of us, space will still be a long time coming.

But SpaceShipOne Pilot Says Flight Was A Bit "Intimidating" At Times

So... how was it? Mike Melvill, SpaceShipOne's 62-year old pilot on a historic journey to the edge of space Monday, described his suborbital flight as "almost religious experience. You really do get the feeling that you've touched the face of God when you do something like this."

May Offer Cash To Companies That Orbit Earth, Land On Moon

Far from seeking to limit or compete with private space ventures like Scaled Composites' SpaceShipOne, NASA appears on the verge of offering its own version of the X-Prize.

Gets Canadian Type Approval

Bombardier's Learjet 40 has received its Transport Canada type certification. Introduced at the 2002 Farnborough Air Show, the Bombardier Learjet 40 received type certification from the FAA in July 2003 – less than 11 months after the aircraft’s first flight on August 30, 2002.

A Witness To Space Exploration, v2.0

This will certainly be a day I will not soon forget! ANN Publisher Jim Campbell and I left the hotel in Palmdale at 0300 for the Mojave Airport. A line of cars already stretched from the airport entrance to Hwy 14, about 2 miles at that point. Media vehicles formed endless rows, satellite trucks gathered as if it were a telecommunications convention and still and video cameras were amassed in the hundreds.

Aircraft Nosed Into Forest After Dropping Fire Retardant

From the NTSB: On June 17, 2004, at 5:47 p.m., a PZL-Mielec M-18 Dromader airplane, N8214J, impacted terrain while maneuvering during firefighting operations and was destroyed near St. George, Utah. During the accident flight, the single engine airplane was under the operational control of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), US Department of Interior (DOI). The airplane was being operated with a restricted category Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness certificate. The purpose of the public-use flight was to release a fire retardant over a wildland fire.

Grounded Until Investigation Is Complete

Two Northwest Airlines A-319 crew members are grounded, after they landed over the weekend -- not at their intended destination of Rapid City (SD), but at Ellsworth AFB, seven miles away.

Simultaneous Pursuit Of Type Certifications In US, Canada

Certification work on the four-place Seawind amphibian has probably passed the halfway mark according to company president, Dick Silva. The work required for a type certificate is being pursued in Canada, with FAA approving the steps along the way. Deliveries of completed aircraft are expected to begin in mid 2005.

Receives EASA Certification On Heels Of FAA Approval

Dassault Falcon celebrated another milestone in the roll out of their new, advanced flight deck with EASA approval last week and receipt today of FAA certification for the Falcon 2000EX EASy.

RVSM Pilot Certification Online In One Hour

Domestic RVSM becomes a fact on January 20, 2005. And certificates showing that pilots have received training in RVSM procedures must accompany the application for the required Letter of Authorization (LOA).

NOTAM: 4/5697 Issued: 06/22/2004 04:03 Effective: Immediately - Until Further Notice State: AK Facility: ZAN - ANCHORAGE (ARTCC),AK. Type: HAZARDS Description: 20 MILES NORTHWEST OF FAIRBANKS, ALASKA.

NOTAM: 4/5672 Issued: 06/21/2004 17:36 Effective: Immediately - Until Further Notice State: CA Facility: ZOA - OAKLAND (ARTCC),CA. Type: HAZARDS Description: NORTHFORK, CALIFORNIA,

NOTAM: 4/5717 Issued: 06/22/2004 13:01 Effective: 06/23/2004 13:00 - 06/23/2004 19:20 State: PA Facility: ZNY - NEW YORK (ARTCC),NY. Type: VIP Description: PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, JUNE 23, 2004.

NOTAM: 4/5699 Issued: 06/22/2004 04:20 Effective: Immediately - Until Further Notice State: WA Facility: ZSE - SEATTLE (ARTCC),AUBURN,WA. Type: HAZARDS Description: TONASKET, WA.

NOTAM: 4/5690 Issued: 06/21/2004 23:01 Effective: Immediately - Until Further Notice State: AZ Facility: ZAB - ALBUQUERQUE (ARTCC),NM. Type: HAZARDS Description: WINKLEMAN, ARIZONA,

NOTAM: 4/5703 Issued: 06/22/2004 05:22 Effective: Immediately - Until Further Notice State: WA Facility: ZSE - SEATTLE (ARTCC),AUBURN,WA. Type: HAZARDS Description: WENATCHEE, WA.

NOTAM: 4/5695 Issued: 06/22/2004 00:49 Effective: 06/23/2004 22:24 - 06/24/2004 00:08 State: FL Facility: ZMA - MIAMI (ARTCC), FL. Type: SPACE FLIGHT Description: KENNEDY SPACE CENTER OPERATIONS AREA, FL.

NOTAM: 4/5641 Issued: 06/21/2004 03:03 Effective: Immediately - Until Further Notice State: WA Facility: ZSE - SEATTLE (ARTCC),AUBURN,WA. Type: HAZARDS Description: ENUMCLAW, WA.

NOTAM: 4/5640 Issued: 06/21/2004 02:21 Effective: Immediately - Until Further Notice State: NV Facility: ZLA - LOS ANGELES (ARTCC)PALMDALE, CA. Type: HAZARDS Description: MESQUITE, NV.

NOTAM: 4/5688 Issued: 06/21/2004 21:43 Effective: Immediately - Until Further Notice State: AK Facility: ZAN - ANCHORAGE (ARTCC),AK. Type: HAZARDS Description: VENETIE, ALASKA.

Will Handle Citations

Cessna Aircraft Company's new Orlando, Florida, Citation Service Center is open for business. Cessna received the new Orlando Citation Service Center's certificate of occupancy from the city of Orlando on Thursday and workers began an around-the-clock move on Friday evening. The new Orlando Citation Service Center began serving customers on Monday morning.

"As a close observer to Scaled Composites' amazing and historic victory in the quest to make space accessible to the common man, I simply have to admit that I am in awe of these people; of their professionalism, camaraderie and spirit." Source: ANN Publisher Jim Campbell, after reflecting on Scaled Composites' achievement in sending SpaceShipOne to an altitude of more than 328,000 feet.

"You really do get the feeling that you've touched the face of God when you do something like this." Source: The world's first private astronaut, Mike Melvill, after completing Monday's record-breaking flight aboard SpaceShipOne. He piloted the winged spacecraft to an altitude of 328,491 feet -- beyond the very edge of space.

AD NUMBER: 2004-12-17 MANUFACTURER: Boeing SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2004-12-17 SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to certain Boeing Model 757-200 series airplanes, that requires repetitive inspections of the intercostals that back up the door stops and hinges at door 2 left and door 2 right for cracks, and corrective action, if necessary. This amendment also provides for an optional terminating action for the repetitive inspections. This action is necessary to prevent fatigue cracks from propagating in the intercostals, which could lead to the loss of a door in flight and subsequent rapid decompression. This action is intended to address the identified unsafe condition

AD NUMBER: 2004-13-03 MANUFACTURER: Rolls Royce SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2004-13-03 SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Rolls-Royce (1971) Limited, Bristol Engine Division (RR) Model Viper Mk.601-22 turbojet engines. This AD requires reducing the life of certain 1st stage turbine rotor blades from 7,000 hours time-in-service (TIS) to 4,600 hours TIS, and provides a drawdown schedule for blades that have already exceeded the new reduced life limit. This AD results from the manufacturer's investigations into failures of 1st stage turbine rotor blades. We are issuing this AD to prevent multiple failures of 1st stage turbine rotor blades that could result in a dual-e

AD NUMBER: 2004-12-18 MANUFACTURER: Empresa SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2004-12-18 SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to certain EMBRAER Model EMB-120 series airplanes, that requires installing three new vertical cargo nets in cargo-configured cabins. This action is necessary to prevent significant movement of cargo during operation, which could result in loss of control of the airplane or injury to the flight crew. This action is intended to address the identified unsafe condition.

AD NUMBER: 2004-12-19 MANUFACTURER: Airbus SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2004-12-19 SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to certain Airbus Model A319, A320, and A321 series airplanes. This AD requires replacement of a certain transformer rectifier unit (TRU) with a certain new TRU. This action is necessary to prevent ignition of the input filter capacitors of the TRU in position 2 of the avionics compartment, which could potentially result in smoke in the cockpit. This action is intended to address the identified unsafe condition.

AD NUMBER: 2004-13-01 MANUFACTURER: Dowty Aerospace Propellers SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2004-13-01 SUMMARY: This amendment supersedes an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to Dowty Aerospace Propellers (Dowty) Type R334/4-82-F/13 propeller assemblies. That AD currently requires a one-time ultrasonic inspection of propeller hubs, part number (P/N) 660709201, for cracks. This amendment requires initial and repetitive ultrasonic inspections of propeller hubs,P/N 660709201, that are installed on airplanes, and for hubs and propellers in storage, initial ultrasonic inspection of propeller hubs before placing in service. Propeller hubs, P/N 660709201, are installed on Type R321/ 4-82-F/8, R324/4-82-F/