Air Accident Investigation Branch Wants More Training For Sport Pilots

Since 1989, there have been as many as 265 gyroplanes flying in the United Kingdom. Also since 1989, there have been 15 fatal gyroplane accidents in the UK. That works out to a fatal accident rate of 27.1 for every 100,000 hours of flight time. So says the British Air Accident Investigation Branch. The fatal accident rate for all other forms of aviation in Britain is 1.1 per 100,000 flight hours.

AOPA, NBAA Responds to Proposed Legislation

Joining in a growing chorus of indignation, NBAA Chief Ed Bolen sent a letter to New York Congressman Ed Weiner on Friday regarding Weiner's proposed security legislation, HR 5035.  

Crew Trying To Stay In The Air 'Round The Clock

Pop quiz: What's the flight duration record for a non-rigid dirigible? Answer: Stay tuned.

Delta To Revamp ATL Hub Operations

Things are going to be mighty different at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport around the end of January. Rush hour just won't be the same because Delta Airlines -- following the examples of American and United -- plans to "de-hub."

Pilot-Mechanic Cleared Of Wrongdoing In Air East Lear Accident

This sort of thing just doesn't happen very often. Last week. NTSB Law Judge William R. Mullins reversed an Emergency Order of Revocation issued by the FAA against Michael Tarascio, owner and former Chief Pilot of Air East Management, a charter carrier based in Long Island (NY). The FAA wanted to pull Tarascio's Airline Transport Pilot and Airframe & Powerplant mechanic certificates.

Legislation Would Allow Waivers Around Major Sporting Events

The EAA wants its members to support a bill by Rep. Stephanie Tubbs-Jones (D-OH) that would allow waivers in restricted airspace around major sporting events for air-show operations. Such a measure would prevent situations like the one that curtailed much the Cleveland Air Show's Friday night performance over Labor Day weekend.

MiG-29s Go Up Against USS Stennis's F/A-18s

Soviet-designed MiG-29s flew against F/A-18C Hornets, F/A-18E Super Hornets and F-14D Super Tomcats Sept. 7 during joint air-to-air combat exercises over the South China Sea.

Pilot Ejected

A Marine Corps fighter jet crashed in northern Australia on Tuesday, apparently after the pilot ejected, the Australian military said. The F/A-18 Hornet went down about 10 miles from Tindal Airbase in the Northern Territory, the Defense Force said.

New Catalog Resource For Warbird Community

The North American warbird community will soon be better connected with the help of a dynamic reference guide. In February 2005, Wendee DeBusk and Peter Moll are launching a bi-annual resource directory for warbird-related businesses. Warbird Resource Directory is a one-of-a-kind reference book that identifies a multitude of warbird disciplines to help to connect the dots in this expansive and individualistic group.

Tank Slated To Fly Next Spring Ready For Foam Spray On Intertank

Workers at Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans (LA) have transferred External Tank 120 -- the Space Shuttle External Tank slated for the launch of the orbiter Discovery next spring -- into the facility's vehicle assembly building.

Deadline Approaching On HAI "Salute To Excellence" Nominations

The Helicopter Association International (HAI) is issuing its final call for "Salute to Excellence" award nominations. The deadline for all nomination submissions is October 13th.

Collaborating On Missile Defense

Raytheon Company and EADS SPACE Transportation have signed a cooperative agreement to begin collaborating on ballistic missile defense (BMD) interceptor programs in Europe, the United States and around the world.  

MTI To Build Fuselage, Empennage

Metalcraft Technologies and American Utilicraft have joined up in an agreement where Metalcraft will manufacture the fuselage and empennage sub-assemblies for the Prototype, First Article and the first 528 Production FF-1080 aircraft.

Appointed Senior VP Of Operations At NBAA

The NBAA has a new senior vice president for operations: industry veteran Steven J. Brown.

"EAA has always maintained that the TFR legislation was an ill-considered policy based on the economic dominance of professional sports leagues rather than security. That's why EAA and other aviation organizations stepped in to assist the Cleveland air show organizers in any way possible. What happened there showed how the inflexibility of this legislation hurt a long-standing air show tradition in that city, while not enhancing security one bit." Source: Doug Macnair, EAA's vice president of government relations, backing a federal bill that would grant waivers to airshows in restricted airspace or near major sporting events. Case in point: The Cleveland National Air Show, which, because of a ballgame at Jacobs Field, had to curtail the first night of its Labor Da

AD NUMBER: 2004-18-15 MANUFACTURER: McDonnell Douglas SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2004-18-15 SUMMARY: This amendment supersedes an existing airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to McDonnell Douglas transport category airplanes that currently requires a one-time detailed inspection to determine if wire segments of the wire bundle routed through the feed-through on the aft side of the flight engineer's station are damaged or chafed, and corrective actions if necessary.

AD NUMBER: 2004-18-13 MANUFACTURER: Airbus SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2004-18-13 SUMMARY: This amendment supersedes an existing airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to certain Airbus Model A300 B2 and B4 series airplanes, and Model A300 B4-601, B4-603, B4-605R, B4-620, B4-622R, C4-605R Variant F, and F4-605R airplanes, that currently requires a one-time inspection for cracking of the gantry lower flanges in the main landing gear (MLG) bay area; and repair, if necessary.

AD NUMBER: 2004-18-12 MANUFACTURER: DG Flugzeugbau GMBH SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2004-18-12 SUMMARY: The FAA adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Model DG-500MB sailplanes. This AD requires you to replace the engine pylon extension/ retraction Warner LA10 spindle drive with an improved designed Stross BSA 10 spindle drive and to modify the electrical system following applicable service information.

AD NUMBER: 2004-18-14 MANUFACTURER: Airbus SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2004-18-14 SUMMARY: This amendment supersedes an existing airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to certain Airbus Model A330 and A340-200 and -300 series airplanes, that currently requires revising the limitations Section of the airplane flight manual (AFM) to ensure that the flight crew is advised of the proper procedures in the event of uncommanded movement of a spoiler during flight.