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December 20, 2013

Textron Buys Beech... $1.4 Billion Christmas Purchase

Beech Remains An American Company... Sigh Of Relief Heard All The Way From Kansas

Well... its official -- a number of media reports have confirmed that Scott Donnelly and Textron have pulled the trigger and bought Beechcraft, less than a year after the GA and BizAv planemaker emerged from bankruptcy with the intention to retool itself as a piston and turbine manufacturer -- and get out of the jet business. Wichita seems to be breathing easier, amid concerns that other suitors, mostly Embraer or Mahindra (or worse, an unnamed Chinese player), might have wound up with the company and created even more uncertainty for the local employment scene than there had been already.

ANN Daily Aero-Briefing: 12.20.13

The FAA To Delay Sleep Apnea Policy…

Is the F-35 a Bad Deal?

Scots Want Black Boxes on Helicopters…

More AERO-Casts

Aerial Firefighters Battle Late-Season Blaze In California

Fifteen Homes Already Destroyed By The Unusually Late Fire

Aerial firefighters have quickly deployed helicopters to California's scenic Big Sur coastline to contain a stubborn wildfire burning since Sunday, December 15 in the nearby Los Padres National Forest. The Pfeiffer Fire, which has destroyed over 550 acres and 15 homes, is happening during what is normally the close of the California fire season.

Brazil Resumes EC225 Operations

Marks The Return To Service Of All Super Puma Operators Worldwide

With the resumption of EC225 commercial flights by BHS Helicopter, OMNI and Aeróleo Taxi Aéreo in Brazil, all operators using this Eurocopter helicopter around the globe have now reinstated service. The EC225 oil and gas fleet’s return-to-service began in July 2013 in Angola, and now has been completed with all three Brazilian operators back in crew change operations for Petrobras.

Saratov Airlines Becomes First Russian E-Jet Operator

Has Leased Two E195 Airplanes For Scheduled Service, Charter Operations

Embraer Commercial Aviation welcomes Saratov-based Saratov Airlines (Saravia) as the first E-Jet customer in Russia. The airline has leased two E195s that will start operations in the coming weeks. The E190 and E195 were certified by Russia’s Interstate Aviation Committee in December 2012.

Delta CEO Says No Passenger Voice Calls During Flight

Memo Goes Out To 80,000 Employees Of The Airline

Delta Air Lines CEO Richard Anderson sent out a company-wide memo to the carrier's 80,000 employees worldwide Wednesday saying that voice calls will not be allowed on Delta or Delta Connection flights regardless of any decision by the FCC or the FAA.

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Authorities Seize Marijuana From Airplane In Pennsylvania

Airplane Had Attempted To Fly 'Under The Radar' To Avoid Detection

The pilot of a single-engine Cessna from Utah found himself on the wrong side of the law last Friday when he landed at New Castle Airport (KUCP) in western Pennsylvania north of Pittsburgh.

Boeing Delivers First 747-8 with Performance-Improved Engines

Cathay Pacific Takes First PIP Intercontinental

Boeing has delivered the first 747-8 with performance-improved GEnx-2B engines as part of the airplane's Performance Improvement Package (PIP.) A Cathay Pacific Airways 747-8 Freighter was the first 747 to deliver with the PIP engines.

Minor In Unmanned Aerial Systems Now Offered In Greenville, SC

Program Announced At UAS Event Held At Greenville Downtown Airport

An event held last Saturday at Greenville Downtown Airport in South Carolina focused on civilian uses of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) included the announcement of new degree programs offered in the field. At the event, video was shown and examples were given of the many civilian ways UAS can be used. They have been very helpful in emergency responses to disasters, rescue missions, firefighting, police work and public safety.

Angel MedFlight Upgrades Its Citation X For Global Medical Transportation

Patients Fly Higher, Faster And Safer In This 'Intensive Care Unit In The Sky'

Angel MedFlight says the newest addition to its fleet of jets – the Cessna Citation X – is flying worldwide for the transportation of patients. The company says the Citation X’s increased range and speed allows air ambulance medical transportation worldwide to destinations such as Hawaii, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, helping patients around the world receive the care they need at the hospital or medical facility of their choice.

Gone West: Tuskegee Airman William Booker

Passed Away Last Month At The Age Of 90

Another of the famed Tuskegee Airmen has passed away. William L. Booker died November 30 in a nursing home in Kirkland, WA of complications from Parkinson's disease at the age on 90, according to his family.

Solid Concepts’ 3D Printing Enhances Scale 737 UAV

Scale Model Of The Airliner Serves As Testing Platform For New Technologies

Georgia based company Area-I turned to Solid Concept’s manufacturing solutions for their 737 scale model unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) PTERA. PTERA’s purpose is to provide a low-cost testing platform for new control and monitoring technologies.

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Signature Flight Support Newark Inaugurates Private Aviation Terminal

New Facility Opened At Newark Liberty International Airport

Signature Flight Support Corporation, a BBA Aviation company, recently hosted a grand opening and inauguration ceremony to celebrate the completion of its newly constructed private aviation terminal at Newark Liberty International Airport (KEWR) which opened for business on November 15, 2013.

Pakistan Launches Production Of JF-17 Block-II Fighter

New Version Of The Aircraft Has Upgraded Avionics And Weapons Capability

Pakistan has reportedly begun production of the Block-II version of its JF-17 fighter aircraft with upgrades to its avionics and weapons systems.

Airborne 12.20.13: First Flights -- Belite SeaLite, Thatcher CX5, HF120 Gets Certified!

Also: SkyCraft Closes In On Cert, China Wants Moon Rocks, ALPA V Norwegian, CAF Breaks Ground, Quicksilver's New SLSA

Belite Aircraft announced the successful first test flight of their new aircraft, the Belite SeaLite. The SeaLite is an amphibious, carbon fiber float-equipped aircraft, designed to legally fly under FAR 103 ultralight regulations off either water or land. The FAA has awarded FAR Part 33 certification to GE Honda Aero Engine's HF120 turbofan engine, certifying its airworthiness and setting the stage for the production of this all-new engine. SkyCraft Airplanes reports that it’s about two months away from completing certification of its single place SD-1 Minisport, with its current first delivery expected to be made in March. All this... and MORE in today's

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Airborne 12.20.13: First Flights--Belite SeaLite, Thatcher CX5, HF120 Certified

Also: SkyCraft Closes In On Cert, China Wants Moon Rocks, ALPA V Norwegian, CAF Breaks Ground, Quicksilver's New SLSA

Belite Aircraft announced the successful first test flight of their new aircraft, the Belite SeaLite. The SeaLite is an amphibious, carbon fiber float-equipped aircraft, designed to legally fly under FAR 103 ultralight regulations off either water or land. The FAA has awarded FAR Part 33 certification to GE Honda Aero Engine's HF120 turbofan engine, certifying its airworthiness and setting the stage for the production of this all-new engine. SkyCraft Airplanes reports that it’s about two months away from completing certification o

FAA To Delay Sleep Apnea Policy

Agency To Gather Stakeholder Input

EAA Aeromedical Advisory Council chairman Dr. Stephen Leonard learned from the FAA Thursday that the agency will delay implementation of its new sleep apnea policy planned for next month in order to gather additional input from the aviation and medical community.

Report Says F-35 Is A 'Bad Deal' For The U.S. Military

Non-Profit Research Company Rand Corp. Releases Study Of The JSF Program

A study released this week by the non-profit Rand Corporation indicates that building one airplane to serve three military branches will not save money over building separate airplanes for the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps. The study says rather than saving money, it's likely to be more expensive.

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AirAsia X Orders 25 More A330-300s

Largest Order For The Aircraft To Be Received By Airbus

AirAsia X, the long haul affiliate of the AirAsia Group, has placed a firm order with Airbus for 25 more A330-300s. The contract is the largest A330 order received by Airbus in a single purchase agreement and increases the carrier’s total firm orders for the type to 51. These will be supplemented by another six A330-300s leased from International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC).

NCAR Convenes Second Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) Weather Summit

First Summit In 2006 Led To Development Of HEMS Weather Tool

The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in conjunction with the National EMS Pilots Association (NEMSPA), the FAA, the National Weather Service (NWS), and the International Helicopter Safety Team (IHST), held the second HEMS Weather Summit on Wednesday.

Klyde Morris 12.20.13

What Made You Think You Actually Had A Choice, Klyde?

FMI: www.klydemorris.com

Brazil Goes With Gripen For New Fighter Jets

Brazilian Government Source Says NSA Spying Squashed Boeing's Chances For The Contract

The Brazilian government has announced the selection of Gripen NG for its long-deferred FX-2 air force replacement program. The announcement will be followed by negotiations with the Brazilian Air Force aiming at a procurement of 36 Gripen NG airplanes.

NASA Administrator To Visit High School Student Satellite Builders

Thomas Jefferson High School Built TJ3Sat Which Was Launched In November

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden will visit a suburban Washington school on Friday, Dec. 20 where high school students built a small satellite that was launched into space in November. The satellite, TJ3Sat, was made at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, VA.

Aero-News: Quote Of The Day (12.20.13)

"We are pleased to see that the FAA will organize a meeting mid- to late January, get all concerned together, and try to hash out a compromise that will address FAA's concerns about sleep apnea with all of our concerns about cost, intrusiveness, and adverse effect on the industry." Source: Sean Elliott, EAA's vice president of safety and advocacy.

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ANN's Daily Aero-Term (12.20.13): Instrument Runway

A runway equipped with electronic and visual navigation aids for which a precision or nonprecision approach procedure having straight-in landing minimums has been approved.

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (12.20.13)

Misty Blues All Woman Skydiving Team

A few interesting facts about this all women's skydiving team: Only all women's skydiving demonstration team in the world; Team has been performing all around the world for over 20 years.

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