Babbitt Placed On Leave Of Absence, Future Unclear

ANN Real-Time Update, 120511, 17481, ET: EAA President, Rod Hightower, has weighed in as well with the following statement, “This is a most unfortunate development, particularly in light of the many positive contributions made by Administrator Babbitt as head of the FAA. There will be no rush to judgment by EAA as we await the facts and further information.”  ANN Real-Time Update, 120511, 1551, ET: AOPA President, Craig Fuller has just furnished a statement to ANN, "At moments like this there tends to be a rush to judgment in Washington, DC. FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt brings considerable passion, experience and skills to a position that is vital to th

Pilot Gets Wrapped Up In Setting Up Autopilot... Passenger Alerts Him To Rising Terrain

Oh boy.... there isn't a pilot alive that can't relate to getting all wrapped up in some issue in the cockpit when they should have had their head engaged on other issues... like flying the airplane and avoiding terrain. Surprisingly; this accident was survivable (as so few of them are), but the lessons are here to be absorbed by one and all... LOOK WHERE YOU'RE FLYING!

Pair Of Piper Seminole Level 5 FSTDs Valued At $700,000

A generous donation from the Emil Buehler Perpetual Trust brought Florida Institute of Technology two Frasca 242 Piper Seminole Level 5 Flight Simulation Training Devices (FSTDs). The simulators, valued at $350,000 each, are housed in the Emil Buehler Center for Aviation Training and Research, at Melbourne International Airport, home of FIT Aviation.

Horrific Accident Shows Aircraft Leveled Off Til Impact

The more we report on accidents, the more we shake our head in disbelief at the nature of these things. Although details are still somewhat sparse, the much-reported accident that killed six people on board an Aero-Commander 690 Turbo-Prop reveals that the this was a new airplane to the owner and that the aircraft had pretty much leveled off and was flying level when it impacted terrain in the Superstition Mountains. The only real lesson we can take out of this at such an early stage? KNOW your terrain and be very wary of what's ahead... this accident occurred some 150 feet below the crest of the terrain they hit... and outside of some yet undisclosed but possible interference, should have been known and avoided by the pi

Sheriff's Dept. Touts Operating Costs, Capabilities

California's Tulare County features lots of agriculture and recreational opportunities, but the sheriff now has a big-city asset available - a surveillance aircraft. The department has leveraged $20,616 in seized drug money to get a federal grant for about ten times that amount, and has used it to buy its own Flight Design CTLE, the law enforcement variant of the popular LSA.