Testifies Thursday, Before the Senate -- From Orbit

As Atlantis’ crew prepares for landing Friday, mission managers are closely monitoring a low pressure system that has brought 16 inches of rain in three days to the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Earns Thumbs-Up From NBAA

Randy Babbitt's Senate hearings for confirmation as Administrator of the FAA started yesterday in Washington DC. It quickly became apparent that the February 12th crash of Continental Connections Flight 3407 will be a major issue in the process.

Has The Airline Biz Looked In A Mirror Lately?

There have been of these lately... those "intriguing" little moments where you hear something said and are the pretty much forced to ponder whether those speaking have truly considered the import of their words.

ANN Daily Touch-And-Go: 05.21.09 (ANN's Short-Form Daily News Program)

 

ANN Daily Aero-Briefing: 05.21.09 (ANN's Long-Form Daily News Program) ANN Special Feature: Part I - Lycoming's Ian Walsh - 05.21.09 (ANN Special Report, with Lycoming's Ian Walsh)

Ares I's Three Main Parachutes Show Their Stuff  

What a drag... but in a goodd way! NASA and industry engineers successfully completed the first test of the Ares I rocket's three main parachutes Wednesday. The parachutes -- the largest rocket parachutes ever manufactured -- are designed to slow the rapid descent of the rocket's spent first-stage motor, permitting its recovery for use on future flights.

 L-3 Avionics Systems has appointed Jay LaFoy as President of the company, which is part of L-3 Communication’s Aviation Products business area. In this role, Mr. LaFoy will oversee all aspects of the L-3 Avionics Systems business, which is a leading supplier of avionics products for the general aviation, business jet, military and commercial air transport markets.

Union Claims 'New TSA Administrator Is Crucial To Agency Improvement'

 A Union posturing for more of the action that may come with Pro-Union bargaining changes for TSA workers notes that the TSA's ranking as the worst place to work within the Department of Homeland Security 'should come as no surprise.'

Dallas Airmotive and fractional ownership provider, Avantair, have signed a five year engine maintenance agreement. Dallas Airmotive will provide repair, hot section inspection, overhaul and field service on the PT6A-66 engines that power Avantair's fleet of Piaggio Avanti turboprop aircraft.

AD NUMBER: 2009-10-13

MANUFACTURER: Saab AB, Saab Aerosystems Model 340A (SAAB/SF340A) and SAAB 340B Airplanes SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2009-10-13

AD NUMBER: 2009-10-12

MANUFACTURER: Boeing Model 747 Airplanes SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2009-10-12

AD NUMBER: 2009-10-11

MANUFACTURER: Airbus Model A330-300, A340-200, and A340-300 Series Airplanes  SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2009-10-11

AD NUMBER: 2009-11-03

MANUFACTURER: Lockheed Model 382, 382B, 382E, 382F, and 382G Series Airplanes SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2009-11-03

Paper? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Paper!

We live in amazing times... and with our recent acquisition of a Cirrus G3 Turbo, crammed to its composite rafters with electronic wonders, we are starting to get up close and personal with the realities of a (largely) paperless cockpit. It's an amazing process. However, when it comes to charting of any type, paper, electronic, you name it, its hard to even discuss the topic without the name 'Jeppesen' coming into the picture.

A Controversial But None-The-Less Interesting Take On The CC3407 Disaster

 Arthur Alan Wolk is a 'love him' or 'hate him' kinda guy... and many in aviation will pretty much adopt the latter criteria when his name comes up. An opponent to a number of aviation interests over the years, Wolk has sued for (and won) millions of dollars in judgments that have either (depending on your viewpoint) penalized parties who were liable for the damage their products caused... OR driven a number of aviation firms to the brink of insolvency with expensive and controversial litigation.

Writes Letter To Pelosi, Boehner

ATA's James May seems to think that increased PFCs are not in the air travel industry's best interests. While ATA has been all for levying a number of additional charges on the rest of the industry, at various times, ATA seems to think that additional Passenger Facility Charges are not a good thing.

Two Crew-Members Still Missing

At 11:36 p.m., PST, May 19, an HH-60 Seahawk helicopter went down off the coast of Southern California while conducting training operations with USS Nimitz (CVN 68).

Regardless, Be Prepared To PAY

Figures from the US Navy suggest that last week's official cancellation of the VH-71 Presidential Helicopter Program may have been politically expedient, but not necessary smart financially.

It Helps If You Don't Think About Where Its Been...

 Its probably more of a psychological exercise than a scientific one... after all, we've had the technology to filter and purify water from a number of not-so-palatable sources for a great number of years -- though it sure hasn't been used THIS way. Still... it has to be one of those "how much did you want this job, again?" moments as you take your first sip of recycled H2O...

The Peace-Loving People Of Iran Want The Capability To Kill At Long Range

Iran is claiming a successful test of a new medium-range missile capable of hitting targets in Europe.  Media reports reveal that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made the announcement in Semnan, near the missile's launch site in northern Iran ...

Defense Dollars May Be Getting Harder To Find

The President of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems appears to feel the good times for defense contractors fed by decades of The Cold War may finally be ending.

Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) The EFB is an electronic information management device that helps flight crews perform flight management tasks more easily and efficiently with less paper. It is a general purpose computing platform intended to reduce, or replace, paper-based reference material often found in the Pilot's carry-on Flight Bag, including the Aircraft Operating Manual, Aircrew Operating Manual, and Navigational Charts (including moving map for air and ground operations).

Aero-Linx: HH-60H Seahawk The HH-60H Armed Helicopter is a variant of the SH-60F, specifically designed for combat search and rescue and naval special warfare support. It can operate from aircraft carriers, and a variety of other naval and merchant vessels, as well as land bases.

"The flight crew was blameless for this crash and everyone investigating the crash knows it. It’s just easier to blame the dead crew than to blame the manufacturer who failed to equip this airliner with modern anti-ice equipment. The airplane suffered a tail stall as soon as the flaps 15 setting was selected and the crew did what they were taught – they reversed the procedure and retracted the flaps. The captain, in spite of the hideous criticism for having nonessential conversations below 10,000 feet, was otherwise professional and all required briefings were carried out."

 

Source: Controversial Aviation Attorney Arthur Alan Wolk, who has made a living litigating the aviation community over a number of perc

AD NUMBER: 2009-10-14

MANUFACTURER: Hartzell Propeller Inc. Steel Hub Turbine Propellers SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2009-10-14