The AEA has filled ANN in on some pivotal developments over the Field Approval quandary that has so befuddled the aviation business. The FAA's FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 43-210 may eliminate a lot of confusion. SUMMARY: This AC publishes in a standardized Advisory Circular much of the previously published policies that have dictated Field Approval procedures for over 40 years. MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS: The AC provides standardized information on alteration data, the field approval application process, aircraft flight manual supplements, and instructions for continued airworthiness, including samples of various checklists that MAY be used to streamline the application process, but are not required.

Offered As Standard Avionics Option

WSI Corporation and Mooney Airplane Company announced Thursday the availability of WSI InFlight as a Standard Avionics Option on all new Mooney aircraft. The FAA-certified WSI InFlight AV200 system will be offered in combination with the Garmin-AT Apollo MX20 multifunctional display. New Mooney aircraft owners will be able to select the option prior to completion of the airframe. Mooney claims the system improves pilots' situational awareness by delivering WSI NOWrad radar mosaic weather imagery and other mission critical aviation weather information directly into the cockpit during flight.

NTSB Discusses Investigation In Public Meeting

A maintenance error combined with excess weight in the back of the plane led to the crash of US Airways Express Flight 5481 last year at North Carolina's Charlotte-Douglas Airport, federal investigators said Thursday. All 21 people aboard were killed in the crash, the deadliest in the United States in nearly 2 1/2 years. The twin-engine Beech 1900, operated by Air Midwest, took off on Jan. 8, 2003. Within seconds, however, its nose pitched up sharply. The aircraft stalled, then rolled left and plummeted into a maintenance hangar. The plane had been destined for Greer, S.C.

At the US Navy's insistence, the FAA on Thursday formally proposed turning the DoD TFR over the Kings Bay Naval Base in Georgia into prohibited airspace.  "This is a general aviation pilot's worst nightmare and has questionable security benefits," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "The Pentagon is dictating national airspace policy. And it could get worse. AOPA has learned that the DoD has already submitted requests to turn the remaining permanent TFRs into prohibited areas."

Wisconsin Assembly Proposed End to Labeling at Gas Pumps 

The EAA reports that it recently worked with the Wisconsin Ethanol Producers to help craft a compromise bill that ensures retail gas stations continue to inform customers of their use of gasoline with ethanol additives. As noted on the EAA website, State Assembly Bill 675 seeks to remove a requirement that gas stations label their pumps with the percentage of ethanol, unless the device dispenses reformulated gasoline at an airport for use as aircraft fuel. EAA, which holds a series of FAA supplemental type certificates (STC) that provide the right to allow aircraft owners to use auto fuels, argued that clear labeling was needed regarding ethanol in automotive gasolines for flight safety reasons.

Association Honors Laurence Perry, Rick Harmon

Laurence Perry of Classic Helicopters and Rick Harmon of Hawkins and Powers Aviation, Wyoming, are the recipients of Helicopter Association International's (HAI) Pilot of the Year Award. This award will be presented March 16, 2004, at HELI-EXPO in Las Vegas, Nevada, during HAI's 43rd annual "Salute to Excellence" award ceremony. After a bolt of lightning struck six of thirteen hikers, Aug. 23, 2003, at Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, Perry and Harmon flew to the rescue. Cell phone calls were placed to 911 by the injured hikers and a magnificently planned and implemented two-helicopter rescue relay followed.    

Australia's Improved Air Safety Enforcement

Australia’s aviation industry is now subject to a new set of procedures to enforce air safety. The government says new procedures give the Civil Aviation Safety Authority(CASA) a more balanced set of enforcement tools, as well as opening up enforcement decisions to greater scrutiny by the courts and tribunals. Changes to enforcement came into effect this week, creating, what CASA considers, a fairer and more transparent system for ensuring air operators, maintenance organizations and other people in the aviation industry comply with safety rules. CASA’s chief executive officer, Bruce Byron, says the new system will ensure the punishment fits the crime.

King Air Hits Mountainous Terrain

Macedonia's president was killed on Thursday when his plane crashed in a mountainous part of southern Bosnia en route to an international investment conference, an official with Trajkovksi's party said. Vlatko Djordjev, a spokesman for Trajkovski's party, VMRO-DPMNE, said he was told by party headquarters in Skopje that the 47-year-old Macedonian president was killed in the crash. The aircraft was a Raytheon King Air. Bosnian search-teams scoured the rough terrain in salvage operations.

7E7 Engine Selection In April

Engine manufacturers are looking forward to an April Boeing decision on 7E7 powerplants, Pratt & Whitney President-Commercial Engines Robert Leduc said at the Asian Aerospace 2004. The airframe manufacturer is taking the competing engine specifications to key airline customers. Boeing firmed aircraft specifications just a few weeks ago, but now "we finally locked down on thrust and configuration," allowing Pratt to deliver its "best and final" engine specifications at the end of March, Leduc said. So large is the prospective market -- 2,000-2,500 airplanes over 20 years by Boeing's forecast, 1,900 by conservative Pratt guesses -- that Leduc plans to keep the program going in the event the PW-EXX is not selected, slowed somewhat waiting for Air

Klyde Takes On The Aero-Haters

An A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot from Eielson Air Force Base, died Feb. 25 after his aircraft crashed at about 8:30 p.m. The aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff near the Chena Flood Plain area, southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska. Capt. Jonathan Scheer is officially assigned to the 354th Operations Support Squadron and he is an attached A-10 pilot with the 355th Fighter Squadron.

Opens FBO in Toulon, France

Signature Flight Support has assumed flight support services for business aviation at Hyeres Airport (TLN) in Toulon, France. Operating out of the main terminal until the new purpose-built 4,000-sq.-ft. FBO facility is completed in the second quarter of 2004, Signature began service in Toulon on January 5, 2004. Bruno Hardy will oversee operations at the fixed base operation and will report to Louis DeMarque, general manager of Signature's Paris LBG facility.

The Prez Is Coming to Town

NOTAM:  4/1492  Issued:  02/26/2004 06:18  Effective:  02/27/2004 15:30 - 02/27/2004 18:20  State:  PA  Facility:  ZOB - CLEVELAND (ARTCC),OH.  Type:  VIP  Description:  FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS LATROBE, PENNSYLVANIA, FEBRUARY 27, 2004 LOCAL.    

NOTAM:  4/1491  Issued:  02/26/2004 06:15  Effective:  02/27/2004 13:15 - 02/27/2004 15:35  State:  MD  Facility:  ZDC - WASHINGTON (ARTCC),DC.  Type:  VIP  Description:  FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND, FEBRUARY 27, 2004 LOCAL. 

Issued For Search and Rescue Operations NOTAM: 4/1497 Issued: 02/26/2004 09:26 Effective: Immediately - Until Further Notice State: AK Facility: ZAN - ANCHORAGE (ARTCC),AK. Type: SEARCH & RESCUE Description: FAIRBANKS, ALASKA.

Flying Contraption For Sale On eBay

ANN subscriber Corey Garden brought the following item to our attention. The problem is that we have no clue what the heck it is. A flying contraption of sorts is for sale on eBay. The posting, claims the following: "This New Patented Invention Will Change Flight As We Know It. It climbs straight up and will beat several world records. It is ready to sell or develop. Flight can be remote controlled or manned. Proposal to make official record breaking attempts for dirigibles. Windcrafter Inc proposes flying our 10-ft tall 68 cu ft of helium ship to 400 feet under full control. Only 20-ft long and larger remotely piloted airships (blimps) even fly outdoors, and only under perfect, no wind conditions and they require approximately a min

Investigation Continues Into Deadly Accident

The investigation continues into a deadly accident affecting India's space program earlier this week. At least six people were killed and three injured in a fire in India's main space center Monday, an official said. The fire broke out in the fuel testing area of the center in the southeastern state of Andhra Pradesh, said the official. The spaceport, the launching center of the country's satellite-bearing rockets, is located on Sriharikota island, 60 miles north of the southern city of Madras. At around 3.15 p.m. the crew were attending to the removal of the bottom plate of a propellant casting assembly. During this procedure, the propellant in the segment inadvertently caught fire and caused the subsequent damage.

Cope India Brings Out Fighter Ops

Residents who live in the Indian city of Gwalior are accustomed to the sounds of fighter-jet operations -- the noise of takeoff, landings and sonic booms. But the roar of U.S. Air Force F-15 Eagle aircraft in the sky above this north central Indian air force station is something completely new. The Eagles and about 130 U.S. airmen are in India supporting Cope India ‘04 through Feb. 25, the first bilateral dissimilar air combat training exercise held between U.S. and Indian air forces in more than 40 years. Following two days of familiarization flights, the F-15s joined the Indian SU-30K Flanker, Mirage 2000, MIG-29 Fulcrum, MIG-27 Flogger and MIG-21 Bison aircraft in a series of offensive counter-air and defensive counter-air engagements

Aero-News: Quote of the Day

"The simultaneous existence of these two errors resulted in a virtually uncontrollable airplane." Source: Lorenda Ward, the investigator in charge of the NTSB probe, testifying before the full National Transportation Safety Board at their public meeting on Thursday. The board was meeting to review the investigation of US Airways Express Flight 5481, which crashed last year at North Carolina's Charlotte-Douglas Airport. Ward claims improperly rigged cables that controlled the aircraft's up-and-down motion combined with improper weight distribution led to the crash of the commuter plane.

Agusta's New Regional Sales Manager For South America

Agusta Aerospace Corporation (AAC) an AgustaWestland company is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. John Arbach as the new AAC Regional Sales Manager for South America.  Mr. Arbach brings to AAC over twenty five years of international experience in Latin America and Asia Pacific. Prior to joining AAC, Mr. Arbach was head of International Sales for Latin America at Evergreen Helicopters, Inc. Mr. Arbach will be based in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. and he will be responsible for marketing and selling AgustaWestland civil helicopter products in South America.