New Round Of Explosions In War Of Words Between FAA, NATCA

Editor's Note: The following is the unedited text of a letter posted on a website associated with the Professional Airways Systems Specialists (PASS-MIDO), from National Air Traffic Controllers Organization president John Carr to the COO of the FAA's Air Traffic Organization, Russ Chew.

Flight Attendants Question Decision, Some May Refuse To Fly

Citing a need to focus screening efforts on items of greater potential danger to passengers, TSA Director Edmund "Kip" Hawley announced Friday the agency will relax its screening guidelines on certain items that have not been allowed in the cabin of a passenger airliner since 9/11.

Faces Charges For Making False Statements

A commercial-rated pilot has been charged in federal court with four counts of making false statements on FAA medical forms, according to the US Attorney's Office.

NOTAM: 5/1100 Issued: 12/02/2005 15:50 Effective: 12/03/2005 13:40 - 12/04/2005 18:00 State: MD Facility: ZDC - WASHINGTON (ARTCC),DC. Type: VIP Description: HAGERSTOWN/THURMONT, MARYLAND, DECEMBER 3-4, 2005 LOCAL.

Largest Commercial Order In Raytheon's History

Raytheon Aircraft Company and NetJets Inc. have signed a contract for the purchase of 50 Hawker 4000 aircraft for NetJets’ global fractional fleet, as well as a separate 10-year guaranteed maintenance program. Raytheon tells Aero-News the contract is the single largest commercial order in its history, with a combined total value exceeding $1 billion.

NOTAM: 5/1106 Issued: 12/02/2005 16:00 Effective: 12/03/2005 14:15 - 12/03/2005 14:45 State: IA Facility: ZAU - CHICAGO (ARTCC),IL. Type: HAZARDS Description: IOWA CITY, IOWA

Unmanned Rotorcraft Powered By Subaru 6-Cylinder

Aero-News has learned Boeing's A160 Hummingbird (below)unmanned rotorcraft made its first test flight from an airfield near Victorville, CA, earlier this week. Boeing hopes the ongoing program will demonstrate unprecedented range, endurance, payload and altitude capabilities of the unmanned air vehicle.

Missing Pilot Is Well-Known NY Philanthropist

Coast Guard crews off the coast of Nantucket are attempting to locate any sign of a Beechcraft Baron 55 flown by prominent New York Philanthropist George F. Baker III. According to the FAA, Baker's plane disappeared from radar late Thursday afternoon as it was on final approach to land.

Plane Goes Down After Takeoff

The pilot and co-owner of a 1999 AeroComp Comp-Air 6 was injured Wednesday when the aircraft went down immediately after takeoff just off runway 5 at Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport, MN.

Applicability: Models 369D, 369E, 369F, 369FF, 500N, or 600N helicopters with either an MD Helicopter Inc. (MDHI) main rotor blade installed or modified with Helicopter Technology Company, LLC (HTC), Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) No. SR09172RC, SR09074RC, or SR01050LA with an HTC blade installed, as listed below: Model MDHI blade part No. (P/N) HTC blade P/N HTC STC 369D 369D21100 Basic, -516, -517, -523 500P2100-BSC, -BSC-1 SR09172RC 369E 369D21120-501, -503 500P2100-101, -103 SR09074RC 369F, FF 369D21102 Basic, -503, -517, -523 500P2300-501, -503 SR01050LA 369D21121-501, -503 500N 369D21102-503, -517, -523 500P2300-501, -503 SR01050LA 369D21121-501, -503 600N 369D21102-517, -523 500P2300-501, -503 SR01050LA 369D211

First Use Of Inflatable Restraints In An LSA

SportairUSA told Aero-News earlier this week they have made another industry first available on their StingSport Light Sport Aircraft -- airbag restraints. The StingSport is the first LSA to incorporate the AmSafe Aviation Inflatable Restraints (AAIR) system into its aircraft safety features.

Air Show Performer Sean Tucker On Life 'On The Safe Side Of The Edge'

If you've never seen Sean Tucker perform a routine in his red Oracle Challenger biplane, then you've never seen Shakespeare the way it's meant to be played. Since entering the business in the 1970's, Tucker has flown more than 700 performances at more than 300 airshows, in front of more than 60 million fans -- and he's wowed each and every one of them, with a routine that simply has to be seen to be believed.

Wreckage Found In September By Construction Crew

An aviation "cold case" has been solved, as skeletal remains found in the wreckage of a classic Bellanca found in September have been positively identified.

...Eventually

What a difference a day makes in the battle over flight restrictions at Dallas Love Field. With the announcement that Southwest Airlines is planning soon to fly from Love Field to Missouri -- the ninth state to be exempted from Wright Amendment restrictions -- rival American Airlines is reluctantly going ahead with plans to reopen the three DAL gates the carrier had left vacant since 2001.

Thunderbirds, Snowbirds, And (Blue) Angels... Oh, My!

If you do one thing next year to encourage your friends and family to check out the world of aviation... take them to an airshow featuring US Navy Blue Angels, the USAF Thunderbirds, and the Canadian Forces Snowbirds, whose 2006 schedules were announced Thursday at the 2005 ICAS Convention in Orlando.

Sleuthing May Have Prevented A Minor Problem From Becoming Major

A Wichita air traffic controller says he was just doing his job, when one day last year he investigated some debris crews had found laying on a runway at Wichita's Mid-Continent Airport.

Don't Worry, Klyde... They Heckled Goddard, Too

Boeing Wins Big... But Airbus Sells A Few, As Well

At retail, it's already a deal worth more than $3 billion -- yep, with a 'b'. Cathay Pacific confirmed Wednesday it's ordered 16 Boeing 777-300ERs, buying twelve of the extended range widebodies and leasing four more. The big Boeings come as part of a potential 36 aircraft deal for the American aerospace manufacturer, the largest ever for the Hong Kong-based carrier.

G'Day, Garmin!

Aero-News has learned the first Garmin G1000-equipped Diamond Star aircraft, a four-seat DA40-180, recently arrived in the Land Down Under -- where owner Glenn Angus was waiting eagerly to accept the keys.

"We've got one down, and 41 more to go." Source: Southwest Airlines spokesman Ed Stewart, speaking about the company's plans in light of the Wednesday repeal of Wright Amendment restrictions on flights to Missouri from Dallas' Love Field Airport. Missouri joins eight other states (NM, OK, KS, AL, MS, LA, AR, TX) airlines are allowed to provide nonstop service to from the downtown Dallas airport.

NOTAM: 5/1084 Issued: 12/01/2005 18:30 Effective: 12/02/2005 16:30 - 12/02/2005 17:45 State: MN Facility: ZMP - MINNEAPOLIS (ARTCC),MN. Type: HAZARDS Description: ELY, MINNESOTA

Applicability: McCauley Propeller Systems propeller assemblies, models 2D34C53/74E-X; D2A34C58/90AT-X; 3AF32C87/82NC-X; D3AF32C87/82NC-X; D3A32C88/82NC-X; D3A32C90/82NC-X; and 3AF34C92/ 90LF-X, with propeller hubs listed by serial number in Table 1 of this AD.