New Pilots, Same Old Accidents

It will be some time before we have the statistics for 2005. Indeed, we don't even have the Nall Report for 2004. But if history teaches us anything, it teaches us that one year is much like another, when you reduce it to numbers.

What Goes Up... Sends Knowledge Down

2005 was a year of great developments in space, along with a few great disappointments.

This past year, as always, presented events, some good, some not-so-good for general aviation.  Focusing first on the “worst” of 2005 and then highlighting some of the “best” would undoubtedly include many common items among those who respond to ANN’s call. So I’ll try to drill down to some items that are bubbling just below the surface of airspace penetrations and user fees and crashes, but nonetheless threaten great peril or show great promise for personal aviation.

There Are Two Ways This One Can Go...

The Sport Pilot/Light Sport Aircraft world presents us with the dichotomy of Daedalus and Icarus. Some pundits say it's flying straight, and some say it's destined for a plunge -- maybe not into the Aegean, but into the regulatory equivalent of Davy Jones's locker, where it will sleep with such regulatory blunders as Recreational Pilot and Primary Category certification.

The highlights of the year included several ADIZ-incursion stories, some bozos shining lasers at aircraft for fun, the DHS shining lasers at aircraft to warn them out of the ADIZ, and more TSA shenanigans than you could shake a stick at. These are only the high points.

Aviation Organizations Review 2005

ANN asked the “alphabet groups” and some other aviation organizations to sum up 2005 for our readers. We’ll be posting their look ahead to 2006 soon.

A Look Back At Those We Lost In 2005

Another year has passed and far too many of our aviation friends and family have passed with it. Some have known the departed personally; others have, perhaps, only read or witnessed their deeds. We at ANN can only hope that time will heal the wounds and sweeten the memories of those who have gone before us. We know they were met with green fields and clear skies.

Well, here it is again -- years end. Only one year ago FAA had just issued a final rule establishing sport pilot, but had little of the infrastructure to get it working. There were virtually no instructors nor pilot examiners. There was no way to change fat-ultralights into light sport aircraft (for operation by sport pilots). There was not even an application form for new sport pilot applicants.

"To start with, these things are EX-pensive. What happened to the idea of "affordable flying?" I've looked at the planes Dad digs, from the Sting to the Mermaid to the Flight Designs CT (above). The price of entry is EIGHTY THOUSAND DOLLARS. That's affordable compared to what -- a Cirrus? For eighty grand you can buy two Cessna 172s or about 1 2/3 Piper Warriors used... of course, you can't fly them with the Sport license, but we're talking a larger plane with a proven safety record. I mean, if these things are built like a set of wax wings they ought to be priced that way, too." Source: The legendary Icarus, of Greek mythology (seriously), as channelled by ANN's own Kevin "Hognose" O'Brien, on the ages-old dichotomy of the Light Sport Aircraft

AD NUMBER: 2005-26-18 MANUFACTURER: Rolls Royce SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2005-26-18 SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for Rolls-Royce Deutschland (formerly Rolls-Royce plc) (RRD) models Tay 650- 15 and 651-54 turbofan engines.

AD NUMBER: 2005-26-17 MANUFACTURER: Airbus SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2005-26-17 SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Model A300-600, A310-200, and A310-300 series airplanes.