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March 06, 2009

Pilot Lost In S-51 Downing In Ocala, FL

Victim Identified By Family As John A. Hambleton

Officials have identified the type of aircraft that crashed into a recreational vehicle park in downtown Ocala, FL Friday afternoon, and family members say the sole victim was owner John A. Hambleton.

Airlines Post Dismal February Traffic Numbers

If you flew onboard a commercial airliner in February, the US airline industry would like to thank you; they also really wish you'd brought along a few more of your friends.

Claimed Bonanza Was His Before Taking Off From Taxiway

Police in Athens, TX made a startling revelation this week while investigating the downing of a Beech A36 Bonanza: the plane had been stolen.

Back To The Bargaining Table...

It's not what Boeing engineers in Wichita wanted, and they let the company know Thursday... but the workers, represented by the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), IFPTE Local 2001, perhaps also realized this economy is no time to try to strike a company that's already laid off workers this year.

Comes After North Says It Can't Guarantee Safety

Responding to a veiled threat from its hostile neighbor, this week South Korea urged airlines serving the country to reroute flights that take them within sight of North Korea.

Growing Despite The Economy... Or Because Of?

This week, the Aircraft Partnership Association announced it recently posted its 2,500th member profile on the official website. Over 1,000 new members have joined since December.

US Airways 1549 Copilot Returning To The Cockpit

Jeffrey Skiles Plans To Resume Flying This Month

One of the two men who managed to ditch a stricken Airbus A320 in New York's Hudson River in January plans to return to the cockpit this month. First Officer Jeffrey Skiles said he plans to get some sim time under his belt, before resuming his flightline duties with US Airways.

Will Deliver 21 Fewer Planes This Year, Built By 1,200 Fewer Workers

We can probably thank Congress for this. General Dynamics announced this week its Gulfstream Aerospace subsidiary will cut production of large-cabin aircraft and green-plane deliveries this year, due to the "deterioration" of its order backlog.

Vern Raburn Speaks, Conclusion

ANN Daily Touch N Go: 03.06.09 (ANN's Short-Form Daily News Program) ANN Daily Aero-Briefing: 03.06.09 (ANN's Long-Form Daily News Program) ANN Special Feature -- Vern Raburn Speaks: 03.05.09 (ANN Special Report, with Eclipse Aviation founder and former CEO Vern Raburn.) Part One

ANN Daily Aero-Briefing: 03.06.09

Eclipse creditors get approval for Chapter 7 liquidation.
NASA will go ahead with Discovery's launch.
And the FBI may be close to finding a missing Florida pilot.

ANN Daily Touch-And-Go: 03.06.09

Eclipse creditors get approval for Chapter 7 liquidation.
NASA will go ahead with Discovery's launch.
And the FBI may be close to finding a missing Florida pilot.

More AERO-Casts

NASA's Kepler Spacecraft Lifts Off From Cape Canaveral

Two Liftoff Opportunities Friday Evening

NASA's Kepler mission to seek other Earth-like planets is undergoing final preparations for liftoff Friday, March 6, from Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. NASA has two opportunities for launch Friday, from 7:49 to 7:52 pm PST and 8:13 to 8:16 pm PST.

Rob Peckham Joins SpaceX As New VP Of Business Development

Worked Nine Years For Sea Launch Consortium

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. announced this week Rob Peckham has joined the company as Vice President of Business Development.

Commercial/Industrial Systems For Power Line Inspection, Environmental Protection

FLIR Systems, Inc. recently announced the introduction of a new line of commercial/industrial airborne inspection systems: the Kelvin 275, Corona 350, and Ultra 8000e.

33 Seconds Of Pure Flight

Jet packs -- that is, real ones -- generally suffer from very short endurance. The longest flight of the original Bell rocket belt was just 26 seconds. A newer, lighter, carbon-fiber design using hydrogen peroxide rockets, has upped that record to 33 seconds.

More Videos

NTSB Factual Report On Fossett Accident Notes Strong Winds

Search Along Flight Path Was "Eliminated As A Possibility" Due To Witness Statement

The National Transportation Safety Board has released an updated factual report on the September 3, 2007 loss of adventurer Steve Fossett... including accounts from pilots flying in the general area of the accident, and witnesses on the ground who saw Fossett's plane shortly after it took off from a private airstrip, about 50 miles south of Reno, NV.

Or... "A Face-Melting Dose Of Aviation And Estrogen!"

Sometimes the best quotes come from people who aren't speaking for a crowd. There were great speakers at the WAI Atlanta conference, and a couple of them are quoted here, but most of these are overheard conversations from the exhibit hall:

But AOPA Calls Issue 'Far From Resolved'

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on March 5, 2009 approved the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2009 (H.R. 915). The FAA funding bill now moves to the next committee.

Aero-TV Blasts Off With The Go Fast Jetpack -- Flying Into The Future

33 Seconds Of Pure Rocket-Powered Flight

Robert Wiles Disappeared Last April 1 From LAL

It's been 11 months since a Florida pilot and businessman went missing from Lakeland Linder Regional Airport (LAL) in central Florida... and the FBI is asking for the public's help in finding out what happened.

Wegel Hopes To Resurrect Once-Legendary Airline

Given the current state of the US economy, now may seem a most unusual (okay, we'll say it, flat-out awful) time to talk about the resurrection of a storied US carrier... but that hasn't stopped growing speculation a group of investors may soon attempt to bring back Eastern Airlines.

Klyde Has Some Fun With Congressional Hypocrisy...

Employee Asks If WN Debut At Logan Will Mean US Reductions

When Southwest Airlines expands into a new market, the economics of the business change. When the low-cost carrier initiated new service into Las Vegas and Pittsburgh, US Airways cut service. Now that airlines are already dropping flights to battle declining passenger traffic, will Southwest's debut at Boston's Logan International Airport this fall drive US Airways from that market, too?

Says Business Is Growing As Traditional Charter Services Decline

Air-taxi operator Linear Air told ANN this week the company's revenue in February grew by 131% over last year at its New England base. The company also announced it has received approval from the Bahamian aviation authority to fly passengers between the US and the Bahamas using its fleet of Eclipse 500 jets.

Bingham Joins Piaggio America As EVP Of Marketing, Sales

Most Recently With Cirrus Aircraft

Aero-News has learned John M. Bingham was recently named executive vice-president, marketing and sales of Piaggio America Inc., the US subsidiary of Italian aircraft manufacturer Piaggio Aero Industries, S.p.A.

But Longer Path Has Scientific Advantages

Loose soil piled against the northern edge of a low plateau called "Home Plate" has blocked NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit from taking the shortest route toward its southward destinations for the upcoming Martian summer and following winter. The rover has instead begun a trek skirting at least partway around the plateau, instead of directly over it.

Aero-Linx!

The Air Medical Physician Association is the largest professional organization of physicians dedicated to rotor wing (helicopter), fixed wing (airplane) and critical care ground transport.

Aero-Terms!

The ratio of the pressure at the core engine exhaust and fan discharge pressure compared to the intake pressure to the gas turbine engine. In most gas turbine engines,the engine pressure ratio (EPR) is used instead, which is the core engine exhaust pressure compared to the intake pressure to the gas turbine engine.

"It is sometimes true that when Southwest enters a market, the economics change and flights that were profitable for US could become unprofitable. However, the opposite has also occurred..."

Source: US Airways director of scheduling Glenn Martin, responding to an employee's online query whether Southwest's debut at Boston's Logan International Airport this fall would drive US Airways from that market.