Ballistic Recovery Systems, Inc. -- manufacturer of
whole-aircraft parachute recovery systems for general aviation and
recreational aircraft -- told ANN Wednesday announced today a
series of successful development tests of the Next Generation
Parachute System (NGPS).
A burdensome piece of regulation has received a welcome
facelift... as this week, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
announced it will amend the guidelines for the Inspection
Authorization (IA) renewal period.
'My Delta' Will Be Kept 'My Delta'... At Least For Now
ANN REALTIME REPORTING 01.31.07 1230 EST:
There's cheering in a few executive boardrooms in Atlanta today...
as Wednesday morning, US Airways Group (USAG) formally withdrew its
bid to merge with Delta Air Lines.
NASA's Kennedy Space Center announced Wednesday it will host the
inaugural World Space Expo. The expo will be held November 3-11,
2007 and will feature an Aerial Salute by the United States Air
Force Thunderbirds during the opening weekend.
ANN Daily Touch N Go: 01.31.07 (ANN's
Short-Form Daily News Program)
ANN Daily Aero-Briefing: 01.31.07 (ANN's
Long-Form Daily News Program)
ANN Special Feature -- Insuring Your LSA, Part Two:
01.31.07 (ANN Special Feature, with Bob Mackey of Falcon
Insuranc
Larger Displacement Engine To Meet US Market Demand
European manufacturer Thielert Aircraft Engines GmbH from
Saxony, Germany has informed ANN its developing the successor to
its successful kerosene piston aircraft engine Centurion 1.7 --
namely, the Centurion 2.0. Theilert says the new engine will
replace the old for all future installations -- including customers
replacing a Centurion 1.7 at the end of its service life.
Garmin (Europe) Ltd., a unit of Garmin Ltd., informed ANN
Wednesday it has introduced the GTX 328 Mode S transponder -- a
lower-cost alternative to its GTX 330. Garmin designed the
product to meet European regulations requiring Mode S
implementation for VFR aircraft by March 31, 2008.
Platform Launch Attempt From Equatorial Pacific
Unsuccessful
Commercial rocket company Sea Launch lost both a rocket and the
commercial communications satellite destined to serve
Netherlands-based SES New Skies in an unsuccessful launch attempt
Tuesday as a Zenit-3SL rocket exploded on the mobile
floating launch platform stationed in the equatorial
Pacific.
Launches Services Highest Priority Acquisition Program
The Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition
announced Tuesday the service has posted the KC-X aerial refueling
aircraft Request for Proposal (RFP) to the Federal Business
Opportunities website.
AD NUMBER: 2007-03-01
MANUFACTURER: Boeing
SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2007-03-01
SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive
(AD) for certain Boeing Model 757 airplanes.
AD NUMBER: 2007-03-02
MANUFACTURER: Rolls Royce
SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2007-03-02
SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive
(AD) for Rolls- Royce Deutschland Ltd & CoKG (RRD) Tay 611-8,
Tay 620-15, Tay 650-15, and Tay 651-54 series turbofan engines,
with certain low pressure (LP) compressor modules installed.
Saudi Arabia's first private airline, National Air Services
(NAS), has placed a $250+ million order for up to 20 Hawker 750
bizjets. Raytheon Aircraft Company (RAC) announced the order on
Tuesday, one day before opening ceremonies for the first annual
Middle East Business Aviation (MEBA) conference & exhibition to
be held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Liberalization of air services between the United States and
China is one of the US administration's top priorities in civil
aviation as economic relations between the two countries continue
to expand at a rapid pace, US officials say.
After learning US Airways has no state liquor license, officials
in New Mexico have ordered the carrier to stop serving alcohol on
all its flights while over the Land of Enchantment.
If They Pass On Bid, Offer Will Likely Be Retracted
While US Airways CEO Doug Parker says he won't rule out upping
his bid once again for Delta Air Lines, he maintains if Delta
creditors don't show some support of the bid by Thursday,
February 1... then the deal is off. If that happens, Parker adds,
the much-ballyhooed 'merger mania' forecast by analysts may not
actually occur until the next time airlines are starving for
cash.
Even before the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts face off on
the field for Super Bowl XLI this Sunday, there's gonna be an
impressive show of power in the skies. The US Air Force's elite
demonstration squadron, the "Thunderbirds," will help kick off
festivities in Miami with a flyover of Dolphin Stadium on February
4.
Italy's deadline for bidders wishing to purchase the country's
ailing airline Alitalia came and went Monday with eleven potentials
dropping their names in the hat.
NASA Wants To Know How Astronauts Can Get Along Better
Two astronauts aboard the International Space Station are
keeping personal diaries. No, not the "Dear Diary" kind; the kind
where they'll write "brutally honest" personal thoughts about
living aboard a spacecraft in close, cramped quarters with two
others for six months.
Representatives with Innovative Solutions & Support, Inc.
told ANN Tuesday the Federal Aviation Administration has issued a
Supplemental Type Certification (STC) for use of the company's
Cockpit/IP Flat Panel Display System on Boeing 757s.
Three Students May Share As Much As $9,000 In Money For
College
Representatives with the National Gay Pilots Association (NGPA)
tell ANN an education fund has been established to provide
financial assistance to members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and
transgender community -- including heterosexual supporters --
who are working towards an aviation career as a professional
pilot.
The vast majority of pilots prefer to stay with the plane they are
flying... but there are times when separation is not only
necessary, it is needed immediately. Enter the ejection seat.
"It comes out looking like a gossip column, I'm sure.
But the point is to identify characteristics that will make
expeditions successful."
Source: NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, who
along with fellow Expedition 14 astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria is
keeping a journal during her stay onboard the International Space
Station.