Burt Rutan's SpaceShipOne, piloted by former Navy test pilot
Brian Binnie, reached an altitude of 368,000 feet Monday, meeting
the criteria for the $10 million Ansari X-Prize.
Via a number of sources, ANN has learned that the next flight of
SpaceShipOne is likely to be flown by Scaled's Brian Binnie.
Mike Melvill has reportedly explained that he will either be flying
in White Knight or the Extra 300 close-chase plane.
AOPA President Phil Boyer has gone straight to the top to stop
implementation of the Transportation Security
Administration’s "alien" flight-training rule.
All Indications Are It Doesn't Work As Advertised -- And In
Some Cases, Is Deadly
Gordon Arquit, 79, of Cayuga Heights (NY), was teaching himself
how to fly a gyrocopter at a private airstrip in Enfield (NY)
starting at about 1700 local last Thursday. The airfield's owner
went looking for Arquit at about 1830 when he noticed he couldn't
hear or see the machine any more, only to find Arquit's open-frame
gyroplane wrecked on the runway, and Arquit himself dead, according
to local media reports.
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Lifts Off!
For the next ten days the sky over Albuquerque, New Mexico will
be painted with every color of the rainbow as some 750 hot air
balloons, their pilots and crews, celebrate the 33rd Albuquerque
International Balloon Fiesta. In addition to the ballooning
participants, almost 1-million spectators are expected to see some
or all of the various flying events, and there is variety for
all.
This week has seen the changing of the guard among rocket plane
pilots. Mike Melvill flew SpaceShipOne on the first of two
qualifying flights for the $10 million Ansari X-Prize -- and
Brigadier General "Pete" Everest has passed away. Everest was a
legend; a fighter ace, a famous test pilot, and, on at least two
occasions, "The Fastest Man Alive."
When Hurricane Ivan rumbled ashore along the Florida-Alabama
border last month, it ran right over the top of the National Museum
of Naval Aviation in Pensacola (FL).
SpaceShipOne pilot Mike Melvill, a 35-year AOPA member, will be
the featured speaker at the AOPA Expo opening luncheon October 21
in Long Beach, California.
"We congratulate Mike and the entire SpaceShipOne team on the
second successful flight of a general aviation spacecraft," said
AOPA President Phil Boyer. "We know that everyone attending Expo is
excited to hear Mike tell us more about his astronaut
experiences."
Or, What I'm Doing With The Spacecraft Since I Dug It Out Of
The Ground
The Genesis team is preparing to ship its samples of the Sun
from the mission's temporary cleanroom at the U.S. Army Proving
Ground, Dugway, Utah, to NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston.
The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is reminding its
members and other aviation enthusiasts not to misinterpret
announcements from the Federal Aviation Administration extending
certain implementation deadlines.
EAA Facilitates Discussion On Warbird Operations
Policy
The EAA and its Warbirds of America division used their
leadership roles to bring together government and the aviation
community, in a session that will provide guidance for future
policy regarding public flight experiences in warbird aircraft. The
meeting, held at the EAA Aviation Center in Oshkosh on Sept. 30,
was designed to develop a consensus for continued passenger
operations by these historic aircraft.
WC-130J team tracks hurricanes with improved radar system
Experts at Edwards Air Force Base (CA) battled 155-mph winds and
penetrated two hurricanes 15 times recently to put the WC-130J
Hercules’ improved weather-radar system to the test.
NASA’s three Space Shuttle orbiters -- Discovery, Atlantis
and Endeavour – along with the Shuttle launch pads and all of
the critical flight hardware for the orbiters and the International
Space Station, sustained no damage during Hurricane Jeanne, which
moved through Kennedy Space Center last weekend.
The Chairman of the PAMA Nomination Committee, Bob Gould, has
announced the outcome of the 2005 Executive Board of Directors and
Regional Directors elections. Over the past several weeks PAMA
members have had the opportunity to vote for the positions of
Chairman, Vice Chairman and Director, as well as their Regional
Director.
Team US101 Brings 11 Companies On Board As Partners
Team US101 has announced that 11 companies in six southeastern
states will supply components to the American-built US101
medium-lift helicopter. Team US101 is competing to provide the
president of the United States with a fleet of next-generation
helicopters better known by the call sign: "Marine One."
"Once we're in orbit, we're two-thirds of the way to
anywhere."
Source: X Prize President, Peter Diamandis,
speaking to his X Prize volunteer staffers on the even of the
second (and hopefully final) X Prize qualification
flight.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will hold an informal
public meeting to allow interested aviation weather users an
opportunity to provide input on the FAA plans for implementing new
weather products. The meeting will take place on October 12, 2004,
at the Las Vegas Convention Center, 3150 Paradise Road, Las Vegas,
Nevada 89109, from 1330 until 1500 local.
NASA Chooses ILS Atlas V Launch Vehicle to Launch Solar
Dynamics Observatory
A mission to study solar influences on space weather will ride
into orbit on an Atlas V launch vehicle, under a contract announced
today between NASA and International Launch Services (ILS).
AD NUMBER: 2004-20-04
MANUFACTURER: Pratt & Whitney
SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2004-20-04
SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness
directive (AD) for Pratt & Whitney Canada (PWC) PT6B-36A and
PT6B-36B turboshaft engines with compressor rear hubs, part number
(P/N) 3018111 installed.
AD NUMBER: 2004-19-11
MANUFACTURER: Airbus
SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2004-19-11
SUMMARY: This amendment supersedes an existing
airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to certain Airbus Model
A320 series airplanes.