ANN REALTIME REPORTING 12.22.08 1700 EST:
Robert Sumwalt, member of the National Transportation Safety
Board and leader of the Go Team tasked with investigating
Saturday's takeoff crash of a Continental Airlines Boeing 737-500,
updated reporters on the state of the inquiry during a Monday
afternoon news conference in Denver... but so far, there's little
concrete information to report.
ANN Daily Touch N Go: 12.22.08 (ANN's
Short-Form Daily News Program)
ANN Daily Aero-Briefing: 12.22.08
(ANN's Long-Form Daily News Program)
ANN Special Feature -- Stop Flying, THEN Land:
12.22.08 (ANN Special Report, with CFII Bob Miller
of "Over The Airwaves.")
Frontier Airlines announced Monday it has reached a tentative
agreement for long-term wage and benefits concessions with leaders
of the Frontier Airlines Pilots Association (FAPA). The agreement
has been approved by the FAPA Board of Directors and now will go
before the union membership for a ratification vote.
Carrier Hopes To Go From Worst To First In On-Time Numbers
United Airlines announced Monday a new performance-based
incentive program available to the majority of represented
employees, which could net each eligible worker $1,200 annually if
targets are met.
Will Be Shipped Overseas For Testing In The United Kingdom
Lockheed Martin's second F-35 Lightning II ground-test aircraft
rolled out last week at the company's Fort Worth plant, where it
will be fully instrumented before being shipped to the United
Kingdom for testing.
"Scorn" Against Big Three Automakers Hasn't Spread To Wall
Street
The Associated Press has revealed a dirty little secret about
corporate America. Despite a massive outcry from lawmakers on
Capitol Hill, several large businesses are still using business
jets for corporate travel... even though it's increasingly
considered improper to do so.
Interviewed Wednesday by the Associated Press, Southwest
Airlines Chief Executive Gary Kelly predicted "decent odds" the
carrier will add a third major hub to its schedule by next fall.
Southwest recently announced its intentions to begin service to
Minneapolis-St. Paul next March and New York's La Guardia by
summer.
Competition Heats Up... But LAX Is The Real Winner
Dominated for many years by Qantas Airways, the LAX-Sydney run
will likely become a hotbed of competition by summer 2009, as
passengers will have their choice of four non-stop carriers by then
-- Qantas, Delta, United, and V Australia.
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO)
announced last week the remains of a US serviceman, missing in
action from World War II, have been identified and will be returned
to his family for burial with full military honors.
The National Transportation Safety Board has released an updated
factual report on the Northwest Airlines Flight 74 landing accident
at Guam International Airport (GUM) on August 19, 2005.
Covers All Royal Air Force Puma, Gazelle Helicopters
Eurocopter and the UK Ministry of Defence signed a contract for
the through-life support (TLS) of the Royal Air Force fleet of all
Puma and Gazelle helicopters on December 19, 2008. The contract
will run up to end of March 2013.
Most of the world has seen him fly -- but often in the guise of some other person... whether it be James Bond or The Phantom. The man behind the stick for some of aero-movie-dom's most famous scenes is none other than JW "Corkey" Fornof... one of the best pilots in the biz and a helluva nice guy. Better yet, he claims to be ANN's biggest fan... and with that particular approbation (one he hasn't been bashful about voicing -- Thanks!), it seemed only natural that he become the subject of an Aero-TV feature.
Most of the world has seen him fly -- but often in the guise of
some other person... whether it be James Bond or The Phantom. The
man behind the stick for some of aero-movie-dom's most famous
scenes is none other than JW "Corkey" Fornof... one of the best
pilots in the biz and a helluva nice guy.
FAA Chief Urges Airlines, Pilot Unions To Put Safety Before
Labor Issues
Acting Federal Aviation Administrator Bobby Sturgell called for
a truce between airlines and pilot unions last week, asking for the
preservation of the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) and
reminding both sides that passengers' safety is in everyone's best
interest.
Non-Profit Group Suspects Foul Play, Calls For Complete
Investigation
A Piper Saratoga on approach to the Akron-Canton Airport (CAK)
about 6 pm Friday went down about three miles short of the runway,
taking the life of Michael Connell, the pilot and sole occupant of
the plane.
A helicopter stringing power lines for Southern California
Edison crashed last week when gusty winds caused the pilot to lose
control shortly after takeoff. A mechanic on the ground was struck
and killed by the aircraft's rotor blades.
'Next Giant Leap' Team Includes MicroSat Systems, MIT, Draper
Laboratory, Busek, And Aurora Flight Sciences
Next Giant Leap, a small company that was the fourth team to
register for the Google Lunar X Prize, publicly announced its name
and team members at a press conference held Thursday at the NASA
Ames Research Center. Based in the United States, the Next Giant
Leap (NGL) team boasts highly qualified members from the academic,
aerospace and small business communities.
Rolls-Royce recently marked 50 years of partnership with
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation -- the longest partnership in
business aviation -- by establishing a 50th Anniversary Partnership
Scholarship Program for eligible children of Gulfstream's
employees.
Blue Sky Aviation And Partner Doss Aviation Win Contract
The Diamond DA40 CS Diamond Star has been selected for the
Powered Flight Program at the United States Air Force Academy
(USAFA). Twenty Diamond DA40 CS aircraft have been ordered, with
deliveries to begin in early 2009.
In the summer of 2000, veterans of the Midland Branch of the
Glider Pilot Regimental Association decided that an appropriate
memorial to airborne forces would be a complete Airspeed Horsa
assault glider. This site follows the construction of this unique
piece of aviation history.
Coded Departure Route. Predefined routes that can be rapidly
issued, coordinated and communicated to pilots, controllers and FAA
automation systems to reroute air traffic when their intended route
becomes unavailable, such as in inclement weather.
"Using safety as a chip at the bargaining table is
unconscionable."
Source: Acting FAA Administrator Bobby
Sturgell, calling for a truce between airlines and pilot unions and
asking for the preservation of the Aviation Safety Action Program
(ASAP).