REAL TIME UPDATE 1448 EST Despite fuel
management problems that threatened an early end to his world
record attempt, pilot/adventurer Steve Fossett has landed his
Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer at its base in Salina, Kansas. That
makes Fossett the first person ever to circumnavigate the world
solo, without refueling.
An unpiloted Russian cargo ship linked up to the International
Space Station today to deliver more than 2 tons of food, fuel,
oxygen, water, supplies and spare parts.
On Time Flights Down 3.5 Percent From January 2004
The nation’s largest airlines experienced a higher rate of
flight delays and cancellations in January 2005 than in either the
previous month or in January of last year, according to the Air
Travel Consumer Report, released today by the U.S. Department of
Transportation (DOT).
REAL TIME UPDATE -- 0950 EST Worries over
whether he has the fuel to go the distance, Steve Fossett
nonetheless continued on his journey toward a world record Thursday
morning, piloting his Global Flyer toward its base in Salina, KS,
and breaking at least one record on the way.
Millions In CIA Secrecy Blown By Geeks Who Obsess Over Tail
Numbers
It seems to have started in Britain, the rather peculiar pastime
of standing in the rain at the end of the runway, watching planes
land and take off and collecting photographs and lists of their
tail numbers, in the same way avid bird-watchers keep logs and
details of the variety of avian life they've seen.
Providing State-Of-The-Art Video Communications For Fossett's
Flight
The Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer project team has joined forces
with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to test
state-of-the-art live video communications equipment during the
Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer record attempt.
Congressman Steve Pearce (R-NM), introduced legislation Tuesday
that would guarantee long-term leases for individuals and
businesses wishing to build hangar facilities at an airport. The
bill would require a minimum lease of 75 years for those seeking to
build a hangar at an airport.
The accompanying images from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover
Opportunity show the remains of the rover's heat shield, broken
into two key pieces, the main piece on the left side and a
broken-off flank piece near the middle of the image.
Air Safety Flight Academy today announced that Air Safety
student Nathan Kimborowicz of Hingham, MA completed his first solo
flight in a Cirrus SR20-G2. With only 19 hours of flight time,
Nathan Kimborowicz becomes one of the first primary flight students
ever to solo the Cirrus.
State Official Says Bombardier Just Wouldn't Commit
New Mexico Economic Development Secretary Rick Homans announced
today that New Mexico has officially withdrawn its bid to become
the site for an aircraft assembly plant for a new series of
passenger jets planned by Bombardier, a Canadian company based in
Montreal.
Skytruck Company, LLC. distributor for the now FAA-certified M28
Skytruck, has taken delivery of its brand new demonstration
aircraft. Company President Lance Maclean flew the aircraft back
from the factory in late January.
"This is a huge setback. I have not that high a level of
confidence at this point."
Source: Steve Fossett commenting on the mysterious
disappearance of 2,600 pounds of fuel from the tanks of the Global
Flyer. Faced with a sudden crisis in fuel management, Fossett must
now decide whether to land in Hawaii or, if the winds are
favorable, try making the US mainland. ANN will continue to cover
the story in real time.
AD NUMBER: 2005-05-02
MANUFACTURER: McDonnell Douglas
SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2005-05-02
SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness
directive (AD) for all McDonnell Douglas Model MD-90-30
airplanes.
AD NUMBER: 2005-05-01
MANUFACTURER: Boeing
SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2005-05-01
SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness
directive (AD) for certain Boeing Model 757 series airplanes.
AD NUMBER: 2005-05-03
MANUFACTURER: BAE Systems
SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2005-05-03
SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness
directive (AD) for all BAE Systems (Operations) Limited Model BAe
146 and Avro 146-RJ series airplanes.
AD NUMBER: 2005-05-04
MANUFACTURER: Aerospatiale
SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2005-05-04
SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness
directive (AD) for all Aerospatiale Model ATR 42-200, -300, and
-320 series airplanes.
RealTime Update 2355 EST: A critical decision was made as Steve
Fossett approached Hawaii with strong concerns about winds and fuel
foremost in his mind. With the possibility that he's short as much
as 2600 pounds of fuel, that has either leaked or been mislaid by
instrumentation, Fossett has gambled that he has the range to fly
to the US mainland some 2600 miles further out and proceeed to fly
on (position shown below).
This week’s proposal from the FAA to mandate fleet-wide
replacement of cockpit voice recorders (CVR) was met with concern
from the National Air Transportation Association (NATA).