Atlantis is staying in orbit for another day...I can see it now
-- you are one of the privileged who have worked your whole life
for the one or few times that you actually get to fly into space
and once there, NASA tells you that you have to stay in orbit for
an extra day or two. Aw, shucks.
Weatherly Aircraft Nevada, Inc., is putting the Weatherly
cropduster line back into production. The company had already
started producing parts and offering services in support of
Weatherly agricultural aircraft earlier this month, and anticipates
starting "full aircraft production mode" sometime in June.
BUT... Concerned with Repair Station Provision That Threatens
US Jobs and Safety Cooperation
GAMA is praising the passage of the FAA Reauthorization bill but
expressing concern over a provision that would invalidate a
bilateral aviation safety agreement with the European Union (EU),
threatening safety cooperation with Europe and potentially
jeopardizing thousands of US jobs across the country.
Severe Downdraft NOT Countered -- Even With Full Power
Landing on glaciers, on purpose, seems like a strange thing to
do for this Florida pilot. Then again, if you know what you're
doing it must be pretty cool... so long as no surprises are
encountered. Well, a surprise is just what this Helio pilot ran
into as she tried landing on the McCall Glacier.
Three mine countermeasure ships, USS Champion (MCM 4), USS
Devastator (MCM 6) and USS Pioneer (MCM 9) participated in Navy
search efforts May 21 for the HH-60 Seahawk helicopter that went
down May 19 off the coast of Southern California and Mexico.
Coyne Looks Forward To Working With New FAA Administrator
NATA President James K. Coyne (a former member of Congress, by
the way) has praised the United States Senate for confirming Randy
Babbitt as the next FAA administrator. Babbitt is slated to serve a
five-year term and takes over immediately for acting FAA
Administrator Lynn Osmus.
Cobham Avionics has introduced a large-format integrated flight
display system. The six-by-eight inch portrait display, called the
IDU-680P, is an extension of the certified IDU-450 four-by-five
inch landscape display currently featured in the US Navy TH-57
cockpit modernization program and helicopter OEM applications.
The future of aerial warfare is UAVs. The writing is on the
wall, but not everyone who reads it is happy. Quoted in Politico,
Joint Chiefs Chairman Michael Mullen told the Senate Armed Services
Committee last week, "We're at a real time of transition here in
terms of the future of aviation."
St. Elmo's Fire
A luminous, and often audible, electric discharge that is
sporadic in nature. It occurs from objects, especially pointed
ones, when the electrical field strength near their surfaces
attains a value near 1000 volts per centimeter. It often occurs
during stormy weather and might be seen on a ship's mast or
yardarm, aircraft, lightning rods, and steeples. Also known as
corposant or corona discharge.
Aero-Linx: NAVAIR -- Naval
Air Systems Command
The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) is a United States Navy
command, headquartered in Patuxent River, MD with military and
civilian personnel stationed at eight principal continental United
States sites and one site overseas.
"It is clear that as the House approves its bill, that
there is now momentum to pass FAA reauthorization legislation
finally. I am hopeful that Administrator Babbitt's confirmation
will carry us over the hump towards passage of a bill that
modernizes our air traffic control system, rejects user fees, and
invests in airport infrastructure."
Source: NATA President Jim Coyne,
commenting on the confirmation of Randy Babbitt as the next FAA
Administrator.