Close encounter for Toluca farmer. Brad Kuchan files report after spray plane flying 30 feet in air discharges chemicals

TOLUCA —  State and possibly federal officials are investigating a recent incident in which a self-described area "hobby farmer" claims that a spray plane flew closely over him and released chemicals or other material while he was harvesting a small field of oats with an antique combine.

Brad Kuchan, 54, a retired teacher from Minonk, said he was operating a 1963 combine with no cab about 2:20 p.m. July 15 in a 4 1/2-acre field at the edge of Toluca when the yellow spray plane approached from behind and discharged something that left residue.

A friend of Kuchan, retired University of Illinois employee Tom Nations of Tuscola, was standing nearby to watch the operation of the equipment. He estimated the plane was about 30 feet off the ground when it came over the site and "buzzed us," he said.

"I live in a rural area, so (spray planes) are prevalent this time of year," Nations said Friday. "But when they're not (doing normal) spraying, you don't expect them to be just 30 feet off the ground."

Both Nations and Kuchan said there were no neighboring crop fields that might have led to overlapping spray patterns, and that the plane simply flew out of sight after making the one unexpected pass overhead. Both said there was no apparent explanation for the plane being there at that time.

"He just went back to the airport, or wherever he was going," Nations said.

The incident came into public light partly through Kuchan placing a large ad in weekly papers in Lacon and Toluca seeking information from potential witnesses.

When contacted by the Journal Star, Kuchan said he had visited a hospital emergency room after the incident. He said he still was awaiting chemical test results on the substance left on his skin but had suffered no ill health effects at this point.

Nations said separately he had not suffered any effects and had not sought medical attention.

Kuchan said the pilot contacted him in person July 16 and provided an out-of-state mailing address, cellphone number and affiliation with an area agricultural business. Kuchan would not disclose those but said he had provided them in complaints he made to the Federal Aviation Administration and Illinois Department of Agriculture.

A spokesperson at the FAA's Flight Services District Office in Springfield said Friday the agency provides no information about ongoing investigations. Department of Agriculture spokesman Jeff Squibb confirmed that there is one at that agency.

"A complaint was received," Squibb said, "and has been assigned to an investigator."

Source:  http://www.pjstar.com

Four Feared Dead As Helicopter Crashes in Osun State, South West Nigeria.

An Ilorin, Kwara State-bound helicopter with three passengers and a pilot on board crashed Friday at Oke Obala village in Ife-Odan, Osun State. The four persons aboard the plane are believed to have died.

Those on board were Mrs. Josephine Oluwadam-ilola Kuteyi, the managing director of Josepdam Group of companies, her Personal Assistant, and another passenger and the pilot, a Filipino.

Sources said the helicopter that left Lagos for Ilorin at about 12 pm disappeared minutes after taking off and the company operating it, OAS Helicopters, immediately made frantic efforts to locate its whereabouts.

Eventually, the air traffic control in Lagos got a call from around Osogbo about the crash.

A Fulani herdsman who was around when the accident occurred at Oke Obala told Thisday that he was watching over his cattle when he suddenly heard a loud bang and saw billowing smoke afterwards.

He opined that the accident might not be unconnected with the foggy nature of the area because of the rocks that dot the village.

The Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr Harold Demuren , who confirmed the incident, said the regulatory body had sent a search and rescue team accompanied by the woman who claimed to have heard the noise of the crash.

Demuren said: "A helicopter left its Lagos Maryland terminal to Ilorin with three souls in addition to the captain and has not been seen since. We have sent a search and rescue team with the woman who claimed to have heard the crash noise to the area and we are holding vigil in our office.

Head of Operation of the Osun State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Mr Olaniyi Babalola confirmed that it has received the report of the accident and has deployed a team to the area.

A source at NEMA said the agency has confirmed the location of the crash after more than six hours of search at Ife Odan village in the state.

A police inspector identified simply as Victor assisted the NEMA rescue team at the site of the crash in a forest.

NEMA officials from  Abuja and Lagos office including local volunteers are at the area pending the arrival of the agency’s extractive truck to evacuate the bodies and vital parts of the aircraft.

Source:  http://www.thisdaylive.com

Cirrus SR20 C-GYPJ: Part failure blamed for plane crash that killed pilot and friend. Toronto Buttonville Municipal Airport, Ontario. 25 May 2010

http://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/Report pdf

MARKHAM:  A part failure is being blamed for a plane crash that killed a Burlington businessman and his passenger last year.

Pilot Paul Jess, 54, and friend Nancy Noakes, 50, died on May 25, 2010, after Jess’s Cirrus SR20 four-seat plane crashed into the roof of a toy company. The accident occurred at about 12:30 p.m.

The plane had just taken off from Buttonville Municipal Airport on a flight to the Burlington Airpark, where Jess kept his plane. Jess was trying to return to Buttonville after reporting mechanical troubles — witnesses reported seeing smoke — when it crashed into Thinkway Toys, half a kilometre from the airport.

The Transportation Safety Board, in its report on the crash, determined a cylinder head failed because of fatigue and separated from the cylinder during takeoff, resulting in reduced power from the engine. It also found while Jess was manoeuvring the plane for the return to Buttonville, the craft stalled and entered into a spin at an altitude from which recovery was impossible. It is estimated the aircraft did not reach more than 500 feet before it banked and crashed. The 14 workers inside Thinkway escaped safely, but two received minor injuries.

Jess, a father of three, was an experienced pilot who operated Holly’s Pride, a luxury pet kennel business with facilities in Burlington and Ancaster. He had bought the plane, which was built in 1999, in 2008. It was equipped with an airframe-mounted emergency parachute system.

Noakes, who had just got her pilot licence at the end of April 2010, had worked since 2000 as a part-time employee at the Bruce Street branch of the Milton Public Library.

The safety board said it determined the cylinder crack was the first of its kind involving the plane’s engine. It also determined there was no practical way of identifying any crack in this location without “destructive testing.” It believed the cylinder head failed just before takeoff or just after liftoff. 

Source:  http://www.thespec.com

Report Critical of Lynchburg Regional Air Show

A report out today is critical of the handling of the Lynchburg Regional Airshow.

Campbell Co., VA - A new report describes the chaos at this year's Lynchburg Air show as a "mass casualty incident". Officials from Campbell County and Lynchburg outlined point by point what went wrong. It's a critical report. At one point it states there were more EMS personnel at the smaller Altavista Uncle Billy's Day event.

The report acknowledges how hard it was for emergency crews to transport patients from the spectator area to the EMS tents for treatment. And it states keeping costs low created tension between emergency crews and show organizers during the planning process. The report is meant to look at what went wrong so it doesn't happen again.

A wide-ranging report on the Lynchburg Regional Air Show in May identifies dozens of missteps made in planning and execution that at times placed the public’s safety at risk.

The report, written by a committee comprised of more than a dozen area public safety officials, dissects details of the event and its planning from a public safety point of view and outlines dozens of observations and corrective measures.

Scott Hechler, director of the Campbell County Department of Public Safety and a member of the committee, said Friday the report is an honest look at the actions taken over the two days and will be used to improve preparations for future events.

It “is not designed to assign blame or negative intent on any individual,” the report said.

Despite that, the report is clear that poor planning led to many of the problems, especially on May 21, the first day of the show.

“The level of emergency response activity during the show could best be described as a slow motion mass casualty incident,” it states, with emergency staff busy treating patients and police dealing with lost children and separated families and trying to manage traffic.

The airshow, which featured the U.S. Navy’s elite Blue Angels flight demonstration team, drew tens of thousands to the Lynchburg Regional Airport on May 21-22. The biggest problems at the event happened on the first day, when huge transportation headaches left spectators waiting after a long, hot day for up to three hours for shuttle service back to parking lots at Liberty University. Confusion, long lines and heat-related medical issues, including several that required hospital transport, ensued.

In all, 60 different observations were made by the committee and highlighted in a “Lessons Learned” section of the report. The list includes items such as tripping hazards, preferential treatment given to VIPS and injuries in the children’s inflatable area, as well as positives such as highly trained firefighters on site and the high level of collaboration among public safety responders.

The report was made public this week in advance of the Campbell County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday.

Campbell County Administrator David Laurrell and Lynchburg City Manager Kimball Payne were unavailable for comment on Friday.

Jones Stanley, president of the Lynchburg Regional Airshow, Inc., said on Friday that he had not read the report and declined to comment.

Hechler said that despite logistical and other problems, public safety workers on site performed well.

“The EMS system both in the county and the region really showed itself to be highly capable,” he said.

According to the report, planning for Blue Angels aerial show typically takes 18 months unless it is an annual event. Final approvals from the federal government for the show were not obtained until about four weeks before the show, the report says.

Event organizers were advised by Campbell County to go through its outdoor event permit process and create an emergency operations plan. Organizers did not create the plan, the report says, and public safety personnel eventually stepped in to write one.

Organizers repeatedly tried to reduce fire, EMS and law enforcement resources and costs, the report says, and then tried to seek out another county to provide services.

At the event, public safety personnel witnessed spectators being injured because of tripping hazards, people walking on busy roads creating life safety hazards and traffic jams and VIPs receiving preferential treatment, increasing the tension of the crowds.

They also saw successful use of police checkpoints, EMS bike teams and collaboration between public safety agencies and staff.

According to the report, 11 spectators were transported to the hospital and others reported that they had taken themselves to the emergency room for treatment. Hospital records from that weekend show that eight spectators were treated and transported to the hospital. Overall, 60-70 people were treated on site by medical personnel that weekend.

Following numerous problems Saturday organizers made changes to transportation plans, and added ambulances and an EMS treatment area, to improve the show the following day.

On Sunday the Blue Angels were grounded, cutting the show short after the planes flew too low during a maneuver.

Despite the challenges, Hechler calls the event a success.

“I think that the show was great for the community and in the future it will be great for the community to have such shows,” he said.

He stressed that personal responsibility and collaboration are key to the success of large events such as the air show. Spectators must make themselves aware of any circumstances, such as extreme heat, and take the necessary precautions.

Mark Courtney, Lynchburg Regional Airport director, also said the show, which was a challenging undertaking, was a success. He said none of those involved in the planning had been involved in the last airshow held in the Lynchburg area, in 1982.

He said “a process is already under way to restructure air show governance” ensuring direct partnerships between all parties. If successful, and the group can resolve some of the issues, Courtney said they would like to have another show, possibly in 2013.

“The lesson is that it takes time and collaboration to plan for a show,” said Hechler. “The challenge, or lesson learned, as far as having a large-scale event, is to take preventive measures not reactive.”

Source: http://www2.neweraprogress.com

Video and Probable Cause Report. Crash of Beech B36TC Bonanza, N4BA. Accident occurred April 1, 2010. Dayton-Wright Brothers Airport (MGY), Dayton, Ohio

http://www.ntsb.gov/Probable Cause Report

http://youtu.be/a_3wUuzSlSk

FLORIDA: Plane crashes in Sarasota's Myakka State Park, two people injured.

Myakka, Florida -- A small aircraft has crashed at Myakka State Park in Sarasota.

It happened shortly before 1 p.m. Friday near Hi Hat Ranch at Utopia and Diebold roads.  

Kathleen Bergen from the FAA tells 10 News that based on preliminary information, the ultralight airplane took off from Sarasota Bradenton Airport and flew about 10 miles east-southeast. The Sarasota Sheriff's Office says that's when the plane's engine stalled, sending the aircraft into a spin.

Two people, 56-year-old Larry Eslinger and his student pilot, were injured in the crash and air lifted to Bayfront Medical Center for treatment. Deputies say the student was able to call 911 and dispatchers used GPS satellites to locate the cell phone and crash site.

Photo Gallery: Small plane crashes in Myakka State Park

Aerial footage shows the plane crashed in a heavily wooded area of the park.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the cause of the crash.

Based on the plane's tail number, it appears the aircraft is a TL-Ultralight, fixed wing single-engine airplane.

Source:  http://www.wtsp.com

Piper PA-38 Tomahawk: Plane crash lands on houses next to airport. Eccles, Manchester (UK)

A light aircraft crashes into a family home in Eccles, Manchester. The 2 seater plane had taken off from nearby Barton Aerodrome

(Pic:Splash)

The wreckage of a light aircraft after it crashed into houses on Newlands Avenue in Salford

TWO men were seriously burnt when their light aircraft crashed on to houses next to an airfield yesterday.

One victim, in his 50s and thought to be the pilot, suffered 70% burns after the plane ploughed into a pair of semis on take-off and burst into flames. His 21-year-old passenger was 60% burnt.

But miraculously not one resident was injured at the devastated crash site in Peel Green, Salford — though a woman was seen running in shock from one of the wrecked semis, screaming: “Help me.”

The men were rushed to hospital by air ambulance and their condition last night was “serious”. Carmen Amoo, 43, who lives in flats just behind the spot where the Piper PA38 Tomahawk came down, said: “I heard a huge bang and thought it was a gas explosion at first.

“I ran to the door and the whole sky was just a sheet of flame, then turned to clouds of dense smoke.

“I heard really horrible screams and a woman from the house that was hit ran into the back garden shouting for help.

“Two workmen booted the back gate in and tried to put the fire out with a garden hose. A policeman and a policewoman also arrived and they all attempted to douse the flames and reach the poor men inside the plane. They were really brave.”

Mark Frimston, 25, said: “It was as if a bomb went off and when I ran out I saw a plane embedded in the side of a house.”

The Piper came down just after midday, 500 yards from Barton Airfield. Local Philip Cusack, 86, said: “It seems the plane was taking off from there when it hit the back of the houses.

“There were emergency vehicles all over the place and the main A57 to Liverpool nearby was mayhem.

“House numbers 7 and 9 were the ones that got hit but miraculously the people who live there appear to be all right.”

Station commander Paul Duggan of Greater Manchester Fire Service said: “Several people successfully managed to put out the aircraft fire, but not before some occupants had been burned. One was removed quite quickly but the second had to be cut from the wreckage.

“The plane landed fairly neatly between the two buildings, though it was fairly badly damaged by the impact and fire. Part of the building may have to be demolished but engineers are still examining it.”

The plane was privately hired from flying school Ravenair’s training fleet based in Liverpool.

Source:  http://www.mirror.co.uk

122nd pilot helped plane make emergency landing. N3236C, Beech E35. Fort Wayne, Indiana.

122nd pilot helped plane make emergency landing: wane.com

http://www.faa.gov/Accident_incident

http://registry.faa.gov/N3236C

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - No one was hurt when a small plane had to make an emergency landing at the Fort Wayne airport Thursday partly thanks to the quick thinking and expertise of a 122nd Fighter Wing pilot.

Lt. Col. John Carroll was on the Indiana Air National Guard base and was about to go pick up some pilots when he heard that a Bonanza was going to make an emergency landing. The plane's landing gear under the nose was stuck half-way down.

"I was listening, king of minding my own business, and I heard on the radios he was intending to land on the grass," Carroll said.

That caught Carroll's attention. He's flown Bonanzas for years and knew landing on the grass with landing gear partially down could be a big mistake.

"With the nose gear up and the main gears down, the nose is going to pitch down," he explained. "So if he lands on a soft surface, even though it's been dry around here, you don't know how the surface of the grass is going to be. If something catches the aircraft, it can flip over on its back."

Carroll got on the radio and talked to the pilot in the sky.

"He was doing a great job. He had gone through the whole checklist," Carroll said.

Carroll was on the runway when the plane did a low pass. Using binoculars, Carrol could see the problem.

"I could confirm exactly what was wrong with his aircraft and give him information to know it wasn't a false indicator in his cockpit. It was stuck nose gear. It's very important to know and have that critical data before attempting a landing," Carroll said.

Over the radio, Carroll guided the pilot through landing on the runway instead of the grass.

"I recommended that he land the aircraft on the runway as slowly as possible, shut the engine down before the nose touches the ground and shutting the fuel off," Carroll said.

When the plane touched the runway, the landing gear collapsed and the plane slid more than a hundred feet. The two people inside, who were both pilots, were not hurt. The plane didn't have a lot of damage either.

"That's the good outcome of landing on a good, dry, long prepared surface versus a rough, unknown, uneven surface, ie: the grass," he said.

Carroll added that the safe landing was a team effort between many people, both in the control tower and the pilot in the sky.

"It was all the right people in the right place at the right time. The tower was awesome and the pilot did a great job," Carroll said.

Source:  http://www.wane.com

US Airways to inspect plane after irritating smell reported. People on flight at LAX report eye, respiratory irritations.

A US Airways airplane has been removed from service for inspection after passengers reported an irritating smell in the cabin.

Several people on Flight 1431 from Charlotte, N.C., to Los Angeles complained of minor eye and throat irritation. As a precaution, L.A. Fire Department paramedics were summoned to the aircraft after landing.

Two passengers were evaluated at the scene and released, US Airways spokesperson Valerie Wunder said. Four flight attendants went to the hospital to be evaluated, a mandatory practice when there is possible exposure to fumes or smoke, she said.

There were 183 passengers and six crew members on board. Authorities said all seemed in good condition and that no emergency landing was necessary.

Source: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com

Taylorcraft BL-65, N24369: Accident occurred July 28, 2011 in Winterville, North Carolina.

NTSB Identification: ERA11FA426 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, July 28, 2011 in Winterville, NC
Aircraft: TAYLORCRAFT BL-65, registration: N24369
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On July 28, 2011, at 1511 eastern daylight time, a Taylorcraft BL-65, N24369, operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged when it impacted runway 25 during an attempted landing at South Oak Aerodrome (NC47), Winterville, North Carolina. The certificated airline transport pilot was fatally injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which departed NC47 about 1345.

Runway 25 at NC47 was 1,850 feet long, 50 feet wide, and consisted of turf. According to video surveillance provided by the owner of a nearby residence, the airplane approached the runway from south to north in a nose-down, left-bank attitude. The airplane impacted the left side of runway 25, approximately one-third down the runway. It then spun 180 degrees and came to rest about 20 feet from initial impact. The wreckage was resting upright, on a heading of 150 degrees magnetic. The right main landing gear had partially separated and the airplane was resting on its right side. Ground scars were located about 20 feet from the wreckage, oriented about a 300 degree magnetic bearing to the wreckage. The ground scars were consistent with the left wing and left main landing gear.

The right aileron bellcrank and a handheld global positioning system receiver were retained for further examination.

A plane crash at the South Oaks Aerodrome, located off County Home Road, killed one person on Thursday.

(Aileen Devlin/The Daily Reflector)

http://www.faa.gov/Accident_incident

http://registry.faa.gov/N24369

http://www.pbase.com/Photos N24369

http://www.airport-data.com/Photo N24369

Federal aviation investigators arrived early Friday to probe a fatal plane crash that killed a commercial airline pilot from Winterville.

Joshua Brehm, 42, was at the controls after 3 p.m. Thursday when his single-engine 1940 Taylorcraft BL-65 went down in a grassy field at South Oaks Aerodrome in Winterville, authorities said Friday.

The residential landing field at 6554 County Home Road just north of N.C. 102 is an unmanned airfield that is part of a luxury residential development in southern Pitt County. No homes or other structures were damaged.

Brehm is a captain with Southwest Airlines, sheriff's officials said Friday.

He held an airline transport pilot certification, the highest certification offered by the Federal Aviation Administration, spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said Friday.

He was certified to fly a Boeing 737, Hawker Beechcraft 1900, which is a twin-turbo propellor plane, and a Bombardier CRJ-200, a regional jet, she said.

Investigators with the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board spent Friday morning examining the wreckage.

The plane appeared to be landing when the crash, according to witnesses, sheriff's officials said.

A flight plan was not known, officials said Thursday. Sheriff Neil Elks said it was possible the pilot went up for a brief pleasure ride. The crash does not appear suspicious, he said.

Source:  http://www.reflector.com

Poland's defence minister resigns over Smolensk plane crash

Poland's defence minister resigned on Friday after a report into an air crash in Russia last year that killed the country's president blamed inadequate pilot training.

The report also said that Russia was partly to blame for the crash near Smolensk, which left dozens of the nation's military and political elite.

Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, said he had accepted Bogdan Klich's resignation after they had both read the 328-page report into the crash.

The Polish air force Tupolev Tu-154 carrying President Lech Kaczynski struck a tree as it tried to land at a fogbound Smolensk airport in western Russia on April 10, 2010.

It then rolled over and slammed into the ground, killing the president, his wife and 94 others in a crash that the country is still reeling from.

In the detailed report drawn up 15 months after the accident investigators a gave damning indictment of crew training and flight preparation, and said that Poland should shoulder most of the blame for the disaster.

Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk

Clark Gable's grandson arrested for allegedly pointing laser at LAPD chopper

LOS ANGELES (KTLA) -- The grandson of legendary actor Clark Gable has been arrested for allegedly pointing a laser at an LAPD helicopter.

Clark Gable III, 23, was charged with one felony count of discharging a laser, Lt. Alex Medel of the LAPD's Hollywood Division said. He was being held on $60,000 bail at the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles.

Gable was apparently driving around in Hollywood with friends Thursday night when he claims he tried to point a laser at the Hollywood sign but missed, TMZ reports.

Officers accused him of shining the laser at a Los Angeles Police Department helicopter and took him into custody.

This isn't the first time Gable, an aspiring reality star, has found himself in trouble.

In 2009, he was stabbed during a house party in Calabasas.

He claimed he was trying to help his friend when he was stabbed in the upper torso by another party-goer.

Source: http://www.ktla.com

Airline operators to bear cost of training on satellite technology, Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority

Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr Harold Demuren, has said commercial airline operators will be bear the cost of training personnel for the implementation of Performance Based Navigation (PBN).

He explained that the implementation of the PBN, a satellite technology will help to develop nonlinear, helicopter specific- flight paths free from obstacles, terrain and fixed wing traffic routes.

He gave the explanation in Lagos while speaking at a stockholder’s forum on the PBN road map organised by NCAA at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

Demuren explained that in relative to circuitous Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), the helicopter specific PBN routes can link airport, hospitals, government facilities and oil rigs to save operators time and fuel.

He added that PBN will also enable helicopter operations, which is anticipated to become an increasingly important element of Nigeria’s economy and air transportation the vertical approaches and departures for which helicopters are suited.

On Nigeria’s adoption of PBN, the director general said that the decision has significant safety economic implications for the nation’s air carriers and other airspace users

He advised operators to take aircraft equipage and flight crew training requirements into consideration while making their plans.

According to him, “They should also factor PBN’s anticipated benefits including enhance safety , reduced per – flight fuel consumption and environment impact and reduced flight delays into their cost benefit analysis.

On who bears the cost of training personnel on PBN, Demuren said that it is solely the responsibility of the operator however that the performance nature of PBN requirements grants operators significant flexibility to make cost effective equipage decisions.

NCAA will continue to consult with Nigeria’s carriers and other airspace users and take their views and needs into consideration as NCAA planning for PBN evolves.

Source: http://www.independentngonline.com

Newport activists want to ground proposed helipad near John Wayne Airport.

Some of the concerns include student safety because Mariner's Christian School is 900 feet away and noise levels for neighbors.

A Costa Mesa developer has applied to build a helicopter landing pad atop an office building next to John Wayne Airport, and Newport Beach officials and activists are lining up to fight it.

At Tuesday's City Council meeting, Newport Councilman Keith Curry asked the city manager to consider opposing the project.

Because most JWA planes take off over Newport, its residents have traditionally fought the hardest against airport expansion and noise.

But the developer and at least one Costa Mesa city official say they have stepped too far in this case. The conflict raises the questions of what is an airport expansion, and how much should Newport Beach residents intervene in their neighbors' affairs.

"Newport wants to clamp down on any expansion of the airport footprint," said Newport Councilwoman Leslie Daigle, who sits on the Airport Land Use Commission.

Source: http://articles.dailypilot.com

Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh's aircraft lands under emergency conditions due to snag

Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh had a lucky escape as the aircraft carrying him had to land under emergency conditions due to a technical snag. The incident took place last evening while Singh was on his way to Raipur from here, official sources said. Singh had gone to Kharsiya village to attend a function along with other party leaders.

Later, when he left for Raipur, his plane suffered a hydraulic failure and had to return to the Jindal airstrip within 15 minutes of takeoff, the sources said.

After nearly five hours, Singh was flown to the capital, along with other BJP leaders, in a special aircraft, they said.

Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com

CitationAir Guarantees Two Years of Flying Free of the Federal Excise Tax

CITATIONAIR GUARANTEES TWO YEARS OF FLYING
FREE OF THE FEDERAL EXCISE TAX

Greenwich, CT, July 29, 2011 – CitationAir is offering customers purchasing a new Jet Card a chance to take advantage of the sunsetting of the FAA legislation that provided for the collection of the 7.5 percent federal excise tax (FET) and other taxes. If customers purchase a minimum of $100,000 on a new, non-refundable 24-month Jet Card, all flying will be FET-free for up to two years. 

The FET, which funds the Federal Aviation Administration, expired July 22, 2011, and has not been reinstated by Congress, effectively providing a 7.5 percent discount on purchases for a limited time. Whether FET is reestablished or is collected for travel occurring after its enactment, CitationAir is guaranteeing to the customer FET-free flying for up to 24 months. 

“The chance to save, in effect, 7.5 percent on flying with an unparalleled, first-class private aviation company is a can’t-miss opportunity for all people interested in private jet travel,” CitationAir CEO Steve O’Neill said. “We are thrilled to be able to provide our customers – new and existing – the ability to take advantage of this unique opportunity.”

Significant volume discounts are also available for larger volume commitments. All FET-free flying applies only to a new Jet Card for which payment is received before Congress reinstates the 7.5 percent FET, which can happen at any time.

For more information on this promotion, visit www.citationair.com/Programs/Promotions or call 1-877-MY-CITATION (1-877-692-4828).

About CitationAir

CitationAir is an industry leader offering individuals and businesses the advantages of private jet travel through its innovative programs, including Jet Card, Jet Access, Jet Shares, Jet Management and Corporate Solutions products. CitationAir flies Cessna’s popular Citation aircraft exclusively—the Citation CJ3, Citation XLS, Citation Sovereign and Citation X—which are serviced and maintained at the factory-level. CitationAir operates one of the youngest fleet of aircraft in the industry by highly trained pilots, setting the standard for superior customer service. CitationAir’s parent company is Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron (NYSE: TXT) company. More information about CitationAir and its offerings are available at www.citationair.com.

Media Contacts:

CitationAir

Renee Levine, rlevine@citationair.com

203-542-3339                         

Goodman Media International

Nicole Summer nsummer@goodmanmedia.com

212-576-2700 x 255

Meghalaya rejects Pawan Hans proposal to resume services

SHILLONG:Meghalaya government has rejected a proposal of thePawan Hans Helicopter Limited to resume its services in the state which were suspended following the April 30 crash that killed former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Dorjee Khandu along with four others.

''Officials of the helicopter service approached us about a week back, but we have refused,'' transport minister A T Mondal said today.

Mondal said despite the company's assurance of providing brand new choppers, the government was not convinced considering the past history of the service.

The state government had earlier written to the Director General of Civil Aviation for initiating a process of floating fresh tenders for roping in companies for operating choppers in the state.

"We are awaiting a response from the DGCA. The Airport Authority ofIndia has also been asked to give suggestions. We would be also holding a meeting withIAF officials for technical help during the bidding process," Mondal said.

Along with Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Sikkim, Nagaland and Manipur, Meghalaya too had suspended operations of the Pawan Hans after the April 30 crash.

Tripura and Sikkim have allowed the company to resume its services.

Source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com

Spitfire crash promotes Marine Theatre show. Lyme Regis, UK

A crashed Spitfire at Marine Theatre

ONLOOKERS couldn’t miss the latest sight in Lyme Regis – a Spitfire crashed into the Marine Theatre.

Promoters rigged up the mock air disaster to promote a production called The Mysterious and Fantastical Wartime Tale of the Salty Socks of Dunkirk.

The three quarters sized replica aircraft was created by theatre manager Nigel Day, who also works for the Bridport based Wotzat installations and visual effects company.

There is also a smoke and a flame effect for the evenings although the theatre has to tell the coastguard daily of times when it will appear to be on fire.

The Shanty Theatre Company show is on a six week run at the Theatre over the summer, from July 27 to September 4. 

Source:  http://www.bridportnews.co.uk

Rio-Paris crash probe finds pilots ignored warnings

PARIS, July 29 (Reuters) - French investigators said on Friday that the crew of Air France's Rio-Paris flight which crashed into the Atlantic two years ago ignored repeated stall warnings and failed to follow textbook procedures.

France's BEA authority issued 10 new safety recommendations aimed at avoiding a repeat of the crash, which killed 228 people, including more training on flying aircraft manually -- a skill which industry critics say has been eroded by computers.

The BEA report into the final minutes of flight AF 447 found that pilots failed to discuss "stall" alarms as their doomed Airbus jet plummeted 38,000 feet and hurtled into the ocean at 200 km (125 miles) per hour, killing all everyone on board.

It revealed passengers were not given any warning as pilots struggled to avoid the crash in the early hours of June 1, 2009.

The updated account, based on recently recovered black boxes, confirmed a finding in May that the crew responded to stall warnings by doing something that has mystified aviation experts ever since -- pointing the nose up instead of down.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com

Taylorcraft DCO-65, N46089: February plane crash piloted by Purdue, Snider student ruled pilot error. Purdue student from Fort Wayne piloted aircraft. Americus, Indiana.

Tony Cole

February plane crash piloted by Purdue, Snider student ruled pilot error: wane.com

http://www.ntsb.gov/Report

Audio: 911 call from passenger of crashed plane

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo

http://registry.faa.gov/N46089

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WANE) - A National Transportation Safety Board report says a February plane crash that killed a Purdue University student was likely caused by pilot error.

Twenty-year-old pilot Tom Cole of Fort Wayne died 11 days after the Feb. 15 crash of a 1942 Taylorcraft DC0-65 single-engine plane near Americus in northern Tippecanoe County. A passenger, 22-year-Tom Williams of Sheridan, survived the crash with internal injuries and a broken wrist.

Cole was a Fort Wayne Snider graduate.

The Journal & Courier says the NTSB report released this month found Cole apparently failed to maintain adequate airspeed and the aircraft stalled.

The report says there was no sign of mechanical trouble with the engine or airframe.

Source: http://www.wane.com

CANADA: Government puts off floatplane safety upgrades in favour of focus groups.

VANCOUVER - Canada's Transportation Safety Board says the federal government has set off a series of frustrating delays before improving floatplane safety.

A TSB report on a crash off B.C. coast where six people died, including a baby, recommended that pop-out doors be installed and that passengers wear personal-flotation devices.

Four months later, Transport Canada is saying it will hold a focus group with industry members to decide how to address the recommendations, and the results from that will go to an advisory council.

The board's Jonathan Seymour says their concern is that such a consultation process can be extremely lengthy and the current safety situation is inadequate.

The investigation into the Seair Seaplane crash off Saturna Island in November 2009 found that the six who died survived the crash, but couldn't get out of the submerged plane.

In the last 20 years, about 70 per cent of the deaths in planes that sank in the water were from drowning after passengers survived the initial impact of the crash.

Content Provided By Canadian Press.

Source: http://www.qr77.com

PENNSYLVANIA: Horsham makes it clear: Airport is not wanted. Willow Grove Naval Air Station.

Whatever may fill the nearly 900 acres vacated by the shuttered Willow Grove Naval Air Station, Horsham Township officials and residents can tell you one thing that won't: an airport.

The Horsham Land Reuse Authority resoundingly voted down two proposals Wednesday night to preserve the closed base's 8,000-foot runway for future commercial air traffic.

But the decision - greeted by a standing ovation from a packed, anti-airport crowd - left supporters lamenting a day later the overwhelming influence that local interests had in the process.

"It may be a win for Horsham, but it's a huge loss for the region," said John Mininger, chairman of the Bucks County Airport Authority, which submitted one of the two airport proposals.

"I don't know that the local people should have complete veto power over such an important piece of national infrastructure," he said.

That's the way it ought to be, said HLRA Chairman W. William Whiteside, also a member of the Horsham Township Council.

"Part of the consideration should be, 'What do the people that live near the base want?' " he said. "That's the way the process is set up."

Since the federal government announced it would decommission the Willow Grove base in 2005, the HLRA has led the effort to develop a reuse plan for the property that borders Route 611.

Horsham residents make up the majority of the nine-member board. Their ranks include three current or former members of the council, the superintendent of the Hatboro-Horsham School District, two business leaders, and one resident.

Commissioners in Bucks and Montgomery Counties each have one representative on the panel - not enough to sway decision-making in a significant way, planners said.

Wednesday's meeting left no question where Horsham stood when it came to two requests, from Montgomery County and the Bucks County Airport Authority, arguing that preserving the runway would be smart planning for the region.

The airport authority's more detailed proposal suggested turning the runway into an airfield catering to corporate planes and private jets. The Willow Grove airstrip is one of the few remaining undeveloped spaces in the region suitable for an airfield, its proposal said.

But since county planners made their interest known in March, Horsham residents - who have lived with the roar or military jet engines taking off and landing for years - objected loudly and often.

Wednesday night's meeting was no different. The nearly 400-member crowd jeered Steve Nelson, Montgomery County's director of policy and the board's lone dissenting voice on the airport decision, when he suggested that HLRA members could not vote knowledgeably on the proposals without more detailed studies on their impact.

"This is perhaps the most significant development decision that Horsham has seen in a generation," he said. "I know that there is strong opposition in this community, but I think it's a valid economic resource to at least be considered."

Whiteside countered that whether official studies had been done or not, board members had done their own research. He offered to e-mail Nelson videos of plane crashes if he had any continuing concerns.

Others in the audience expressed concerns that aviation gasoline could contaminate the blood of children, that an airport would significantly diminish the school district's ability to teach, and that airports have been linked to asthma.

One woman yelled, "I want to strangle that man," to one of the few who dared speak in favor of preserving Willow Grove's runway.

Although the authority cautioned Wednesday that any decisions made that night might be reversed during the planning process, airport advocates held out little hope Thursday that their plans might be revived.

"I just think this is a missed opportunity," said Nelson. "One that we're going to regret in the long run."

In addition to the airport decision, authority members approved proposals from the township, school district and parks department, among others, for inclusion in the reuse plan they hope to submit to the Navy by the end of the year.

Remaining land is expected to be divided for commercial development later in the process.

The HLRA must receive federal approval for its final reuse plan before any development can begin.

Source: http://www.philly.com

VIDEO: Uganda President Yoweri Museveni inspects new fighter jets

by ntvuganda on Jul 25, 2011

http://www.ntvuganda.co.ug

Uganda's newest fighter jets have been unveiled to the public for the first time since they were flown into the country from Russia last month. Two of the six Su-30 jets that cost the government $740 million were unveiled by President Yoweri Museveni at Entebbe Air Base.

http://youtu.be/ElRy2Spsiu4

Soulja Boy (American rapper and record producer) DROPS $55 MILLION ON PRIVATE JET

Soulja Boy has spent $55 million on a private jet.

The 'Kiss Me Through the Phone' hitmaker has bought himself a Gulfstream G5 jet as a present for his 21st birthday yesterday (28.07.11). The jet itself costs $35 million, but Soulja - real name DeAndre Cortez Way - is spending an extra $20 million on customizing it, adding 12 Italian leather seats, flat screen TVs, four liquor bars, a special travertine tiled floor, and Brazilian hardwood cabinets.
Read more: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com

Soulja Boy doesn't know the meaning of the word recession -- because TMZ has learned, the 21-year-old rapper is dropping $55 MILLION on a new private jet. A member of Soulja's management team tells us ... the kid bought himself a G5 jet as a birthday present to himself this week.

Read more: http://www.tmz.com

Dhubri, India: Aviation fuel suspected in kerosene

Dhubri, July 28: A source in Bongaigaon Refinery and Petrochemicals today said there was a possibility that aviation fuel was present in the kerosene samples that were tested after the recent explosions of stoves in Dhubri and Bongaigaon districts.

Aviation fuel is a kerosene-based substance and contains zero percentage water. It is cheaper than the kerosene sold under the public distribution system (PDS).

Aviation fuel lowers the flash point (the temperature at which the fuel burns) of kerosene when mixed with it and makes it a highly inflammable substance. Every fuel has a separate flash point. In case of kerosene, it is 35 degrees Celsius, which means that kerosene will catch fire at that temperature. If the flash point comes down below 35 degrees Celsius, then it means that the kerosene contains some high inflammable substance or substances, which catch fire below 35 degrees Celsius, a source said.

He added that the racketeers involved in mixing aviation fuel with kerosene usually ensure that the flash point of kerosene (distributed under the PDS) remains between 30 and 33 degrees Celsius so that it causes no damage. In the recent cases of explosions, more aviation fuel seems to have been mixed with kerosene to earn more money, resulting in much lower flash point, he alleged.

The two samples of kerosene collected from Dhubri by Indian Oil Corporation officials were found to have flash points of 25 and 28 degrees Celsius. The IOC submitted its report to the Dhubri district deputy commissioner on Tuesday.

It is being alleged that a section of IOC officials and district administrators in connivance with some traders are making efforts to cover up the anomalies in blue-coloured kerosene.

A senior police official in Dhubri district said they had sent samples of kerosene to the Guwahati Forensic Laboratory and its report was expected by tomorrow.

Dispur today asked the deputy commissioners and sub-divisional officers (civil) to collect the blue-coloured kerosene samples from sensitive areas and depots and send these to the Forensic Laboratory at Guwahati for investigation and to take all preventive and precautionary steps to ensure the safety of consumers. Dispur has also asked officials to associate IOC officials while conducting their inquiry

Assam food and civil supplies minister Nazrul Islam arrived here today and met family members of the victims, visited the wounded in hospital and enquired about the medical treatment being provided to them. He told reporters that he had asked the superintendent of police to register criminal cases against those responsible for the explosions. He announced an ex gratia of Rs 1 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to Rs 5,000 to the wounded.

The general manager (operation) IOC, Guwahati, Priya Vas Dey today said their final report would be available within 24 hours. "There is no fault in our kerosene supplied to dealers. Anyone can test it for his satisfaction," he added.

Source: http://in.news.yahoo.com

Boeing's secrets at issue in National Labor Relations Board flap. Boeing wants to keep some information 'confidential' and 'highly confidential.'

By Michelle Dunlop, Herald Writer

Which information should be kept confidential in a very public case between the Boeing Co. and the National Labor Relations Board?

That was a question at the heart of arguments made in front of an administrative law judge in Seattle on Thursday.

The labor board has accused Boeing of punishing its Machinists for labor strikes in the Puget Sound region by putting a second 787 assembly line in South Carolina. The board's general counsel has suggested Boeing set up another 787 line in Washington to make up for their alleged wrongdoing. Boeing says it made a business choice, not one out of spite.

The parties, which include attorneys for the Machinists union, first appeared in front of Judge Clifford Anderson in mid-June. But for the most part, they've been working in private on how to deal with various documents and evidence.

However, the sides can't agree on how to handle sensitive information in the case.

Read more: http://www.heraldnet.com

Russians share blame for Smolensk crash - Polish report. Tupolev 154M. Smolensk Air Base (Russia)

WARSAW (Reuters) - Faulty equipment and poor communication by Russian ground staff contributed to a plane crash last year that killed Poland's president and 95 others, a Polish government commission investigating the disaster said on Friday.

Its long-awaited report, drawn up by a panel of experts over 15 months, also said many of the Polish air crew lacked appropriate training for the flight and some equipment on board their TU-154 Tupolev was not properly prepared.

President Lech Kaczynski, his wife Maria, many senior officials and top military brass died in the crash as their plane was trying to land on April 10, 2010, in thick fog near the western Russian city of Smolensk.

"The commission has established that the lighting systems at the (Smolensk) airport were faulty and inadequate," commission member Lieutenant Colonel Robert Benedict told a news conference.

The Russian side gave wrong orders to the plane's pilots, who he said were making only a trial descent rather than seriously attempting to land when the crash happened after miscalculating their distance from the ground.

The Polish delegation had been heading to the nearby Katyn forest to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the murder of Polish officers by Soviet secret police during World War Two.

The commission had some sharp criticism for the Polish side, saying that the pilot lacked experience in landing aircraft in adverse weather conditions. He was also the only Russian-speaking crew member, which meant he had to deal directly with the ground staff in addition to flying the plane.

Equipment on board the plane had not been properly prepared, another member of the commission, Wieslaw Jedynak, told the news conference.

However, the report said there was no evidence that Kaczynski or other passengers had put pressure on the pilots to land against their wishes. Some media and politicians have suggested the pilots had tried to land the plane under duress.

In its own report into the disaster, published in January, Russia put all the blame for the disaster on the Polish crew, infuriating the Polish side which said conditions at Smolensk airport had also been a contributing factor.

The shock of the crash initially helped to accelerate a cautious diplomatic rapprochement between Moscow and Warsaw, long at loggerheads over various issues, but the Russian report complicated bilateral relations.

Kaczynski's identical twin brother Jaroslaw, who heads Poland's main opposition party, has accused Prime Minister Donald Tusk's centrist government of conniving with Moscow to cover up the full truth of the Smolensk disaster.

Tusk, who is tipped to win re-election in October, strongly denies the claims.

Source:  http://au.news.yahoo.com

Perfect landing, not-so-perfect spot. Hot air balloon buzzes Massachusetts Pike, lands in Auburn.

An slightly errant hot air balloon cast a shadow over the Massachusetts Turnpike yesterday. The pilot was able to set it down in a maintenance facility about 100 yards away from the road.

(Dan Montanye)

After slowly gliding over commuters, many of whom waved and blew their horns, a recreational hot air balloon landed in the lot of a Massachusetts Turnpike maintenance facility in Auburn yesterday morning, according to the balloon’s pilot and passengers.

“This is one that I will be telling my friends about for a while,’’ said passenger Dan Montanye, who was on board with his girlfriend, Eleonor Scharbach of Newton. “It was a lot of fun.’’

Amedeo DiStefano, who is known as Mario, owner of the Worcester-based Bella Via Balloon company and a 33-year veteran of hot-air ballooning, was in charge yesterday. He said he had six passengers on board. The flight began at 6:30 a.m. from Institute Park in Worcester.

About 45 minutes later, DiStefano said, he decided against attempting to land at an open field and continued the flight because of the brilliance of the morning light and ease of wind conditions. A short while later, he tried to land in another grassy area, but the winds bounced the balloon toward trees surrounding the field, preventing a safe landing.

Still some 300 feet in the air, DiStefano noticed that his chase crew had driven into the turnpike’s maintenance facility in Auburn and saw the relatively wide open space of the facility’s parking area - and began a controlled descent that took the balloon over the highway.

“We had a perfectly safe, controlled landing,’’ DiStefano said. “I made the driveway just perfectly from my point of view, a pretty accurate landing.’’

State Police said the balloon came to rest about 100 feet off the Mass Pike itself, and that the incident caused some slowing of traffic but no major backups or accidents. State Police said DiStefano had the proper license to operate a hot air balloon.

Scharbach said she was not scared that the balloon would land on the Pike, even through the balloon was just 30 to 40 feet above the roadway.

“We were starting to get low over the Pike, and all the cars were beeping at us,’’ she said. “But I wasn’t worried we were going to land on the Pike. Mario’s been doing this for over 30 years. You could tell he knew what he was doing.’’

“I actually wasn’t scared at all,’’ she said, describing the landing. “The flight was very enjoyable.’’

Her fear was the greatest, she said, when she found herself 2,500 feet above the ground, sitting in a small basket with six other people, just moments after the flight began.

DiStefano said the balloon was 85 feet tall with a diameter of 66 feet.

DiStefano said the vertical flight of hot air balloons can be controlled, but the horizontal flight path is determined by the winds - and the whims of Mother Nature.

“We never know where we are going to land,’’ DiStefano said. “I want people to understand that this thing that looked so strange to them is in fact a very safe thing.’’

Source:  http://www.boston.com