Friday, August 12, 2011

Top three questions about Springfield-Branson airport closure

SPRINGFIELD, Mo - There have been many questions surrounding the closure of the airport. Director of Public Information and Marketing Kent Boyd sat down with KY3 News to answer some of the most common questions.

Q: I’ve purchased an airline ticket for the day airport closes. Did the airline mess up by selling me the ticket?

A: No, the airline didn’t mess up. The airport will be open Friday morning until 11:00. Approximately a dozen flights will depart before 11:00.

Q: Why are you closing the airport?

A: The airport has two runways. Only one is being resurfaced. That runway has been closed since June, while the other runway has remained open. The airport will close when resurfacing work reaches the intersection of the two runways. That’s the point when the airport has to close. Workers can’t work near the intersection while planes are taking off and landing. That would be an unsafe situation.

Q: Isn’t there a way to repave the runway without closing the airport?

A: Yes, but it would involve a long, drawn-out construction process that would take much longer and cost more.

Springfield-Branson National Airport closes Friday, reopens Monday. The airport is resurfacing an intersection of two runways.

 

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- (Edited news release) Due to runway resurfacing, we'll be closed to all aircraft, with the exception of helicopters for three days. The airport has two runways. Only one is being resurfaced. That runway will be closed all summer, while the other remains open so planes can land and take off.

The airport will remain open until resurfacing work reaches the intersection of the two runways. That's the point where we have to close the airport. We can’t work near the intersection and allow takeoffs and landings. That would be an unsafe situation.

The airport will close at 11 a.m. on Aug. 12 and reopen at 11 a.m. on Aug. 15. During that 72-hour period, crews will work around the clock to resurface the intersection area.

All the commercial airlines serving Springfield zeroed out their flight schedules. This means it's impossible to book a flight to or from Springfield during the closure. The airport has two runways: Runway 14/32. 8,000 feet long, and Runway 2/20. 7,000 feet long. We'll resurface 5,400 feet of Runway 14/32.

The last resurfacing of this runway was done with asphalt in 1994. This pavement is now 16 years old and has reached the end of its life cycle. Work began in May and the runway will reopen by Oct. 14, 2011.

While Runway 14/32 is being resurfaced, all flights will land and take off from Runway 2/20 until work reaches the intersection of the runways. At that point, the airport will close for three days.

It's not unusual for the airport to close a runway. It's done routinely for maintenance and construction. What is unusual is to have both runways closed at the same time. This last occurred in 1972 for similar work. However, in 1972 the airport was closed for nearly a month: Sept. 25 to Oct. 23.

Repaving near the intersection demands closing both runways because workers and equipment will infringe on the safety area of Runway 2/20. The safety area is 250 feet wide, on either side of the runway, and is measured from the runway centerline.

Planes can not land if there's anything, or anyone, in the safety area. Runway 2/20 was resurfaced with concrete in 2003. Resurfacing of that runway probably won't be needed for at least 20 years.

Airport keen for Tiger Airways return

The Sunshine Coast Airport says it is negotiating with Tiger Airways to resume flights to Maroochydore.

Airport general manager Peter Pallot hopes the airline can begin flights to the coast before Christmas.

The airline has been criticised for cancelling numerous flights to the coast before it was grounded last month due to safety concerns.

Mr Pallot says he will no be seeking an assurance from Tiger about reliability if the company resumes services to the coast.

"Look, it's in nobody's interest for an operation not to work effectively and efficiently," he said.

"They're a very professional organization. They're a very professional airline.

"They won't be coming back into the skies without demonstrating that service, so I don't think there's any requirement for that.

"They will provide a great service as they have."

Mr Pallot says if the airline returns, services are likely to improve.

"I think this has been a considerable shake-up for their company. They are concentrating on core business," he said.

"Their core business is providing seats at affordable prices, providing competition back into the marketplace and helping to supplement the capacity that we need on the Sunshine Coast."

VIDEO: Kaunas Aeroclub, Lithuania. YAK-50 & YAK-52 Escorting DC-3 Daisy.

by sauliuspovilas on Aug 5, 2011

EYKS/KAUNAS/Dariaus ir Girėno aerodrome - Aleksotas Airpor, August 04, 2011. Daisy Flight to Ketrzyn Airport [EPKE]. Pilots of "Flygande veteraner": Eric von ROSEN & Michael CEDWALL. Pilots of Kaunas aeroclub, Lithuania, - Antanas MARČIUKAITIS, Algimantas ŽENTELIS

VIDEO: "Flygande Veteraner" DC-3 landing at Kaunas(EYKS), Lithuania.

by sauliuspovilas on Aug 7, 2011

Saulėtą ketvirtadienį - 2011 rugpjūčio 4d. - Kauno aviatorius pradžiugina istorinis orlaivis DC-3, žmonėse vadinamas "Duglas", atskridęs iš Stokholmo - Bromma aerodromo. Tai trečiasis "Flygande veteraner" nusileidimas S.Dariaus ir S.Girėno aerodrome. Delegacijos vadovas Lars Cedwall - puikus organizatorius, ištikimas Kauno aviacijos veteranų draugas.

Brazilian jets wipe out airfield used by drug cartels

Brazilian Air Force craft delivered a strike Friday, targeting the clandestine airfield used by drug traffickers on the border with Colombia. Four fighter planes dropped bombs onto the runway.

According to data obtained by unmanned aircraft, the airfield was used by drug cartels. On Friday Brazil manned an unprecedented operation to monitor the border with Colombia using drones. The information they provide will help authorities combat drug trafficking and arms smuggling.

Campaign launched to save Filton Airfield. South Gloucestershire, UK.

A CAMPAIGN has been launched to fight plans to close and develop Filton Airfield.

Labour councillors in South Gloucestershire have set up an online petition calling on South Gloucestershire Council to protect the site.

The petition also asks for Filton and Patchway to be promoted as a centre of excellence for the aerospace world providing high value skilled jobs.

The campaign is in response to a position statement produced by South Gloucestershire Council, which states the 142-hectare site could take up to 3,500 new homes.

The report was written after BAE Systems announced the company planned to close the 100-year-old airfield by the end of next year.

The local authority launched a six-week public consultation on its proposals for the site, which included housing, employment opportunities, enhancing public transport and improving the road network, as well as schools, open spaces and community facilities.

Filton Labour councillor Adam Monk said: "Labour Group does not accept that the airfield should be developed and has made this position crystal clear in our submission to the consultation, which has been passed on to the government-appointed inspector."

He added: "We need to show not only that local people care but also that the airfield can have a future."

South Gloucestershire Council was told to write its Filton Airfield Position Statement by a government inspector currently reviewing the authority’s Core Strategy, its planning blueprint for the next 20 years.

The council received 88 comments from the public and interested parties regarding its revised position statement on the airfield, which have now been forwarded to the government inspector.

BAE Systems said it needed to sell the airfield because it was no longer operationally viable for commercial, civil, business or recreational use. It hopes to submit a planning application by 2013 and has already had talks with developers such as Redrow, Persimmon and The Mall.

To sign the petition to protect Filton Airfield visit www.sglabour.org.uk/airfield-petition 

For more information on South Gloucestershire Council’s position statement or its Core Strategy visit www.southglos.gov.uk 

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

As airport waits for subsidy instructions, Cape Air expects to stay. Hagerstown Regional Airport-Richard A Henson Field (KHGR), Hagerstown, Maryland.

Passengers arrive at Hagerstown Regional Airport on a Cape Air airplane.
(By Yvette May/Staff Photographer)

Now that a pitched battle over the Federal Aviation Administration has died down, several small airports that want to keep a federal subsidy — including Hagerstown Regional Airport — must state their case.

An agreement Congress reached last week would exclude those 13 airports from the Essential Air Service program. However, lawmakers left the door open for U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to approve further subsidies.

A week later, there's no word of when the excluded airports can appeal or what LaHood will do.

But Cape Air, which flies between Hagerstown and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport through an EAS subsidy, expects to stay in Hagerstown, based on what it has heard from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Andrew Bonney, Cape Air's vice president of planning, said Friday that the DOT told his company to expect an extension of its current contract, which expires Sept. 30. There was no indication of how long the extension might be.

Bonney said Cape Air is near the end of a one-year extension of a two-year contract.

On Tuesday, Direct Air, the only other commercial carrier at Hagerstown, announced it is halting its local service to Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Lakeland, Fla., after Aug. 21, but might return next spring.

Greg Larsen, Hagerstown Regional Airport's business development manager, said local officials are eager to hear more about applying to continue the EAS subsidy.

In an email Wednesday, Department of Transportation spokesman Bill Mosley wrote that the appeal process hasn't been established yet.

"Secretary LaHood has the authority to grant waivers and that he will review communities on a case by case basis according to the law," Mosley wrote. "He has not granted any waivers at this point. We'll announce any waivers that might be made."

The EAS program is designed to ensure air service for communities far from metropolitan airports.

Hagerstown actually is considered closer to Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia than the 70-mile cutoff, but, for years, has gotten a waiver based on the argument that a commonly traveled path is longer than 70 miles.

Larsen said Hagerstown Regional Airport started receiving an EAS subsidy in 2005.

The current contract calls for Cape Air to get $1.2 million a year for Hagerstown-to-BWI service. Under the same contract, Cape Air also is paid to serve Lancaster, Pa.

Larsen said it's important for the public to understand that the money comes from the Aviation Transportation Fund through user fees. If it doesn't go to Hagerstown, it will go elsewhere, not back to a general fund, he said.

Congress hasn't had a long-term FAA spending plan since 2007, instead passing a series of short-term spending resolutions.

Larsen said this is disruptive.

"It's just been a very, very difficult way to do business," he said.

Mahindra Aerospace's civilian plane NM5 may fly by Diwali.

Mahindra Aerospace, a subsidiary of auto major Mahindra & Mahindra, has said it is looking towards launching its first aircraft NM5 in the next six weeks, besides commissioning its upcoming airframe unit in Bangalore by June 2012.

"If everything goes well and according to our plan, we will be able to launch the five-seater NM5 aircraft developed in association with the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) as early as within the next six weeks," Mahindra Systech President Hemant Luthra told a select media gathering here yesterday.

Mahindra Systech is the holding company of Mahindra Aerospace. The NM5 is India's first indigenously developed civilian aircraft by a private entity, and will cost anywhere between USD 350,000 and 400,000 (around Rs 1.6-1.8 crore), which is roughly the price of a Ferrari. A prototype of the plane is in the final stage of testing, Luthra said.

"Now all depends on the confidence of the test pilot." Mahindra Aerospace is an equal venture between the Mahindras and NAL, a Bangalore-based Government institution. Commercial production of the NM5 is expected to begin at Mahindra Aerospace's under-construction airframe in Bangalore
after the plane is tested.

The development cost of NM5 is USD 10-15 million (Rs 45-68 crore), which is considered low by industry standards, said Luthra, adding he expects to sell around 75-100 planes per annum from the fifth year of commercial production. Mahindra Aerospace, which recently acquired two Australian firms, is working on manufacturing eight-and ten- seater aircraft - GA8 and GA10 - at its Bangalore facility, which is expected to be operational by 2012.

However, Luthra said manufacturing is expected to start at the Bangalore plant only by 2014 as some approvals remain to be taken. "Till then we will continue to produce our planes from our GippsAero plant in Australian." He said the company is keen to export these planes to China. "We already have orders for around 20 planes from a Chinese who is into leasing of planes. But we will not enter into licensed deal with him in the beginning," Luthra said,  without attributing specific reasons for the same.

On the Rs 300-crore airframe unit in Bangalore, he said, "the civil contracts have already been awarded and the full-fledged aeroplane bodyshop should be up and running by June 2012." "Though we want to make the Bangalore unit to be a full-fledged aircraft manufacturing facility, to begin with, we will only be able to do manufacture certain body frame components. As and when we start production, that would make us the first private company to design and develop a general aviation aircraft in the country," Luthra said.

Mahindra Aerospace had in December 2008 tied up with NAL to produce a general aviation aircraft. The NAL had successfully developed the Hansa and Saras aircraft. This is the first public-private joint venture in the aircraft design in the country. The deal also involves developing a 70-seater regional
transport aircraft (RTA-70), besides a 50-90-seater turboprop and turbetan family.

Living near an airport has its high points. Toronto Pearson airport, Canada.

TORONTO — On a nice night, Tracy McCormick sits on her deck and watches planes take off from Pearson airport, cruising so low over Derry Road East that she can see the wheels retract into the fuselage.

More often, she lies awake in bed as they fly over her house. The sound starts off as a low rumble, followed by a buzzing that quickly crescendos until “you can feel the vibrations,” she says. “It’s hard to sleep because your house is shaking.”

McCormick hears several planes per hour, and the noise often continues until 2 a.m. or later. More than 1,100 flights take off and land every day, according to the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, which manages the airport.

But even though the planes disrupt McCormick’s sleep, living one kilometre away from the runway isn’t a nightmare, she insists.

“I love it,” she said, echoing what many residents say about living on Cattrick and North Alarton streets, which form a “V” across the street from one of the airport’s five runways.

The four other runways face industrial areas in Mississauga or Highways 401 and 427.

Transport Canada maintains a noise exposure forecast (NEF) for land use planning. It finds that, above NEF 30, there is significant speech interference (drowning out conversation) and annoyance. In 2005, the ministry advised against residential development in areas of NEF 30 and above.

A noise map of Pearson shows residents like McCormick, whose houses are several decades old, live in an NEF 40 zone.

The properties on her block go for an average of $320,000 — a price “you will not find anywhere else in Mississauga,” said HomeLife broker Vic Dogra, who has been selling homes for eight years. He says it’s because most of the houses are “beginner homes,” meant for buyers who intend to upgrade.

But many decide to stay.

Sherry Smith had to stop and think when asked how long she had lived on Cattrick Street. “Twenty-six years,” she said finally. She can name many neighbours who have lived there longer.

When they do move, their properties are snatched up quickly, Dogra said. He’s shown houses while planes were taking off and landing, and he’s never had a client make a comment about them. Instead, the combination of a low selling price and a convenient location between Brampton and Toronto attracts buyers, according to the broker.

“Pearson has got no effect on sales,” he said.

“If you’re near a subway in downtown Toronto, you become immune to it,” McCormick said, although she adds that, to her, the planes are “50 times louder than the train.”

A subway train 61 metres away registers 95 decibels, while a jet engine 30 metres above registers 140 decibels, according to a study by Toronto audiologist Marshall Chasin. Pain begins at 125 decibels.

For McCormick, the tradeoff is that she feels safer raising her two children in the Derry Road East and Airport Road neighbourhood.

“Here, everybody knows each other and they watch out for each other’s houses.”

Smith and her husband have considered moving, but their house is close to amenities and they like their neighbours. Besides, Smith’s mother moved away a few years ago and says she misses the planes.

“She’s moved up north and she said it’s too quiet.”

Record news services

Source:  http://www.therecord.com

Fake Bomb Likely Used to Test Airport Security, Says Federal Complaint Filed Against Three African Refugees; Similar Device Found in Memphis.



Three African refugees who conspired to take a fake bomb through a checkpoint at Sky Harbor airport last week were likely trying to probe weaknesses in airport security, the FBI says in a federal complaint.

Luwiza Laku Daman, 51, of Ethiopa, took the device in her carry-on bag through security on August 5 while attempting to board a Delta flight to Minneapolis.

The simulated explosive device was used, the FBI believes, "because the successful transit of such an object through a TSA security checkpoint would reveal potential weaknesses in the security screening methods employed in United States airports, and the level of response that occurs when a suspected explosive device is encountered..."

On July 29, the same day that Daman arrived in Phoenix, a similar incident with a similar fake bomb occurred at the airport in Memphis, Tennessee, the complaint says.

Read More and Photos: http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com

New Zealand: Heavy fog disrupts Auckland Airport travel

Thick fog at Auckland Airport continued to cause problems for air travellers this morning with domestic flights delayed.

It was expected to clear soon after sunrise but airport authorities said although the fog lifted briefly, it returned and by shortly after 9am 30 domestic flights had been affected some delayed and others cancelled,

Passengers on all cancelled flights were expected to be re-booked on later flights.

International flights were briefly delayed but were back on schedule by 9am, said an airport spokeswoman.

Pakistan International Airlines: 10 passengers injured as bad weather hits flight. Emergency landing in Rawalpindi.

RAWALPINDI: More than 10 passengers on Friday received injuries when an Islamabad bound Pakistan International Airline (PIA) plane from Multan started trembling into the air due to bad weather when it was some 30 minutes air distance from Benazir Bhutto International Airport Islamabad.

However, the pilot after hectic efforts succeeded in landing the plane at the airport safely while the injured passengers were shifted by the rescuers first at airport building and later to nearby hospitals for medical treatment due to their critical condition.

As per details, PIA flight number PK 386 left Multan for Islamabad carrying 118 passengers on board and the plane lost its balance and started trembling in the air, when it was away 30 minutes air travel from the Benazir Bhutto International Airport. According to some passengers, the aircraft sharply dived towards the earth and started falling down till 300 feet and then the regained the height.

The pilot made an announcement asking the passengers to fasten seat belts as the plane got uncontrolled. Nonetheless, the pilot managed to land safely after the struggle of 15 minutes in which a total of 10 passengers were injured. On the other hand, the authorities declared an emergency at the airport while the ambulances reached the runway and shifted the injured passengers to airport building and later to nearby hospitals for treatment.

PIA spokesman, however, when contacted, said that the incident took place due to bad weather in which only one passenger was injured. While some sources claimed that the incident took place due to some technical fault in the aircraft.

'Homebuilt' experimental planes a popular mix of passion, prudence and risk

As a flight advis­er, Ron Liebmann's of­ficial duty is to eval­uate the skills of a pi­lot preparing to fly an air­plane for the first time. He starts by talking about expe­ri­ence.

Then Liebmann morphs into some­thing of an aviator psychol­o­gist, which he in­sists is nec­essary to deal with "home­builders," am­ateurs who construct their air­planes in garages, base­ments, even a fire­house.

Too of­ten, the devotion needed to make such a craft can blind a do-it-your­selfer to po­tentially fa­tal me­chan­ical flaws, Liebmann said. The pi­lots can become a lit­tle obsessive.

He knows. In 1991, af­ter spending 1,300 hours building a gleam­ing red and white 65-horsepower Kitfox — mostly in the Hoffman Estates fire­house where he worked — Liebmann accel­erated it down the runway in Marengo for a test flight and stopped, un­able to take off.

"In my mind, I'd giv­en birth to it," said Liebmann, a re­tired fire­fight­er-paramedic. "My person­al attach­ment to the air­plane was so strong it fogged my judg­ment, and that's what hap­pens to ev­erybody."

Liebmann and oth­er members of the growing home­builder community hope to learn from the crash that claimed the life of vet­eran fli­er John Morri­son. On July 31, his home­built E-Rac­er slammed into a cornfield near Auro­ra on its first flight.

Morri­son, 73, of Auro­ra, certainly had extensive expe­ri­ence flying planes he built. In 2000 and 2008, he man­aged to safely crash-land planes he had cre­ated, NTSB records report. The National Trans­portation Safety Board's pre­lim­inary report on the July crash is expected this week. 

Piper PA-32: 2 men wade ashore after plane misses Kodiak runway (Alaska)

A small plane crashed into the water short of the runway at the state airport in Kodiak late this (Friday) morning. Coast Guard spokeswoman Charly Hengen said the Piper PA-32 owned by Island Air was on a check ride with only two people on board, a company pilot and mechanic. They have not yet been identified.

Hengen said the airplane suffered a mechanical failure while on approach to land, but came up short of the end of the runway, going into the water about 50 yards from shore. An Air Station Kodiak HH-60 Dolphin helicopter that was already in the air responded, but was not needed to rescue the two men, who climbed out of the plane and waded ashore to wait for emergency responders to arrive.

Hengen said the Coast Guard Fire Department, based at the airport, initially responded to the accident, as did the Marine Safety Detachment, to check for pollution. She said a light sheen was seen in the area the aircraft went down, but quickly dissipated.

Island Air used a front-end loader to tow the plane to the shore, and it was brought to the company hangar at the airport. Clint Johnson, and investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board in Anchorage says the plane suffered substantial damage and the agency is investigating the crash.

There was a thin overcast at the time of the accident, winds were light, and the seas were calm. 

Source:  http://www.kmxt.org

KODIAK -- Two men waded to shore when their small plane came up short of the end of the runway at the state airport in Kodiak and landed in the water.

Coast Guard spokeswoman Charly Hengen told KMXT that the Piper PA-32 is owned by Island Air.

The pilot and a mechanic were on a check run Friday when the accident occurred. Their names haven't been released.

Hengen said the plane had a mechanical failure while on approach. It landed in the water, about 50 feet from shore.

The two men aboard climbed out, waded to shore and waited for emergency responders.

A light sheen around the plane quickly dissipated.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.

Investigator Clint Johnson says the plane suffered substantial damage.

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

Five airlines warned over tariff violations. (Jakarta, Indonesia)


Five local airlines have received warning letters from the Transportation Ministry for violating the government’s tariff policy and flight permits.

Air transportation director general Herry Bhakti Gumay said in Jakarta on Friday that the five airlines were warned because they charged their passengers above the tariff ceiling imposed by the government.

“Those airlines are Merpati, Trigana Air, Susi Air, Express Air and AMA [Associated Mission Aviation], all of which operate in eastern Indonesia,” Herry told reporters on Friday at his office.

He said that as this was the five airlines’ first warning about pricing violations, they would not be
penalized.

“But if they continue the violation after a second and third warning, their licenses will be revoked,” he added.

Trigana Air, Merpati Airlines, Travel Express (Express Air), Pelita Air and Susi Air were among those that violated the ceiling prices, while AMA and NAC, both charter companies, violated permits by selling retail tickets to the public.

Harry Priyono, Express Air’s commercial director, confirmed that his company had received the warning letter.

“We will check where the mistake was. It could have been in the price components or from the travel agent,” he said, adding that the letter did not ask his company to return the excess to its customers.

Harry added that the company would adjust its ticket prices so that they complied with the government’s regulation.

In the lead up to the Idul Fitri celebrations later this month, when most Indonesian Muslims will travel to their hometowns, the government has imposed ceiling and floor prices on all modes of transportation to prevent soaring ticket prices.

The decree imposes different prices for different routes. For example, the decree set a ceiling price for the Jakarta–Medan route at Rp 1,847,000 (US$216).

Transportation Ministry spokesman Bambang S. Ervan said the ceiling prices excluded taxes and insurance fares. 

Source:  http://www.thejakartapost.com

What Did a $26,028 Plane Ticket Buy? (Jet Charter)

By R. Scott Moxley

Like the rest of us, you think you've had it bad traveling by air, and you've probably said to yourself, "If only I were rich and could charter my own plane, life would be trouble free."

Not so fast.

Consider the nightmare of Gregory L. Dillion, a Corona del Mar man who paid $26,028 for round trip airfare from McCall, Idaho to Miami, Florida.

(That $26,028 is not a misprint.)

In August 2009, Dillion--a partner at Newmeyer & Dillion in Newport Beach--took his family to Idaho on vacation when one of the firm's largest clients requested "a very important business meeting in Miami."

Dillion, who represents real estate developers, didn't want to take a $1,000 commercial flight so he had one of his assistants charter and him a luxury, eight-seat jet for the trip. He had specific instructions that he had to arrive at Miami International Airport in time to check into a hotel, shower and prepare for this critical 9 a.m. meeting. The charter service, RD Air Service, agreed they would pick him up at 9 p.m. the night before and, after re-fueling in Tulsa, land in Miami by 5:30 a.m.

But Dillion claims his chartered jet took another job in Las Vegas and didn't pick him up at McCall's airport. Not only was pilot Jeffery Otis Nostrom four hours late, he flew to Boise's airport, making Dillion drive almost three hours to get there. He landed in Miami at 10:30 a.m.

How did this lawyer reacted?

Yes, he's seeking damages from the charter service because he paid a "premium" price for excellent service and ended up "extremely embarrassed" by showing up late for a key business meeting, according to suit filed this week in Orange County Superior Court.

Dillion wouldn't have chartered the jet if he'd known RD Air "would not be able to fulfill its promises," the suit alleges. He claims the company--which is based in Gainesville, Florida--is "guilty of oppression, fraud, malice and reckless and despicable conduct."

RD Air Services has not yet filed a legal reply.

(Dillion's firm employs Republican Van Tran, the former Little Saigon state Assemblyman who lost a 2010 race to unseat Orange County's lone Democrat in Congress, Loretta Sanchez.)

--R. Scott Moxley / OC Weekly

Source:  http://blogs.ocweekly.com

Security’s lax at city airport. Bengaluru International Airport, India.

Aug. 12: While Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) claims to have upped its security ahead of Independence Day,things were so lax at the airport on Friday that none of the vehicles were stopped at the trumpet intersection and most cars and taxis were allowed to drive through the few metal barricades that were around without their boots being checked. Only cars which had heavy tinted glasses were stopped by the CISF personnel.

The BIA had announced on Monday that there would be increased security checks in the run- up to Independence Day by the police and the CISF at the airport and at the entrances to the trumpet interchange. But they were certainly not in evidence for most of Friday. “Cars are usually checked carefully every year in the run-up to Independence Day and Republic Day , but this year there has been no strict checking at the entry points to the airport. While in the past the police and CISF men would take at least two minutes to check each car, on Friday there was no traffic hold-up even during the peak hours.

However checks inside the terminal building have been increased as the security agencies don't want to take any chances,” said airport sources. A CISF official claimed that since heavy security checks were being done inside the terminal building, cars were not being combed thoroughly. " But there will be physical checking of cars on August 14, 15 and 16. We stopped a number of taxis and private cars to take a look at their occupants and luggage even on Friday,” he claimed

This was not borne out by passenger experience, as most were not delayed as expected and instead ended up early at the airport having deliberately left home much before time in anticipation of the additional security checks. “The security checks were no more than on any other day. We left home early thinking we would be delayed by them , and so reached the airport much too early,” said a passenger waiting to take a flight to Delhi.

14-yr-old has free run near airport runway at Chennai airport, India.

CHENNAI: A 14-year-old boy had a free run for a while at the `highly fortified` Chennai airport on Friday morning before security agencies managed to catch him.

The boy, yet to be identified, entered the aircraft parking area through Gate 10, a VVIP entrance that is supposed to be the most guarded gate. He was allegedly under the influence of drugs. Airport officials said the boy managed to enter the compound scaling a 10-foot-high gate at the northern end, near Gate No. 6. "He was first spotted by the airport staff near a parked aircraft. We immediately informed the CISF but he had disappeared by then," said an airport official.

Later, after he was spotted by ground staff near the taxi track, close to the runway area, CISF personnel came in a vehicle and caught him. "They handed over the boy to us at 7.30 am. We took him to the Institute of Mental Health in Ayanavaram where doctors confirmed that he had consumed drugs," the airport police said. The boy was later taken to the government juvenile jome at Kellys.

12-year-old sneaks into Chennai International Airport. (India)

Security at Chennai airport continues to be poor even after the officials claimed to have enhanced the security to seven-tier arrangement.

A security lapse at the Chennai airport just a few days ahead of Independence Day was exposed when a 12-year-old boy sneaked into the runway area, the bay area and attempted to board a cargo flight on Friday morning.

Amid high drama and after a hot chase, the airport staff caught the boy, identified as Bora, son of Ramdev of Gwalior, in Madhya Pradesh.

The airport police said Bora gained entry through VVIP gate No. 10 by climbing over a 10-ft-high gate and entered the bay area taking advantage of the absence of CISF personnel at the gate.

Sources said the CISF personnel, in-charge of airport security, were not present at the VVIP gate which opens only for the President, PM and world leaders to gave direct access to the bay area and runway.

Taking advantage of the “unmanned” gate, Bora climbed over it and entered the bay where he found airport staff loading a Lufthansa cargo flight, scheduled to take off for Frankfurt.

After watching the loading process for sometime, he tried to board the flight along with a staff when the airport staff noticed the intruder and tried to nab him.

But he took to his heel. Though the staff gave a hot chase, they could not catch Bora. Later, they caught him after chasing him for about half-a-km on a jeep.

The CISF, who took custody of Bora and questioned him till afternoon, found him mentally deranged. He was handed over to the airport police who sent him to Kilpauk hospital for mental health.

On July 27, when former president Abdul Kalam was onboard, a passenger managed to come out of the airport.

cop-speak

Bora gained entry through VVIP gate No. 10 by climbing over a 10-ft-high gate and entered the bay area taking advantage of the absence of CISF personnel at the gate.

Source:   http://www.deccanchronicle.com

Danbury Municipal Airport (KDXR) at crossroads of change. Danbury, Connecticut.

Among the many amenities in the city of Danbury is the municipal airport on the west side near Ridgefield -- a resource for businesses transporting goods as well as for aviation enthusiasts who fly for enjoyment.

The group of 60 local people who purchased the farmland called Tuckers Field in 1928 -- just 25 years after the Wright brothers' first flight at Kitty Hawk, N.C. -- certainly had prescience about the possibilities of aviation.

But the airport, which the city bought in the early 1940s, has not experienced a straight growth path.

From a high of about 190,000 takeoffs and landings in the 1970s, the airport's activity decelerated to just over 77,500 takeoffs and landings last year.

In a sense, the airport is at a crossroads.

Mayor Mark Boughton will soon be appointing a seven-member task force to study the municipal airport and how it might generate more revenue -- including an examination of the option to privatize operations.

Creating a task force is the appropriate step at the right time. A report is due early next year, and we expect the members will have to pursue their work with vigor and dedication to effectively meet that deadline with a thorough report.

Among the factors the task force needs to look at are the mishmash of property leases with varying rates. Some exceedingly low rates have been locked in for decades.

Rates seem to be the point of contention between a local businessman who wants to build 27 hangars -- and already has Federal Aviation Administration approval -- and the city.

With growth, whether it is in the form of more hangars, longer runways or more landing instruments, there are considerations.

Safety is foremost.

Another should be sensitivity for the quality of life for neighbors in Danbury and Ridgefield.

This is the proper time to examine whether Danbury Municipal Airport should continue at its present level, with nearly 300 planes based there, or grow into a vital transportation hub -- and provide increased revenue for the city.

No plan to privatize Air India, says government.

New Delhi, Aug 12, DHNS: The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government, slammed by the Opposition for trying to turn Air India bankrupt to make a case for its privatisation, on Friday told Parliament that it would come out with a financial restructuring plan for the national carrier in three months.

The government also ruled out any possibility of privatising Air India and promised administrative and monetary steps to turn it around. Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Murli Manohar Joshi attacked the Prime Minister’s Office for the appointment of Arvind Jadhav as the chairman and managing director of Air India.

Amid noisy scenes in the House, the Air India chief was slammed by several opposition MPs for his failure to manage the affairs of the troubled carrier effectively. Joshi also criticised the government for not paying salaries to the pilots who, according to him, were leaving Air India in large numbers. Another BJP member and former civil aviation minister Shahnawaz Hussain alleged that the government was withdrawing Air India services from profit-making sectors to deliberately pave the way for the private carriers.

Communist Party of India MP Gurudas Dasgupta questioned the rationale for purchasing a large number of aircraft by the national carrier. Replying to the call-attention motion moved by Dasgupta in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V Narayanswamy earlier said the Air India had prepared a turn around plan (TAP) and a financial restructuring plan (FRP) in consultation with the financial consultant SBI Caps.

“The TAP has been formulated with an underlying new strategy to improve the market, operational and financial position significantly. The FRP broadly covers two areas relating to debt realignment and equity infusion,” he said. The TAP and FRP were presented before the group of ministers (GoM) constituted by the PMO to oversee the Air India’s affairs. The GoM referred it to a group of officers for detailed examination. Narayanswamy told the House that the entire exercise of finalising and FRP and restructuring of loans would take about three months.

Narayanswamy spoke on behalf of Civil Aviation Minister Vayalar Ravi, who was present in the House but who could not speak as he was suffering from throat infection. He said Air India’s monthly revenue collection now stood at Rs 1,100 crore, about Rs 600 crore less than the expenditure of Rs 1,700 crore.

“Out of the total daily average collections in India of Rs 22 crore, a sum of Rs 16.7 crore is being paid to oil companies, which have put Air India on cash and carry basis with effect from December 7, 2010, leaving only Rs 5.3 crore to meet repayment of aircraft loans and part of interest payment of working capital,” he said, explaining delay in payment of wages and salaries to the employees and outstanding dues to airport operators and vendors.

He said that allowances and incentive for the month of May and salary for June had been paid to the employees and the government had already released the same for July. “The government has infused a total of Rs 3,200 crore as equity in Air India,” said Narayanswamy. The carrier had not suffered any major exodus of pilots.

Air India mess: Under fire, govt says working on revival plan.

The government came under concerted Opposition attack in the Lok Sabha on Friday over the dismal status of Air India with the latter alleging a deliberate long-term design to “kill” the state carrier by turning it into a bankrupt entity.

Specifically targeting sacked Air India CMD Arvind Jadhav and holding him as well the political leadership in charge responsible for the mess, BJP and Left members staged a walkout when the government told the House it was taking a number of measures as well as working on a plan to turn Air India into a profit making venture once again.

The measures, Minister of State in the PMO V Narayansamy said while replying to a calling attention motion, included rationalization of routes to cut losses on non-profitable ones, rescheduling aircraft operations (returning lease capacity aircraft), rationalization of manpower but by taking employees into confidence, closing offline and foreign offices and cutting down on contractual employment. Narayansamy gave the reply in place of Civil Aviation Minister Vyalar Ravi who was present in the Lok Sabha but suffering from a sore throat.

Narayansamy said a turnaround plan had also been finalised along with SBI Caps, aimed at improving market, operational and financial positions respectively. A separate financial restructuring proposal had been approved by the GoM headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee. The two proposals were currently being scrutinised by a group of officials, he added.

However, a dissatisfied Opposition walked out of the Lok Sabha contending that the government had failed to answer several questions they had posed including the reasons behind the appointment of Arvind Jadhav as CMD of NACIL, the entity that was set up after Air India’s merger with Indian Airlines, in 2009 despite knowing fully well that he did not have any domain knowledge and that his candidature had been rejected in the first instance.

CPI MP Gurudas Dasgupta, who gave the calling attention motion, read out from the minutes of the search committee held in March 2008 to select the NACIL chief, wherein Jadhav’s candidature had been rejected on grounds that he did not have any domain knowledge and had never worked in any related assignment.

BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi said that pilots were leaving both Air India as well as Indian Airlines for private ones. He too raised the issue relating to Jadhav’s appointment, citing cabinet notings of 2008 and 2009.

Boeing Spends $4.4 Million on 2Q Lobbying

Aircraft builder and defense contractor Boeing Co. spent $4.4 million lobbying the government during the second quarter on issues including federal defense and aviation spending and foreign relations.

The lobbying bill was down a little from the nearly $5 million it spent during the April-June period in 2010.

Boeing has interests ranging from commercial aviation to defense, space, and more recently, cyber security.

It lobbied on issues including upgrading technology at the Federal Aviation Administration, funding for NASA and the space station, and on science education and pilot training issues.

It also lobbied on aviation safety and foreign repair stations, which are inspected by the FAA if they maintain planes for U.S. airlines.

Boeing also lobbied on tax issues and the functions of the Export-Import bank, which backs loans to foreign airlines so they can buy Boeing planes.

Boeing is getting an increasing share of its business from overseas. It lobbied on funding for the State Department, as well as on relations between the U.S. and Turkey, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Vietnam, Pakistan, and other countries.

Boeing lobbied on defense spending, too, including naval and Air Force aviation spending, according to the disclosures made in a July 20 filing with the House Clerk's Office.

Allegiant Air Begins Vegas Flights: Flying from Greenville-Spartanburg to Las Vegas.

Traveled With Bat On Plane? Centers for Disease Control Wants You!

ATLANTA -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would like to hear from you if you were aboard a flight where a bat flew through the cabin several times.

The health agency is concerned about passengers being exposed to rabies -- although the CDC said the risk is very low.

A passenger aboard Delta Connection Flight 5121 operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines shot video of the bat as the plane left Madison, Wis., on its way to Atlanta.

The plane had to be re-routed back to Madison because of the bat.

People at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport wonder how the bat got on the plane.

"I can't take fingernail clippers on a plane, but yet a bat can get on a plane," Brad Piper said.

How the bat got on the plane is unclear. The animal made several passes through the cabin before passengers managed to get it into the bathroom. When the plane landed, the bat got away.

Now the CDC wants the passengers to be checked for rabies.

"I agree, man. They need to be checked if they was on the flight," said traveler Martez Fuller of Jonesboro.

The problem is that the CDC can't locate all of the passengers; 14 have been found so far, but the CDC still needs to find 36 others.

Atlantic Southeast Airlines says it is working with Delta and the CDC to locate the passengers.

Meantime, passengers say it had to be scary with that bat on the plane.

"Oh my God. I'm scared of spiders, so I would be terrified," one traveler said.

Delta said travelers don't always give all their contact information when booking a flight and that's why it's been difficult locating everyone.

Call the CDC at 866-613-2683 if you were on Flight 512 on Aug. 5 that originated in Madison and was en route to Atlanta.

South Alabama’s aircraft maintenance and repair cluster is a healthy enterprise

Ever since STA Mobile flew its fixed-wing MRO operations into Mobile’s Brookley Field in 1991, Alabama’s southernmost counties have been a regional cluster in the high-tech field. MRO—maintenance, repair and overhaul—is the generic term for aircraft care, including everything from scheduled maintenance to conversions that change a plane’s purpose in life from carrying passengers in comfort to hauling freight in a craft where comfort is last on a list of considerations. STA Mobile, known as ST Mobile Aerospace Engineering in its early years, remains the high-tech cluster’s mother ship, working on an average of 150 to 250 planes a year with a crew of some 1,500 personnel.

Another five companies that perform MRO work also call the region home.

Newest of the group is AeroStar, which opened in June at Mobile’s Brookley Aeroplex and planned to be fully operational before the end of July. The fledgling firm, with close ties to its neighbor Star Aviation, will perform MRO services on hydraulic and pneumatic systems. President Greg Guzman, who opened the firm after working for more than a decade with similar firms in Baldwin County, says the Brookley site should be “logistically sound” only a couple of minutes from STA Mobile.

Goodrich Aerostructures actually predates STA Mobile, opening in 1984 as Rohr Aero Services and taking on the new name in 1997 when BFGoodrich merged with Rohr. The FAA-certified repair station performs MRO services on nacelle component, flight controls and pylon systems at its 160-acre site in Foley.

Pemco, at Dothan in the Southeast corner of the state, also predates STA Mobile. While Pemco has maintained MRO facilities in Dothan, the company moved its corporate headquarters to Tampa, Fla. about a year ago. Pemco CEO Wake Smith told the St. Petersburg Times in May, “We intend for our Tampa facility to be the company’s flagship, and we see Tampa as a better market to attract the sort of executive talent we need to lead the company.” For many years, Pemco had been a cheerleader for Dothan. The company website, which doesn’t reflect the HQ change, still sings the praises of life in the Wiregrass.

Regent Aerospace, a relative newcomer at Brookley Field in Mobile, announced plans to open in 2010, opened in 2011 and abruptly moved operations to its facilities to Indianapolis, Ind. in May, when a required FAA certification was delayed. Neighboring firms, especially STA Mobile, hope it returns promptly.

Shrewsbury, Massachusetts - Police Log: Low flying plane and smoking dishwasher!

August 12, 2011 - SHREWSBURY, Mass. – The Shrewsbury Police Department has released their log for the days of August 12. A resident reported a low-flying passenger plane, but Worcester Regional Airport said there were no problems and the Shrewsbury Fire Department assisted a resident with smoke coming from a dishwasher.

RP REPORTING LOW FLYING PASSENGER PLANE. RP CAN SEE IT AT THIS TIME. WORC AIRPORT CONTACTED AND ADVISED NO PROBLEMS.

Sources:

http://www.thedailyshrewsbury.com

Bird activity, rains cause several delays at Indira Gandhi International Airport

NEW DELHI: IGI Airport reported several delays on Friday morning due to increased bird activity in the heavy rain and presence of storm clouds on the approach path. Three flights had to go around due to bird hits while several others headed for the new runway were asked to delay approach as the runway could not be cleared of birds.

Palam reported 9mm rainfall till 8.30am on Friday but it was enough to disrupt normal flight operations. "Bird activity normally increases when it rains. As the insects come out, a lot of birds congregate over the airport, especially as it is an open area. On Friday, there was major bird activity around the new runway," said an airport source.

There were two cases of bird hits and another suspected bird hit case. "Around 11am, AI633 had to carry out a go-around as the flight that departed before it, AI865, reported a suspected bird hit. Half an hour later, Cam Air 115 had to make a go-around as AI469 that departed before it reported a positive bird hit. In the third case, around noon, AI333 also had to make a go-around as three dead birds were reported on the runway just before it was to land," said the source.

Officials also said as a lot of bird activity was being reported over the new runway, flights coming to land on it were routinely being asked to hold over the city as it would have been dangerous to land. "A lot of flights were delayed because of this. Each time increased bird activity was reported, the arrivals had to be held off and the birds scared away," said an official.

Adding to delays was the presence of large pockets of cumulonimbus clouds in the approach path to the airport. Several aircraft had to deviate from their set route to avoid the clouds that are known to be highly turbulent and dangerous.

"At one point, the old runway was in use along with the new runway. The main middle runway was closed for maintenance. Flights taking off towards the Vasant Kunj side of the secondary runway can only turn south as the north side falls over Rashtrapati Bhawan and is restricted air space. However, just then there was a major cloud cover to the south and aircraft were unable to use the runway. The main runway had to be pulled out of maintenance to handle the traffic; otherwise the delays would have been worse," said a source.

Boeing more than halves time to assemble 777 sections.

Boeing has slashed the time its takes to assemble the 777′s three main sections and landing gear from more than 60 hours to just 24, Boeing Commercial Airplanes marketing chief Randy Tinseth wrote Friday  That’s a big deal as Boeing boosts production of its largest twin-engine airplane. The company raised its rate from five to seven a month this year and plans to go to 8.3 a month in the first quarter of 2013.  “Because the 777 is built on a moving production line and can’t move forward until the join is complete — this new method improves productivity while maintaining first time quality,” Tinseth wrote. “Program leaders credit the team of final body join workers for the milestone that was four years in the making — with each step being closely analyzed.   Boeing netted orders for 98 777s this year, not counting Singapore Airlines’ recently announced but not-yet-finalized order for eight of the airplanes.

Air Canada flight aborts takeoff at Heathrow

A Toronto-bound Air Canada flight was forced to abort taking off at London's Heathrow Airport due to a technical problem.

Air Canada said the pilot on Flight AC859 "rejected" takeoff Friday after a warning light on the Boeing 767 came on while the plane was travelling about 140 km/h.

A passenger told CBC News the plane was going "full throttle" and appeared ready to take off when it abruptly "screeched to a halt."

She said fire trucks raced out to the plane and police officers came on board.

Passengers were asked to get off the plane and are being put up in hotels. The flight has been rescheduled for 9 a.m. local time Saturday.

An Air Canada spokesperson said rejecting a takeoff is "quite rare."

There were 210 people on board the aircraft when the problem occurred.

Piper PA-24 Comanche, Mr. Rama Tello, C-FLQS: Accident occurred August 17, 2010 in British Columbia interior, Canada

Nearly a year after a small plane crashed into Apex Mountain, killing all four people aboard, the families of two of the victims are suing the estate of the pilot for damages.

On Aug. 17 last year a Piper Comanche single-engine aircraft crashed into the mountain shortly after takeoff from Penticton Airport.

The pilot, Rama Jesus Tello, 36, his brother, Maya Paulo Nicholas Tello-Wrigley, 21, and their friends, Salem Dedovic, 30, and Jasson Kevin Christopher Patrick Minor, 35, all perished.

In a lawsuit filed in B.C. Supreme Court, Brittney Bubica, a medical lab assistant and the wife of Minor, claims that the accident was caused by the negligence of the pilot.

Asima Dedovic, a long-term care aide and the mother of Salem Dedovic, has also filed suit claiming negligence on the part of Tello.

The two suits outline a number of particulars of negligence, including that Tello failed to take into account the effects that air temperature and density altitude would have on the aircraft’s performance.

They also allege that the pilot failed to adequately familiarize himself with the mountainous terrain and failed to ensure the aircraft was in good mechanical order.

As a result of the deaths, the plaintiffs claim they have incurred expenses and have suffered and will continue in the future to suffer, a loss of love, guidance and affection, financial support and services.

They’re seeking relief for loss of financial support as well as special damages.

The suits note that Azula April Houghton and Mario Javier Tello, the executors of Tello’s estate, are the mother and father of the pilot and that they obtained probate out of the Victoria court registry.

Deanna Rivers, a Victoria lawyer representing the estate, said the lawsuit had not yet been served and had no comment.

“Certainly once I have a chance to review it and get instructions from my client, I may have a comment, or not, depending on what those instructions are.”

A civil claim contains allegations that have not been proven in court.

A massive search was launched and the wreckage of the plane was only discovered eight days after the accident.

In October last year, an investigation by the Transportation Safety Board revealed that the plane was at or over its weight limit.

Piper PA-24 Comanche, C-FLQS: Accident occurred August 17, 2010 in British Columbia interior - Canada

Nearly a year after a small plane crashed into British Columbia's Apex Mountain, killing all four people aboard, the families of two of the victims are suing the estate of the pilot, Rama Jesus Tello, for damages.



Nearly a year after a small plane crashed into British Columbia's Apex Mountain, killing all four people aboard, the families of two of the victims are suing the estate of the pilot for damages.

On Aug. 17 last year, a single-engine Piper Comanche aircraft crashed into the mountain shortly after takeoff from Penticton Airport.

The pilot, Rama Jesus Tello, 36, his brother, Maya Paulo Nicholas Tello-Wrigley, 21, and their friends, Salem Dedovic, 30, and Jasson Kevin Christopher Patrick Minor, 35, were all killed.

In a lawsuit filed in B.C. Supreme Court, Brittney Bubica, Minor's wife, claims the accident was caused by the negligence of the pilot.

Asima Dedovic, the mother of Salem Dedovic, has also filed suit claiming negligence on the part of Tello.

The two suits allege that Tello failed to take into account the effects that air temperature and altitude density would have on the aircraft's performance.

They also allege that the pilot failed to adequately familiarize himself with the mountainous terrain and failed to ensure the aircraft was in good mechanical order.

As a result of the deaths, the plaintiffs claim they have incurred expenses and have suffered and will continue to suffer loss of love, guidance and affection, financial support and services.

They're seeking relief for loss of financial support as well as special damages.

Deanna Rivers, a Victoria lawyer representing the estate, said the lawsuit had not yet been served and had no comment.

"Certainly, once I have a chance to review it and get instructions from my client, I may have a comment, or not, depending on what those instructions are."

A civil claim contains allegations that have not been proven in court.

A massive search was launched and the wreckage of the plane was only discovered eight days after the accident.

In October last year, an investigation by the Transportation Safety Board revealed that the plane was at or over its weight limit.

Commuter hub to BWI could lose $1.2M in federal funding. Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Baltimore, Maryland.

WASHINGTON -- A local hub for commuters from four area states to access BWI is on the chopping block to lose millions of dollars in federal funding.

As a part of last week's debt agreement, Republicans in Congress got the cuts they were looking for to the $200 million Essential Air Service program, which subsidizes 153 rural airports throughout the country. The Hagerstown Regional Airport is among 13 whose federal funding could be eliminated.

Critics in Congress say subsidizing these airports is a waste of money, while their supporters argue they are a financial lifeline in rural areas that ensure economic stability.

"This will be a great loss for Hagerstown and the quad-state area," said Phil Ridenour, the airport director. The hub provides "convenient" access to larger airports for not only locals, but businessmen and travelers from other parts of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, he said. "There is just such a great opportunity here in Hagerstown because you can drive right up to the terminal."

At a time when heightened security and struggling airlines leaves many at airports for hours, Ridenour said travellers can get to BWI in about 30 minutes.

"It's not only the convenience but also the access," he said. Travelers accessing the same "pier" as Cape Air for national flights would not have to reenter security, said Ridenour.

But some believe the subsidy program is outdated.

"The EAS was created as a temporary or intended to be a temporary program to ease the transition after airline deregulation," aviation consultant Eric Zimmerman told FoxNews.com.

Thirty years later, the program is "squandering more tax dollars than ever," he said.

"Ending EAS would be a blow to Western Maryland's economy and the local businesses that rely on this airport," said Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., according to a statement from her office. "Jobs would be lost. Not just the pilots and mechanics but the waitress at Nick's Airport Inn, the manager of the rental car company and employees in Western Maryland's outlets, restaurants and hotels."

The senator would "likely" support a waiver for the Hagerstown airport funding cuts, a spokesperson said, to be distributed by the federal Department of Transportation.

Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., would also support the waiver, a spokesperson told WTOP, adding "It is a valuable economic resource for the region."

Other airports on the chopping block caught the ire of Congress for the sharp contrast between ticket prices and federal subsidies. Passengers on planes flying out of the Ely, Nev. airport paid between $70 and $90, the Associated Press reported, while each ticket set taxpayers back $4,107.

Tickets cost an average of $59 at Hagerstown, Ridenour said, for Cape Air flights to BWI five times on Mondays and Fridays, four times on Tuesday through Thursday and three times over the weekend.
That service chalked up roughly 21,000 flights in 2010, according to Business Development Manager Greg Larsen.

Federal statistics viewed by WTOP show the Hagerstown airport received a federal subsidy of just over $1.2 million in 2010, indicating flights cost taxpayers roughly $57 each.

Learn more about the Essential Air Service program and the potential budget cuts here, and the other airports that could see their subsidies eliminated here

Source:  http://www.wtop.com