Tuesday, November 08, 2011

First direct China flight touches down in Perth

The first ever direct flight from China flight has landed in Perth this morning.

The China Southern Airlines flight from Beijing and Guangzhou was greeted by West Australian Premier Colin Barnett and Tourism Minister Kim Hames.

China Southern chairman Si Xianmin was among passengers aboard the official flight.

The airline is the biggest in Asia and the fifth-biggest in the world by passenger numbers.There will be three return flights a week to Perth.

"This is a milestone event for WA's visitor economy and for the first time gives us direct access to the world's biggest tourism market,'' Dr Hames said.

"Our goal is to increase the number of Chinese visitors to this state from about 15,000 a year to 100,000 by 2020.

"This service also strengthens WA's already strong business and trade links with China, with the state providing about 70 per cent of Australia's exports to China."

China Southern already has a presence in WA, following the establishment of its Flying College campuses at Jandakot and Merredin in 1993.

Dr Hames said Guangzhou - China's third biggest city behind Shanghai and Beijing - was now eight hours away non-stop.

"To raise awareness of WA in China, Tourism WA has been working closely with China Southern Airlines and Tourism Australia to develop a $2.5 million marketing campaign, which started in September," he said.

Transport Accident Investigation Commission: Fraud payback will take 52 years

A former state servant who stole $284,000 from the Transport Accident Investigation Commission has avoided a jail term today.

Ropati Telea, 27, worked as an accounts administrator at the commission's Wellington office when he transferred $284,000 into seven different bank accounts associated with himself between February 2007 and February 2011. He transferred the money in 148 transactions.

He was sentenced to 10 months' home detention this afternoon in the Wellington District Court along with 300 hours' community work. He has been ordered to begin paying the amount he stole back at a rate of $100 per week and his parents have agreed to pay $10,000 reparation on his behalf within two weeks.

At that rate, the sum will take him 52 years to pay off, and he would be 79.

The commission investigates aviation, marine and rail incidents and accidents and has an annual budget of $3.9 million. It has said previously that Telea had used "intricate methods" to avoid internal checks and external audits.

Telea left his job in February this year to attend a Bible college in Auckland. Police were informed of suspect transactions in April and when they approached Telea, he admitted the fraud.

During sentencing today, Judge Susan Thomas said when Telea confessed he told police he used the money to make mortgage repayments.

"You say that you felt unable to tell people of the financial pressures you were under at the time ... You say it turned from a need into a greed."

Over thirty people from the Samoan community supported Telea in court from the public gallery today, including family members.

Judge Thomas said she accepted Telea was remorseful but said the offending was a breach of trust and premeditative.

"You obviously come from a very well respected family. Your parents are church leaders ... They feel disgust at it. However they will continue to support you."

Judge Thomas said Telea's financial liabilities were currently greater than his assets. The Collections Service would monitor Telea's financial situation in the future to see if he could increase his rate of reparation payments.

The commission could also take action through the Civil Court to recover the money, she said.

Strapped for cash, India's second-biggest airline cancels flights

India's second-biggest carrier, loss-making Kingfisher Airlines, plans to cancel 31 flights daily for the next 12 days in a further sign of operational problems, a media report said Tuesday.

The firm has decided to cancel 27 domestic flights on key inter-city routes as well as four overseas flights to Bangkok, Mint newspaper quoted an airline official and travel agency websites as saying.

"Extreme situations call for extreme measures," the company official said on condition of anonymity, without specifying a reason for the move, Mint reported.

"About five to seven per cent of flights are being cut," the airline official said.

Executives of the airline did not immediately respond to telephone calls or emails from AFP.

Kingfisher Airlines, founded by liquor baron Vijay Mallya -- known as the "King of Good Times" -- announced last month it was axing its low-cost service, saying it was getting better revenues from the premium carrier.

The airline has been having trouble making payments to oil companies and airports, and had delayed salaries to its employees for August and September.

Kingfisher flies to 59 cities in India and eight international destinations with 325 daily departures on a fleet of 66 aircraft.

The airline, which has not posted a profit since its founding in 2005, reported in July that quarterly net losses widened by more than 40 percent year-on-year to 2.63 billion rupees ($A51 million), hit by high fuel prices, fierce competition, heavy interest costs and unprofitable operations.

Last week, Kingfisher aid it was in talks with bankers to reduce high interest rates on its $A1.1-billion debt.

Kingfisher is hoping the Indian government approves a proposal to allow foreign airlines to buy stakes in domestic carriers, which could result in a fresh influx of money for the cash-strapped company.

D.C. and Virginia: New system to cut neighborhood plane noise

D.C. and Virginia residents frustrated for years by the thundering noise of airliners zooming overhead from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport may be in for some relief soon.

Airliners headed for the airport will now have better GPS systems to help them fly directly over the Potomac River, instead of navigating by sight, which often caused them to veer off course above homes in McLean and the Palisades neighborhood of D.C.

Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., the McLean Citizens Association and the Federal Aviation Administration met Tuesday night to inform residents of the changes.

It's been a long time coming, residents say.

"I think it's the single largest complaint that we get in the neighborhood is aircraft noise," Bill Slover, president of the Palisades Citizens Association, said. " I think that people have a problem with it because it's erratic and sporadic, and the routes change frequently."

Mat Thorp, a Palisades resident who has been working on the issue for more than a decade, said he has been asking for GPS navigation of the Potomac since 2002.

"If you're outside on your patio, the noise stops conversation," he said, adding that procedures to eliminate some of the noise are easy to implement. "There is nothing new under the sun on what we're doing, operationally or technically. It's available; it's being done at other airports. It's just for various reasons we were dragging to get it implemented here."

It's been a long wait on the other side of the river as well.

"We've been urged by a lot of people that we had to be patient until they got this more permanent fix in," Rob Jackson, president of the McLean Citizens Association, said.

The new system will mean a sigh of relief for communities on the Potomac, residents said.

"It will help the problem," Thorp said. "Basically the mantra for the Palisades Citizens Association is we want the least noise for the fewest people."

http://washingtonexaminer.com

Los Angeles County Backs Bill To Limit Helicopter Traffic Over Residential Areas

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A congressional bill to regulate helicopter traffic over Los Angeles received a key endorsement on Tuesday from county officials.

KNX 1070′s Ed Mertz reports the Board of Supervisors gave its support to what’s known as the “Los Angeles Residential Helicopter Noise Relief Act”.

Rep. Howard Berman (D-San Fernando) introduced the act in Congress after residents in the San Fernando Valley complained about helicopters hovering overhead during events such as “Carmageddon”, the latest celebrity scandal or even high-speed traffic chases.

“With such a large number of helicopters jockeying for a limited amount of airspace, it’s only a matter of time before we have a serious accident or worst,” Berman told the House Transportation and Infrastructure Aviation Subcommittee back in October.

And while there is generally strong support from the public, not everyone supports the legislation.

“You are placing more nonsense restrictions and adding more stupid and cumbersome regulations,” one critic said.

The bill will likely face heavy scrutiny in a highly-politicized House and Senate as lawmakers look ahead to a tough election next fall.

If passed into law, the Federal Aviation Administration would have one year to establish rules on flight paths and minimum altitudes for helicopters.

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com

Plane Breaks Through Ice at Lake Hood Seaplane Base; No Injuries Reported

Photo Credit: John Norris / KTUU.com / November 8, 2011

Photo Credit: John Norris / KTUU.com / November 8, 2011

Photo Credit: John Norris / KTUU.com / November 8, 2011


Photo Credit: John Norris / KTUU.com / November 8, 2011

By Tim Akimoff Channel 2 News

ANCHORAGE, Alaska— A small plane broke through the ice at Lake Hood Seaplane Base on Tuesday, but no injuries were reported, according to authorities at the scene.

According to airport police, a pilot thought the ice was solid enough to take off on.

He reportedly taxied his plane onto the ice. The ice was not solid enough, and the plane broke through the ice. The pilot was the only person aboard.

The pilot waded to shore and called authorities.

The Lake Hood Seaplane Base is currenly closed. Airport officials test the ice every day, and it will not open the base to flights until there is at least 6 inches of ice.

Cessna 207A Stationair 7, Hageland Aviation Services, Inc., dba ERA Alaska, N6314H: Accident occurred November 07, 2011 in Kwigillingok, Alaska


NTSB Identification: ANC12LA002  
Scheduled 14 CFR Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Accident occurred Monday, November 07, 2011 in Kwigillingok, AK
Probable Cause Approval Date: 11/26/2012
Aircraft: CESSNA 207A, registration: N6314H
Injuries: 3 Minor,3 Uninjured.

NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The pilot departed on a scheduled commuter flight at night from an unlit, rough and uneven snow-covered runway with five passengers and baggage. During the takeoff roll, the airplane bounced twice and became airborne, but it failed to climb. As the airplane neared the departure end of the runway, it began to veer to the left, and the pilot applied full right aileron, but the airplane continued to the left as it passed over the runway threshold. The airplane subsequently settled into an area of snow and tundra-covered terrain about 100 yards south of the runway threshold and nosed over.

Official sunset on the day of the accident was 48 minutes before the accident, and the end of civil twilight was one minute before the accident. The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Airport/Facility Directory, Alaska Supplement listing for the airport, includes the following notation: "Airport Remarks - Unattended. Night operations prohibited, except rotary wing aircraft. Runway condition not monitored, recommend visual inspection prior to using. Safety areas eroded and soft. Windsock unreliable." A postaccident examination of the airplane and engine revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Given the lack of mechanical deficiencies with the airplane's engine or flight controls, it is likely the pilot failed to maintain control during the takeoff roll and initial climb after takeoff.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's failure to abort the takeoff when he realized the airplane could not attain sufficient takeoff and climb performance and his improper decision to depart from an airport where night operations were prohibited.

On November 7, 2011, about 1830 Alaska standard time (AST), a Cessna 207 airplane, N6314H, sustained substantial damage during a collision with snow-covered terrain following a loss of control shortly after takeoff from Runway 15 at the Kwigillingok Airport, Kwigillingok, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as Flight 166, by Hageland Aviation Services, Inc., dba ERA Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska, as a visual flight rules (VFR) scheduled commuter flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135. Of the six people aboard, the commercial pilot and two passengers were not injured, and three passengers sustained minor injuries. Night, visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed, and VFR company flight following procedures were in effect. Flight 166 originated in Bethel, Alaska, and it had completed scheduled stops in Kongiganak, Alaska, and Kwigillingok. The accident occurred while returning to Bethel, the flight's final destination for the day.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on November 8, the pilot reported that before departing on Runway 15, an unlighted, rough and uneven 1,840 foot-long, by 30 foot-wide snow-covered runway, he checked the airport windsock, and noted that a correction for a 5 to 10 knot left quartering crosswind would be required. He said that during the takeoff roll, the airplane bounced twice and became airborne, but it failed to climb. As the airplane neared the departure end of the runway, it began to veer to the left. The pilot said he applied full right aileron to correct the veer, but the airplane continued to the left as it passed over the runway threshold. He said that once he knew the airplane was not going to climb, he lowered the flaps in an attempt to cushion the off-airport landing. The airplane subsequently settled into an area of snow, and tundra-covered terrain, about 100 yards south of the runway threshold, and nosed over.

Sunset on the day of the accident was 1742; the end of civil twilight was 1829.

The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Airport/Facility Directory, Alaska Supplement listing for the Kwigillingok Airport, includes the following notation: "Airport Remarks - Unattended. Night operations prohibited, except rotary wing aircraft. Runway condition not monitored, recommend visual inspection prior to using. Safety areas eroded and soft. Windsock unreliable."

In the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1) submitted by the operator, the pilot's total aeronautical experience was listed as 1,833 hours, with 349 hours in the accident airplane make and model. The report noted that in the preceding 90 and 30 days prior to the accident, the pilot accrued a total of 390 hours and 107 hours.

According to the operator's chief pilot, the estimated gross weight of the airplane at takeoff was 3,680 pounds, or approximately 120 pounds below the maximum takeoff gross weight of 3,800 pounds.

The closest weather reporting facility was the Kipnuk Airport, Kipnuk, Alaska, about 26 miles west of the accident site. At 1856, an Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) was reporting, in part: Wind, 010 degrees (true) at 4 knots; visibility, 10 statute miles.; clouds and sky condition, clear; temperature, 19 degrees F; dew point, 18 degrees F; altimeter, 30.14 inches Hg.

A pilot flying a Cessna 208 that departed about 30 minutes before the accident airplane departed, reported wind to be from the east-southeast, at 10 knots, but favoring Runway 15.

The wreckage was recovered from the accident site and transported to Alaska Claims Services, Inc., in Wasilla, Alaska.

On January 26, 2012, a wreckage examination and layout was done under the direction of the NTSB IIC. Also present were air safety investigators from Continental Motors, Cessna Aircraft, the FAA, and the director of safety for Hageland Aviation Services. There were no preaccident mechanical problems discovered with the airplane's engine or flight controls.


IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 6314H        Make/Model: C207      Description: 207 (Turbo)Skywagon 207, (Turbo)Stationa
  Date: 11/08/2011     Time: 0330

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Minor     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Substantial

LOCATION
  City: KWIGILLINGOK   State: AK   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  HAGELAND AVIATION N6314H CESSNA 207 AIRCRAFT CRASHED ON TAKEOFF, THERE WERE 
  6 PERSONS ON BOARD WITH MINOR INJURIES, KWIGILLINGOK, AK

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   1     Unk:    
                 # Pass:   5     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   5     Unk:    
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:    


OTHER DATA
  Activity: Business      Phase: Take-off      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: ANCHORAGE, AK  (AL03)                 Entry date: 11/08/2011 


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A flight full of passengers was fortunate to walk away after a commercial plane in Kwigillingok flipped over.

The Cessna 207 Skywagon operated by Hageland-Era Aviation had five passengers on board and one pilot when it crashed on takeoff Wednesday afternoon in the Kuskokwim coastal village.

According to KTUU, witnesses from the village say the plane banked left after take-off and then went down. They say it bounced on a frozen lake and then flipped onto it’s back.

The occupants walked away from the crash, but a health aide working at the Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation told KYUK that they were treated at the village clinic there in the village. The Federal Aviation Administration reports that all of them had minor injuries. They add that damage to the plane was substantial.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will continue to investigate the cause of the accident.

Officials: Fake Weapon Parts 'Ticking Time Bomb'

Electronic industry officials say counterfeit parts flooding the Pentagon supply chain are a "ticking time bomb." The officials along with government investigators and company executives testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee. (Nov. 8)

Museum to take major hit as Robins, Air Force reduce civilian manning

The Museum of Aviation, Middle Georgia’s showplace and the product of almost three decades of effort and volunteerism, will take significant hits as Robins Air Force Base and the Air Force attempt to accommodate billions of dollars in budget reductions over the next ten years.

Robins officials announced last Thursday that 600 civilian positions would be cut from the base payroll. Eight of those will come from the museum, dropping the local institution’s authorized manning from 16 to 8.

How the reductions will be administered is being worked by Museum Director Ken Emery and Pat Bartness, president and chief operating officer of the Museum of Aviation Foundation. Three overhire positions may also be lost.

Emery said the goal is to identify slots that will result in the least impact.

“We have some latitude,” he noted, “but eight is still eight. It’s eight of 16 and that’s 50 percent. Regrettably, that’s going to impact our ability to maintain aircraft, do future exhibits and support other museum activities.”

A number of factors are being considered.

“Pat is looking at additional funding from the foundation,” Emery noted. “By the same token, we may need to downsize our operation to reduce costs. Those are all in flux right now as we determine how all of this is going to affect us.”

Maj. Gen. Bob McMahon, the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center commander at Robins, has been working the museum issue closely, Emery pointed out.

“The Air Force wants to support us,” he said, “but there are cuts on all fronts and the museum is part of that. The Air Force is facing serious budget cuts across the board and this is just part of the trickle down effect.”

The museum’s current annual operating budget is about $3.5 million. The foundation provides $1.5 million through its various fund raising activities. The Air Force allocates almost $2 million, including salaries and benefits for 16 people and funding for such necessary functions as utility costs, maintenance of facilities and grounds upkeep. How much of that $2 million will remain is unclear.

Emery said McMahon has stressed efficiency.

“The goal is to do a better job with reduced resources,” the director stressed, “and to get the most for our money from the investments we make. That’s Gen. McMahon’s challenge to me.”

The museum footprint is huge and its impact on the community is even more profound. More than 100 vintage aircraft are accommodated on the site. Four major buildings with more than 200,000 square feet of space contain 70,000 historical items. More than 600,000 people visited last year. Another 58,000 students – the largest number in museum history – participated in a variety of educational programs. Museum venues accommodate a multitude of public meetings, events and forums throughout the year.

Bartness said the objectives to this point are clear.

“The museum will continue operations,” he underscored. “That’s our firm intention and belief. We are also doing everything we can to make sure the education programs continue and get better and better.”

But the public will need to be more active and involved.

“Donations and support for all of our fund raising campaigns become even more important,” Bartness noted. “I realize this is a tough time for everybody, but we really need the public’s help.”

Emery said the public will need to decide how important the museum really is.

“They must determine if they are willing to step up and help us keep going at the present level,” he indicated.

http://warnerrobinspatriot.com

Cleared For Takeoff: Springfield-Branson National Airport (KSGF) To Rededicate Long Runway & Complete Capital Improvements. Long runway had been closed since June for repaving.

 

SPRINGFIELD/BRANSON NATIONAL AIRPORT—

Mission Accomplished.

Springfield-Branson National Airport will will rededicate its longest runway, marking the end of a capital improvements program that began in 2006.
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The runway has been closed since June for repaving, even shutting down the airport for a three-day period in August.

“This has been the largest capital improvements program in the airport’s 66 year history,” says Brian Weiler, the airport’s director of aviation. “The improvements that have been made give the community and the region a world-class airport that will serve us well for years to come.”

The capital improvements program began with the ground breaking for the airport’s new terminal in May of 2006. Since then the airport has finished the following projects for an approximate cost of $148.6 million.

The new Midfield Terminal was the most expensive of the projects, costing $117 million. It opened in 2009.

The airport also installed a new fire station, added new firetrucks and equipment and laid down a new access road to the fire station.

Other improvements included the repaving of both runways and a new aircraft taxiway.

Second tragedy for Red Arrows after pilot is killed in freak jet 'ejector seat' accident at air base

Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham was killed when he was ejected from an aircraft while it was on the ground at RAF Scampton

    An RAF pilot who died after he was ejected from his aircraft while on the ground has been named as Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham.

    Flt Lt Cunningham died this afternoon following the incident at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire where the world famous aerobatics team were training.

    Paramedics were called to the base earlier this morning after the incident involving one of the display team's Hawk T1 aircraft.

    The RAF said a full independent inquiry was being launched into what happened.

    The tragic accident came less than three months after another pilot with the team, Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging, 33, was killed in an air show crash in Dorset.

    Tonight Flt Lt Cunningham's jet lies covered with a tarpaulin as an investigation is carried out.

    Medical teams rushed to the base after the incident at about 11am.

    The Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance airlifted the pilot to Lincoln County Hospital but his injuries were so severe that he could not be saved.

    The Red Arrows completed their final display of the season in September and are carrying out their winter training at RAF Scampton.

    Speaking at RAF Scampton, Group Captain Simon Blake said: 'The pilot was ejected from the aircraft whilst the aircraft was on the ground.

    'The director-general of the Military Aviation Authority is in the process of initiating a full and independent service inquiry to determine the cause of this tragic incident.

    'It would be inappropriate to speculate on the cause of the incident until that inquiry is complete. The investigation will determine the facts.

    'The pilot's next of kin have been informed. Our thoughts and prayers are with the pilot's family and friends at this difficult time.'

    The Red Arrows Hawk T1 jets could be seen lined up on the tarmac at a misty RAF Scampton after the accident. One of the aircraft had the front part of its canopy missing.

    Flt Lt Egging crashed to his death on August 20 minutes after performing a display with the Red Arrows watched by his wife.

    Eyewitnesses described seeing the aircraft flying low before smashing into a field and coming to a standstill with its nose in the River Stour near the village of Throop.

    Hundreds of RAF servicemen and women joined the hugely popular pilot's family and friends at a packed memorial service in Lincoln Cathedral last week.

    The RAF temporarily halted flying of all 126 of its Hawk T1 training jets while preliminary investigations were carried out into the cause of the earlier tragedy.

    The Red Arrows have used the dual-control BAE Systems Hawk T1, which has a top speed of Mach 1.2, since 1979.

    Hawk T1s are also used for training fast-jet pilots at RAF Valley in Anglesey, North Wales, and RAF Leeming, near Northallerton, North Yorkshire.

    During winter training each Red Arrows pilot flies three times a day, five days a week, beginning with small formations of three or four aircraft, according to the team's website.

    All members of the squadron change from their distinctive red outfits into green flying suits and overalls to mark the transition from performing displays to practising for the next season.

    Every training sortie is filmed from the ground and discussed in minute detail once the pilots are back on the ground.

    The Red Arrows aim to fly their first formation involving all nine aircraft in the team in March.

    Private jet skids off runway at Salt Lake City International Airport (KSLC), Utah

    SALT LAKE CITY — A privately owned Lear jet aborted takeoff Tuesday and skidded off the runway at the Salt Lake City International Airport.

    Just before 12:30 p.m. a Lear 55 with five passengers and two crew members was about to takeoff, when the pilot decided to abort at the last second, said airport spokeswoman Barbara Gann.

    The plane skidded off the side of the runway, coming to a rest partially tilted with one wing touching the ground, she said.

    Information such as who was on board, where the plane was going and why the pilot decided not to take off, was not immediately available.

    Gann said there were no injuries.

    None of the other flights taking off or arriving at the airport were affected by the incident.

    LightSquared Should Be Barred From Some Airwaves, Group Says

    Nov. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Philip Falcone’s LightSquared should be barred from using some airwaves for its planned nationwide wireless network to avoid interference with navigation gear, makers and users of global-positioning system devices said.

    There’s undisputed evidence that LightSquared operations in airwaves nearest to those used by GPS devices “would cause massive interference,” the Coalition to Save Our GPS said today in a filing with the Federal Communications Commission.

    The FCC is considering whether to approve LightSquared’s plans to use airwaves formerly reserved mainly for satellites to bring high-speed wireless Internet to as many as 260 million people. GPS users say LightSquared may disrupt navigation by aircraft, boats, tractors and automobiles.

    The coalition’s request is an “old demand” by GPS companies that want to use airwaves licensed to LightSquared, Terry Neal, a vice president with the Reston, Virginia-based wireless company, said in an e-mailed statement. “Today’s filing by the coalition is little more than a land grab,” Neal said.

    LightSquared, backed by Falcone’s Harbinger Capital Partners hedge fund, told the FCC in June it would initially refrain from using airwaves closest to GPS operations.

    LightSquared said it may use those idled airwaves to meet demand in five to six years. The statement came in a reply to a query from Representative Ralph Hall, a Texas Republican and chairman of the Science Committee, which held a Sept. 8 hearing on the company’s proposal.

    Tammy Sun, an FCC spokeswoman, didn’t immediately respond to an e-mail and telephone call seeking comment.

    The Coalition to Save Our GPS, formed to oppose LightSquared’s plans, lists members including package shippers FedEx Corp. and United Parcel Service Inc., GPS-unit makers Trimble Navigation Ltd. and Garmin Ltd., farm-gear maker Deere & Co. and the Air Transport Association with members Delta Air Lines Inc. and AMR Corp.’s American Airlines.

    http://www.businessweek.com

    Giant B-1 bomber being hauled down Oregon highways


    NEAR HILT, Calif. -- A massive plane is hitching a ride along I-5 for a trip north.

    A B-1 bomber is being towed along the Interstate on a course for Washington state.

    The airplane left Tucson more than a week ago on its way to the Boeing plant in Washington, but it's been a slow trip. The Oregon Department of Transportation says the plane will be hauled overnight at about 20 to 45 miles per hour, and even slower on climbs.

    A major hurdle is the Siskiyou Passes and Southern Oregon. The hauling company, Contractors Cargo, says it cannot comment on the move because of a confidentiality agreement they have signed, but a security car is accompanying the 26-foot plane.

    United Airlines to Buy 200 Flying Electric Taxis to Take You to the Airport: Airline plans to buy vehicles from startup Archer for $1 billion


    United Airlines wants to fly you to the airport.

    United Airlines Holdings Inc. said Wednesday that it plans to buy up to 200 flying taxis from an electric aircraft startup, as the airline industry seeks new technologies to reduce its carbon footprint.

    The purchase would be worth $1 billion, according to Archer, the Palo Alto, Calif.-based company developing the air taxis. The tentative agreement is a stamp of approval for Archer, which said Wednesday that it will go public through a combination with a special-purpose acquisition company in a deal that values the combined company at about $3.8 billion.

    United and Mesa Air Group Inc., a regional carrier that is joining with United on the purchase, said they envision using the taxis to whisk passengers over congested highways to hub airports. The taxis, which Archer said will be capable of flying 60 miles at 150 miles an hour, could nearly halve carbon dioxide emissions for passengers traveling from Hollywood to Los Angeles International Airport, United said.

    Airlines say technology like flying electric taxis can help them reduce emissions, though they say there isn’t currently a substitute for the jet-fuel powered engines that power most aircraft. Batteries cannot match the energy density of jet fuel, and airline executives have said that electric or hydrogen-powered aircraft may only be useful for short trips.

    “With the right technology, we can curb the impact aircraft have on the planet, but we have to identify the next generation of companies who will make this a reality early and find ways to help them get off the ground,” United Chief Executive Scott Kirby said in a statement.

    Archer aims to begin production in 2023 and launch consumer flights the following year.

    United said that it would help speed the aircraft’s development through a strategic partnership, but that the taxis must get regulatory approval and meet the airline’s operating and business requirements before a purchase is completed. United and Mesa have the option to buy another $500 million worth of aircraft under the deal.

    During the coronavirus pandemic, carriers have grounded planes and slashed flying. United lost over $7 billion last year and has relied on government aid to avoid laying off thousands of workers.

    But airline executives including Mr. Kirby have said they expect the environmental costs of travel to weigh more heavily on eco-conscious consumers after the pandemic. Some Europeans have said in surveys that they had cut back on travel before the pandemic for environmental reasons, and policy makers there have considered taxing jet fuel.

    Newer airplanes are more fuel efficient than many older models, but until the pandemic hit, emissions were still rising as more people traveled and airlines added flights. Commercial aviation accounts for about 2% of global carbon emissions and about 12% of all carbon dioxide emissions from transportation, according to the International Council on Clean Transportation, a nonprofit research organization.

    Carriers have dabbled in biofuel, but cost and availability remain obstacles to wider adoption. Many carriers have relied largely on purchasing carbon offsets—essentially paying to plant trees to remove as much carbon dioxide as their flights release—to reduce emissions.

    United has pledged to become carbon neutral by 2050 and last year said it would invest in a carbon-capture project to suck carbon dioxide out of the air and sequester it underground. Mr. Kirby has criticized carbon offset programs and said more drastic action is needed to combat the effects of climate change.

    Archer and Atlas Crest Investment Corp. , a special-purpose acquisition company backed by investor Ken Moelis, said they expect their deal to go public to provide about $1.1 billion in gross proceeds to the combined company. In addition to their aircraft order, United is investing $20 million in the startup, while Mesa is investing $5 million. Other investors include auto maker Stellantis NV, and former Walmart Inc. executive Marc Lore.

    Also known as blank-check companies, SPACs raise money before they develop a business. They use the proceeds to make an acquisition, usually within a couple of years, that converts the target into a public company.

    Ministry of Defence: Red Arrows pilot killed after being ejected from aircraft while on the ground. RAF Scampton, in Lincolnshire

    Part of the canopy is missing on the Hawk T1 plane on the right

    A RED Arrows pilot was killed today after being ejected from his aircraft while on the ground.

    The RAF said a full independent inquiry was being launched into the incident at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire.

    The tragic accident came less than three months after another pilot with the world-famous aerobatics team, Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging, 33, was killed in an air show crash in Dorset.

    Medical teams rushed to RAF Scampton, the base of the Red Arrows, after the incident at about 11am this morning.

    The Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance airlifted the pilot to Lincoln County Hospital but his injuries were so severe that he could not be saved.

    The Red Arrows completed their final display of the season in September and are carrying out their winter training at RAF Scampton.

    Speaking at RAF Scampton, Group Captain Simon Blake said: "The pilot was ejected from the aircraft whilst the aircraft was on the ground.

    "The director-general of the Military Aviation Authority is in the process of initiating a full and independent service inquiry to determine the cause of this tragic incident.

    "It would be inappropriate to speculate on the cause of the incident until that inquiry is complete. The investigation will determine the facts.

    "The pilot's next of kin have been informed. Our thoughts and prayers are with the pilot's family and friends at this difficult time."

    The pilot will be named tomorrow.

    The Red Arrows Hawk T1 jets could be seen lined up on the tarmac at a misty RAF Scampton after the accident. One of the aircraft had the front part of its canopy missing.

    Flt Lt Egging crashed to his death on August 20 minutes after performing a display with the Red Arrows watched by his wife.

    Eyewitnesses described seeing the aircraft flying low before smashing into a field and coming to a standstill with its nose in the River Stour near the village of Throop.

    Hundreds of RAF servicemen and women joined the hugely popular pilot's family and friends at a packed memorial service in Lincoln Cathedral last week.

    The RAF temporarily halted flying of all 126 of its Hawk T1 training jets while preliminary investigations were carried out into the cause of the earlier tragedy.

    The Red Arrows have used the dual-control BAE Systems Hawk T1, which has a top speed of Mach 1.2, since 1979.

    Hawk T1s are also used for training fast-jet pilots at RAF Valley in Anglesey, North Wales, and RAF Leeming, near Northallerton, North Yorkshire.

    During winter training each Red Arrows pilot flies three times a day, five days a week, beginning with small formations of three or four aircraft, according to the team's website.

    All members of the squadron change from their distinctive red outfits into green flying suits and overalls to mark the transition from performing displays to practising for the next season.

    Every training sortie is filmed from the ground and discussed in minute detail once the pilots are back on the ground.

    The Red Arrows aim to fly their first formation involving all nine aircraft in the team in March.


    A Red Arrows pilot has become the second team member to die in a matter of weeks after he was ejected from his aircraft while it was on the ground.

    A picture taken at the scene at RAF Scampton, in Lincolnshire, shows part of the canopy of the Hawk T1 jet is missing.

    A Ministry of Defence spokesman said an investigation was under way and confirmed the plane was not airborne when the tragedy happened at 11am on Tuesday.

    The pilot was airlifted to Lincoln County Hospital but his injuries were so severe he could not be saved. His family have been informed and he is due to be named on Wednesday.

    Speaking at RAF Scampton, Group Captain Simon Blake said: "The pilot was ejected from the aircraft whilst the aircraft was on the ground.

    "The director-general of the Military Aviation Authority is in the process of initiating a full and independent service inquiry to determine the cause of this tragic incident."

    It comes after Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging, 33, from Rutland, was killed near Bournemouth Airport in Dorset in August.

    He crashed to his death minutes after performing a display watched by his wife.

    The RAF temporarily halted flying all 126 of its training jets while preliminary investigations were carried out into the cause of that crash.

    Flt Lt Egging was the first Red Arrows pilot to die in more than 33 years.

    Hundreds of RAF servicemen and women joined Flt Lt Egging's family and friends at a packed memorial service for the popular pilot in Lincoln Cathedral last week.

    The Red Arrows completed their final display of the season in September and have been doing their winter training at RAF Scampton.

    During winter training each Red Arrows pilot flies three times a day, five days a week, beginning with small formations of three or four aircraft, according to the team's website.

    Every training sortie is filmed from the ground and discussed in minute detail once the pilots are back on the ground.

    The Red Arrows, founded in 1965, have used the BAE Systems Hawk T1, with a top speed of Mach 1.2, since 1979.

    Hawk T1s are also used for training fast-jet pilots at RAF Valley in Anglesey, North Wales, and RAF Leeming, near Northallerton, North Yorkshire.

    http://news.sky.com

    Camp Pendleton: Marine killed on base, fellow Marine a suspect, authorities say

    A Camp Pendleton Marine was killed late Saturday or early Sunday in his barracks, and a Marine who jumped from a balcony where the incident occurred is considered a suspect in the slaying, authorities said Monday.

    Lance Cpl. Mario Arias, 19, was "the apparent victim of a homicide," Naval Criminal Investigative Service spokesman Ed Buice said late Monday afternoon.

    Authorities were called to Arias' room about 1 a.m. Sunday, where they found him dead in his bed, Buice said.

    The Marine suspected of being responsible was found outside the barracks where he had jumped from a third-floor balcony, Buice said.

    That Marine, whom authorities refused to identify by name and rank, was being treated for injuries suffered when he hit the ground, Buice said.

    An unconfirmed report suggested that Arias died as a result of a gunshot wound. Buice would not comment on that report.

    The incident occurred in a barracks complex near Mainside, a commercial, residential and headquarters area in the heart of the Marine Corps base.

    Arias was an air-crew trainee with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Training Squadron 303.

    He grew up in Canoga Park, where he graduated from high school before enlisting in August 2010.

    The case is being handled by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service's Major Response Team, Buice said.

    Buice said the investigation is ongoing and that he could not provide any additional information.

    Key parts of airplane recovered from Juan Fernandez crash site. CASA C-212 Aviocar 300DF, Fuerza Aérea de Chile. Isla Robinsón Crusoe Airport, Chile. Accident occurred September 2, 2011.


    JUAN FERNÁNDEZ — During the past weekend of Nov. 4-6, in the third phase of Operation Loreto, the FACH recovery team discovered human remains and parts of the Casa-212 plane that was involved in the Juan Fernández crash that occurred two months ago.

    The Minister of Defense Andrés Allamand reported on Friday, Nov. 4 that they had found and recovered various parts of the plane including the nose of the structure and the surrounding structure, the floor of the fuselage and the left side, the tail cone and other elements like the battery and a tool bag.

    On Sunday, the recovery crew extracted the two engines of the plane, the attack board and the wing-flap of the left side of the plane.

    The fragments, according to the acting commander of the FACH, Jorge Rojas, were the most relevant parts of the airplane. These parts will help the group discover what really happened in the crash that took the lives of 21 people.

    The recovery crew also found bone fragments and human scalps. Allamand said that the remains have been sent to the legal medical service where medical investigator Juan Cristóbal Mera will take charge of identifying the remains and returning them to the proper families. Personal objects such as cameras were also found.

    “What we have found, in terms of volume [of remains] is not significant. But we hope that this could serve us technically in order to advance the investigation of the people that we are missing. It could also be that these remains belong to people we’ve already found. We do not know.” Allamand said.

    Depending on the weather conditions, the final stage of Operation Loreto is planned for tomorrow, Nov. 9, when the recovery team of the FACH will extract the final parts of  the plane.

    Air France rule Muslim women don't have to remove burqas on plane despite ban

    • Lawyers say controversial law can only be enforced on the ground
    • Pilots have 'no issue' with women wearing burqas during flights
    French cabin crews have no right to tell Muslim women to remove their burqa aboard Air France flights - despite a nationwide ban on full face veils, the airline has ruled.

    Islamic passengers can be ordered to remove the garment while waiting in French airports to board the plane at the gate.

    But once on board, they are free to put their burqa back on, according to an internal memo to staff from Air France's legal department.

    The company's lawyers said: 'Flight crews on board planes can not ask a person to uncover their face if they are hiding it.

    'The law can only be enforced by police and other public officials on the ground.'

    But pilots said they had 'no issue' with women wearing burqas during flights - as long as they had been through security checks before the flight.

    One told French daily Le Figaro: 'As long as burqa-wearers have been checked before getting on board, then I can't see the problem.

    'Security on board a plane does not have much to do with whether one's face is visible or not.

    'Besides, on long-haul flights a lot of passengers hide their face with eye masks when they go to sleep.'
    Relaxed: Air France pilots have said they have 'no issue' with women wearing burqas during flights - as long as they had been through security checks

    Relaxed: Air France pilots have said they have 'no issue' with women wearing burqas during flights - as long as they had been through security checks

    France's controversial burqa ban which came into force in April makes it a criminal offence for for anyone to hide their face in public.

    This includes streets, shops, restaurants and behind the wheel of a car on a public road.

    Women can be fined £35 for a first offence for wearing a burqa, while men who force their wives to wear the garb can be fined up to £25,000.

    Repeat offenders who refuse to pay up can be sent to prison.

    France was the first country in Europe to outlaw Muslim headwear that hides the face.

    Similar laws have since being passed in Belgium and the Netherlands.

    French president Nicolas Sarkozy has described the burqa as a 'sign of debasement'.

    His immigration minister Eric Besson called it 'a walking coffin'.

    Leaders of Al-Qaeda's North African network have vowed to seek 'dreadful revenge' if the law is ever enforced.

    They wrote on an Islamic extremist website: 'We will seek dreadful revenge on France by all means at our disposal, for the honour of our daughters and sisters.'

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk

    CANADA: Councillor concerned Windsor planes risk hitting birds


    Coun. Fulvio Valentinis said an expanded airport wood lot could lead to animals on runway

    One Windsor city councillor remains concerned about a master plan for the Windsor Airport even though the rest of his colleagues approved it Monday night.

    Fulvio Valentinis says quadrupling the size of a woodlot on the airport property is problematic.

    "If you've got a 300-acre woodlot, you're going to be attracting a lot more air fowl that's not compatible with airports coming and going," Valentinis said. "They're going to have to put a fence around this because otherwise you're going to have animals, whether it's deer, whether it's coyotes, whether it's rabbits, running on to the runway."

    The woodlot issue has been deferred for a more in-depth discussion.

    http://www.cbc.ca
     
    Previous story:
    Three years after the City of Windsor took over operations at Windsor Airport and established “Your Quick Gateway”, a master plan for future land use at the airport has been prepared and will go to council for approval. The goal of the master plan is to ensure cost-effective development of the 813 hectare site through the year 2031. The plan makes note that Windsor is located within an 8-hour drive from half of North America’s population and expands on how we could be a strategic location for future industry.
    The master plan indicates that the Windsor International Airport has the “potential to become Ontario’s primary western business gateway and a major multi-modal hub”.

    Plans for future use at the airport include:
    • 250 hectares of land for a business park
    • expanded cargo facilities
    • a new terminal located between the airport’s runways
    • an extension of the main runway to 10,000 feet
    • a new taxiway north of the main runway to accommodate future business park needs
    • plans to accommodate Boeing 747-400 cargo jets
    • plans for a new control tower closer to Walker Road
    • reconfiguration of the passenger terminal to meet passenger growth trends
    • creation of a dedicated de-icing facility
    • establishment of a bulk aircraft fuel storage facility

    http://windsorite.ca

    Two men accused of taking taxiway lights at Memphis International Airport (KMEM), Tennessee.

    Michael Hardimon

    Settle Moss

    Two men didn't get away on Monday with a strange cargo allegedly stolen from the Memphis Airport Authority, according to a court affidavit.

    Called to 2845 Hangar, Memphis International Airport police reported finding more than $11,000 worth of taxiway centerline lights that belong to the authority in the back of a maroon pickup truck.

    They arrested and charged two Memphis men, Michael J. Hardimon, 39, and Settle M. Moss, 43, with felony theft. Both were held in Shelby County Jail on $10,000 bond.

    http://www.airnav.com/airport/KMEM

    http://www.commercialappeal.com

    ADB Airfield Solutions' Solar LED Runway Guard Light Powered by Carmanah Wins Future Airport Award for ADB Airfield Solutions


    Victoria, British Columbia CANADA, Nov 08, 2011 (Filing Services Canada via COMTEX) -- Carmanah Technologies Corporation.

    In another aviation lighting industry first, the LED Solar Runway Guard Light, created by Carmanah Technologies Corp, together with ADB Airfield Solutions has been recognized as the Airport Technology of the Year by the Future Airport, a publication from Global Trade Media International. The award was based on a panel of experts from the aviation industry, that put forward a recommended short list of products they felt made the most difference in 2011. The panel included people from airport design, construction, airline management, air traffic control and route development. The panel's short list of products was then voted on by the readers of Future Airport and www.airport-technology.com to determine the Airport Technology of the Year winner. 

    In the award announcement, Future Airport praises the ADB LED Solar Runway Guard Light powered by Carmanah, for the energy efficient, long lasting, and low maintenance nature of the solar powered LED light. The judges acknowledge that new solar powered aviation systems such as the Solar Runway Guard Light, not only help reduce an airport's carbon emissions, but are an excellent choice for airfields in remote locations or where access to grid power could be difficult or expensive. The combination of cost efficiency together with significant carbon emission reductions earned this product the Airport Technology of the Year award.

    Carmanah Technologies CEO, Bruce Cousins stated, "The LED Solar Runway Guard Light was a joint development project between Carmanah and ADB. We are very happy to see the product be recognized with this award from Future Airports as it reaffirms the capabilities and applicability of solar powered aviation lights for modern airfields everywhere." 

    For more information about ADB Solar LED Runway Guard Lights powered by Carmanah visit www.carmanah.com or www.adb-airfield.com

    ###
    About Carmanah Technologies Corporation 

    As one of the most trusted names in solar technology, Carmanah has earned a reputation for delivering strong and effective products for industrial applications worldwide. Industry proven to perform reliably in some of the world's harshest environments, Carmanah solar LED lights and solar power systems provide a durable, dependable and cost effective energy alternative. Carmanah is a publicly traded company, with common shares listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "CMH". For more information, visit www.carmanah.com

    About ADB Airfield Solutions 

    ADB is the world's leading airfield lighting technology company in the FAA and ICAO markets providing advanced, integrated and sustainable solutions for visual guidance. With a world-wide presence for more than 60 years, ADB differentiates itself by offering an innovative portfolio and expertise which sets standards in safety, performance and quality that is supported by unparalleled levels of customer service. ADB is trusted as the preferred partner for airside operations. For more information about ADB, visit www.adb-airfieldsolutions.com .

    Red Arrows pilot seriously injured at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire.

    The incident involved one of the Red Arrows' Hawk T1 aircraft. 
    Photograph: Stewart Kendall/Allstar/Sportsphoto Ltd./Allstar

    Sources said the pilot of the aircraft involved the incident was taken to Lincoln County Hospital. The condition of the pilot is believed to be "very serious".

    The MoD said: "I can confirm there has been an incident at RAF Scampton. The RAF are investigating and will provide more details when they are available."

    The incident comes after Red Arrows pilot Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging, 33, from Rutland, was killed in an air show crash near Bournemouth Airport in Dorset in August.

    Egging's wife, Emma, watched her husband perform with the Red Arrows just minutes before he crashed to his death.

    Eyewitnesses described seeing the aircraft flying low before smashing into a field and coming to a standstill with its nose in the River Stour near the village of Throop.

    The RAF temporarily halted flying of all 126 of its Hawk T1 training jets while preliminary investigations were carried out into the cause of the tragedy.

    Hundreds of RAF servicemen and women joined Egging's family and friends at a packed memorial service for the popular pilot in Lincoln Cathedral last week.

    The Red Arrows have used the dual control BAE Systems Hawk T1, which has a top speed of Mach 1.2, since 1979.

    Hawk T1s are also used for training fast-jet pilots at RAF Valley in Anglesey, north Wales, and RAF Leeming, near Northallerton, North Yorkshire.
     ----------------
    A Red Arrows pilot has been seriously injured at the aerobatic team's base at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire, the BBC understands.

    Full details have not yet emerged, but it is believed the incident happened on the ground, not in the air.

    An MoD source has confirmed one pilot has been taken to Lincoln County Hospital.

    Police have confirmed they are attending an incident at RAF Scampton.

    East Midlands Ambulance crews attended the scene at about 11:09 GMT.

    The Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance was also in attendance.
    Winter training

    An MoD spokesman said: "I can confirm there has been an incident at RAF Scampton. The RAF are investigating and will provide more details when they are available."

    It comes a few months after Red Arrows pilot Jon Egging died after his plane crashed during a display near Bournemouth Airport.

    A post-mortem examination showed the cause of death was multiple injuries.

    Flt Lt Egging, who grew up in Southam, Warwickshire, joined the RAF in 2000 and served with IV (AC) Squadron, based at RAF Cottesmore, flying the Harrier GR9 in support of coalition forces in Afghanistan.

    The Red Arrows team was formed in 1965 and have completed more than 4,300 displays in 53 countries.

    The team completed their final display of the season in September and are currently carrying out their winter training at RAF Scampton.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk

    Non-payment of dues to oil companies hits Kingfisher Airlines schedules

    Mr. Vijay Mallya

    NEW DELHI: Kingfisher Airlines cancelled at least 34 flights on various sectors today as non-payment of dues to oil companies hit its schedules across the country and the Vijay Mallya-owned carrier grounded at least six of its turboprop ATR aircraft.

    At least 34 flights across the country, including nine flights to and from Delhi, and those to Bangkok from Delhi and Mumbai were cancelled.

    Airline officials maintained these were planned cancellations and such an exercise would continue "for a limited period".

    At least six turboprop ATR-72 aircraft have been grounded as jet fuel supplies were stopped by state-run HPCL as the airline owes about Rs 600 crore to it, aviation sources said.

    The BPCL is also not supplying fuel to the airline following an ongoing court case over alleged non-payment of about Rs 250 crore dues.

    Indian Oil Corporation has stopped credit to the airline and put it on a cash-and-carry mode, implying that it would have to pay for fuel on a daily basis.

    In a statement, the airline said it has "reduced frequency on some of its flights, which are predominantly over weekends or on some routes where there has been slow demand."

    "For a limited period, these flights are either being cancelled or clubbed with other Kingfisher flights in a well- controlled pre-determined manner," the statement said.

    Storm as Ryanair boss says he’ll allow porn on planes

    Ryanair Boss Michael O'Leary has told the Sun newspaper that he would allow porn on his planes on hand held devices or tablets.

    “Hotels around the world have it, so why wouldn’t we?” he said.

    O'Leary told The Sun: "I'm not talking about having it on screens on the back of seats for everyone to see. It would be on handheld devices.

    He stated passengers could log on to a Ryanir app using their smart phones or tablets and then could pay to gamble, watch movies or turn the skies blue.

    He said the plan could take a year to take off giving the cost of installing broadband on the planes.

    O’Learys comments set off a firestorm of criticism and the airline later was forced to retract his comments.

    A Ryanair spokesperson said:

    "While Michael encourages Ryanair’s ancillary revenue teams to explore all optional products to ensure our airfares remain the lowest in Europe, our onboard sales and services will always be family friendly."

    Bob Atkinson, of Travelsupermarket, said: "There may be a market for porn in hotels, but that's in the privacy of a room. Anyone could see it on a plane. It's wrong."

    O’Leary is no stranger to controversy. He recently published his airline’s 21012 calendar featuring scantily clad women all of whom work for him.

    http://www.irishcentral.com