Cumberland, Maryland: Helicopter rescue team is one of a kind for area

CUMBERLAND — A specially-trained aerial rescue team comprised of Cumberland firefighters and the Cumberland Section of the Maryland State Police Aviation Command is the only one of its kind within the region. The next nearest such response team is located in Frederick County.

The Cumberland Fire Department Helicopter Emergency Aerial Team was initiated in 2003 by then Fire Chief William Herbaugh and the Maryland State Police Aviation Division, Trooper 5.

The initial members of the Cumberland Fire Department HEAT team in 2003 were: Capt. William Davis (who now leads the team), Capt. Sam Wilson, Capt. Chris Ratliff, Lt. Steve Grogg, Lt. Vince Pyle, Equipment Operators Steve Hout and Ed Kenner, and Paramedics Doug Beitzel and Jim Kucharczyk.

The initial training included aircraft familiarization and safety, crew resource management, training on hoist rescue insertion/extraction techniques and rescue basket deployment and management.

Annual dynamic training allows for the execution of all the aforementioned topics in a controlled training environment which provides an arena for evaluation of the team’s deployment techniques.

Members of the HEAT team are certified in High Angle Rescue and Swiftwater Rescue.

The team operates primarily in Maryland’s Region 1, which includes Allegany, Garrett and Washington counties, but also is on call as a resource to other regions within the state as well as regions of Western Pennsylvania, Northern West Virginia and Northern Virginia.

The Cumberland Fire Department HEAT team is one of several teams which utilize a joint partnership between fire departments and the Maryland State Police Aviation Division.

The team has been very active since it was formed eight years ago.

Deployments have ranged from a power plant smokestack rescue in Moundsville, W.Va., in March 2006; a mine rescue in Fairmont,W.Va.; a wilderness rescue in Dolly Sods, W.Va.; swiftwater deployments to the Potomac River in Washington County; two downed aircraft in the region of the Jefferson National Forest, W.Va., as well as mountain rescues in Allegany, Garrett and Washington counties.

In September 2010, four members of the team: Civilian Pilot Scott Russell, Senior Trooper Lance Shank, Lt. Vince Pyle and Firefighter Steve Hout were awarded the Maryland State Police Certificate of Valor for a winter mountain rescue.

Currently, the team has 14 members led by Capt. William Davis. Team members include: Capt. Sam Wilson, Capt. Chris Ratliff, Capt. Daron Winters, Cumberland Fire Marshal/Lt. Shannon Adams, Lt. Vince Pyle, FF/EMT-P Steve Adams, FF/EMT-P Doug Beitzel, FF/EMT-P Mike Salvadge, EO/EMT-P Terry Puffinburger, EO/FF Ed Kenner, EO/FF Jeff Wagoner, EO/FF Steve Hout, FF/EMT Jon Miller.

“The Maryland State Police Aviation Command is honored to have such an exceptional working relationship with the Cumberland Fire Department’s HEAT team. Since the team first became operational, the enhancements to MSP Aviation’s aerial rescue program have been numerous,” said Maryland State Police Flight Paramedic Alex Kelly, of the Cumberland section of MSP Aviation Command.

“In the past, when Trooper 5 was called upon to perform a hoist rescue, we would explain to the rescuers on the ground — either with a rapid face to face briefing after landing on-scene or via the radio while overhead — what we needed them to do. This system worked well enough, and it was all that we had. There was clearly room for improvement. Aerial rescue is the most demanding mission for the helicopter and its crew,” Kelly said.

“Since the advent of the HEAT team we can now perform what were once complicated and, by their nature, risky operations in the safest and quickest way possible.

“The MSP pilots and trooper/flight paramedics train regularly with the CFD HEAT team so we are intimately familiar with each other’s equipment and procedures,” said Kelly.

The proximity of the Cumberland Fire Department in the Public Safety Building on Bedford Street to Trooper 5’s hangar at the Greater Cumberland Regional Airport is also beneficial.

“We have the luxury of departing for missions with the HEAT team on board without prolonging our response time. The average response time for the team to the hangar is eight minutes. This is just enough time for the flight crew to reconfigure the aircraft cabin from its typical medevac role to hoisting.”

The other HEAT teams in the state typically meet the helicopter at a pre-arranged location for pick-up due to the fact that they are not close to the hangars.

“The dedicated members of the Cumberland City Fire Department HEAT team have enhanced the speed, safety and capability of the aerial rescue services the MSP Aviation Command delivers to its customers,” said Kelly.

http://times-news.com

Audio: Emergency Responders For Beechcraft Bonanza V35 Crash At Chesapeake Ranch Airport (MD50), Lusby, Maryland

Audio: Emergency responders on-site of plane crash
 
http://thebaynet.com

UPDATE: Maryland State Police Helicopter Trooper 2 has flown both the male pilot, age 46 and a 16-year-old passenger to Prince George’s Shock Trauma.

Preliminary reports indicate the pilot was flying a 1966 V-35 Bonanza and encountered a missed approach, clipped some trees, lost some equipment and as a result slid off the runway.

The NTSB and a FAA inspector are en route to the scene to investigate.

Plane Crashes at Chesapeake Ranch Estates Airport

Fire and Rescue Crews from both Calvert and St. Mary’s County are on the scene of a plane crash at the Chesapeake Ranch Estates Airport in Lusby.

The crash was reported around 6:26 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 20.

Two male patients are reported to have been on board the plane. A MSP helicopter has been requested to the scene of the crash.


Update:  Maryland State Police Trooper 2 transported two males, pilot and passenger, to Prince George's Hospital. Also, two fire fighters were transported to hospital.  Pilot suffered a concussion and broken legs. Aircraft was purchased approximately 1 month ago.

LUSBY, Maryland — Maryland State Police say two people have been injured in a small plane crash at the end of a runway at a Calvert County airport.

Trooper First Class E. West of the Prince Frederick barracks says the plane crashed around 6:30 p.m. Sunday at an airport at the Chesapeake Ranch Estates in Lusby. West says it’s not yet clear how badly the two people aboard the plane were injured.

http://www.airnav.com/airport/MD50

Even as pilots quit, Kingfisher Airlines pays junior level staff

Quelling fears of disgruntled employees, Kingfisher remunerates two months' salary of lower level employees; will pay the remaining staff next weekend

With an aim to pacify workers from the lower rung of its workforce, cash-strapped Kingfisher airlines on Saturday paid pending salaries to its lower bracket employees that were pending for the last two months.

The payment of salary to the ground handling staff and technicians comes against the backdrop of uncertainty that is looming around the financial health of the troubled airline among the employees.

The airline had defaulted on the salary payment to its employees, but looking at the current crisis within the airline, the management wanted to dispel fears among workers in the lower level first. The salaries of those in the upper bracket, however, are likely to be released next weekend.

Payment of salary was aimed to send a message to the disgruntled employees that the airline regards them as a priority and is concerned about their welfare. In the past few months more than 100 pilots have quit Kingfisher airline due to salary issues.

"Everyone is worried. In a situation when the company is making losses and has also shut down one of its services recently, everyone is nervous about their future. The work force in the lower bracket gets a low salary and if they do not get the salary on time, things become bleak for them," said a ground handling staff from Kingfisher, on condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, a Kingfisher airline spokesperson confirmed that the salaries were pending, he said, "Yes, the salaries were delayed and the company is working on this aspect."

http://www.mid-day.com

Cruising the skies in vintage aircraft: Aviation enthusiasts keep history alive and flying high

Tom Long of Benedict said that as a boy he built model airplanes and “always wanted to be a pilot.”

Long, a licensed flight instructor with an airline transport pilot license and a mechanic with an inspection authority grade, now owns a few 1940s- and ’50s-era planes, some in flying order and others in stages of restoration, which he does himself. He is especially proud of his World War II Valiant BT-13, a two-seat bomber trainer he purchased in 1998 and hauled on a trailer home from California. He then spent two years restoring it.

“I fly it all the time,” he said, mentioning that when he and his wife go on fly-in breakfast trips meeting up with other pilots who fly in their planes to a restaurant, his plane grabs people’s attention. If it was bought new it would be worth close to $1 million, he said.

“I’ve always wanted something similar,” so he said when he saw it in Trade-A-Plane magazine he inquired. “All the parts were there except the engine and propeller,” Long said, adding that he preferred to have a freshly overhauled engine anyway.

Long, who also owns an aircraft restoration business in New York with a friend, said he likes the old-style planes, especially the World War II models.

Read more: http://www.gazette.net

Oklahoma State to examine travel rules. Crash of Piper PA28, N7746W. Perryville, Arkansas.

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma State University officials will examine the school's travel policy in the wake of a plane crash that killed women's basketball coach Kurt Budke, an assistant coach and two other people in central Arkansas, a spokesman said Sunday.

"Certainly, it's a little early, we're still kind of recovering from this, but we'll certainly look at the policy," university spokesman Gary Shutt said. "Any time you have a terrible accident like this, definitely you look at the policy."

A memorial service is scheduled for 1 p.m. Monday at Gallagher-Iba Arena for Budke, 50, assistant coach Miranda Serna, 36, and the others who died in Thursday's crash. Organizers were working to finalize plans Sunday.

The two coaches were killed when the plane they were riding in crashed into a wooded hillside in central Arkansas. The pilot, Olin Branstetter, 82, and his wife, Paula, 79, also died.

Budke and Serna's deaths come more than 10 years after two men's basketball players and eight others associated with the program were killed in a January 2001 plane crash in Colorado. Changes were made to the travel policy, including rules requiring two pilots to be on board for all OSU travel involving student athletes and aircraft to be powered by two or more turbine engines.

"It does not apply to recruiting trips for coaches," who were allowed to make travel arrangements at their own discretion, Shutt said.

Budke and Serna were flying to Little Rock to watch two prospective recruits play in a game, two days before the Cowgirls were scheduled to play two weekend games, Shutt said.

"Obviously the high school season coincides with the college season, so if you want to go see players you need to have the flexibility and ability to make quick trips," Shutt said.

The National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the crash, already has ruled out weather as a factor. A spokesman didn't immediately return calls and emails seeking comment on Sunday.

According to Federal Aviation Administration records, Branstetter passed a medical examination, was certified to be a commercial pilot and was flight-instrument rated.

"Every pilot, regardless of age, is required to have a medical exam a minimum of every two years, and every pilot must also do a check ride with a certified instructor every two years," FAA spokesman Lynn Lunsford said. "That means you have to both prove that you're medically fit to fly, as well as ride with someone who can sign off on your abilities to handle the duties that come with being a pilot."

Shutt said it was his understanding that Branstetter hadn't taken coaches on any other flights before Thursday's crash. Branstetter, a former state senator, was an Oklahoma State University alumnus and donated to scholarships at the school, Shutt said.

Meanwhile, the Cowgirls' participated in a light practice on Saturday, Shutt said. The Cowgirls were scheduled to play Grambling State on Saturday and Texas-Arlington on Sunday, but those games were canceled.

Associate head coach Jim Littell has been named interim head coach. The next game is set for this coming Saturday.

"The intent is to resume the season at some point," Shutt said. "(Team officials) will assess things and move forward as quickly as they can."

http://espn.go.com

Smoke In Cockpit Diverts Plane To Pittsburgh: Plane Lands Without Problem

PITTSBURGH -- ExpressJet flight 4405, operating as Continental Express from Newark to St. Louis, is diverted to Pittsburgh due to a burning smell in the cabin Sunday.

According to ExpressJet Airlines, crew members were able to follow safety protocol and declare an emergency.

The plane landed without incident and was able to taxi to the gate under its own power.

Passengers Kicked Off Planes Meets Reality TV - Southwest Airlines Has New Show on TLC

Some of the famous or not-so-famous who may get kicked off any Southwest Airlines planes may find themselves on reality TV.

Cable TV's odd reality series producing TLC announced this week it had picked up 13 episodes of a new reality show about Southwest Airlines.

The airline has made news by showing the door on one earlier flight to director Kevin Smith (reportedly for being too large for a seat) and Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong was kicked off another flight for wearing too saggy of pants recently as well.

Another episode that gained attention, L Word star Leisha Hailey was also kicked off a flight for arguing with the flight staff after a customer complained she was kissing her girlfriend.

Now those types of episodes and other chores that occur during the day of the the life of a SW Airlines employee and all the messy ways of travel will be on display soon as the airline has agreed to a deal for a reality TV series.

The series of 13 half-hour episodes will profile some of the airline's customers "as they prepare to travel for milestone moments," TLC says.

"Air travel has become incredibly accessible, and as a result, millions of travelers navigate the challenges of the airport, especially during the upcoming holiday season," said Amy Winter, general manager of TLC, in a statement.

"Southwest is a beloved brand, and their customers and employees will reveal the passion, commitment, and fantastic payoff of 'getting there' that helps keep us all flying."

Will you watch?

http://www.nationalledger.com

2 Injured when plane crashes at Chesapeake Ranch Airport (MD50), Lusby, Maryland

Update:  Maryland State Police Trooper 2 transported two males, pilot and passenger, to Prince George's Hospital. Also, two fire fighters were transported to hospital.  Pilot suffered a concussion and broken legs. Aircraft was purchased approximately 1 month ago.

LUSBY, Maryland — Maryland State Police say two people have been injured in a small plane crash at the end of a runway at a Calvert County airport.

Trooper First Class E. West of the Prince Frederick barracks says the plane crashed around 6:30 p.m. Sunday at an airport at the Chesapeake Ranch Estates in Lusby. West says it’s not yet clear how badly the two people aboard the plane were injured.

http://www.airnav.com/airport/MD50

TV helicopter prompts crash false alarm. (Australia)

Reports of a helicopter crash west of Melbourne are the result of a news chopper landing near a controlled burn-off, authorities say.

Emergency crews were earlier responding to a report of "a helicopter down" near Melton about 10am.

However, the Country Fire Authority said the false alarm was the result of a well-intentioned emergency call from a a member of the public, who saw two helicopters in the air before seeing smoke.

The caller became concerned and contacted authorities.

The incident is believed to have happened at Brookfield.

It is believed a Channel Seven helicopter landed near an area where a controlled burn-off was taking place.

http://www.theage.com.au

High winds hit Wellington flights. (New Zealand)

LATEST: High winds forced a plane to abort two landing attempts in Wellington this morning, with the plane having to return to Auckland.

Gale force winds of up to 130kmh are forecast in Wellington today and MetService is warning residents to take precautions.

Air New Zealand flight 417 failed to land and was turned back to Auckland.

Air New Zealand spokesman Mark Street said the pilot made two attempts to land but conditions were too blustery and the flight had to turn back to Auckland.

The outbound flight NZ432 Wellington-Auckland which was due to depart at midday is cancelled.

The Fire Service has attended 12 weather-related callouts this morning in Wellington, Masterton and Eketahuna.

Those call-outs were related to trees down in some places, as well as telephone and power lines down, Wellington fire shift commander Mike Wanoa said.

He said to have 12 callouts with such high winds was not many. "We got away with it this time".

High winds have also been causing problems in Wellington Harbour today.

A large, high-sided car carrier was unable to berth at Aotea Quay this morning because of the weather.

Harbourmaster Mike Pryce said the Trans Future 5 had arrived about 10.15am and had not been able to berth. The carrier was now circling near the heads where the wind was calmer until things died down. Winds were gusting 55 knots in the harbour.

East by West ferries had been cancelled though other ferries were running at this stage.

Forecaster Oliver Druce said it was going to be a stormy day. "We will have gale force winds with big gusts. There will be north-west gales and rain until 6pm this evening when there will be a southerly change."

Things were set to "miraculously clear up" later tonight but not before the winds grew stronger.

Winds of up to 120kmh had been recorded in Kelburn this morning.

Campers who stayed in Wairarapa overnight for the Toast Martinborough festival woke to high winds this morning.

MetService warned the winds had the potential to damage insecure structures, trees and powerlines and make driving difficult, especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles.

People were advised to secure any loose objects.

http://www.stuff.co.nz

For pilots in trouble, roads replace runways

 

Socata TBM 700, N37SV

Accident occurred October 12, 2011 in Hollywood, Florida

http://www.ntsb.gov/Socata TBM 700, N37SV

http://www.ntsb.gov/Cessna 172N, N739JN

For airplanes dealing with emergencies, South Florida's roadways have become runways.

Since 1990, planes have landed at least 18 times on highways, busy thoroughfares and residential streets, sometimes squeezing down in heavy traffic. With few cow pastures available amid the region's urban sprawl, the pilots had little other choice.

"It was the only option I had with the altitude I had," said Vincent Citrullo, a flight instructor, who, along with a student, crash-landed on Northeast 10th Street in Pompano Beach after their Cessna 172 lost power on Nov. 1.

In most cases, the planes, ranging from large cargo haulers to small trainers, were within a few miles of an airport. That's because engine failures usually occur right after takeoff or just before landing. Pilots say power changes at those stages of flight can trigger mechanical problems.

Only two of the accidents were fatal. In one, a Beechcraft King Air rammed into an Interstate 95 retaining wall while approaching Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, killing the copilot in June 2001. In the other, a home-built plane crashed onto Yamato Road in Boca Raton, killing the pilot in September 2009.

Otherwise, aircraft-roadway incidents are rare, occuring on average less than once a year. General aviation planes make more than 800,000 takeoffs and landings regionwide.

In perhaps the most spectacular accident, pilot Charlie Riggs belly-flopped a DC-3 cargo plane down onto a quiet residential street in June 2005. That was shortly after the plane took off from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport and its right engine failed.

The aircraft slid 100 yards, clipped six cars and exploded into flames, yet no one died, prompting some city officials to call it the Miracle on Northeast 56th Street. Riggs, 68, of Pembroke Pines, said he selected the little road because nearby Cypress Creek Road was too busy.

"The cars wouldn't have had a chance," he said. "They were going 40 and I'm doing 90 in the opposite direction."

In another high-profile incident, in September 2007, shortly after taking off from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, a cargo plane careened onto the shoulder of I-95 north of Commercial Boulevard. After the crash, the pilot sat in the open air, an eerie sight, as the cockpit had disintegrated.

More recently, pilot Alain Jaubert crash-landed a Socata TBM 700 on Florida's Turnpike near Hollywood Boulevard, after losing power on Oct. 12. At the time, the high-powered single-engine aircraft had been approaching North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines. The pilot and a passenger were injured but no one on the ground was hurt.

Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Mark Wysocky said because Jaubert aimed south onto the turnpike's northbound lanes, motorists were able to see the turbine-powered plane coming at them and get out of the way.

Indeed, in the vast majority of the roadway landings, the pilots were able to avoid hitting cars.

On the other hand, a twin-engine Piper Seneca clipped seven cars after crash-landing in rush hour traffic on I-95 in Boca Raton in July 2001. The pilot and a passenger suffered minor injuries, as did numerous motorists.

Whenever a plane lands on a road, or anywhere else off an airport, the Federal Aviation Administration investigates whether the pilot should face punitive action, said agency spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen.

"For example, if an aircraft runs out of fuel and the pilot is forced to land on a roadway, the pilot could be cited for not ensuring that the aircraft had enough fuel before making the flight," she said.

Because planes tend to be low to the ground when trouble strikes, pilots are forced to make snap decisions where to put down. Meanwhile, open land in South Florida has dwindled markedly in the past three decades.

For instance, in Broward County, where the majority of incidents have occurred, less than 11 square miles of agricultural land remain, a fraction of what it was before 1990, according to the University of Florida GeoPlan Center.

Just the same, in the event of power failure, student pilots are trained to look for the most wide-open area, not necessarily a road, said Terry Fensome, owner of Pelican Flight Training Center at North Perry Airport.

"The main thing is to put the plane down without hitting anything," he said.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com

Almost 10,000 attend Temora air show. (Australia)

ALMOST 10,000 people who attended the Temora Aviation Museum's inaugural Warbirds Downunder Airshow at the weekend are likely to still be recovering from sore necks.

All heads turned to the skies above Temora on Saturday to see Tiger Moths, Spitfires and Sabres take to the air in a show which exceeded even the organisers' expectations.

"It's the first time we've held an event of this size," Temora Aviation Museum assistant manager Lisa Love said.

"It exceeded our expectations, the flying went on without a hitch; the only thing was the heat, but unfortunately we can't control the weather."

After marching through the gates early to get a glimpse of the 52 planes scheduled to fly, families had the opportunity to walk through the museum to see some of Australia's early aviation history or enjoy a range of children's entertainment.

For many the real fun and sense of amazement came in the afternoon when the first of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) pilots left the tarmac for an aerobatics display.

The RAAF Roulettes, an elite formation aerobatic display team, wowed the crowd before an F/A-18 Hornet performed in a tribute formation with warbirds.

The Hornet, piloted by a member of Number 75 Squadron from RAAF Base Tindal, carried out a fly-by alongside historical aircraft including a Kittyhawk, Mustang, Meteor and Sabre.

All the planes were flown by Number 75 Squadron throughout the Squadron's history with only two planes - a Vampire and Mirage - missing.

The fly-over was a symbolic moment for a group of World War II veterans on the ground who were original members of Number 75 Squadron established in 1942 who travelled to Temora to see the plane in action before the Squadron's 70th anniversary next year.

A solo handling display of the F/A-18 Hornet completed the day.

Mrs Love said the day would not have been successful without the support of Temora Shire Council and wider community groups who provided various support roles to the museum during the event.

http://www.dailyadvertiser.com.au

Piaggio P.166 - Virtual Globetrotting. Location: Pescara, Italy

The Piaggio P.166 is a twin-engine pusher-type utility aircraft developed by the Italian aircraft manufacturer Piaggio Aero.

http://virtualglobetrotting.com/map/piaggio-p-166/

Paris air show takes off

The landing of the world's longest plane, an updated Boeing 747, opens a week of aeronautical acrobatics and military muscle at the Paris air show.

Savannah VGW, Skykits Corp., N61XT: Hampshire pilot killed when plane crashed in Kane County, Illinois.

 Richard Bajjalieh

Chicago Tribune 

November 20, 2011

Officials say one person is dead after a small airplane crash near Elgin in unincorporated Kane County, officials said.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Lynn Lunsford confirms one person is dead. He says the single-engine experimental craft crashed under unknown circumstances at about 1:50 p.m. The tail number is N61XT, he said.

He says the FAA is investigating and did not immediately have further details.

Kane County sheriff's deputies are at the scene of the crash, which reportedly occurred at about 1:30 p.m., officials said.

The accident happened near the Olson Airport, 9N776 Kendall Rd., near Plato Center just west of Elgin, officials said.

While the crash remains under investigation, it appears the only injury was to the sole occupant of the plane, said Lt. Patrick Gengler, a spokesman for the Kane County Sheriff's Department.

Gengler says a coroner was called to the scene.

The owners of the airport were not at the airport and did not have any information about the crash.
-----------------------
Kane County Sheriff's police respond to a fatal, single engine plane crash near Elgin on Sunday.

A 69-year-old Hampshire man died Sunday when the small, single-engine airplane he was piloting crashed upon takeoff from an airstrip west of Elgin.

Frank Kehoe was described by friends who gathered at the scene Sunday afternoon as an experienced pilot. Kane County Sheriff's police and investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board remained on the scene Sunday afternoon.

His plane, labeled an “experimental aircraft” by sheriff's police, crashed on takeoff into an open area near Kendall Road, just east of Route 47, and came to a rest on its roof.

Photos of crash site

http://registry.faa.gov/N61XT - Sale Reported
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http://registry.faa.gov/N61XT

http://www.airnav.com/airport/LL53

http://www.chicagotribune.com

Savannah VGW, Skykits Corp., N61XT: Plane crashes near Olson Airport (LL53) Plato Center, Illinois

Photos of crash site

http://registry.faa.gov/N61XT - Sale Reported
,
http://registry.faa.gov/N61XT

http://www.airnav.com/airport/LL53

http://www.chicagotribune.com


A small plane has crashed in Kane County Sunday afternoon, according to the local sheriff's department.

The plane went down near the Olsen Airport on Kendall Road, west of Elgin. Kane County Sheriff's Deputies are at the scene, spokesman Patrick Gengler said.

One person was on the plane and was injured, although details of how badly he was hurt have not been released.

Record orders show ambition to make Gulf a global aviation hub

Dubai: Gulf carriers have underlined their ambition to redraw world travel maps and turn the region into a global hub by placing record orders for new planes at the Dubai Airshow. Boeing and Airbus have embraced the game-changing vision, built on the geographic advantages of these young carriers, although conventional airlines fear they will pay the price.

Huge orders for new planes placed by Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways were placed on the strength of the strategic location of the Gulf between the West and Asia. Emirates ordered 50 of the long-haul Boeing 777-300ER for a record $18 billion (Dh66.1 billion), while Qatar Airways bought 50 Airbus A320neo single-aisles and doubled its orders for the long-haul A380 to ten.

US manufacturer Boeing sees its Gulf customers as world players. "The Gulf three don't view the Middle East as their market, they view the world as their market," said Randy Tinseth, Boeing's vice-president for marketing.

Access from Dubai

Boeing's European rival Airbus is also tuned in, appreciating the growth potential for Gulf carriers in long-haul travel. John Leahy, Airbus commercial director, likes to explain using a diagram that with a long-haul A330 or Boeing 777, 90 per cent of the world population and two-thirds of global wealth are accessible on a flight from Dubai.

With a superjumbo A380, the whole world is within reach.

Airbus forecasts that Dubai in 20 years will rank just behind Beijing and Hong Kong as a centre of world air traffic, while Boeing says the UAE will become the world's third market for air travellers behind the US and China.

"You don't need to have a huge population on the ground," said Tinseth.

For him, three factors explain the three Gulf carriers' rapid growth rate of 23 per cent a year over the past decade: the region has a young population, large numbers of migrant workers and new emerging tourist destinations.

Leahy added a fourth element - the opening of the aviation market in India, which has allowed Gulf carriers to penetrate the sub-continent market. Coupled with progress made by traditional regional airlines and the emergence of low-cost operators such as Sharjah-based Air Arabia, launched in 2003, and flydubai, which began operations in 2009, the breakthrough of the Gulf big three justifies the manufacturers' upbeat forecast.

Boeing expects the region will need 2,500 new aircraft in the next 20 years, a market of $450 billion. Somewhat more conservatively, Airbus expects a market for 1,900 planes worth $347 billion.

But Richard Abu Lafia of the US-based Teal Group said that air traffic will not accommodate such an expansion of fleets. "There is no way to make the numbers work without taking an enormous amount of traffic from the legacy carriers, European and Asian," he said.

Air France-KLM, British Airways and Lufthansa accuse the newcomers of benefiting from lower fuel prices in the Gulf and government funding.

Beating predictions

"It is an industrial policy. This works as long as Gulf governments commit the cash to it," Abu Lafia said.

But the UAE is used to beating predictions. When in 1985, Dubai launched its own airline, competing with Gulf Air operated by Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar, the sceptics were many. The rest is history.

Emirates is the largest single customer of the A380 with 90 units, and the largest operator of Boeing's long-range 777s. It also placed orders for 70 Airbus medium-size, long-range Airbus A350s.

Qatar Airways is the lead and largest customer for the A350 with orders for 80 aircraft. The Qatar flag carrier has ordered 70 Dreamliners.

Abu Dhabi's Etihad, which was launched in 2003, now operates a fleet of 63 planes to 72 destinations. It has firm orders for 100 aircraft, including ten A380s and 31 Boeing 787s.

http://gulfnews.com

Opinion: City Council's vote to allow ads on the airport tower sends wrong message. Rogue Valley International - Medford Airport ( KMFR), Medford, Oregon.

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It's official. Medford's civic image is for sale.

On Thursday, the City Council, overturning the unanimous votes of the Citizens Planning Advisory Committee and the Planning Commission, agreed to amend the city's sign ordinance to allow a 675-square-foot corporate logo to be emblazoned on each of the four sides of the Medford airport control tower.

Councilman Chris Corcoran said the move means "Medford, Oregon, is open for business."

That's one way of putting it.

This move is such a bad idea it's hard to know where to begin. Let's start with just a few of the reasons listed by the Citizens Planning Advisory Committee when it voted 8-0 to deny the airport's request on Sept. 13.

The CPAC said the airport should not be given special treatment not available to other property owners, the airport is the gateway to the city and the sign would diminish its aesthetic value, and public buildings ought not serve as billboards.

A month later, the Planning Commission voted, also 8-0, to deny the request, agreeing with the reasons cited by the PAC and adding its own, including: "There is nothing more anti-business than regulating a commodity and then saying the government can sell it and nobody else can."

In reversing the two committees, the City Council rejected the unanimous conclusions of the people it appoints to advise it on matters such as this. And council members wonder why they can't find people willing to volunteer to serve on these panels?

Airport director Bern Case says the $3,000 a month the airport would collect from the advertiser will help reduce the landing fees the airport charges, making it more attractive to airlines. What assurance does the council have that the money will go to reduce landing fees and not for some other expense? Did they get it in writing? And, even if they had bothered to get a written agreement, the reduction in landing fees would be pennies per landing.

Council members said this would be good for economic development. Better yet would be to put their money where their mouth is by rolling back some of the fees put on businesses in recent years by the city. While they're at it, they could reconsider the city's decision to penalize downtown merchants with more limits on parking times and increased parking fees.

Case says he prefers the term "branding" to "advertising." If the sign on the tower said, "Welcome to Medford," we might buy that. But a sign displaying the logo of a commercial aviation company is not "branding." It's advertising, and it's disingenuous to pretend otherwise.

A corporate sign on the control tower doesn't say Medford is open for business. It says Medford will sell anything, even our good name.

http://www.mailtribune.com

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

Salvage operation for Italian plane to be over in a few days. Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master. Deira Palm Island, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Dubai: The operation to salvage the wreckage of the Italian prototype plane that crashed off the coast of Dubai last weekend will be completed within days, an official said.

The salvage operation for the M-346 prototype, which crashed at the Deira Palm Island on Friday, is being handled by UAE authorities and the defence office of the Italian Embassy.

"We have successfully recovered most of the wreckage but the black box has not been recovered as of yet," said Lieutenant-Colonel Abdullah Mohammad Al Mazyoud, director of Ports Police Station.

The plane was manned by two crew members who managed to eject safely.

The pilot, who sustained minor injuries, was discharged from Rashid Hospital yesterday. He flew back to Italy the same day. The flight test engineer, who broke his leg on ejecting from the aircraft, will be released in two days.

The Italian Embassy commended the UAE's efforts to recover the wreckage.

"We are very grateful to the Emirati authorities for the help and support they have extended to us since day 1. Most of them even spent time with the flight crew [at] the hospital on Friday night," a high ranking official at the defence office of the Italian Embassy said.

http://gulfnews.com

Guilford Technical Community College Aviation School, North Carolina: Domestic Fight Ends With 2 Dead, 5 Wounded. Deputies Say 4 Children Injured In Shooting.

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- At least two people are dead and several others are wounded after a shooting at a school parking lot.

Guilford County Sheriff B.J. Barnes said the attack happened about 9:30 a.m. Sunday at the Guilford Technical Community College Aviation School.

One victim was found at the scene.

Deputies said four more gunshot victims were found in the 900 block of Cocoa Drive.

Emergency crews found two more victims on Remora Road.

Investigators said one of the victims suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound and died at the scene. Officials said a deputy witnessed the victim shoot themselves.

Barnes said four children under 18 years old were injured. The youngest victim was 9 years old.

The surviving five victims were all take to Moses Cone Hospital. Officials said some of the victims are on life support.

Deputies said they believe the shooting was a domestic situation that went wrong and that all the victims knew each other.

Investigators recovered several weapons at the scene, as well as a two-page note.


http://www.wxii12.com

GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP)— Two people are dead and five were taken to the hospital after a series of shootings that took place in three different locations in Pleasant Garden Sunday morning.

Sheriff BJ Barnes said during a 1 p.m. news conference that seven people were shot and two of the victims had died.

None of the victims' identities have been released and it was not clear how many suspects were involved.

The shootings happened consecutively, beginning around 9 a.m., and took place in three different locations, Barnes said.

One happened in the parking lot of the aviation school at Guilford Technical Community College, another happened on Remora Road, and the third in the 900 block of Cocoa Drive.

A weapon was recovered at one of the shooting scenes, Barnes said.

Barnes said the incident appears domestic.

http://www.myfox8.com

Sheriff Barnes And Deputies Investigating Shooting At 3 Locations In Pleasant Garden

Guilford County, NC -- Sheriff Barnes and deputies are on location on Ritters Lake Road in Pleasant Garden, investigating a shooting that killed 2 and hospitalized 5 on Sunday morning.

Sheriff Barnes held a news conference at 1pm on Sunday with details. He said 7 people were shot, 2 of them were killed.

The ages of the victims were between 9 and 40 years old.

The Sheriff also said it looks like it was a domestic incident, but did not specify who was related or how.

The shootings took place at 3 different locations in Pleasant Garden. They took place consecutively.

The first shooting was shortly after 9am in the parking lot of GTCC Aviation School. The victim was transported to the hospital.

The second shooting was on Remora Road, where 2 people were shot in the street and 1 of them was killed. The person who died at this location appeared to have a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The third shooting was at 923 Cocoa Drive, where 4 people were shot and 1 of them was killed.

The weapon was recovered at the Remora Road crime scene.

http://www.digtriad.com

Cirrus SR20, N211CD: Accident occurred November 20, 2011 in New Orleans, Louisiana

NTSB Identification: CEN12LA076 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation 
Accident occurred Sunday, November 20, 2011 in New Orleans, LA 
 Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR20, registration: N211CD
Injuries: 1 Minor.

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

On November 20, 2011, at 1030 central standard time, N211CD, a Cirrus SR20, a single-engine airplane, sustained substantial damage when it ditched in Lake Ponchartrain, about four miles north of Lakefront Airport (NEW), New Orleans, Louisiana, after a total loss of engine power shortly after takeoff. The airline transport rated pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. An instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight that departed NEW about 1015 and destined for Dalton Municipal Airport (DNN), Dalton, Georgia. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

On November 20, 2011, at 1030 central standard time, N211CD, a Cirrus SR20, a single-engine airplane, sustained substantial damage when it ditched in Lake Ponchartrain, about four miles north of Lakefront Airport (NEW), New Orleans, Louisiana, after a total loss of engine power shortly after takeoff. The airline transport rated pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. An instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight that departed NEW about 1015 and destined for Dalton Municipal Airport (DNN), Dalton, Georgia. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

The pilot reported that shortly after takeoff from NEW, he observed the No. 2 cylinder head temperature (CHT) rapidly increase followed by a drop in oil pressure. He immediately turned back to the airport and requested short vectors for an instrument approach into NEW. The pilot said that when the airplane was about four miles from the runway, the engine "blew" and the propeller seized. He immediately declared an emergency; slowed the airplane to 80 knots and prepared for a landing in the water. The pilot said he broke through the low cloud layer at 300-feet at which point, he extended the flaps to 15 degrees, reduced airspeed until he heard the stall horn, and deployed the ballistic parachute system. The pilot made a wings-level landing on the water and remained upright. He then contacted air traffic control to inform them he was in the water. The pilot donned a life jacket and safely exited the airplane. When he exited the airplane, he noted oil streaks on the bottom side of the engine cowling. The pilot rested on the tail of the partially submerged airplane for approximately forty-five minutes until a local fisherman arrived and picked him up. The only damage to the airplane was a wrinkle in the firewall.

The engine was examined at Continental Motors Incorporated, Mobile, Alabama, under the supervision of the Investigator-in-Charge (IIC). An external examination of the engine revealed no obvious impact damage; breaches to the engine case, or leaking oil. The only damage was from exposure to water. When the crankshaft flange was manually rotated, it stopped at approximately 300 degrees of travel before it locked up.

Disassembly of the engine revealed the No. 2 piston exhibited damage consistent with detonation. The No. 1 and No. 6 piston rods were broken and were dark in color from exposure to heat. The other piston rods were also damaged and exhibited damage consistent with exposure to heat. The crankshaft was fractured in two sections and pieces of the No.6 piston cap were found in the oil sump.

The fuel pump and throttle body were flushed to remove any water and debris before flushing the metering unit. The fuel metering unit was removed and flushed. A clean glass jar was placed under each nozzle to capture any water and debris. No visible debris was noted and each jar appeared to fill uniformly.

The fuel injector nozzles were removed and bench-tested. The No. 2 nozzle tested about two pounds below the minimum value. Shop air was then blown through the nozzle with a paper filter placed on the other end to catch any debris. The nozzle was re-tested and it produced a better value, but was slightly below the minimum value. Shop air was again blown through the nozzle and a paper filter was used to capture any debris. More debris was visually noted on the second forced air attempt than the first attempt. The nozzle was re-tested and its performance was not improved. The filters were examined using an electron microscope and several specs of black dirt were noted. The other nozzles tested slightly below minimum values indicating they were operating lean.

A review of maintenance records revealed that the fuel injector nozzles were removed and cleaned five days before the accident on November 13, 2011. The pilot said he had them cleaned because he noticed a high CHT on the No. 2 cylinder during a cross country flight from Louisiana to Arkansas. After the nozzles were cleaned, they were placed back on the engine and two separate engine runs were conducted. No anomalies were noted. The pilot then flew back to Louisiana (a 2.5 hour flight) and everything was "normal." However, on his next flight, which was the accident flight, the subsequent engine failure occurred.

After Thomas Glass realized his single-engine plane was malfunctioning over Lake Pontchartrain, he notified the tower at Lakefront Airport before his plane crashed into the water. When Levee District firefighters arrived, Glass was perched on the tail of the sinking plane waiting for them, Orleans Levee District Police Capt. Craig Boudreaux said.

Glass, who is a fighter pilot in the National Guard, was the only passenger and was not badly injured, Boudreaux said.

Soon after Glass, 35, of New Orleans, departed from the New Orleans Lakefront Airport in his Cirrus SR22 single-engine plane, he realized the engine was malfunctioning and notified the tower at 10:38 a.m., Boudreaux said. It crashed into the lake about 3 or 4 miles from the airport.

Firefighters with the airport's Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting district flagged down a private boat in the lake, which took them out to find Glass and the plane.

Emergency Medical Services took Glass to Tulane University Hospital for minor injuries, said EMS spokesman Jeb Tate.

The plane is still in the lake, but the Coast Guard has placed buoys to notify boaters that it's there, Boudreaux said. Glass will have to determine how he will salvage his plane.

 http://registry.faa.gov/N211CD

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

 http://airnav.com/airport/KNEW

 http://www.nola.com

•••••••

A pilot is currently at the hospital recovering after his plane suffered an engine failure just after he took off from the Lakefront Airport this morning. According to New Orleans Levee Police, the pilot, who has not yet been identified took off in a single-engine plane just after 10:30 Sunday morning.

The pilot immediately reported engine trouble and radioed the tower for help, stating he knew the plane would not make it back to the runway. Rescue crews sent a boat out on the water and the man was rescued and taken to the hospital. The pilot has no major injuries and is recovering at the hospital at this time.
---------------
The United States Coast Guard Sector New Orleans is investigating a plane crash in Lake Pontchartrain. The aircraft crashed into the water Sunday around 10:30a.m. about three and a half miles North of New Orleans Lakefront Airport. The pilot was the only person on board and identity or the condition of the pilot is unknown at this time.

A Coast Guard spokesperson tells FOX 8 that the New Orleans station launched both a rescue boat and helicopter after receiving the call of the crash. Captain Tony Collins, a Lakefront Airport firefighter and a person fishing in a boat near the shore witnessed the crash. They both responded to the scene in the fishing boat. When they arrived, they found the pilot on the tail of the partially-submerged plane, still conscious. They brought the pilot back to Lakefront Airport where an ambulance was waiting to take the pilot to a local hospital.

The aircraft is described as an SR 20 single-engine plane.

NEW ORLEANS — A spokesman for the FAA says four-seat airplane crashed into Lake Pontchartrain shortly after taking off from Lakefront Airport.

Lynn Lunsford says the pilot notified controllers shortly after he was airborne that he was having engine trouble. The single-engine plane hit the lake at 10:38 a.m. Sunday.

Lunsford said the pilot pulled the emergency parachute that is built into the plane and notified the airport moments later that he was OK.

Lunsford said the pilot was sitting on the tail of the plane when a fishing boat arrived to rescue him.

The man, whose name was not immediately available, was the only passenger on the plain. He appeared unhurt, Lunsford said, but was taken to a hospital as a precaution.

Plane Crashes Near Lakefront Airport - Pilot Rescued, Taken To Hospital

NEW ORLEANS -- A pilot is recovering after crashing his plane near the Lakefront Airport.

Emergency crews said the single-engine plane took off about 10:37 a.m. Sunday from the Lakefront Airport and the pilot immediately reported engine trouble.

Officials said air control crews tried to help get the pilot back to the airport but he radioed them to say the plane would not make it.

Rescue crews said the plane crashed into a lake and sank.

The pilot was rescued from the lake and taken to a local hospital. His condition has not been released.

Officials said he was the only person in the plane.

Private plane crashes into Lake Pontchartrain

A spokesman for the FFA says a four-seat airplane crashed into Lake Pontchartrain shortly after taking off from Lakefront Airport Sunday morning.

Lynn Lunsford says the pilot notified controllers shortly after he was airborne that he was having engine trouble.

The single-engine plane hit the lake at 10:38 a.m. Sunday.

Lunsford said the pilot pulled the emergency parachute that is built into the plane and notified the airport moments later that he was OK.

Lunsford said the pilot was sitting on the tail of the plane when a fishing boat arrived to rescue him.

The man, whose name was not immediately available, was the only passenger on the plane.

He appeared unhurt, Lunsford said, but was taken to a hospital as a precaution.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's chopper makes emergency landing

Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot today escaped unhurt when the helicopter carrying him made an emergency landing in Churu district after one of its rotor blades got damaged.

Sixty-year-old Gehlot, his OSD Gaurav Bajaj, security officer Ramnivas and pilots U K Sharma along with Rakesh Sharma were all safe, SP (Churu) S N Khinchi said.

The pilot told PTI that he had to make an emergency landing at Chandkoti village, about 250 km from capital Jaipur, due to vertical vibrations caused by the damaged blade.

The twin-engined Italian-made Agusta 190-E helicopter was flying to Nangalbadi village, 60 km from Chandkoti, where Mr Gehlot was slated to attend two functions when the trouble arose.

"As there were vibrations, the pilot soon realised that one of the rotor blades is not functioning smoothly and decided to make an emergency landing in a field at Chandpur, about 10 km from Pilani," A Chief Minister's office spokesperson said.

The Chief Minister later proceeded for the programmes by road, the SP said.

A technical team would be visiting the scene to examine the chopper which was purchased during Vasundhara Raje's regime, officials said.

Pilot Rakesh Sharma told PTI that an engineer had reached the scene to examine the chopper.

Speaking at the function in Churu, Mr Gehlot said this was the second time when his chopper had to make an emergency landing in the same region.

During his previous tenure as Chief Minister, he said his chopper had made an emergency landing in Jhunjhunu district near Churu in 1999.

Olympic Heli-snipers: Patrolling the Games from above... the sharpshooters who can kill from a mile away.

Taking aim: RAF snipers will be deployed in London to target potential threats to the 2012 Olympic Games

Death from above: The snipers will hover above Olympic sites in Lynx MK7 helicopters, like this one, which have been used in Iraq and Afghanistan

The Olympic Games in London will be protected from above by snipers on board military helicopter.

Sources say the military crackshots will fly above the capital in case terrorists attempt an atrocity at the event in Stratford, in the east of the city.

The RAF snipers are understood to have been training recently at the restricted Lydd military live-firing range near the Kent coast to sharpen their skills.

One source told The Mail on Sunday that the training had been designed specifically to prepare for an Olympic Games deployment to protect stadium sites in East London and elsewhere.

Flying in Merlin or Lynx helicopters, the snipers are capable of killing an attacker at a range of more than a mile using a Barrett ‘Light Fifty’ rifle, which fires a powerful .50-calibre half-inch bullet at 2,799 feet per second.

Even at night, the flying snipers can kill an enemy 1,000 yards away using night sights and infra-red lasers for target-marking as they keep in touch with commanders on the ground using encrypted military radio frequencies.

Their rifles have the power to destroy engine blocks and fire through concrete from long range, making it difficult for a terrorist to take cover.

The airborne sharpshooters were deployed in Iraq, where they were described by the Ministry of Defence as a ‘special weapon’ against the insurgent threat.

In Iraq, the snipers were on standby around the clock to provide protection from the air and carried out sniping and surveillance duties on the ground.

Now, they could find themselves on operational duty in the UK for the first time, helping to protect prime venues such as the 80,000-seat Olympic Stadium and the Aquatic Centre.

Last week, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond revealed in the Commons after a question from his predecessor, Dr Liam Fox, that ground-to-air missiles were part of the armoury that may be used during the Olympics if required.

Mr Hammond’s statement was interpreted as an attempt to show how seriously the UK is taking the terror threat after it was revealed that the US is preparing to send 1,000 armed agents, including 500 from the FBI, to protect its competitors.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said last night: ‘The MoD has been fully involved in Olympic security planning work and it is anticipated that the Armed Forces, at the request of the civilian authorities, will provide some specialist support including the use of assets where appropriate. However, this will be a police-led operation and any military involvement will be in a supporting role.

‘It is too early to talk about the numbers of personnel who may be involved or further details around precisely what support the MoD might provide – but ongoing planning to meet a range of contingencies is sensible.’

The spokesman added: ‘This work is not in response to any specific threat but, as the Defence Secretary said in Parliament, all necessary measures to ensure the security and safety of the London Olympic Games will be taken.’

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

India’s missing jobs: Talk to any business leader and you are likely to hear a gripe about a shortage of skilled candidates in the country

So many job positions open, so many people unemployed. This is a peculiar conundrum that dogs the Indian economy today.  Talk to any entrepreneur/business leader and you are likely to hear a gripe about a shortage of skilled candidates for different types of positions. Let me tell you three such stories I encountered last week.

Ashutosh Sharma (name changed) is a senior manager and member of the executive team in a large private sector airline. I spoke to him about the mismatch between several thousand unemployed Indian pilots on the one hand and the high incidence of foreign pilots on the other. He told me first that there is a distinction between those who fly on the right side of a fixed wing aircraft—first officers—and those who fly on the left—captains. While first officers are predominantly from India, he believes that more than 30% captains carry a foreign passport. The Indian aviation industry is growing at an 18% clip per year and is among the fastest growing airline sectors in the world. Each year, India adds about 200 aircraft and this necessitates about 2,000 more pilots. Perfect opportunity, you would think, to have 2,000 high paying jobs made available to Indians every year. And yet, more than 10 years after the take-off of Indian aviation, we are dependent on lateral hires from abroad as captains. Ashutosh believes this is because training is very expensive, Indian candidates who satisfy safety and eligibility standards are too few and a wider ecosystem beyond commercial airlines (such as private, corporate and shared jets) does not exist.

Kiran Patil, vice-chairman of Ghatge Patil Industries, and I frequently interact during intervals at a common board that we sit on. Ghatge Patil, based in Kolhapur, is slowly making its way up the manufacturing value chain. It started as a machine shop 50 years ago and has now diversified into making precision valves for the oil and gas industry in addition to the traditional foundry. Kiran tells me that he has had a devil of a time hiring and retaining contract employees in his foundries. Employees jump to other firms for a small difference in wage. He thinks the change began with the shift in Maharashtra politics about 10 years ago that discouraged migrants and has been compounded by the job guarantee programme.

My brother-in-law, Shyam Sunder, a Wharton graduate, set up a wealth management and financial advisory firm six years ago. He is constantly on the watch for young, energetic financial sales executives and finds the going difficult. With the mushrooming of business schools around the country, a ready supply of young financial product salespersons should logically not be a problem. Shyam thinks there is a problem of “scarcity among plenty”. Individual companies will have to keep tweaking their business models to be able to afford their share of the best, scarce talent, he says.

Of course, these are merely three vignettes of specific situations. One has to be careful not to draw too many generalizations from them. But the fact remains that these are symptomatic of the opportunities for employment that are going abegging.

Our collective understanding of the labour market in India has made marked progress over the last several years. Most agree that the labyrinthine and obsolete web of labour regulations need to be simplified. Received wisdom today correctly identifies better matching, improved skills, financing for training and ultimately universal primary education as underlying drivers of an improved labour market. The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) that I critiqued for speed in a column a year ago has materially increased its pace in handing out loans (though not equity). Slowly but surely some things are happening across labour market verticals.

It is time to focus some attention on the cholesterol choking an improved market within each market vertical. Part of the problem is that it is not clear whose job this is. Take, for example, the development of a broader aviation market in India. Is this the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) job to propose or is it the private sector’s? Can the DGCA function as regulator and champion at the same time? One clear conclusion is that in industries in which there is a regulator, the regulatory function should be fully separated from the industry expansion and promotion function. The government can be made more approachable with this change. A parallel change that the private sector can make is to create and enhance associations and industry bodies for each industry. These associations working with their respective champions in government can then create a better ecosystem for each industry which includes a smoother, less friction ridden labour supply chain.

India will need to make big and small changes to make its labour supply chain smoother than it is. That is the only way to make the demographic dividend a reality.

PS: “Great acts are made up of small deeds.”—Lao Tzu.

Narayan Ramachandran is an investor and entrepreneur based in Bangalore. He writes on the interaction between society, government and markets. 

http://www.livemint.com

Ben-Gurion International Airport says fuel is safe, no flights canceled

Ben-Gurion International Airport's jet fuel supply was deemed safe for usage on Sunday, allaying earlier fears that a fuel dilution problem may lead to canceled flights, Israel Radio reported.

Airport authorities were scheduled to check the fuel supply again on Monday as a cautionary measure.

Despite the announcement, some foreign airlines chose to fill their airplanes with enough fuel at outside airports to avoid using fuel at Ben-Gurion, according to the Israel Radio report.

http://www.jpost.com

Pilot academy will bring many benefits. (India)

The facility will help airlines save a lot on travel costs and time for training pilots.

Airlines in India and other parts of the world might soon be able to cut their wage bills and increase the efficiency of their pilots. This will be possible because of the new pilot training academy which opens its doors in Noida, on the outskirts of Delhi in the next 13-14 months. The facility, a three-way joint-venture between Canadian CAE, European aircraft manufacturer Airbus and Gurgaon-based InterGlobe, will be in a position to eventually train 4,000 to 5,000 pilots annually.

The academy is designed to help pilots undergo different types of training. “The facility takes existing pilots who have to go back for training every six months, which includes the need to go through and show proficiency in flying an aircraft. It is also meant for new cadet pilots who need to obtain pilot rating certificates and for pilots who are migrating from one aircraft type to another,” said Mr Jeff Roberts, Group President, Civil Simulation Products, Training and Services, CAE.

Cost, time savings

Incidentally, a pilot has to undergo training at least twice a year — the first time in the instruments on an aircraft and the other on local training checks, done on a simulator. The first training lasts about five days. In addition, pilots flying with airlines in India also need to undergo special training before the monsoon season and CAT-II training, which allows them to operate in inclement weather.

Besides, a pilot needs more training as he or she gains more experience and moves on to becoming a captain and finally a check pilot.

“On an average, a pilot is available for about 200 days in a year. If an airline can save on travel time for getting the mandatory training done, it will translate into a big saving for it, both in cost and time. In that sense the Noida facility will help improve availability of pilots for an airline,” said an industry analyst.

This could be the silver lining for the industry, which is expected to post losses of about Rs 2,500 crore during the first six months of the current fiscal. For most domestic airlines the wage bill is one of the costliest heads in their operations. Airlines will also save on paying out allowances and the time it takes to fly pilots abroad for training. Incidentally, in the 1980s, when the Airbus aircraft was inducted into India, the pilots were trained in Miami.

Standardised platform

But does the training centre have anything to do with IndiGo's decision to order close to 300 Airbus aircraft? IndiGo created history when, as a start-up airline, it ordered 100 Airbus aircraft about five years back. In followed this up with an order of another 180 aircraft in the recent past.While accepting that IndiGo will be a big user of the facility, the Executive Vice-President, Marketing and Contract, Airbus, Dr Kiran Rao, said that this was not part of the aircraft purchase deal. “That (deal) was (with) IndiGo, this is InterGlobe. It will go towards what we have promised the Indian Government. But you should not look at it as an IndiGo or as an Indian deal. We had promised the Indian Government that we will facilitate and put in place a programme for training. And this is what it is. It is not a one-off thing.”

“The academy will ensure that ad-hocism is removed from the training pattern and will help bring all airlines and pilots on to one standard platform, which is important,” felt Mr Ravi Menon, Executive Director, Air Works. 

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com