Tuesday, January 03, 2012

Pilot medical exams added at Share Medical Center, Alva, Oklahoma

By Lynn L. Martin
January 3, 2012

The Share Medical Center announced this week that Dr. Elizabeth Kinzie, M.D., is now an approved Airman Medical Examiner. That is a great service to this area and will draw pilots from several directions.

The FAA requires pilots to be examined by an official AME on a regular basis to make sure they are healthy enough to operate an aircraft. There are several classes of medical certificates.

A Class I certificate is required for air transport pilots who fly large aircraft. These pilots are required to be re- examined every six to twelve months depending if they are under or over 40. Class II and Class III certificates last longer.

A Class II certificate is needed if you wish to fly with a commercial license. That type of license is for those who operate smaller aircraft for hire.

A Class III certificate is needed for private pilots. Besides light planes, this category also includes specialty licenses such as gliders, hot air balloons, etc.

A relatively new category is "sport pilot." Only a valid car driver's license is needed to prove medical condition on that one.

The above is a very short summary of the FAA rules on the topic. Do not expect this presentation to cover all the nooks and crannies of the law.

Dwindling Number of AME's

When I first moved to Alva, Dr. Hinkle provided such pilot medical examinations. Later, I went to Dr. Simon until he retired. I think Dr. Self provided the service for awhile and then dropped it because of the paperwork hassle and time required to go hear the FAA say how it should be done.

So Alva has been at least a couple of decades without such a medical service.

I hold a third class certificate. As I recall, I visited an elderly doctor in Enid for a couple of renewals. He had reduced his practice to nothing but pilot examinations. He was probably in his 80's. After he retired, I found an examiner in Wichita for one round.

Then a Woodward physician started offering the service and I saw him every two years for a couple of renewals, then he moved. My last three medical certificate examinations have been by Dr. Neil Suther at Buffalo, Okla. On the last visit, about a year ago, he told me he was reducing his practice to maybe half time.

Today, I made a call to Dr. Suther's office and the secretary said he is very much full time but has talked about the half-time business for the last five years . . . so I should ignore that. He is still doing medical certificates and she commented, "He has added cosmetic surgery." And I said, "Wow."

My point in reciting all the distant places I've had to travel is to show the difficulty in finding a physician who will perform the medical certificate examination. Besides the time needed for the examination, usually about an hour, the doc has to fill out a bunch of paper work and send it to the FAA, then there is the recurrent training the FAA requires in OKC that cuts into a physician's other appointments when they have to travel for that.

So I am delighted to hear the Share Medical Center has announced that Dr. Elizabeth Kinzie, M.D. is going to provide that service. I bet a lot of pilots will travel to Alva for this service. They've simply got to get the word out. 

By Lynn L. Martin 

Original article:  http://news.mywebpal.com

Boeing sets mandatory employee meeting amid study over closure of Wichita facility

By Kim Hynes KWCH 12 Eyewitness News
3:37 p.m. CST, January 3, 2012

(WICHITA, Kan.)—

All Boeing employees in Wichita are supposed to report to work Wednesday morning for a mandatory meeting. A memo sent out doesn't say what the meeting is about, but late last year Boeing announced it was studying the future of its Wichita facility.

Kansas Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-4th) announced last month that he's been told Boeing will not use Wichita for the new Air Force tanker work, instead moving it to Washington.

Eyewitness News has left a message with the spokesman of Boeing to try and learn more about tomorrow's meeting. When we find out more information, we'll pass it along.

Below is a copy of the memo given to employees:

Team,

We are having a mandatory all-employee meeting Wed., January 4th, 10:30-11:00 a.m. CST in Bay 2 of the North Hangar.

Transportation will be provided beginning at 9:00 a.m. from the 3¿190Z Building parking lot and at the intersection of William E. Boeing Blvd and Quality Drive between the 3-200X and 3-190Z Buildings. Please park in your normal parking area as there is not enough parking on the mod line for everyone. As you enter the bus, you will be asked to show your employee badge and again when you enter Bay 2.

Second shift employees should report in time for the employee meeting on Wednesday, January 4th.

If you are on travel, domestic temporary assignment, or are a GTES employee located outside of Wichita, please join us via telecom at the number below:

United States:
International:


http://www.kwch.com

Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum: Win a convertible; help restore Bolingbroke Bomber

If Santa didn’t leave a convertible under the tree, there’s still a chance to win one through the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum’s (CWHM) Bolingbroke Bomber Restoration Project’s fundraising raffle.

“We have a 2012 Mustang convertible, fully loaded with all the options and a V6 engine,” said Wayne Ready, coordinator on the restoration project for the Boly, as it’s fondly called by the crew of volunteers working to bring the aircraft back to its former glory.  The CWHM in Mount Hope is known as Canada’s flying museum; this piece will be an exceptional addition to the collection.  “Once it’s completed, this will be the only Bristol Bolingbroke Bomber to be flying in the world,” said Ready. The project is a restoration, using original parts wherever possible to rebuild the aircraft.

“There are very few Bolys left in the world. We estimate there are about 18 known at this time; they remain in static exhibits or in storage in various areas in North America,” said Ready. Built by Fairchild Aircraft Ltd. (Canada) in Longueuil, Quebec, the Bolingbroke was a variant of Britain’s Bristol Blenheim Bomber; there were fewer than 700 Bolingbrokes built.  In 1939, the IODE (Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire) went on a fundraising campaign across Canada, and in about four months, had raised over $100,000 to pay for a Boly to be built to assist in the war effort.  “The IODE came on board with us in 1988; when they found out we had a Boly, they were interested in the project, and have been providing us with as much financial support as they can every year since. They’re one of the main reasons we’re at the place we are now,” said Ready.

The CWHM’s Boly will be dedicated on July 15, 2015. “That will be 75 years to the day that the aircraft rolled into service,” said Ready, noting that there will be a woman at the ceremony in 2015 who was a young girl at the original dedication ceremony.  When the Boly is dedicated, there will also be a special plaque in the plane with a list of the names of all the volunteers who have worked on the project.  “It will be in there forever,” said Ready. “The hard part is, we’ve had a few who started on the crew who didn’t live long enough to see it finished.” The restoration project began in 1986.

The project took a major jump forward about a year ago.

“On December 29, 2010, we removed the centre section from the jig and brought it over to assemble it as you can see today. The first time it was on wheels since 1940 was when we rolled it out for the [Father’s Day weekend] air show [in 2011]. The next time we roll it out will be for it to fly,” said Ready.

“We need funds to meet the anniversary date,” he said. The next major component of the project is the engines and propellers.

The cost of rebuilding each engine is in the range of $85,000 to $90,000; each engine includes three blades and a hub; these cost approximately $35,000 each to rebuild and be certified.

“The cost of the rebuilds don’t include accessories like carburetors, starters, alternators,” said Ready, noting that accessories will cost an additional $20,000 to $25,000.

“Then, we have to get the instruments in the cockpit, and the rest of the aircraft needs to be recertified. That’s estimated at another $15,000. Then we need radios. We can’t use the originals, because they only have two channels, and that doesn’t work to fly in airspace today.”

Ready noted that in addition to all of these costs, the plane would still need to be painted.

“To paint it camouflage, we need to paint it three colours: black, green and brown. That’s estimated to cost us up to $20,000.”

“It starts to add up fast,” said Ready. “The bottom line is, to have this aircraft fly, from this point on, we’re going to need another $400,000.”

To date, the cash that has gone into the project is approximately $300,000; gifts in kind, ranging from donated materials to services, constitutes an additional $300,000, approximately. The value of the hours of volunteer time that has gone into the project is equally astounding.

“Just to do the centre section of the plane, it took about 38,600 volunteer man-hours. This took us 16 years to do, due to major structural defects and getting materials needed and to be certified. This did not include restoring the cockpit, fuselage, landing gear, fuel tanks, etc.,” said Ready.

The funds raised from the raffle will go towards the two engines the plane needs, as well as two sets of propellers, all of which needs to be rebuilt at an approve aircraft rebuilding shop.

“Through a negotiation with various people and the Ford Motor Company, we were privileged to receive the convertible for our purposes to raise money for the project,” said Ready.

There are actually three prizes up for grabs in the raffle. First prize is the Mustang; second is a flight in the Lancaster and a one-year membership at the CWHM; third place is a flight in any of the primary trainers, like the Harvard or the Steerman, and a one-year membership at the CWHM.

“We printed 10,000 tickets; they cost $20 each, and all of the money raised will go to the completion of the Boly,” said Ready.

Raffle tickets can be purchased by calling the CWHM at 905-679-4183, online at www.warplane,com, or at the CWHM’s front desk.

The draw will take place on January 14, 2012.

“People have helped us because they truly believe in what we’re doing,” said Ready. “We’re preserving aviation history so people today and in the future will have a first-hand visual of flying aircraft of the era, and also, so they will remember those who paid the price for our freedom.

http://www.sachem.ca/news/article/241491

Florida: Naples museum displays World War II artifacts

By Dick Zalusky, Naples

Have you visited the new Naples Museum of Military Memorabilia? The museum is located at the Naples Municipal Airport Commercial Aviation Terminal, 500 Terminal Drive off North Road. Hours are Monday to Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday noon-4 p.m.

The airport commissioners have generously provided a room to display a fascinating collection of military artifacts donated by veterans and their families.

The museum was dedicated on Veteran's Day, Nov, 11, 2011. Over 1,200 people visited during the opening.

A little history. During World War II the Naples Airport served as a U.S. Army Corps training base and was known as the Naples Airdrome. In 1942 it was a U.S. Army Airforce training base

If you have visiting friends or relatives in town and want a great local history experience stop by the museum. The museum is a non-profit organization and will graciously accept donations of money or memorabilia.

http://www.naplesnews.com

Pitts Special silver demon strictly for adrenaline junkies

By Catherine Pattison on Wed, 4 Jan 2012

Being hurled around the sky in a Pitts Special aerobatic plane would be the last thing many people would choose to do. However, ODT Wanaka reporter Catherine Pattison jumped at the chance to be frightened by Wanaka aerobatic pilot Ivan Krippner.

I have always fancied myself a somewhat hardened adrenaline aficionado. Sky-diving, rally co-driving, bungy jumping, white-water rafting - tick, tick, tick and tick. Time for a ride in the silver demon.

The sensation is not entirely unfamiliar - multiple-point safety harness, powerful engine reverberating, nerves jangling, excitement palpable.

But where my comparison of taking a passenger seat in Wanaka-based Classic Flights' Pitts Special high performance aerobatic aircraft with the more familiar rally car co-driving abruptly ends is when we swoop off the runway.

Airborne in a vehicle is bad. Airborne in a plane is normal.

Unless, however, you are riding shotgun with two-time and current national aerobatic champion Ivan Krippner - then it is gut-wrenchingly, G-force defyingly, awe-inspiringly abnormal.

Admittedly, I'm not in the ideal condition to try aerobatics after a week's worth of tummy bug and as we leave the runway, Mr Krippner's cheeky, swift, vertical introduction to the speed that makes the Pitts special, leaves my lunch hovering dangerously close to my wind-pipe.

Adept in his dual roles of saviour and devil, he is as smooth as silk in the air.

"Righto my dear, let's doooooo it," he announces after briefing me on the basic aerobatic manoeuvres we are going to execute.

Always waiting for my thumbs-up before commencing the next wicked loop, barrel roll or upside down antic, he pushes me only as far as my innards will allow.

Do I want to experience the upgrade, he queries over the intercom? My stubbornness says "yes", ignoring all protests from below the brain.

This is where Mr Krippner and his magnificent flying machine really shine.

The 200hp Lycoming engine and fully-inverted fuel and oil system are all housed in a plane that weighs a petite 500kg and can fly upside down for two hours.

Similar in power to weight ratio to a Spitfire, its nimbleness earns it the "silver demon" moniker in the skies.

We are travelling at 300kmh and when we roar up into our ultimate manoeuvre, named the lomcevak, we are ascending at 1800m per minute.

I am introduced to the visceral pull of 4 Gs as the aircraft becomes vertical and yaws left before the pilot pushes it forward in a tumble.

"We really don't know what's going to happen, which is what makes it so much fun," he later gleefully imparts.

His passion for the Pitts is evident and he likens flying it to wooing a Latino girl. It's all passion, drama and very hard to hang on to.

Thankfully his and the company's 100% safety record means he hasn't ever lost it.

As senior flight instructor, he has spent many hours in the Pitts' embrace - say 1000 of them in an aerobatic nature - and has been flying since he was in his pilot mother's womb.

Classic Flights owner Peter Hendriks feels the $120,000 Pitts Special has been under-utilised in its two years in Wanaka, and after steady inquiries from Queenstown, he sent it and one of his Tiger Moths over there permanently near the end of December.

"From a business point of view it makes sense to base it over in Queenstown. It's hugely different over there." Mr Hendriks said Mr Krippner would run the two planes and he hoped his pilot's level of experience and compassion for the people he jokingly refers to as "victims" will make it a commercial success.

"He loves people and showing people what he can do."

Mr Hendriks' wife Julie, who recently resigned as manager of the Wanaka i-Site Visitor Centre, joined the team to help with the marketing and administration.

She said the Pitts Special fitted into the "adrenaline market" Queenstown promotes.

Although the 18 to 35-year-old bungy jumping, sky-diving age bracket is targeted, Mr Krippner has taken up an 83-year-old and even a 7-year-old.

You can bet that every one of his "victims" would have wobbled out of the plane, as I did, grinning weakly, gratefully reacquainting themselves with solid ground and thinking that what he says about nothing else flying like the Pitts Special, is unreservedly true.

"I like my passengers to know what's coming up. To know what it's like to be me. I can give you that experience." 

Original article and photos:   http://www.odt.co.nz

Qatar Airways Ends 2011 with Top Accolades at Business Traveler USA Awards

--US Travelers Name Doha-Based Carrier Best Airline For International Travel --Five Star Carrier Also Receives Best Business Class To The Middle East Award

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Qatar Airways has received top accolades at the prestigious Business Traveler magazine awards ceremony in Los Angeles.

Readers voted the Five-Star airline Best Airline for International Travel for the third consecutive year at Business Traveler Magazine's 23rd annual Best in Business Awards.

Qatar Airways was also awarded Best Business Class airline to the Middle East.

The awards recognized 35 different travel service providers in 54 categories.

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said the airline's winning streak can be attributed to its high standards of quality and customer service.

"Everything we do and provide, from personalized treatment and customer service, to in-flight duty free and onboard cuisine, is Five-Star and based on superior attention to detail and customer satisfaction," said Al Baker.

"I am very proud that our Business Class product has again been recognized, as well as our long-haul international services by US-based travelers, and our willingness to target diverse and underserved markets where others dare not venture into.

"During 2011, Qatar Airways was honored with several other awards from around the world, including the ultimate last June when we were named Airline of the Year 2011 by the prestigious Skytrax organization at their annual awards.

"These accolades demonstrate the years of hard work that have gone into making us what we are today - the best in the skies."

The awards follow two other accolades from Business Traveller sister publications around the world; Best Business Class Airline by Business Traveller Middle East and Best Airline in the Middle East and Africa by Business Traveller Asia Pacific.

Qatar Airways currently operates a modern fleet of 103 aircraft to 110 diverse business and leisure destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South America. The airline plans to serve 120 destinations worldwide with a fleet of 120 aircraft by 2013.

Notes to Editors:

Qatar Airways has orders worth over US$ 50 billion for more than 250 aircraft, including Boeing 787s, 777s, Airbus A350s, A380s and A320 Family of aircraft. The rapid expansion of Qatar Airways prompted the State of Qatar to embark on one of its biggest projects - the construction of a brand new international airport in Doha, which is scheduled to open at the end of 2012.

Skytrax is the only global independent passenger survey monitoring airline standards and is considered the ultimate benchmark for excellence in the airline industry. In addition to winning Skytrax's prestigious Airline of the Year 2011 award during the summer, Qatar Airways was named Best Airline in the Middle East for the sixth year in a row, and its Premium Terminal at Doha International Airport was named Best First Class Airline Lounge. For more information, visit www.qatarairways.com

SOURCE: Qatar Airways 

 http://www.marketwatch.com

Arizona: Fly radio-controlled aircraft this weekend in Oro Valley.

Members of the Sonoran Desert Flyers will help folks learn to use electric-powered, radio-controlled model aircraft this weekend at Naranja Park, 660 W. Naranja Drive.

The event runs from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday and Sunday.

Members of the group will help people assemble and fly their model airplanes.

Loaner planes will be available to fly for people who do not own a plane.

The event is free, but donations of canned food will be accepted on behalf of Interfaith Community Services.

Free beverages, snacks and door prizes will be provided.

The event is presented by the Sonoran Desert Flyers in partnership with the Academy of Model Aeronautics and Oro Valley parks and recreation.

Pima Federal Credit Union is the event sponsor.

Call Bob Schumann at 297-4664 or 395-5547 for additional details.

Airlines brace for turbulent 2012 setting: Euro crisis, US growth remain wild cards

Almost against all odds, the global airline industry showed surprising robustness in 2011, but the air freight business was a different story.

Global passenger demand was likely to grow by 6.1%, a pace faster than the International Air Transport Association (IATA) had earlier anticipated, while air cargo growth rates started to fall in mid-2011.

By October the air freight sector had contracted by 5% compared to mid-year and the last quarter was no different, with all major routes declining further.

However, traffic is one thing and profits are another. The industry saw its profitability remaining weak with a forecast net profit of US$6.9 billion for a net margin of merely 1.2% on a projected revenue of $596 billion.

Given unresolved concerns about the euro-zone debt crisis, and widespread uncertainty about the global economic outlook for 2012, airlines are bracing themselves for another tough year ahead.

Indeed, the bleak outlook has prompted IATA to warn that if the euro-zone debt crisis developed into a full-blown banking crisis and European recession, it would have severe consequences for the world's airline industry with losses running in excess of US$8 billion.

"The biggest risk facing airline profitability over the next year is the economic turmoil that would result from a failure of governments to resolve the euro-zone sovereign debt crisis. Such an outcome could lead to the biggest losses since the 2008 financial crisis," said IATA director general Tony Tyler.

A more optimistic view is for a $3.5 billion profit next year, a margin of 0.6% on revenues of $618 billion, said the industry body representing 240 airlines handling 84% of world's air traffic.

But even the $3.5 billion profit outlook was a downgrade from IATA's previous projection of $4.9 billion.

Even if government intervention averts a banking crisis, it is unlikely Europe will avoid a brief recession. Business and consumer confidence have fallen too far, said Mr Tyler, formerly chief executive of Cathay Pacific.

Global GDP forecasts for 2012 have been cut to 2.1%, and historically the airline industry records losses whenever global GDP growth falls below 2%.

In the worst case scenario, Europe is expected to post the deepest losses next year at $4.4 billion, followed by North America at $1.8 billion and Asia-Pacific at $1.1 billion.

The Middle East and Latin America would both be expected to post $400 million in losses, while Africa would be $200 million in the red.

"This is by no means an unimaginable scenario, which should serve as a wake-up call to governments around the world," he said.

Highlights of regional performance in 2011:

- European carriers are in the most challenging position by far. Higher passenger taxes and weak domestic market economies have limited profitability in Europe.

The region's carriers are forecast to generate a collective profit of just $1 billion, down from the previously forecast $1.4 billion, and an EBIT margin of 1.2%.

Profitability has been low despite European airlines being one of the fastest growing in terms of traffic last year. Yields have suffered and the base of strong demand grows more fragile as the sovereign debt crisis escalates.

- North American carriers are in a much more benign environment. They have seen yield and load factor improvements as a result of tight capacity management, which has improved profitability to $2 billion (up from the previously forecast $1.5 billion).

The US economy has also grown at a faster pace than Europe. This gives the region the strongest EBIT margin of 3.2%. Nonetheless, the bankruptcy filing of American Airlines indicates that the region faces intense competitive challenges as well.

- Asia-Pacific airlines also saw stronger though varied trading conditions. Japan's domestic market has still not fully recovered from the March earthquake and tsunami, and load factors remain under pressure.

By contrast airlines have improved load factors and profitability on China's expanding domestic market.

The IATA has upgraded its forecast for the region by $800 million to a $3.3 billion profit. This is the largest absolute profit among all regions.

- Middle Eastern carriers are expected to see profits of $400 million, down from the previously forecast $800 million, as high fuel costs squeeze profit margins on the more price-sensitive long-haul traffic connecting via Middle Eastern hubs.

- Latin American profits, in a similar pattern, will see a downgrade to $200 million, from the previously forecast $600 million.

Performance has been mixed across the region with much of the downgrade due to the impact of intense competition and falling load factors in Brazil's domestic market.

- African carriers are still expected to break even. New trade lanes with Asia are developing and markets within the continent are reflecting the improvements in economic development in many African nations.

However, competition has been fierce and the region's airlines have struggled to keep load factors at profitable levels.

Outlook for Asian airlines:

Despite concerns about the euro-zone debt crisis and uncertain global economic outlook for 2012, the region's carriers could be better off, according to the Association of Asia-Pacific Airlines (AAPA).

The region is still relatively well placed to benefit from future growth opportunities and the outlook for the longer term remains positive, as evidenced by fleet expansion plans and the establishment of new business ventures, according to AAPA secretary-general Andrew Herdman.

In spite of growing concerns about a further slowdown in the global economy, passenger travel markets have held up reasonably well so far, with Asian airlines seeing a 3.6% increase in international air passenger numbers for the first 11 months of 2011.

Less encouragingly, Asian carriers registered a 4.8% decline in international air cargo demand during the same period, reflecting cautious management of supply chain inventory levels given the prospect of weaker consumer demand in the major developed economies.

Collectively, the region's airlines carry 620 million passengers and 18 million tonnes of cargo, representing a quarter of global passenger traffic and two-fifths of global air cargo traffic, respectively.

Abu Dhabi airport marks 30 years. Facility in capital is key component of emirate's 2030 vision of diversification

Dubai: Abu Dhabi International Airport, which is undergoing a Dh25 billion redevelopment plan, has handled 126 million passengers in 30 years since its inauguration on January 4, 1982.

The airport marks its 30th anniversary today.

Having been based in Al Bateen since 1969, Abu Dhabi International Airport started operations at its current location 38 km outside Abu Dhabi city in 1982. Terminal 1 covered 5,200 square metres and catered to three million passengers per year, which was later increased to five million passengers when Terminal 1A was opened.

Khalifa Al Mazroui, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Airports Company, said: "The emirate of Abu Dhabi has experienced remarkable development in this short period of time, with Abu Dhabi International Airport being a vital part of the capital's growth.

"Already established as a major international hub for travellers around the globe, Abu Dhabi International Airport is committed to further developing into a leading airport in the region, and a key contributor to the Abu Dhabi 2030 vision of economic diversification."

The past 30 years have been particularly successful for the airport in terms of airline and infrastructure developments.

Etihad Airways launched in 2003 and was named the national carrier of the UAE. Terminal 2 opened in 2005 with a passenger capacity of two million passengers per year. Four years later in 2009, Terminal 3 opened, providing Etihad Airways with a dedicated terminal and a handling capacity of an additional five million passengers per year.

In the same year, the 4,100 metre North Runway was completed, doubling the airport's runway capacity, and making the airport the first in the UAE with CATIIIB capability.

Traffic Control Complex

Last year the airport saw the completion of its Air Traffic Control Complex. Also last year, ADAC completed the enhancement and refurbishment of Terminal 1. Today the airport caters to 53 international airlines connecting Abu Dhabi with more than 85 destinations in over 49 countries. Under Abu Dhabi Airport Company's management, the airport has more than doubled passenger traffic in the past six years from 5.3 million in 2006 to above 12 million in 2011.

In the past 12 months the airport achieved some significant milestones, placing it among the world's leading airports in terms of airport development, customer services and partner relationships.

Last November, the airport became the first Carbon Accredited airport in the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.

In the coming five years, ADAC will focus on achieving further competitive milestones with the completion of the new Midfield Terminal Building, which is scheduled to open in 2017.

http://gulfnews.com

A Member of the “Greatest Generation” Shared WW II Piloting Experience Monday at Dixie State College

Daniel Jackson authored the book titled "The Forgotten Squadron" which was the 449th Fighter Squadron that flew P-38s. Don McCloud was a pilot in the 449th.

(St. George, UT) – In 1942, and only a week after graduating high school, Paul “Don” McCloud made a remarkable decision that gave him a trip around the world. That trip included some experiences from the unique position of a fighter cockpit seat during the closing of World War II. McCloud shared a bit of his memories Monday at the Dixie State College President's Colleagues meeting.

He began with a humble recognition.

“I’m married to a wonderful and talented girl: had a great family with her, I am just so blessed in my life, with the circumstances that occurred throughout my life,” McCloud said in his opening remarks. “I am grateful for that and I hope you see how grateful I feel.

“I volunteered to tell this story because it’s not heroic, it’s just a great adventure and I’m sure you’ll agree.”

The 87-year-old Washington resident’s presentation was expanded to outside of his previous audiences.

“This is actually the first presentation I’ve done besides doing some in family home evenings and some for the scouts,” McCloud said. “It is very enjoyable and I just appreciate the opportunity so much.”

His military service and flight training took him to bases in California and Arizona, where he received his commission as a Second Lieutenant and his pilot's wings. McCloud was a flight leader and trained newly graduated pilots in fighter tactics. He was then sent to India and China as a fighter pilot, where he logged close to 1100 hours of total flight time. He was on active duty for more than three years and attained the rank of Captain.

McCloud was a member of the 449th Fighter squadron (51st Group, 14th Air Force) and flew four missions over what was then French Indo-China (now North Vietnam). He was promoted to Flight Leader after a second mission and received a brand new P38 L flown in from India in time to fly the next two missions.

US Airways announces daily non-stop service from Northwest Florida Regional Airport to nation's capital

US Airways announced today that it will begin daily non-stop service from Northwest Florida Regional Airport (VPS) to Washington Reagan-National Airport (DCA), starting March 25, 2012.

The new flights will link the region’s military bases and area businesses to our nation’s capital with a quick dedicated flight every day. US Airways will operate a 50 seat CRJ regional jet that departs DCA at 2:40 p.m. and arrives VPS at 4:13 p.m., then stays at the gate for a 37 minute turn, departing for Washington DC at 4:50 p.m. and arriving at DCA at 8:13 p.m. every day of the week.

Operating through the preferred downtown Washington, DC airport, the new US Airway’s flights will allow Northwest Florida travelers immediate and convenient access to the heart of Washington, DC and all locations inside the beltway.

"We are excited to expand our service to customers traveling to and from our nation's capital as well as increase jobs at Washington National Airport," said US Airways Chairman and CEO Doug Parker. "When our expansion is completed, US Airways will offer more than 230 daily flights and directly support more than 1,500 aviation jobs at Washington National."

“The competitive GSA Government fares will allow for more military personnel from nearby bases to travel to Washington from VPS instead of having to drive to other airports. This, in turn will save the government money,” said the Airports Business Development Manager Mike Stenson. The new flights will also provide new connection opportunities through US Airways’ DCA hub to over 50 destinations. All flight information and tickets can be purchased now at www.usairways.com or 1-800-428-4322.

“Obtaining non-stop service to DCA has been a top priority for us and we greatly appreciate US Airway’s brilliant decision to initiate this invaluable service to our region. Our military personnel, government leaders, defense contractors, and businesses will immediately benefit,” stated airports director Greg Donovan.

“Quick, affordable travel to and from the Washington, DC market will strengthen our region’s industries and our ability to interact with national policy makers. The service equally provides an opportunity for national leadership to visit our community and see firsthand the exceptional work performed at our military bases and the important missions being accomplished by over 60,000 personnel.”

Reno Air Races officials to outline event's future on Wednesday

The Reno Air Racing Association plans to hold a press conference on Wednesday morning to announce the future of the National Championship Air Races.

Mike Houghton, president and CEO of the racing association, will reveal plans for this year’s air event at 11 a.m. at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.

Houghton will “provide an update on the current status of the event and challenges moving forward,” according to a press release.

On Sept. 16, 11 people were killed and about 70 injured when a heavily modified vintage aircraft lost control and slammed into the tarmac in front of the box seating area.

It was the first accident involving spectators in Reno air race history.

“Since that time, the Reno Air Racing Association has held its attention on those impacted by the terrible tragedy,” they said in the press release. “Now, as 2012 begins, RARA must turn its focus to the future of the significant event which brings more than $80 million in economic impact to northern Nevada.”

Last week, Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority Board Chairman John Wagnon appointed a temporary committee to meet with RARA to discuss “needs, proposals and timelines” concerning the 2012 event.

No date for the committee hearing has been announced.

http://www.rgj.com

Fayetteville Airport gains access to DC

FAYETTEVILLE (WTVD) -- Fayetteville's regional airport is gaining access to the nation's capital.

US Airways is providing customers with daily, nonstop service from Fayetteville Regional Airport to Washington's Reagan National Airport.

The airline announced Tuesday that it is adding the service following the closing of its slot transaction agreement with Delta Air Lines.

The new flight, which begins March 25, is the next step in US Airways' plan to focus on its core service areas of Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Phoenix and Charlotte, N.C., according to the company.

US Airways Express partner Air Wisconsin will operate service to Fayetteville on 50-passenger Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ200) aircraft.

Customers in Fayetteville and military personnel at Fort Bragg will have nonstop service to Washington, D.C.'s downtown airport every morning at 5:30 a.m. Customers will also be able to fly into Fayetteville from Washington every evening around 7:55 p.m.

To support the expanded service, US Airways will add more gates at Reagan National build a second US Airways Club near its new departure gates and will hire approximately 125 airport customer service and fleet service employees.


US Airways Expands Washington D.C. Service

-- Customer choice expanded through the offering of 11 new US Airways destinations and more service to three existing destinations from Washington's Reagan National Airport -- Travel experience improved through the addition of a new US Airways Club -- Economic stimulus through the addition of approximately 125 airport jobs

TEMPE, Ariz., Jan. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- US Airways LCC announced today that it will expand service for customers by starting service to 11 new destinations and adding flights to three existing destinations at Reagan National Airport following the closing of its slot transaction agreement with Delta Air Lines. Eight of the 11 new communities that the airline will serve currently have no service to Washington's downtown airport. The new flights, which begin March 25, are the next step in US Airways' plan to focus on its core service areas of Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Phoenix and Charlotte, N.C.

"We are excited to expand our service to customers traveling to and from our nation's capital as well as increase jobs at Washington National Airport," said US Airways Chairman and CEO Doug Parker. "When our expansion is completed, US Airways will offer more than 230 daily flights and directly support more than 1,500 aviation jobs at Washington National."

The final phase of the airline's plan to focus on its core service areas starts July 11, 2012 and will add more new routes from Washington, which will be announced in February. To support the expanded service, US Airways will add more gates at Reagan National, build a second US Airways Club conveniently located near its new departure gates, and will hire approximately 125 airport customer service and fleet service employees.

Washington, D.C. Expansion

In the first phase of its expansion at Washington, US Airways will add the following new flights, which begin March 25:

Nonstop, daily flights to Birmingham, Ala.; Fayetteville, N.C.; Islip, N.Y.; Little Rock, Ark.; Jacksonville, N.C.; Pensacola, Fla.; Tallahassee, Fla. and Ft. Walton Beach, Fla. These destinations currently have no existing service from Reagan National.

New service will also be added to Memphis, Tenn.; Omaha, Neb. and Ottawa, Ontario. These communities are currently served by other carriers at Reagan National.

Daily flights will be added to Bangor, Maine and Savannah, Ga., which US Airways currently serves on weekends.

A daily nonstop frequency will be added to Hartford, Conn.

At New York's LaGuardia Airport, US Airways will operate a reduced schedule over current levels. It will remain the third largest carrier at the airport, offering customers 65 daily weekday flights. The airline will continue to operate its popular hourly dual-class Shuttle service to Washington and Boston, and high-frequency service to its Charlotte and Philadelphia hubs. US Airways will also continue to serve Pittsburgh and its Phoenix hub from LaGuardia. All US Airways flights will continue to arrive and depart from Terminal C, where the airline will build a new, state-of-the-art 3,500 square foot US Airways Club that will be completed this spring.

Once both phases of the transition are complete, 99 percent of the airline's available seat miles (ASMs) will operate to or from its core service areas and US Airways Shuttle. This represents a 16 percentage point change from 2006, when, following the merger of US Airways and America West Airlines, only 83 percent of the airline's ASMs touched its core focus areas and US Airways Shuttle.

About US Airways

US Airways, along with US Airways Shuttle and US Airways Express, operates more than 3,000 flights per day and serves more than 200 communities in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Central and South America. The airline employs more than 32,000 aviation professionals worldwide and is a member of the Star Alliance network, which offers its customers more than 21,000 daily flights to 1,290 airports in 189 countries. Together with its US Airways Express partners, the airline serves approximately 80 million passengers each year and operates hubs in Charlotte, N.C., Philadelphia and Phoenix, and a focus city in Washington, D.C. at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. US Airways was the only airline included as one of the 50 best companies to work for in the U.S. by LATINA Style magazine's 50 Report for 2010 and 2011. For six years in a row, the airline also earned a 100 percent rating on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality index. The Corporate Equality index is a leading indicator of companies' attitudes and policies toward lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees and customers. US Airways also ranked #1 among its competing hub-and-spoke network carriers for 2010 performance as rated by the Wichita State University/Purdue University Airline Quality Rating (AQR). For more company information visit usairways.com, follow on Twitter @USAirways or at Facebook.com/USAirways. (LCCG)

Fly With US-

SOURCE US Airways

Cirrus SR22, N7850P: Accident occurred December 15, 2011 in in Phoenix, Arizona

NTSB Identification: WPR12FA067 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, December 15, 2011 in Phoenix, AZ
Probable Cause Approval Date: 02/03/2014
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP. SR22, registration: N7850P
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious.

NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

A review of radar data revealed that the single-engine Cirrus airplane entered the left downwind leg of the traffic pattern for runway 3 as a Gulfstream twin-engine corporate jet was 5 miles to the west for landing. The tower controller instructed the Cirrus pilot to extend his downwind leg to follow the Gulfstream and then instructed him to report when he had the Gulfstream in sight. The Cirrus pilot made his base turn towards the final approach course before reporting the Gulfstream in sight, which resulted in the Cirrus being in very close proximity to the Gulfstream. The Cirrus pilot had the discretion to turn from the extended downwind to the base leg prior to the controller advising him to do so; however, when he made this decision it then became his responsibility to maintain safe separation from the Gulfstream.

After several traffic advisories from the controller to the accident pilot, the pilot finally reported the Gulfstream in sight, at which point the Gulfstream was about 0.11 nautical miles ahead of--and 200 to 300 feet higher than--the Cirrus on final to runway 3. The controller then radioed the Cirrus pilot to stand by for a possible go-around and the pilot replied that he was standing by. The controller instructed the Cirrus pilot to start a climb and go around. Three seconds later, an unidentified pilot radioed the controller that an airplane on final had just gone down; no further communications were received from the Cirrus pilot. About 7 seconds before the accident, the Cirrus was at an altitude of 1,400 feet above ground level. The Gulfstream had passed that location about 30 seconds earlier and 150 feet higher than the Cirrus. The upset and loss of control most likely occurred as a direct result of an encounter with the wake turbulence generated by the Gulfstream while the Cirrus was in trail and on final approach to the runway. An onboard recording device revealed that at 0954 the Cirrus experienced an upset, rolling rapidly from 35 degrees left-wing-down to over 77 degrees left-wing-down, before rapidly rolling to 25 degrees right-wing-down. At this time, the airplane's rate of descent was in excess of 3,000 feet per minute.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate separation behind a corporate jet, which resulted in an encounter with wake turbulence and a subsequent loss of control.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On December 15, 2011, about 0954 mountain standard time, a Cirrus Design Corp. SR22, N7850P, experienced a loss of control and descended into a residential neighborhood about 0.75 nautical miles from the approach end of runway 3 at the Scottsdale Airport (SDL), Scottsdale, Arizona. The airplane was registered to Frank M. Smith & Associates, Inc., and it was operated by a company private pilot who was fatally injured. The passenger was seriously injured. The airplane was consumed by a post-impact fire. No one on the ground was injured during the impact sequence. The flight was performed under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Show Low Regional Airport (SOW), Show Low, Arizona, about 0913, with SDL as its planned destination.

The surviving passenger reported in a post-accident interview with the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC), that the airplane was based at SOW, and that the pilot made routine flights to and from SDL. The passenger stated that prior to departure the pilot preflighted the airplane for about 30 minutes, and that nothing unusual occurred during the takeoff, climb, or during the en route phase of the flight, which was smooth. 

The passenger revealed that while approaching SDL, he recalled the controller asking the pilot if he saw the Gulfstream, and that the pilot asked him, "Do you see the Gulfstream?" The passenger reported that he initially did not see the Gulfstream, but when he looked outside his right-side window he saw it very close to the Cirrus. He added that at the time, the pilot was still looking left for the Gulfstream, and that he did not initially see it. The passenger stated that about the time when this occurred, the pilot was turning left toward the airport and that he was startled by the sudden presence of a dark shadow over the Cirrus as the Gulfstream passed overhead. The passenger further stated that the Gulfstream appeared to "fly on top of us." The passenger also opined that he did not recall seeing the Gulfstream again, and it was about this time that the controller asked the pilot again if he saw the Gulfstream. The passenger reported that the pilot replied to the controller that the Gulfstream was "in my back seat." He further reported that the pilot was startled by the close proximity between his airplane and the Gulfstream, and that he did not believe that the pilot had observed the Gulfstream prior to the close encounter of the two airplanes. The passenger recalled that it seemed like only seconds after the close encounter that the Cirrus started rapidly descending. The passenger did not recall anything further, including the impact sequence or how he exited the airplane after it had crashed. 

A review of radar data provided by Cirrus Aircraft Corporation, as well as communications between Federal Aviation Administration Air Traffic Control, N7850P (the accident airplane), and N534QS (the Gulfstream), revealed that the Gulfstream first contacted the SDL control tower at 0950:25, six nautical miles west of the airport. The controller instructed N534QS to enter a left base for runway 3. At 0950:44, N534QS turned to a heading of 142 degrees magnetic for the left base leg to runway 3. While on the base leg, N534QS slowed from 185 knots to 142 knots. At 0950:46, the controller instructed N7850P to extend his left downwind leg and to follow the Gulfstream. The pilot of N7850P acknowledged extending his left downwind leg and that he would be number two. At 0951:47, the controller cleared N534QS to land on runway 3. At 0951:53, the controller instructed N7850P to report when he had the Gulfstream in sight, and that it had just passed right to left ahead of him on base leg; there was no reply from the accident pilot. At 0952:05, the controller advised the accident pilot that the Gulfstream was now ahead and to his left, eleven o'clock and 2 miles, left base to final. At 0952:12, the accident pilot replied (first part unintelligible), "…blue Gulfstream, sun's in my eyes." At 0952:43, the controller advised the accident pilot that the Gulfstream was off to his left and on final; the accident pilot responded, "Gulfstream on final." At 0953:09, the controller asked the accident pilot to confirm that he had the Gulfstream in sight; the pilot responded that the Gulfstream was in sight at 0953:12. At 0953:36, the controller advised the pilot of N7850P to standby for a possible go-around, to which the pilot confirmed. At 0954:06, the controller instructed the accident pilot to start a climb and go around. At 0954:06, an unidentified pilot radioed to the controller that there was an airplane on final that just went down. There were no further communications received from N7850P.

The following data reveals the horizontal and vertical separation between the two airplanes over the next 15 seconds:

0952:45 0.80nm 300 feet

0952:50 0.58nm 300 feet

0952:55 0.42nm 300 feet

0953:00 0.23nm 300 feet

This data revealed that the Gulfstream was always higher than the Cirrus on the approach.

The data further indicates that about 0953:06, N534QS passed over top of N7850P by approximately 300 feet. At this point the distance between the Gulfstream and Cirrus steadily increased. About 0953:12, the Gulfstream was about 0.11 nm ahead of and 200 to 300 feet higher than N7850P on final. N7850P was about 300 feet below the Gulfstream for most of the final approach to runway 3. The last radar return from N7850P at 0954:02, showed the airplane at an altitude of 1400 feet above ground level. The Gulfstream had passed that location approximately 30 seconds earlier and 150 feet higher than N7850P.

The IIC recorded comments from several witnesses to the accident. One witness reported that she observed an aircraft at an angle and that it fell flat to the ground. A second witness stated that an aircraft went approximately 100 feet over houses then started a turn and went down toward the houses; it was lower than normal. Another witness reported that he saw the Gulfstream go overhead, then looked back and observed [the accident airplane] very low, saw it bank left about 100 degrees from the original direction that it was heading, then lost sight of it as it went behind a building, and then heard it crash. He added that it was very close behind the Gulfstream. A fourth witness reported seeing an aircraft coming from the southwest headed towards the school, very close to the ground, and it flipped on its side in the air. It then flipped back around and started to nose dive toward the ground. 

The airplane was recovered from the front yard of the private residence and examined. Fire-damaged components (primary flight and multifunction electronic displays) that contained non-volatile memory were removed from the instrument panel. These components were sent to the National Transportation Safety Board's Vehicle Recorder Division in Washington, D.C., for examination.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 62, held a private pilot certificate, which was issued on October 6, 2004, with an airplane single-engine land rating. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) first-class airman medical certificate was issued on March 31, 2010, at which time he reported a total flight time of 700 hours. The certificate revealed the limitation "holder shall possess glasses for near and intermediate vision."

A damaged pilot's logbook was recovered from the accident site. The logbook covered dates from November 14, 2009 to December 9, 2010. A further review of the logbook revealed that there were no totals forwarded from previous logbooks, and the times logged were exclusively for N7850P. It was observed that about 62 hours of logged flight time in the accident airplane had been recorded in the recovered logbook. It was also observed that the vast majority of those flights logged were flights been between SOW and SDL.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane, a Cirrus SR22-1351, received its standard airworthiness certificate on March 17, 2005. It was equipped with an S-TEC 55X autopilot, Avidyne Entegra Primary and Multifunction Flight Display (PFD, MFD), dual Garmin GNS 430s, GPS navigation transceivers, as well as an engine monitor, and XM satellite weather interface.

One of the pilot's logbook entries was labeled "Annual Service" and dated June 26, 2010, at a Hobbs time of 621.9. No maintenance records were obtained during the investigation.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 0953, the SDL weather reporting system, located about 1 nm from the accident site, reported wind 250 degrees at 4 knots, visibility 10 miles, temperature 8 degrees Celsius (C), dew point 4 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 30.18 inches of mercury.

A senior NTSB meteorologist reported that astronomical data from the United States Naval Observatory located in Washington, D.C. revealed that on December 15, 2011, Sunrise was at 0724 MST. The meteorologist added that at 0954 MST, the Sun was 23.1 degrees above the horizon at an azimuth of 143 degrees true, or off of the right wing of the accident airplane, given his heading of 222 degrees magnetic, as reported by the IIC.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane came to rest about 0.75 miles from the threshold of runway 3 at SDL, and in the front yard of a residence at an elevation of 1,417 feet mean sea level. The debris field indicated that the energy path was oriented on a heading of about 275 degrees magnetic. The airplane came to rest on a measured magnetic heading of 232 degrees.

The main wreckage came to rest about 80 feet from the initial point of impact and consisted of the entire fuselage and carry-though wing, minus various smaller components found in the debris field. The initial point of impact was a 7-foot tall hedge located on the adjacent neighbor's property that was missing the top portion of its branches. The driveway the hedge abutted to had a steel gate that exhibited impact damage and white paint transfer marks. The gate was observed separated from its hinges and lying in the street. The right wingtip of the accident airplane came to rest in the driveway near the gate and white paint transfer marks were present across the cement driveway. One black transfer mark was noted on the edge of the driveway, and the hedge between the two properties was damaged.

A shallow trench was observed which contained the front nose landing gear strut, nose wheel assembly, and other small pieces of airplane debris leading away from the hedge on the side opposite the driveway leading towards the main wreckage for about 15 to 20 feet.

The engine and propeller remained attached to the firewall with portions of the upper and lower cowlings still attached to each other. Fire consumed most of the roof and right side of the fuselage. The cockpit area exhibited extensive fire damage from the fire wall aft to the bulkhead aft of the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) enclosure. The empennage remained attached to the fuselage and exhibited extensive thermal damage.

The right side of the wing from the cuff outboard was consumed by fire. The right flap and right aileron were mostly consumed by fire, and the identifiable portions of each had come to rest behind the wing. 

The left wingtip was observed separated and was located under the right side of the horizontal stabilizer. The left side of the wing exhibited impact damage. The fuel cap was present and secure. A stick was inserted in the fuel tank. From the bottom lip of the filler cap to the bottom of the tank the stick measured roughly 18 centimeters; when the stick was extracted from the tank, 16 centimeters of the stick was observed to be wet. The wing lay relatively flat but slightly tipped forward. The left flap and aileron remained attached to the wing and exhibited impact damage.

Aileron control cable continuity was verified. The roll trim actuator was in between neutral and full left trim. The flap actuator shaft was extended approximately one half inch from the actuator housing, which was consistent with a flap setting of 100 percent, or fully extended.

The vertical stabilizer remained attached to the empennage and exhibited impact and fire damage. The rudder remained attached to the vertical stabilizer and exhibited impact damage. Rudder control cable continuity was verified.

The horizontal stabilizer remained attached to the empennage and exhibited impact and fire damage. The left and right elevators remained attached to the horizontal stabilizer. Elevator control cable continuity was verified. The pitch trim actuator was in an approximate neutral position.

The right crew door was separated from the fuselage and exhibited fire and impact damage. The left crew door remained attached to the fuselage at the lower hinge and exhibited fire and impact damage. The baggage door remained attached to the fuselage and exhibited fire and impact damage.

The nose landing gear assembly separated from the engine mount. The right main landing gear remained attached to the wing and exhibited impact and fire damage. The left main landing gear separated from the wing and was located about 25 feet aft of the main wreckage near the left wheel pant.

The Cirrus Aircraft Parachute System (CAPS) safety pin was located on the bolster switch panel below the ignition switch. A grommet with red material consistent with the Remove Before Flight tag was present on the key ring style retainer containing the safety pin. The CAPS activation handle, handle holder, and mounting bracket were not observed. The activation cable housing was mostly consumed by fire, with only the wire mesh having been left behind on the activation cable. The activation cable was present and attached at the igniter. The other end of the activation cable had a ball swage on it but no activation handle. The CAPS enclosure cover remained attached to the left fuselage half and exhibited fire damage. 

The only anomaly noted during the engine examination was a reddish colored residue on the forward half of the piston head and around the forward half of the intake valve face on the #1 cylinder. The propeller remained attached to the engine and exhibited impact damage. The spinner had deformation on one side between two of the propeller blades. All three propeller blades were bent aft. Two of the propeller blades had scratches spanwise and chordwise on the cambered side.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

An autopsy was performed on the pilot at the Maricopa County Office of The Medical Examiner, Phoenix, Arizona, on December 16, 2011. The cause of death was reported as "Thermal burns."

The FAA's Civil Aerospace Medical Institute performed forensic toxicology on specimens from the pilot. The report stated no carbon monoxide and no cyanide was detected in the Blood, no ethanol detected in the Vitreous, and 12.39 (ug/ml, ug/g) Acetaminophen detected in Urine.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

The NTSB IIC retained custody of the PFD and MFD. Both components were shipped to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory In Washington, D.C. for examination and analysis by a vehicle recorder specialist who reported the following:

PFD

The PFD was damaged by impact forces and fire. The circuit card which contained the 2 Flash memory chip was extracted from the damaged housing and placed in a surrogate PFD unit for download. 

The PFD contained approximately 17 hours of flight data, including the accident flight.

MFD

The exterior of the MFD unit was damaged by fire. However, the MFD card was undamaged and data was recovered normally.

The specialist reported that a review of the recovered data revealed that the flight departed SOW at 0913 and climbed to a cruise altitude of 8,400 feet. Between 0932:13 and 0940:00, no data was recorded on the PFD; this is a known behavior with this version of PFD software. At 0940:20, the airplane began its descent at approximately 1,000 feet per minute (fpm). At 0954, the airplane experienced an upset, rolling rapidly from 35 degrees left wing down to over 77 degrees left wing down, before rapidly rolling to 25 degrees right wing down. At this time the airplane's rate of descent was in excess of 3,000 fpm. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

According to the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM), 7-3-8 Pilot Responsibility, the following information is provided to pilots relative to wake turbulence:

(b) Wake turbulence may be encountered by aircraft in flight as well as when operating on the airport movement area.

(c) Pilots are reminded that in operations conducted behind all aircraft, acceptance of instructions from ATC in the following situations is an acknowledgment that the pilot will ensure safe takeoff and landing intervals and accepts the responsibility for providing wake turbulence separation:

1. Traffic information

2. Instructions to follow an aircraft;

3. The acceptance of a visual approach clearance

According to the US Department of Transportation publication "Wake Turbulence Training Aid," DOT/FAA/RD-95/6, dated April 1995, the phenomenon that creates wake turbulence results from the forces that lift the aircraft. High pressure air from the lower surface of the wings flows around the wingtips to the lower pressure region above the wings. A pair of counter-rotating vortices are shed from the wings; the right wing vortex rotates counterclockwise, and the left wing vortex rotates clockwise. This region of rotating air behind the aircraft is where wake turbulence occurs. The strength of the turbulence is predominantly determined by the weight, wingspan and speed of the aircraft. The usual hazard associated with wake turbulence is that the induced rolling moment can exceed the roll control of the encountering aircraft. Counter control is most effective and induced roll minimal where the wingspan of the encountering aircraft is outside the rotational flow field of the vortex. Additionally, counter control is more difficult for encountering aircraft with wingspans that are relatively shorter than that of the generating aircraft. Pilots of short span aircraft and high performance aircraft must be especially alert to vortex encounters. Flying at or above the flight path provides the best method for avoidance. Maintaining a vertical separation of at least 1000 feet when crossing below the preceding aircraft may be considered safe.

Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular 90-23F, Aircraft Wake Turbulence released February 20, 2002, "is intended to alert pilots to the hazards of aircraft wake turbulence and recommends related operational procedures." Under the heading of "6, Induced Roll" the circular stated that "...the capability of an aircraft to counteract the roll imposed by the wake vortex primarily depends on the wingspan and counter-control responsiveness of the encountering aircraft."


NTSB Identification: WPR12FA067 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, December 15, 2011 in Phoenix, AZ
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP. SR22, registration: N7850P
Injuries: 1 Fatal,1 Serious.

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

On December 15, 2011, about 0954 mountain standard time, a Cirrus Design Corp. SR22, N7850P, experienced a loss of control and descended into a residential neighborhood in Phoenix, Arizona. At the time, the airplane was on short final approach for landing at Scottsdale Airport (SDL). The airplane was registered to Frank M. Smith & Associates, Inc., and it was operated by a company private pilot who was fatally injured. The passenger was seriously injured. The airplane was consumed by a post impact fire. No one on the ground was injured during the impact sequence. The flight was performed under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Show Low, Arizona, within minutes of 0857.

Safety Board investigators reviewed Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) radar data and voice tapes. They indicate that the Cirrus had entered SDL’s left-hand traffic pattern for runway 3 from the north. The FAA SDL’s local air traffic controller sequenced the Cirrus to land behind a Gulfstream Aerospace GV-SP (G550), which was ahead of the Cirrus. The Gulfstream had entered the left traffic pattern directly into the base leg. The local controller advised the Cirrus pilot to report when he had the Gulfstream in sight. The Cirrus pilot reported that the sun was in his eyes, and he did not report seeing the Gulfstream. Seconds later, the controller advised the Cirrus pilot that the Gulfstream was to his left and on final approach, and the Cirrus turned onto the base leg. Subsequently, as the Cirrus was entering the final approach leg and was about 1,900 feet (based upon the airplane’s Mode C transponder altitude), the Gulfstream overflew the Cirrus about 2,100 feet (Mode C transponder altitude).

The passenger in the Cirrus reported to the Safety Board investigator that immediately thereafter the pilot observed the Gulfstream, and he so informed the controller while continuing toward the runway. Then the controller advised the Cirrus pilot to standby for a possible go-around. Less than 1 minute later the Cirrus rolled into a steep bank and descended in a corkscrew-like maneuver into the ground, according to a ground-based witness who was monitoring the controller’s communications and watching the airplane.

The Safety Board investigation revealed that the airplane impacted the ground in a right wing, nose low attitude, on about a 275-degree magnetic heading. The airplane came to rest approximately 0.9 miles from the landing threshold of SDL’s runway 3. The accident site elevation is about 1,420 feet mean sea level (msl). SDL’s elevation is 1,510 feet msl.

The airplane has been recovered from the front yard of the private residence and examined. Fire-damaged components (primary flight and multifunction electronic displays) that contain non-volatile memory were removed from the instrument panel. These components have been delivered to the Safety Board’s Vehicle Recorder Division in Washington, D.C., where an examination is in progress.



A single-engine Cirrus SR22 crashed into a northeast Phoenix neighborhood about a half-mile away from Scottsdale Airport, authorities said. Photos