Fighter pilots of yesteryear to bring flying stories to life

Beacon photo by Sara Bruestle

The Historic Flight Foundation is hosting a Navy Piston Fighter Pilots panel from 1-3 p.m. on Feb. 11. Above, the five pilots on the panel are in front of one of the Historic Flight Foundation’s F8F Bearcat: Cmdr. Walter Banks, Lt. James Whitman, Capt. Greg Lambert, Cmdr. Tom Lewis and Lt. Cmdr. Bill Anderson.

James Whitman will never forget how it felt to fly a Bearcat – known as “the hottest plane of World War II” – for the first time. How was it? In a word: Wonderful.  

“They were so wonderful that it just felt like a part of me,” he said. “The Bearcat is a marvelous, incredible airplane.”

The Historic Flight Foundation is hosting a Navy Piston Fighter Pilots panel from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11, at 10719 Bernie Webber Dr. in Mukilteo.

Hear five Navy fighter pilots from the piston age tell their stories of flying the Hellcat, Bearcat, Corsair and more.

The guest panelists, many of them in their 80s, flew fighter and attack planes from WWII on up through the Korean War. As Navy pilots, they all had to be qualified to fly on and off aircraft carriers.

Lt. Whitman, 95, who is on the panel, served as a Navy pilot for 10 years. He flew several fighter planes throughout his years of service, primarily the Kingfisher and the Bearcat.

During WWII, Whitman trained on a U.S. naval cruiser, then was stationed in Alaska on an inshore anti-submarine squadron and then trained again at a naval air facility in Santa Rosa, Fla.

A worker for IBM before the war, Whitman was exempt from the draft, but because he had always wanted to fly, he decided to leave IBM and go into the naval flight program.

“When I was a kid, I can remember looking up on days like today and seeing these airplanes flying over and saying, ‘One of these days, I would like to learn to fly,” Whitman said. “This was a marvelous opportunity to do that, if I could qualify.”

In training on the cruiser, Whitman flew Kingfisher observation planes on and off a 900-foot cruiser. The Kingfishers were used to scout the enemy’s fleet.

Whitman can still recall what it was like for his plane to get shot into the air by catapult from the cruiser in 1943.

“You fire this thing up and it gets shot off of this little catapult with a five-inch artillery shell and a cable goes back and forth and – bang – and away you go and you’re in the air,” Whitman said.

“You’d better have your head back against something hard or it will knock you out, because that’s how fast it’s going.”

Then there’s the hard part – getting back on.

“You’re out there with these big waves, and you can’t land it [on the carrier],” Whitman said. “You have to make this carrier do a 90-degree turn and then slide sideways and, then, as it lowers, you can sit your airplane down and taxi up, and they haul you right back up on a crane.”

After training, Whitman was assigned to an anti-submarine squadron in Alaska that conducted coastal patrol from Sitka to the Aleutian Islands (Attu Island). The Japanese had taken Attu before, so there was concern that they would try to land submarines again on the Alaskan coast.

“I spent a whole year in Alaska assigned to look for submarines, but the only submarines that I ever saw out there spouted,” Whitman said. “Whales!”

In 1944, Whitman was back from Alaska and ready to be reassigned. At first, the Navy didn’t want him. They said he was getting old and should retire from service. But Whitman convinced them to keep him, and they sent him to Florida to fly more fighter planes.

There, in training, he flew several of the cat airplane series, including the Wildcat, Hellcat and the Bearcat. His was the first squadron to fly the Bearcat.

“He had changed from a 150 mph float plane (the Kingfisher) to this Bearcat which can get out to about 440 mph,” said Bob Wells, the panel moderator, “so it was really a big change.”

Whitman said that while at Santa Rosa, the Navy got into a friendly competition with the U.S. Air Corp. Their Bearcat versus the Air Corp’s Mustang, each their best fighter planes.

“Our skipper and their colonel got into a wager,” Whitman said. “The wager was that ‘You’re going to take that Mustang, and you’re going to fly to the end of the runway just as fast as you can get there.’

“And then our skipper says, ‘I’ll take that blue hot rod (the Bearcat) and I’ll climb up 100 feet and I will come down [at an angle], and I will shoot you before you get to the end of the runway.’”

The skipper won, like he said he would. His fast-climbing Bearcat made it to the end of the runway before the Mustang could get there.

“I was so fortunate I never got shot at, and I had a lot of experience flying some of the most wonderful planes that probably were made,” Whitman said. “All of this to me was almost just fun from beginning to end.”

Wells met Whitman at the HFF’s Vintage Aircraft Weekend in the summer. Whitman was staring admiringly at the foundation’s F8F Bearcat.

When Wells discovered that Whitman had flown the airplane in WWII, he invited him to be a guest on the panel.

Hear Whitman’s stories and the stories of the other four panelists on Feb. 11.

“John Sessions (founder of HFF) sets a tone where he really encourages education and archiving history,” Wells said. “The foundation has taken the era of military aircraft built between 1927-1957, and these gentlemen all fit within that timeframe.”

The event will be recorded as part of HFF's mission to preserve first-hand accounts of pilots who flew between 1927 and 1957.

The presentation is for all ages. General admission is required.

For more information, go to http://historicflight.org or call 425-348-3200. 

Source:  http://www.mukilteobeacon.com

Civil Air Patrol hosts winter training: Pilots fly from Dupage Airport (KDPA) in exercises

By Jean Lotus

The Forest Park Flight of the Civil Air Patrol is the best kept secret of Forest Park's Army Reserve building at 7402 Roosevelt Road. And the Civil Air Patrol is "the best kept secret of the U.S. Air Force," said Maj. Andy Welch, 39, of Chicago. The CAP is the civilian branch of the Air Force, started during World War II to allow private citizens with pilot training to assist in surveillance of waterways and land during wartime. Over time, the CAP's mission has changed. Now they focus on emergency services: helping find missing aircraft or taking aerial photos of natural disasters such as flooding at the request of federal, state or local agencies.

"All of these members are volunteers who work other jobs. Many do not have a pilot's license but focus on ground operations," said Welch. He joined CAP in college but only learned to fly within the past couple of years. CAP members use Air Force military titles, but are civilians.

The CAP has been meeting in Forest Park since 1962. Eleven members of the Forest Park Flight meet monthly to plan training exercises that coordinate search missions with aircraft and ground teams all over Illinois. Saturday, Jan. 28 was the Flight's yearly "Ice Bowl" where 75 CAP members from all over the state coordinated to perform three mock search missions in cold weather.

Cold weather affects aircraft, equipment and the humans who use them. "Emergencies can happen anytime anywhere. They happen in cold weather and it causes changes to the equipment," said Maj. David Hoover, who participated in the exercises at DuPage airport Saturday.

The wind-chill was in the low 20s on the tarmac as pilots of the CAP flew two Cessna 182 single-engine propeller aircraft - one with fully digital equipment and the other with traditional "steam gauge" dials. Each "bird" has three crew members: a pilot, a scanner (who works the radio) and an observer who searches for the hidden target and consults aviation charts.

"It's certainly improved my flying," said 2nd Lt. Stewart Orlin, a Fox News photographer who lives in Oak Park. "I had my pilot's license for 10 years before joining CAP. It gave me a way to use my skills. After a while you get to know all the airports around here." Orlin referred to his leisure piloting as the "$100 breakfast." Orlin has trained as a scanner, a pilot and an observer. "I've learned first aid, CPR. I've learned search techniques Ð that helps you not to get lost."

During Saturday's exercises, a safety beacon on a plane at Olson Airfield near Hampshire, Ill. was activated for air and ground crews to find. Radio rescue beacons, standard on planes and boats, automatically signal when the vessel crashes. Except when they don't.

"They're not foolproof. They can be destroyed by fire. Their batteries can wear out," said Hoover. That's what happened to Steve Fossett, the commodities trader/adventurer who crashed his light plane in the Nevada mountains in 2007. Civil Air Patrol volunteers spent 17,000 hours over a month searching for Fossett whose plane was found by hikers 200 miles off-course.

But everything was working fine on Saturday. Using a Becker Radio Direction Finder - "that looks like a white coffee can hanging under the tail of the aircraft," said Hoover - three crews located the target from the air and radioed a crew waiting on the ground in a 12-passenger van at Ill. Route 47 and I 90. The passengers, who also had a beacon finding radio, took off for Olson Airport and found the beacon. Each sortie lasted around 30 minutes once the signal had been found, said Welch.

Among the ground crew were Cadets Adam Wallace, 20, and his brother Matthew, 13, of Oak Park. The brothers stayed after the exercises with a group that camped in a forest preserve overnight. Both Wallaces aspire to military careers Ð Adam in the Special Forces and Matthew as an Air Force Fighter Pilot. "That would be my dream job," he said.

CAP Cadets can start at age 12. Both Wallaces got involved while students at Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School. The Chicago Consolidated Flight holds weekly meetings at the Air Force Academy High School in Chicago at 3630 S. Wells. "I've gone up on powered and glider flights," said Matthew. The flying time is one of the highlights of being a cadet, said Welch. Cadets also can attend CAP's discounted flight camp in the summer located near Mattoon, Ill. There cadets get instruction in flying light aircraft, gliders and hot-air balloons, said Hoover. The cadet program is an introduction to the Air Force, but CAP remains a civilian non-profit organization says Welch. There are 26,000 cadets in the U.S. today.

Adults join CAP "to help their community, to volunteer," he said. Welch and four other Forest Park-based members took personal vacation time after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and worked with emergency crews in rural Mississippi. CAP volunteers also assisted during a Kentucky ice storm in 2009, when snapped power-lines destroyed emergency and cell phone communication.

Sometimes a real emergency can interrupt training exercises. Last summer, the Forest Park Flight participated in a regional FEMA exercise. "Operation Ardent Sentry" simulated an earthquake along the New Madrid Fault. But during the middle of training, severe flooding began along the Wabash River.

"We had to sign out of the training and sign into the emergency response," said Orlin. "I ended up taking real-time aerial photos of flooding over Terre Haute of bridges, locks and dams for FEMA."

The 62,000 CAP volunteers perform 95 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions tasked by the Air Force. We've been "performing missions for America for 70 years," said Maj. James Griggs.

Source:  http://forestparkreview.com

Flying over Manhattan

Flying over Manhattan

By Hitsnorth

CNN PRODUCER NOTE  

Hitsnorth shot this video of he and a friend flying over New York City on January 28 in his 1968 Beechcraft. 'The ride was great,' he said. 'We departed the West Chester airport and continued around to the Statue of Liberty, and then to the Newark airport.'

- jmsaba, CNN iReport producer

Flew downthe hudson across central park and down the east river circling the statue of liberty.

What do you think of this story?

Your feedback will help tell CNN producers what to do with this iReport. If you'd like, you can explain your choice in the comments:  http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-739458?hpt=us_bn2

Hospice patient’s dream is temporarily grounded

Spasoje Spike Miskovic gives thumbs up as he waits to take off on a flight in the airplane he used to own at Summit Air at the Akron Fulton International Airport (KAKR) on Tuesday.

(Ed Suba Jr./Akron Beacon Journal)

By Marilyn Miller, Beacon Journal

The 73-year-old pilot waited anxiously Tuesday to fly again. The weather was almost perfect — sunny with temperatures in the 50s.

It had been years since Spasoje “Spike” Miskovic was in an airplane and even longer since he had flown one.

As a nurse wheeled Miskovic out to the plane he once owned, a six-seat Beechcraft Baron 58, he wondered about the delay. He had been sitting in the medical transport vehicle for nearly 30 minutes.

Just a few hours earlier, Crossroads Hospice staff in Green had told Miskovic they had a surprise for him.

“We call it the ‘Ultimate Gift,’ ” said Crossroads spokesman Bob Pontius, “We ask the patient if they had one day, describe how you would spend it. What would you want to do?”

They didn’t ask Miskovic. They knew what would make him happy.

“He had a unique life. This is not every guy,” Pontius said. “How many people do you know who owned their own plane?”

Aides said Miskovic always talks about how he learned how to fly in the former Yugoslavia, how he used to fly with his dog and how he once tried to teach a monkey how to fly.

Pontius said Miskovic served in the U.S. Air Force and Yugoslavian air force.

His nurse, Marian Presto, said Miskovic didn’t seem too happy going for an ambulance ride. He was told only that they had a surprise for him.

“But when the driver got off on state Route 224, he perked up and started giving the driver directions, even telling the driver where to park,” Presto said. “He looks better than I’ve seen him look in a long time.”

Miskovic knew his destination all too well.

For years, he was a private pilot for hire and a manager at Akron Fulton airport and also in Wayne County. He was an FAA inspector and graduated from Kent State University with a degree in aeronautical engineering.

When Miskovic saw a mechanic looking at the plane at Akron Fulton, he asked the aides if they wanted him to look at it.

Miskovic was also a mechanic.

He stopped to talk to his longtime friend and fellow pilot, Bob Hadley, asking him where they were going.

“We’re going for a little ride. Where do you want to go?” Hadley asked.

Aides helped Miskovic into one of the rear seats facing the front. He called out to his friend, “C’mon, Bob, let’s go.”

Hadley had gone to check with the mechanic, only to find that there was a loose cable. Another day would be needed to replace it.

The pilot had to break the bad news to Miskovic.

“What’s wrong with the cable?” Miskovic asked.

He looked satisfied with the explanation, maybe because he had been in the same situation many times, having to break bad news to pilots and passengers.

Hadley assured his friend of 35 years they would try again this week. Miskovic returned to the ambulance.

Hadley and Pontius say they are checking the weather forecast for a sunny day with temperatures of at least 35 degrees. Friday looks to be the best.

Source:  http://www.ohio.com

FLORIDA: Joe Carnley, Destin's first dentist, a well-known airplane buff and a community leader, died Saturday at the age of 67.

Joe Carnley

Rest in peace, loving, gentle man.  Oh, that the world had a million more like you.

WENDY VICTORA / Daily News

DESTIN — Every day until the day he couldn’t, Joe Carnley called his daughter. Their conversations always started the same way.

“I’d answer the phone and he’d say, ‘Is this my masterpiece speaking?’ ” said Kimberly Huels of Destin. “And I’d say, ‘This is her.’

“And he’d say, ‘I just wanted to call and check on my masterpiece to see if she was doing all right.’ ”

Carnley, Destin’s first dentist, a well-known airplane buff and a community leader, died Saturday at the age of 67.

He had fought a long and almost successful battle against lung cancer.

“The community has lost a huge patriot, a compassionate leader, a brilliant educator and a gifted dentist,” said close friend Mick Guthals of Niceville. “More importantly, they have lost a friend.”

Neither Huels nor Carnley's son, also named Joe Carnley, knew how close Carnley was to death. He worked Thursday, went to the hospital Friday and died the next day.

“He did not retire,” said the younger Carnley, who lives in Tallahassee. “That was my dad. He was a fighter and a survivor, and he never thought of giving up.”

Carnley was born in Florala, Ala., the youngest of nine and the only boy. His father died when he was young and he was raised by his mom and sisters.

From an early age, he knew he wanted to be a dentist and he knew he wanted to fly airplanes.

He was Destin’s first dentist and had one of the early post office boxes there. His was No. 6.

Poor vision kept Carnley from flying planes in the military, but he became a civilian pilot later and a World War II airplane aficionado.

At the time of his death, he owned a hangar at Destin Airport and had recently sold his T-6 Texan, a World War II-era plane.

“The guys he flew with are planning a flyover over the funeral Wednesday (today) on his behalf,” his son said.

He was remembered in a visitation Tuesday night in Florala. Services will be at 1 p.m. today at Evans Funeral Home there.

His children say he was an amazing father who was involved in their lives.

“He made me feel loved all the time,” Huels said. “He was always there for me and always supported everything I did.

“My whole life, I felt like he was more powerful than the president.”

His son said that Carnley woke up every morning loving life and ready for another day.

“I want him to be remembered for his vibrant passion for life,” he said.

He gave a lot to the community, and when he was ill the community gave back to him, his family said.

“There’s nothing that could ever be said thanking all of those who said prayers and supported him,” his son said.

“That’s what got him through.”

Source: http://www.nwfdailynews.com

Obituary: Dr. Joe H. Carnley (1944 - 2012)

Visit Guest Book

Dr. Joe H. Carnley took his final and most important flight on Saturday morning, Jan. 28, 2012. God has called him home.

Joe was born Feb. 26, 1944, in Paxton, Fla., to Charlie and Mae Elizabeth Carnley. He was a graduate of Paxton High School, where he was a member of the state championship basketball team. From there he attended Western Carolina University on a basketball scholarship and later graduated from Louisville School of Dentistry in Kentucky.

Joe was the first to establish a dental practice in Destin, Fla. His love for dentistry and the people of Destin have kept him here for over 35 years.

Throughout his career, he travelled the country teaching at different universities and dental institutes. Along the way he discovered a love for connecting with people, which eventually led him to become a Dale Carnegie franchise owner and instructor.

Next to his family and dentistry, flying was one of the greatest joys and passions of his life. He flew amongst his closest friends in his World War II Navy warplane, a T-6, attending fly-ins and entertaining locals with their formation flying over the Destin Pass. Dr. Carnley's latest achievement was becoming the 53rd Wing Honorary Commander at Eglin Air Force Base, personally representing the community for the Emerald Coast.

A man from humble beginnings, he never gave up on his dreams and spent the rest of his life teaching others to do the same.

Dr. Joe is survived by his son, Joe (JoeJoe) C. Carnley and wife, Abby; daughter, Kimberley E. Huels and husband, Lee; grandkids, Peyton, Saylor, Joseph "Cameron," and William Henry (Hank); mother of his children, Bridget Carnley; sisters, Juanita, Charlie and Willagee; and fiancée, Tina Anderson.
Services are being held at Evans-Brown Funeral Home on Wednesday, Feb. 1, at 1 p.m. Hours of visitation will be held on Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. and on Wednesday from noon to 1 p.m.

Flowers are welcome, and donations in Dr. Joe's honor may be made to the American Cancer Society or Smyrna Cemetery Foundation.

Dad, you were the greatest dad and granddad in the world. We love you ... you will be missed.

Evans Funeral Home, Florala, is entrusted with arrangements.

Joe Carnley gives the thumbs up before taking off into the skies.

Kathy Harrison | The Destin Log

Remembering Destin's first dentist: Joe Carnley ‘squeezed every inch out of life'

With roots in Paxton, Fla., Joe Carnley always dreamed big and aimed for the sky. Just a few days after his passing, friends and colleagues reflect on the man who had a larger-than-life personality and “a heart of gold.”

“Anyone who has crossed Dr. Joe’s path knows what a kind and caring man he was, he had the ability to make everyone feel important, no matter who you were,” Mayor Sam Seevers said of the man she called her “long-time mentor.”

“Dr. Joe continually challenged me to be a better person — he instilled in me the importance of making a difference in this community.”
Read more: http://www.thedestinlog.com

IN REMEMBRANCE:

The Destin Log wrote a profile of Carnley a couple months before his death.

November 19, 2011

By Matt Algarin

From the dentist's chair to the skies above Destin, Joe Carnley reflects on tragedies and triumphs

Whether it was sleeping in boats at Hudson’s Marina as a youngster or pulling barrel rolls behind the stick of a World War II era T-6 Texan, Joe Carnley has always played by his own rules and has no regrets.

“I’ve got a little bit of a wild streak,” the longtime Destin dentist said with a chuckle.

After spending five months at the Mayo Clinic battling throat cancer, Carnley has hung up his flight suit and sold his planes. But he is cancer free — and back to work, changing the lives of Destinites one smile at a time.

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

Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant: Selling Citation Ultra Jet, Unveils 2013 budget. (With Video)

JACKSON, MS (WLBT) - Governor Phil Bryant is asking all state agencies to tighten their belts and cut their budgets in the coming year. Tuesday, the governor presented his budget recommendations for the upcoming year at the state capitol. 

The governor said it's the most challenging budget he's seen since 1992. The cuts are about half of what was initially anticipated, and state revenues are looking up. 

The 2013 state budget amounts to $5.49 billion.  Bryant's plan calls for state agencies to cut their budgets by 5.53 percent. The budget cuts spending by $26 million from the previous year. 

The governor also plans to spend about $101 million on education. He's also asking for school districts to consolidate their administrative offices to save money, and become more aggressive in recruiting the best teachers to our state. 

The governor is also selling one of his state planes to boost the budget. He said about $2 million can be made in the sale of the 1996 Citation Ultra Jet. 

"We have a King Air that will get you anywhere in the state safely," Governor Bryant said. "I think it's just a good move. The other thing not only $2 million, but the upkeep, the pilot, mechanics, housing of the airplane we can save a great deal on that."

The good news is that revenues for the state are much higher than expected. Right now the January revenues are $23 million above what was projected.

Click here to read Governor Bryant's Executive Budget Recommendation for Fiscal Year 2013.

Sources: 

http://www.wlox.com
http://www.wlbt.com

Florida: Clearwater man saw his 1946 Piper Cub fly just before he died

Walter Crosby worked seven years to restore his Piper Cub before being stopped by cancer

CLEARWATER — On Saturday, the Clearwater & North Pinellas Times ran a story about four local men who worked feverishly through January to help finish the seven-year-long restoration of a 1946 plane for their friend Walter Crosby, who was dying from cancer.

Crosby had bought a dilapidated Piper Cub in 1962 with plans to refurbish it completely, then fly it.

At 10:45 p.m. the day the article appeared, Crosby, 74, of Clearwater died. He never flew the plane, but he saw it take off twice from his bedroom window overlooking Clearwater Airpark. The first was a test flight; the second flight carried his wife, Geri.

As the story made its way across the Internet, several emails came in from people who knew the couple. One was from Linda Vintro, a real estate broker in Massachusetts who had sold at least one of the Crosbys' homes when they lived in Lakeville, Mass.

Work and family commitments had consumed the time that Walter Crosby needed to restore the plane. So in the meantime, parts of it were stored all over the house, even under the beds and in the dining room .

The Realtor wrote that this caused "many a fun comment" from prospective buyers.

She also remembered Crosby as a good citizen, a "man of substance who put off his own fun for years to take care of business."

Source: http://www.tampabay.com

Greenville Municipal Airport (6D6) theft suspect pleads.

Tyler Rivera pleaded guilty; faces 10 years.

Tyler Rivera

 GREENVILLE, Mich. (WOOD) - One of three people charged in the burglaries of the Greenville Airport in May 2011 has pleaded guilty.

Tyler Rivera of Holt -- who was 19 at the time of his arraignment in October 2011 -- pleaded guilty to breaking and entering with intent. He faces up to 10 years in prison for the crime.

The thieves -- police believe there is likely more than one -- broke in on the night of May 27, Mark Bellinger, the Montcalm County undersheriff, said at the time of the incident. Once inside, they took an undisclosed amount of cash and tipped over some furniture, he added.

The bandits also stopped in 12 hangars, said Bellinger , and also stole an all-terrain vehicle belonging to a Rockford pilot. The ATV was later recovered by authorities on Aug. 19 in Sidney Township.

An 18-year-old Sidney male and an 18-year-old female from Greenville were also arrested in August 2011 in connection with the burglaries. They pleaded guilty to receiving and concealing stolen property.

No sentencing date for Rivera has yet been set.

Source:  http://www.woodtv.com

Taking Flight - Building an Experimental Airplane. N116BW, Van's Aircraft RV-6A.

Video by retiredman2 on January 30, 2012

"I am one of 30,000 individuals who have built and flown their own experimental aircraft. It took 5 years and 2,360 hours of building time. It was a journey of discovery - how to build an aluminum airplane - and a search for the will to labor for so long on an uncertain and expensive goal. It is one of the major accomplishments in my life. I hope this video conveys my quest to build and fly by own aircraft. I was my quest to take flight and it came true."

Pennsylvania: National Guard pilot returns home to his career as a police officer

A Cumberland County man has spent the last six years as a Blackhawk helicopter pilot in the National Guard. Now, he has traded his camo uniform for police blues.

Gary Shullenberger joined the Carlisle Police Department in April 1993. The next six years he patrolled the Borough and was recognized as the department's go-to-guy for teaching students the evils of drug and alcohol use.

But in February of 2006 he was activated by the National Guard. As a helicopter pilot he trained other pilots at Fort Indiantown Gap to prepare to be deployed to Iraq.

In three years, he got the call to go to Iraq where he served as a Blackhawk Medivac pilot.

"My mission in Iraq was to find those were injured and get that back to safety within an hour," Shullenberger told CBS 21.

Shullenberger returned to the ranks of the Carlisle PD Monday following six years of Army life. Tuesday, he found himself undergoing re-training.

That training includes being instructed on the use of a taser. All department members will need to be trained in how to properly use it.

The taser wasn't a tool of law enforcement when Shullenberger was activated by the Guard. So Tuesday, he joined fellow officers in becoming certified in the use of the less-lethal weapon.

Shullenberger says he looks forward to getting back on the street, whether in a patrol car or on foot patrol. To him, most importantly, is that he will continue to serve people who need it.

Source: http://www.whptv.com

Plane crashes in Congo, death toll unknown

A provincial official in the Congolese province of South Kivu says a plane has crashed after takeoff and there is no news of the passengers on board.

KINSHASA, Congo — A provincial official in the Congolese province of South Kivu says a plane has crashed after takeoff and there is no news of the passengers on board.

Laban Kyalangalilwa, the minister in charge of transportation in South Kivu province, said Tuesday the plane took off from the city of Bukavu at 7:45 a.m. on Monday and was due to land at an airport in the town of Namoya an hour later. The plane never arrived.

He said a second plane was sent to survey the route, and they found what looked like the debris of the Antonov about 6 miles (10 kilometers) away from the Namoya runway.

Kyalangalilwa said that there were at least five people on board. He could not confirm whether any had survived, but said that it was unlikely given the degree of debris at the crash site.

Trends raise concerns for Tri-State Airport/Milton J. Ferguson Field (KHTS), Huntington, West Virginia.

HUNTINGTON -- The Tri-State Airport Authority has heard plenty of good news lately. Revenue has been above budget, with expenses below budget.

Times have been good. But Jerry Brienza, the airport's executive director, gave the board a heads-up Thursday about the future, and, "It's not a very rosy outlook for the airline industry in upcoming years," he said.

The information he shared with the board was gathered at an air service conference late last year, hosted by the air service consulting company Ailevon.

Brienza said small-market airports might be in a particularly bad position because airlines will be reducing the number of smaller jets they use -- such as the ones used at Tri-State Airport -- and replacing them with larger planes.

The industry is still digging itself out of a financial hole, driven by rising fuel costs and lower consumption over the past decade, Brienza said.

Brienza cited an Associated Press article published in November that said, "The little planes that connect America's small cities to the rest of the world are slowly being phased out.

"Airlines are getting rid of these planes - their least-efficient - in response to the high cost of fuel," the AP reported. "Delta, United Continental, and other big airlines are expected to park, scrap or sell hundreds of jets with 50 seats or fewer in coming years. Small propeller planes are meeting the same fate."

Some little cities will have with fewer flights or no flights at all, the report said.

For airlines, it all comes down to spreading fuel costs among passengers, the AP reported. A Delta 50-seat CRJ-200 made by Bombardier takes 19 gallons (72 liters) of fuel to fly each passenger 500 miles (805 kilometers). Fuel usage drops to just 7.5 gallons (28 liters) per passenger on Delta's 160-seat MD-90s over the same distance, the AP said.

So while the bigger jet burns more fuel overall, it's more efficient.

Delta is moving away from small jets more aggressively than other airlines and is expected to eliminate 121 50-seat jets from October 2008 through the end of this year, leaving it with 324.

In the face of this trend, Tri-State Airport must aggressively fight for the carriers that it has -- which are Allegiant Airlines, U.S. Airways and Delta -- and it must seek new carriers, Brienza said. The historic growth that Tri-State Airport has seen in irrelevant at this point, he said.

Some good news for Tri-State is that it has the No. 1 low-cost carrier, which is Allegiant. No. 2 is Spirit Airlines.

"We think we're OK and doing all right, but the fact is the industry is going downhill," he said.

There will be fewer commercial airports in the future -- fewer hubs, fewer routes and fewer flights.

"Someday, we'll have to talk about larger planes and a larger service area," said Bill Dingus, a member of the airport authority and executive director of the Lawrence County Economic Development Corporation.

In other business, the airport has appealed an order from the Department of Environmental Protection to corrective action on a land slip that occurred on the south side of the airport campus after construction from the runway extension project, which was completed last year.

Airport officials believe they have fulfilled the airport's obligations under its permit, and that another party was primarily responsible for the slip. The airport has hired Huddleston Bolen to represent it in the case.

Airport board members also got a report on passenger activity. Marketing Director Beckie McKinkely said that Delta saw a 15 percent increase in enplanements in 2011 over 2010, and U.S. Airways saw an 11 percent increase in 2011 over 2010. Allegiant made a nationwide decision last year to reduce the number of flights offered at its airports, and thus saw a 13 percent decrease in enplanements from 2010, making for an overall decline of 2.5 percent in enplanements for the airlines at Tri-State in 2011 from 2010.

The Airport Authority also approved lease agreements, including increased ramp space for FedEx to accommodate its new B-757 aircraft, and a hangar for Professional Aeronautics Academy, for the purpose of flight training and aircraft rental.

Source:  http://www.herald-dispatch.com

Lawmakers agree on a $63 billion, four-year FAA bill that boosts air traffic modernization

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers say they’ve reached an agreement on a $63 billion, four-year bill to extend the Federal Aviation Administration’s operating authority and the agency’s air traffic modernization effort.

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee said in a statement that the bill provides the long-term stable funding the FAA needs as it transitions from an air traffic control system that’s based on World War II-era technology to one based on GPS technology.

Rep. John Mica, a Florida Republican and chairman of the committee, said the negotiated agreement will also help the 8 percent of the economy that’s impacted by the aviation industry.

FAA’s operating authority expired in 2007. It has continued to limp along under a series of 23 short-term extensions. The most recent extension expires Feb. 17.

Source:  http://www.washingtonpost.com

CFB Trenton's plane, chopper doctors

CFB TRENTON - The country's largest air base benefits from Cpl. Brittany Purchon's painstaking paint work.

And the volume of that workload for Purchon and her co-workers just went through the roof now that aircraft are coming home from a war zone.

With the recent conclusion of the Canadian Forces' 10-year mission in Afghanistan, came busy times for Royal Canadian Air Forces' aircraft structures technicians (ACS) like Purchon at Aerospace and Telecommunications Engineering Support Squadron's (ATESS) refinishing shop.

From cleaning, refinishing, and entirely re-painting Griffon CH-416 helicopters to refurbishing pieces of equipment that were first manufactured in-house for military operations in Afghanistan, almost everything gets a second life at the wing's refinishing shop.

For the last eight weeks, Purchon — along with Cpl. Dean Lord, an ACS tech with the 424 Transport Search and Rescue Sqn., and six others out of the 48 posted with ATESS — has been working meticulously on refinishing a Griffon CH-416 helicopter that was used by the army in Afghanistan.

The helicopter, which was kitted out in army green until a couple months ago, is being turned into a red, yellow, and black search and rescue aircraft that will soon be flown by 424 Sqn. — replacing one of the squadron's fleet of four.

“Here at the shop, we do complete refurbishing of any aircraft, from cleaning, stripping, and paint work on specific aircraft, so they look good again and can be flown for different purposes,” said Purchon, a Borden native who was posted with the Trenton refinishing shop in September, 2007.

“We are responsible for the maintenance and repair of the aircraft structures and related components. Over the last four years I have worked on two other Griffons, as well as on one CF-18 Hornet and did a little bit of work on the Harvard for the museum (National Air Force Museum of Canada).”

All this refinishing work is done in order to get the most air-frame hours as possible out of the aircraft. Warrant Officer Robert Pomeroy, also an ACS tech at ATESS, said the Canadian Forces centralize their aircraft that have been used in several different locations over a certain period of time and reconfigure their “jobs”, in order to make them last longer.

“Refinishing an aircraft is a big job,” said Pomeroy. “It takes us between eight to 10 weeks just for one Griffon. Our work is a bit like being a scientist in a way that every kind of paint has a weight and everything has to be measured. For instance, in order to get off the ground and fly properly, the Griffon cannot have more than 300 pounds of paint on its structure.”

Purchon, Lord, and Pomeroy's occupation encompasses a variety of skills and abilities relating to tasks such as metal and composite repair, painting, machining and welding.

The trio is currently working out of the squadron's 62-year-old service building. On March 3, the 48 ACS technicians at CFB Trenton will move into their new home — a brand new, state-of-the-art $30.9-million facility that will allow them to paint aircraft and parts up to the size of a CF-18 Hornet fighter jet.

Once fully operational and settled into their new home, one of the ACS techs' first tasks will be to refinish 15 more Griffons as well as refurbishing the original Golden Hawk F-86 Sabre Jet that has been on display at Zwicks Park in Belleville since 1967, the year it was presented to the city by the Lions Club in commemoration of Canada's Centennial.

Before it gets re-installed on its pedestal at Zwicks Park, the aircraft — which was lifted off by Warrant Officer Jeff Levesque and his staff from ATESS' Recovery and Salvage Support unit last November — will require a considerable amount of work.

“The Sabre is in such disarray that its main aluminum structure is in poor shape and its canopy has to be completely redone because it's destroyed, so we will have to make one from scratch, which will take at least two to three months,” said Pomeroy.

“And with the refinishing work, which will take four to six months, and the manpower required for this aircraft to get finished and ready to be re-installed in the park it will take at least two years.”

Source:  http://www.intelligencer.ca

Credit Union Centre staff fired after trip: Arizona trip was for CFL fact-finding, ex-staff say

Two senior Credit Union Centre managers have been fired over a trip to Arizona where there was more than $7,000 of "inappropriate" spending, the chair of the organization's board says.

The former employees - Brian Swidrovich, director of business development, and Will Antonishyn, director of finance and ticketing - have filed lawsuits in which they claim an October trip to Phoenix was one of several trips that included looking into sponsorship, event production, relationship building and the possibility of a Canadian Football League franchise and stadium for Saskatoon.

In separate statements of claim filed Monday, Swidrovich and Antonishyn say the trip was approved by the executive director at the time, Ken Wood, who retired before he went on the Arizona trip.

The trip, which was taken with two others not identified in the statements of claim, was also to "provide recognition" and "solidify the relationship with these individuals," says Swidrovich's statement of claim against defendants Credit Union Centre and board chair Rich Gabruch.

"The trip taken was consistent with past trips with the same individuals," the statement of claims say.

The trip was used to "deal with issues that were of direct value and importance" to the Credit Union Centre, the plaintiffs say.

The Credit Union Centre, formerly Saskatchewan Place, is owned by the City of Saskatoon.

The centre is overseen by a board of directors that includes the mayor, two city councillors and members of the community.

The October trip included flights, meals and "club seats" to a National Football League game, says Gabruch, chair of the CUC board of directors, in an interview Monday morning before the suits were filed. There was more than $7,000 spent, he says.

"There was some inappropriate spending that had occurred," Gabruch says. "Once (a review) was completed, it was determined that termination was reasonable."

The review showed the expenses, charged to a CUC credit card, "were not for Credit Union Centre business or City of Saskatoon business," Gabruch says.

Larry Seiferling, the lawyer for Antonishyn and Swidrovich, said the trip was approved by the executive director at the time, Wood, who retired in September and was replaced by Will Lofdahl.

"They were just following all the past practices," Seiferling says. "The approval came from the executive director (who) had been approving this exact same trip for two years.

"This was not a trip that was first taken this year. The court will decide whether the trip was appropriate or not, and I have no doubt they will find that these guys, the guys that went on the trip, were just doing what they've always done. So why were they let go for it? I understand that a new guy can change rules, but you have to tell these people. You can't fire them for it. That's really the issue."

In the claim, the plaintiffs say Gabruch knew about the trip and there were "at least two occasions" to tell the employees it was "inappropriate" prior their leaving.

Gabruch said he was not aware of the trip until afterwards.

Antonishyn and Swidrovich, employees of the Credit Union Centre since 1988 and 1994, respectively, were never disciplined during their tenure with the organization, the statements of claim say.

The trip was planned in 2010, one of the statements of claim says. It "carried many of the same business objectives as the approved client appreciation trips taken in prior years and was based on previously approved sponsorship objectives and plans."

Investigating the possibility of a CFL team and stadium for Saskatoon was a "secondary objective" of the trip, the claims say. In Antonishyn's statement of claim, he says he still believed looking into a CFL franchise for Saskatoon was viable because he was asked about it when he interviewed for the CUC executive director position in September.

"(Venue) observations pertained to the possibility of a CFL franchise and stadium project," for Saskatoon, the plaintiffs say.

Wood, the former executive director, declined to comment when reached Monday morning. Antonishyn could not be reached for comment. In his statement of claim, Antonishyn says he was convinced to go on the trip by the executive director at the time and was only in Phoenix for two days.

Swidrovich directed all questions to his lawyer.

He released a statement via email to The StarPhoenix.

"After close to 18 years representing Credit Union Centre and this community with pride and respect, I am deeply concerned as to the manner in which I have been relieved of my position," Swidrovich says in the statement. "This situation has caused a great deal of hurt and anguish for me and my family."

In the suits, the two former employees seek damages including wages, benefits and other unspecified damages.

The City of Saskatoon and the CUC board is looking at a review of previous trips, Gabruch says.

"It would be imprudent for a corporation not to analyze the books after something like this comes to light," Gabruch says. "It certainly raises a whole bunch of interesting questions and certainly all those questions contributed to the decision to terminate."

Swidrovich organized the Cameco Canada Remembers International Air Show, which was restarted last year after a hiatus.

The board and Credit Union Centre management is "looking at the issue as we speak" and will determine if the air show will run this summer, Gabruch says.

Source: http://www.thestarphoenix.com

Canada Remembers International Airshow: Credit Union Centre airshow threatened after director fired.

One of two directors fired for inappropriate spending was in charge of the show

The future is uncertain for the Canada Remembers International Airshow in Saskatoon, after the firing of Brian Swidrovich who organized the event for over a decade.

CUC executive director Will Lofdahk said they're constantly analyzing every event held at the centre.

"We're taking a look at the show for this coming year, and whether or not we will be going forward with it," he said.

"We will be making that decision fairly quickly."

Swidrovich was let go along with fellow employee Will Antonishyn over alleged inappropriate spending during a work trip to Arizona.

The Star Phoenix reported the trip included flights, meals, and prime seats for an NFL game.

After they were let go they filed lawsuits claiming their trip was approved by the previous executive director of CUC.

The lawsuit also claimed several trips besides the one to Phoenix were organized to look into sponsorship, event production and the possibility of a CFL franchise and stadium for Saskatoon.

Board Chair Rich Gabrauch told the newspaper more than $7,000 was spent, some of it was inappropriate. He added that once a review was completed it was determined that termination was reasonable.

Source:   http://cjme.com

Casper/Natrona County International Airport ( KCPR) to get additional United flight for summer

United Airlines will be adding a fifth regional jet flight between the Casper/Natrona County International Airport and Denver this summer, adding another 50 seats, which brings the total number available each day to 250, airport officials announced today.

From July 1 through Aug. 27, a mid-evening flight will be added, arriving in Casper at 7:01 and departing at 7:57, according to airport Manager Glenn Januska, who noted that the other arrival and departure times change to accommodate the added flights.

Travelers wanting to get from Casper to Denver will have a choice of five departing flights, beginning at 6:15 a.m. with the last one at 7:57 p.m. The first arriving flight will land at 9:50 a.m., and the last flight from Denver will arrive at 10:32 p.m.

“We’re very happy to see the added capacity. The United flights have been averaging between 85 percent and 90 percent full the past few months, so demand is certainly moving past capacity,” Januska said. “Since demand peaks in the summer, the timing of this additional flight is perfect.”

The nearly full flights are because of an increasing population, traveling required for jobs, energy industry representatives visiting Wyoming, among others, Januska explained. And with the consistency of the flight load, he said the airport is “almost to the point of looking for additional flights.”

Januska said the two later arrival flights allow business people to conduct meetings in Denver later in the day and still be able to connect to a flight back to Casper.

“We’ll see what the bookings are and the overall level of service and demand” after Aug. 27, he said. “There’s always a possibility that United might add a few more months of the extra flights.”

http://www.wyomingbusinessreport.com

Outagamie County Regional Airport (KATW) retires debt early. Appleton, Wisconsin.

$4 million in debt paid off five years early

Airport and county leaders hold a bond burning ceremony at the Outagamie County Regional Airport, Jan. 31, 2012.

GREENVILLE - Instead of burning money, Outagamie County is burning bonds.

A ceremony was held Tuesday morning at the Outagamie County Regional Airport to celebrate paying off $4 million in debt five years early.

In 2001, the airport underwent a $10.7 million terminal expansion project. To help pay for the project, the bonds were issued with a 15 year term.

By paying off the bonds early, airport director Marty Lenss says $234,000 in interest will be saved.

“Paying off this debt early assists us in keeping our rates and charges for our terminal tenants, including airlines, competitive,” said Lenss in a release.

The 30,000 square foot airport expansion added more seating and space for customers, as well as five aircraft boarding bridges.

Source: http://www.fox11online.com

Piper PA-22 Tri-Pacer: 2 hospitalized after plane crashes while landing at Sheridan Municipal Airport (9M8), Arkansas.

SHERIDAN, Ark. — Authorities say a small airplane has crashed while landing at an airport in central Arkansas.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Lynn Lunsford says the Piper PA-22 Tri-Pacer went down about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday while landing at Sheridan Municipal Airport. Lunsford says two people on board the aircraft suffered serious injuries and were transported to a hospital for treatment.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Lynn Lunsford says the Piper PA-22 Tri-Pacer went down about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday while landing at Sheridan Municipal Airport.

No names were immediately released.

Lunsford says authorities don't know why the plane crashed. FAA investigators are headed to the scene.

According to FAA records, the single-engine plane is registered to a Sheridan resident.

Conditions below acceptable threshold in crash: Transportation Safety Board of Canada

Use of visual flight rules in adverse weather conditions was among the factors contributing to a deadly plane crash in Quebec more than a year ago.

On July 16, 2010, a float-equipped de Havilland Beaver operated by Air Saguenay (1980) Inc crashed into a mountain not far from Lake Péribonka, Quebec, notes a recent investigation report from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB).

Travelling from Lac des Quatre to Lac Margane, the plane was carrying one pilot and five passengers. Just a few minutes into the flight, the pilot reported his intentions to make a precautionary landing because of adverse weather conditions. The aircraft hit the wooded mountainside about 30 metres below its peak while flying straight and level.

The crash claimed the lives of the pilot and three passengers; the remaining passengers were injured, one seriously.

Federal investigators point to a number of contributing factors, including the following:

- the pilot took off in weather conditions that were below the minimum for visual flight rules (VFR) and continued the flight in those conditions;

- the pilot wound up in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) after a late decision to make a precautionary landing, resulting in visual references being greatly reduced; and,

- the passenger at the rear of the aircraft was seated on a plastic chair and secured using anchors located on the floor of the aircraft (he was ejected from the plane on impact, diminishing his chances of survival).

The plane was equipped with an emergency locator transmitter (ELT), but its antenna located on the fuselage was torn off and the device itself was eventually consumed by fire. No ELT signal was received.

Asked if there is a need to change requirements around ELT positioning on aircraft, Maryse Durette, senior media relations advisor for Transport Canada, says that there are already obligations around installation and mounting.

"There will always exist the possibility of damage occurring that will render the unit inoperative, but steps are taken to minimize the chances," she adds.

Although low clouds were expected in the area, conditions on departure from Lac Margane at approximately 7:40 am were above the VFR minimum, notes the TSB report. The pilot intended to assess conditions en route and make a precautionary landing if unable to continue under VFR.

But between departing Lac Margane and the crash, there were a number of delays.

Within minutes of taking off, the pilot informed the base and the passengers that adverse weather conditions meant they would need to land. "The visibility at the front of the aircraft was nil. The ground could only be seen by looking directly downwards through the side windows, and it was frequently obstructed by the clouds," the TSB report notes. The crash occurred at 11:17 am.

Prolonged flying times "indicate considerable detours had to be made before the flight arrived at its destination," the report states. "It is quite likely that the weather conditions were below the thresholds prescribed by the Canadian Aviation Regulations," it adds.

"TSB data show that continuing a VFR flight in bad weather presents a serious safety threat," the report states.

Upon arriving at Lac des Quatre, there were no pressures of an operational nature forcing the pilot to expedite the return to the base on Lac Margane, the TSB reports. "Consequently, it is reasonable to believe that the pilot was convinced of being able to return to his base in the existing weather conditions, since the pilot had just flown over the area."

While the TSB report makes no recommendations for Transport Canada, Durette says the department will seek feedback from industry stakeholders around pilot decision-making (PDM) to determine what more may need to be done in this area.

As well, Transport Canada's website provides a PDM educational package that teaches concepts, principles and good practices, she adds.

The TSB also points to the value in educating passengers on the risks of flying in adverse weather conditions, as is done through the Circle of Safety Consumer Education Program south of the border. "It is better to ask questions about a flight and avoid a potential tragedy. This is good ‘risk management,' in which the passenger has a key role."

Transport Canada's "Weather to Fly" educational series seeks to create weather awareness as part of the flying environment. "Though primarily intended for members of the industry, it has useful information for passengers too," Durette says.

Source:  http://www.ohscanada.com

Cut pilots’ pay, link it to Air India profits: govt panel

New Delhi The government-appointed panel to resolve pay-related issues of employees belonging to Air India and erstwhile Indian Airlines has recommended pruning pilots’ salaries and benchmarking them to the private sector. 

Around 1,800 pilots of the state-owned carrier — who are paid 10-15 per cent more than private sector rivals Jet and Indigo — account for almost four-fifth of the total wage bill, with some getting over Rs 1 crore a year.

According to a source involved in writing the report, incentives for the 28,500-odd staff, would now be linked to the airline’s profitability. “If the airline makes profit, employees get these allowances,” said the source. These will be different from the productivity-linked incentives, which are linked to the traffic carried, and presently make up almost 80 per cent of a pilot’s total pay package. The panel called for doing away with the PLI, which it said, can be factored in while redrawing the new basic pay structure. It also sought to restrict the number of free tickets employees and their extended families are eligible for on Air India as well as partner global airlines.

In an attempt to end the turf war between the two state-owned carriers which were merged in 2007, the report advocated a cadre-based graded system for the merged entity, Air India. As career progression, it has recommended erstwhile Indian Airlines pilots to be allowed to train on bigger aircraft flown on the long-haul international sector. Air India pilots had recently threatened to strike when management approved training program for Indian Airlines pilots on much-awaited Boeing’s Dreamliners. The recommendations, if accepted by the government, will be effective from April 1, 2007.

“The report is a bitter pill,” said the source, adding, “Nobody can satisfy every segment. But they have to understand it’s the matter of airline’s survival. Some sacrifices have to be made,” said the source. While the overall recommendations of the report remain cost neutral, which means the beleaguered airline will not have to incur any additional outgo on account of HR costs, the segment which will be impacted the most will be the pilots. “Remaining 90 per cent will be getting the same salary or in certain cases even more,” said a source. Employees’ salaries will be aligned with the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) guidelines. Allowances have been capped at 50 per cent of basic, and in case of pilots, flying allowances provision has been retained. This means all sundry allowances unique to Air India including entertainment and laundry would be abolished.

Set up in March 2011, the committee headed by retired Supreme Court Justice DN Dharmadhikari, submitted its report to the civil aviation minister Ajit Singh on Tuesday in presence of civil aviation secretary Nasim Zaidi and Air India CMD Rohit Nandan. “The government will examine the report, in consultation with the Air India management to ascertain if the company is in a position to pay as recommended,” said a ministry official.

In 1997, both Air India and Indian Airlines, which were separate entities, instead of enforcing a new payscale, hiked incentives. As of now, employees get almost 25 per cent total pay packet as basic salary and rest as PLI. Highest-paid pilots, some of whom get over a crore per year, and engineers account for 20 per cent of workforce but get nearly 80 per cent of the total wage bill of almost Rs 3,200 crore.

Source:  http://www.expressindia.com