Editor hits out at ‘questionable’ crash pic ruling

by Sarah Bould, last updated on February 22, 2012

A daily editor has questioned how far the Press Complaints Commission should go in preventing the publication of dramatic photographs after a complaint against his newspaper was upheld.

Peter Barron, editor of the Northern Echo, was speaking out about the implications of last week’s ruling which was upheld on the grounds that the newspaper had now shown enough sensitivity in publishing the photo.

Writing in his ‘From the editor’s chair’ column, Peter called the PCC’s ruling ‘controversial and ‘questionable’.

The picture was of a glider pilot being treated for injuries following a crash which had been sent to the paper by the Cleveland Search and Rescue Team who had not sought the injured man’s consent.

The newspaper had checked with the police that the man’s injuries were not life-threatening before making the decision to use the photo.

However his wife argued that it broke Clause Five of the Editor’s Code of Conduct on intrusion into grief and shock, and the PCC upheld her complaint.

Wrote Peter: “It not only has major implications for news organizations reporting breaking news stories, but rescue organizations which rely on public goodwill and charity.

“The Northern Echo had no way of contacting the pilot and, to this day, we have received no direct contact from him or his family, complaining about our actions.

“He was unidentified and not a local man. It is true that the photographer, from the search and rescue team, could have sought his consent, but that was not in our control.”

He adds that the paper could have masked the man’s face and, in the light of the ruling from the PCC, perhaps that is what editors will now have to do.

Questioning where the line is drawn he recalled a story in September when the Echo published pictures of students injured after a double-decker bus crashed into a low bridge in Darlington.

The images were more graphic than the picture of the glider pilot, but attracted neither complaint nor censure.

He adds: “In the light of the Leveson Inquiry into phone hacking, the Press Complaints Commission is under pressure like never before. It has an undeniably difficult job to perform, but the commissioners have months to come to a conclusion, while editors often have just minutes.

“We live in an age of 24-hour news, with mobile phone technology turning millions of people into on-the-spot photographers, and with Twitter, Facebook and YouTube enabling instant publishing.

“Knowing where to draw the line will only become more difficult.”

Read the full article here.

http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk

Africa will require 1,101 new aircraft by 2030

Addis Ababa – Africa will require 1,101 aircraft by 2030 when the continent’s air traffic is likely to grow at above world’s average, Mr Alan Pardoe, Airbus Head of Marketing Communications has said.

In an interview in Addis Ababa, Pardoe said Airbus latest Global Market Forecast showed that the value of the required aircraft would be 126 billion dollars.

“The required aircraft include 790 single aisles aircraft such as A320 family, 273 twin aisles such as the 350 XWB, the long range A330/A340 and 38 very large aircraft such as the A380’’, Pardoe said.

He said tourism, an expanding middle class, increased urbanisation, business relationships with developing nations and further opportunities from market liberalisation and low cost of air travel would push Africa’s average annual passenger growth by 5.7 per cent.

He said the figure was well above the 4.8 per cent world average growth rate and far outstripped more developed markets such as North America and Western Europe.

“Air travel in Africa is predicted to increase by 5.7 per cent annually, because Africa used to rely on river and road transport, but today aviation is essential for development, and will increasingly become the 21st century’s answer to connect people in the region with each other and the rest of the world,’’ Pardoe said.

He said Airbus had delivered 534 commercial aircraft and had a booking of 1,1419 aircraft in 2011.

Pardoe said the company has delivered more than 7,000 aircraft to its customers since it started production in 1972.

He said the company would continue to target Nigeria’s large and growing aviation market as a way of supporting the country’s aviation industry.

Arik airline is the only Airbus customer in Nigeria.

http://www.vanguardngr.com

Airline scouts for pilots

By OBSERVER News - Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua – As it scouts for pilots from the region, India’s second-largest low-cost airline SpiceJet has assured carriers operating here that it is not trying to siphon off their more experienced workers.

SpiceJet’s Executive Recruiter Alex Sani, who is in Antigua & Barbuda for a week, was speaking yesterday on the OBSERVER AM programme.

“Those guys who are close to retirement we are telling them stay put and enjoy their retirement. It’s the young ones that we are looking to give an opportunity,” Sani explained.

He said the Indian carrier, which began service in 2005, is offering very attractive employment packages that allow expatriate pilots to see their families often.

“Ten weeks on, four weeks off. We provide them return tickets to their home base or any country they wish to go to. So this is very exciting,” he noted.

Sani said the pilots are needed for the 30 Dash8s which SpiceJet has on order. He explained that the captains and first officers recruited will however need additional training.

“They are flying Dash 8-300 but we are operating the Dash 8 Q-400. So they just need to go for a conversion course and then the rest of the training is provided in India. The terrain is different as well. They will also have to do a different annual exam in India.

Using 26 Boeing 737-800, SpiceJet operates over 243 flights daily to 31 Indian cities and is expanding internationally.

http://www.antiguaobserver.com

Union protests Boeing’s move of flight testing to Delaware firm

Written by: KATHLEEN E. CAREY

Daily Times 02/22/12 - 5:15 AM EST

RIDLEY TOWNSHIP — Mike McGonigal drove to his Boeing workplace Tuesday morning — but instead of working, he took a vacation day to stand on the Industrial Highway with his fellow union members.

“I’m angry,” the West Chester resident said. “I’m angry about this. They’re treating us like trash in there.”

Shortly after 5 a.m., about 50 members of the United Aerospace Workers Union Local 1069 stood along the Industrial Highway and along Stewart Avenue to protest work that Boeing is sending to a Delaware flight test center.

Union officials are concerned about the company’s decision to have two Canadian CH-47 Chinooks sent to Summit Aviation in Middletown, Del., for flight testing after having sent six Netherlands CH-47 Chinooks there for the same evaluation.

Chris Owens, president of the UAW 1069, said that work had been done at the Delaware County plant for more than 50 years.

“They made a commitment to us that no more work was going to go down there and they backdoored us,” he said, adding that the union lost 81 jobs last year to vendors.

Boeing officials said the two Canadian aircraft need to be tested in Delaware because of a temporary limited capacity issue at the local plant but that the remaining 13 would be tested in Delaware County.

“The requirement to have air worthiness testing for two aircraft performed at Summit Aviation is necessary to meet our delivery schedule for our customers,” Damien Mills, Boeing’s director of communications, said. “This is not any attempt to push work out of the factory.”

Company officials said the Netherlands aircraft faced a similar capacity crunch and was tested in Delaware when the Chinook factory renovations were underway.

Union leaders questioned Boeing’s moves.

“The fear is they’re setting us up for failure and then they can send the work down to Summit,” Owens said. “What’s their commitment to this county?”

He said personnel in the Flight Test department was decreased from 79 to 67 when the production was three aircraft a month and this year that order is expected to increase to five a month.

“Let’s keep the work here in Delaware County,” Owens said.

Mike Tolassi, vice president of UAW 1069, questioned the work being completed by the vendors.

“The started a trend in the last few years with vendors,” he said. “We have to rework a lot of vendor work.”

In addition, union representatives said that senior managers were accusing their members of swearing and being in the bathroom too long and have instructed the union members not to talk to each other.

Company officials declined to comment on the allegations.

http://business-news.thestreet.com

City vacates right of way for airport expansion

GARY — Work will start this week on Gary/Chicago International Airport’s grade separation over Chicago and Industrial Avenues after the Common Council voted unanimously to approve vacating the right of way to Chicago Avenue.

Traffic will be diverted off Industrial down Chicago Avenue both directions while the work is being done, runway expansion project director Scott Wheeler told the council Tuesday night. He, airport director Steve Landry and airport attorney Pat Lyp had presented the plan to the Planning Committee last week.

Once the separation is finished and a vehicle bridge is built over Industrial Avenue, the CSX and the rerouted Canadian National tracks, two lanes of the bridge will be opened to traffic and Chicago Avenue will be closed for good, Wheeler said.

The targeted date for the expansion’s completion is December 2013, with trains to be running on the tracks by no later than spring of that year, Landry said.

Resident Jim Nowacki, of the city’s Miller section, chided Landry for not telling the council that the airport doesn’t have a firm commitment from Canadian National that it will in fact relocate it tracks at all and implored the council to not give away what he feels is the city’s last bargaining chip. Councilman Ronier Scott, D-6th, however, reminded the council that the vacating had nothing to do with negotiations.

“The Planning Committee meeting was televised, so anyone could see this isn’t about negotiations,” Scott said. “This is a street closing, and traffic flow will not be interfered.”

In other business, the Public Safety Committee set a meeting to consider the hiring of Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson’s choice for the fire chief at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 1, in City Hall’s Cleo Wesson Lounge. Freeman-Wilson’s choice, Teresa Everett, comes from College Park, Ga.

State statute says candidates being considered for the top spots on a municipality’s police or fire department must have at least five consecutive years on that municipality’s department before a mayor can appoint them, Councilman Roy Pratt, D-At-Large, said. A mayor can choose someone from outside the department, the statute says, but the council must vote to waive the in-city rule before the appointment can be made.

The outside candidate still must have at least five continuous years on his or her respective department, however, Pratt said.

http://posttrib.suntimes.com

New sheriff (station) in town

Riverside County sheriff's Capt. Raymond Gregory observes the airport hangar at the new Thermal Station on Airport Boulevard in Thermal. Wade Byars/The Desert Sun

THERMAL — Stephen Sanchez watched Tuesday as a trio of Riverside County sheriff's patrol units rolled along Airport Boulevard.

It will now be a regular sight in Sanchez's neighborhood, with sheriff's deputies operating out of a new home down the street from his residence near Airport and State Highway 86.

“I feel safer already,” said Sanchez, 43.

Beginning today, sheriff's deputies who cover the eastern Coachella Valley will work out of the new sheriff's station in Thermal at 86-625 Airport Blvd..

Inside the $42 million, 99,149-square-foot facility is a maze of hallways leading to offices, briefing rooms, locker rooms and other facilities to be used by 184 sworn deputies and personnel.

It includes a forensics bureau and an aviation hangar.

More: http://www.mydesert.com

Clock Becomes Part Of Dive-Bomber Restoration

ERMA — A clock saved from a World War II carrier-based dive-bomber has found its way from Naval Air Station Wildwood (NASW) to National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Fla.

Dr. Joseph Salvatore, founder and chairman of NASW, said he saw a newsletter from the Glen Curtiss Museum in Hammonsport, N.Y. indicating they had donated two elevators (tail portions) from a SB2C Helldiver aircraft.

The Glenn Curtiss Museum found out the museum in Pensacola had just taken a SB2C out of a lake in California so they donated the elevators for a planned restoration of the aircraft. Mercury Aircraft, also in Hammonsport, donated an oil tank.

Salvatore looked on his desk and found a clock from a SB2C that a local Navy captain, now decreased, had donated to Naval Air Station Wildwood.

Captain Paul Hunter, a World War II naval pilot, was flying in Hawaii, crashed and grabbed the clock from his SB2C.

Salvatore contacted National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola to see if they could use a clock for the SB2C found in the lake. He said they welcomed donation of the clock.

“It’s interesting that the admiral in charge of Pensacola (museum) used to be lifeguard in Ocean City,” said Salvatore.

The Hunter family gave their permission for the clock to be sent to Pensacola for the plane restoration The back of the clock has the story of the crash on a piece of paper.

It reads “Paul lost an engine in his SB2C over Malachi, Hawaii 1945, left the plane, took this clock.”

Salvatore said Hunter was WWII was hero in the Pacific and returned to the U.S. to train other flyers. He was a frequent visitor to the museum, he said.

http://www.capemaycountyherald.com

Cessna 414A, N4772A: Accident occurred February 19, 2012 in Hayden, Colorado

NTSB Identification: CEN12FA161 

14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, February 19, 2012 in Hayden, CO
Aircraft: CESSNA 414A, registration: N4772A
Injuries: 2 Fatal,4 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 February 19, 2012, approximately 1530 mountain standard time, a Cessna 414A, N4772A, impacted terrain while attempting to land at the Yampa Valley Airport (KHDN), Hayden, Colorado. The commercial pilot and one passenger were fatally injured and four passengers were seriously injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual and operated as a personal flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Instrument meteorological conditions developed for the flight, that operated on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The flight departed the Dalhart Municipal Airport (KDHT), Dalhart, Texas, approximately 1415 central standard time.

An initial review of air traffic control information revealed that the pilot was cleared by air traffic control to the initial approach fix (REVME) for the instrument landing system (ILS) approach for runway 10.

Airfield personnel provided an enhanced UNICOM service for inbound traffic and were monitoring UNICOM and Denver Center at the time of the accident. Airfield personal heard the pilot report he was on final approach over the UNICOM frequency. Airport personnel then selected the airport lights to high, and the pilot acknowledged the light status. There was no report of a distress call being made by the pilot prior to the accident.

In an interview with the airplane's owner, who was also a passenger, he stated the airplane was maneuvering to land at KDHN. The pilot had made two left turning circles and had begun a third circle when the he perceived that the airplane "just stalled." He added the airplane fell straight down and impacted terrain. In addition, he commented that the engines were running at the time of the accident.

The accident site was located about 95 yards south-southwest from the edge of runway 10. The wreckage path was aligned generally along a 090 heading. The debris path contained the left aileron and right propeller. The main wreckage came to rest facing a 320 heading. The fuselage displayed buckling and crushing throughout its length. All major airplane components were accounted for at the accident site.

At 1515, an automated weather reporting facility located at KHDN reported winds from 310 at 8 knots, 5 miles visibility, few clouds at 800 feet, scattered clouds at 1,700 feet, broken ceiling at 2,900 feet, temperature -1 Celsius (C), dew point -3 C. At 1535, winds were reported from 290 at 10 knots gusting to 14 knots, visibility 1/4 mile, ceiling overcast at 400 feet, temperature -2 C, dew point -3 C. This facility does not report precipitation.

Steamboat Springs — Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board on Tuesday morning concluded their on-site inspection of the plane that crashed Sunday at Yampa Valley Regional Airport, killing two people. The investigation will continue next week after the plane is transported to a hangar on the Front Range.

Airport Manager Dave Ruppel said a team of investigators from the NTSB, the Federal Aviation Administration, Cessna and Continental, which manufactured the plane’s engine, spent Monday and Tuesday taking photos and measurements at the crash site in an effort to determine what caused the Cessna 414A to crash short of YVRA’s runway, killing pilot Hans Vandervlugt and passenger Gaby Humpal.

Airport officials reported the private plane crashed as it attempted to land in a heavy snowstorm with zero visibility.

Messages left with the lead NTSB investigator who traveled to Hayden were not returned Monday or Tuesday.

Still recovering

Sara Humpal, 10, the youngest survivor of Sunday’s plane crash, remained in serious condition at Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora on Tuesday evening.

Her father, Scott Humpal, and her brothers Tad, 18, and Dillon, 13, also survived the crash and were released from Yampa Valley Medical Center in Steamboat Springs at about 3:30 p.m. Tuesday after they were treated for injuries ranging from broken bones to cervical instability. The family was traveling to Aurora on Tuesday night to be with Sara, family and friends reported.

Vandervlugt, 75, was flying Scott and Gaby Humpal and their three children from Corpus Christi, Texas, to Steamboat for a ski vacation when the Cessna 414A crashed 30 to 40 yards short of the runway at YVRA.

Russell Hanks, a friend of the Humpal family who works at one of the physical therapy clinics Scott Humpal owns in Corpus Christi, reported Sara was able to move her arms and legs after she had procedures at YVMC to reinflate collapsed lungs and fix fractures to her legs. He said that the boys were recovering well and that Sara had another surgery Tuesday morning to treat a compartment syndrome in her leg. He added that a procedure doctors initially planned to fix a fracture in her T6 vertebrae was not performed Tuesday afternoon and may be unnecessary.

“She still has some lung issues they are trying to correct,” he said. “Last I heard, she was stable.”

 A devoted mother

Family and friends of Gaby Humpal, 44, said Tuesday that she always will be remembered as a loving mother.

“Gaby hated for you to ring the doorbell. She would just expect for you to come in, and she would always greet you with a warm hug and a smile,” said Michelle Braselton, who met the Humpals through a couples Bible study group Gaby started with fellow worshippers at the Bay Area Fellowship in Corpus Christi. “She was very warm and hospitable.”

Braselton said Gaby met Scott Humpal while living in Monterrey, Mexico, and was a strong Christian woman devoted to all of her children’s endeavors. She added that Gaby loved to entertain.

Robert Vasquez, Gaby’s brother-in-law, said she was an avid tennis player and jogger, but most importantly, she always put her children first.

“She was a striking woman with a beautiful character, and she was very, very lovable,” he said. “She was a devoted mother and wife, and she lived her life for her children.”

FAA IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 4772A        Make/Model: C414      Description: 414, Chancellor
  Date: 02/19/2012     Time: 2235

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N

LOCATION
  City: HAYDEN   State: CO   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES AT YAMPA VALLEY AIRPORT, 
  HAYDEN, CO.

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   2
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:    
                 # Pass:   5     Fat:   1     Ser:   4     Min:   0     Unk:    
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:    

WEATHER: 2235Z 29010G14 1/4SM OVC004 M02/M03 A2962

OTHER DATA


  FAA FSDO: UNKNOWN,   ()                         Entry date: 02/21/2012 

http://t.steamboatpilot.com

Longer Flight Times Could Lead To Plane Crashes, Pilots Tell MPs

Pilots have warned of a "danger to public safety" if longer flight times were introduced, in evidence to MPs on the Transport Committee on Tuesday morning. 

MPs are scrutinising the likely impact of proposals to increase time pilots could spend on duty. With increased flight times, pilots will be more tired and prone to accidents, said Rob Hunter, head of Safety at the British Airline Pilots’ Association. 

Hunter revealed that, according to an internal survey done by ComRes, 43% of pilots had reported falling asleep on the flight desk and 33% said that on waking, they found the other pilot was asleep. Hunter said he believed it represents “an underestimate of the true figures” as pilots may not realise if they had just been asleep. 

Louise Ellman, chair of the Transport Select Committee, described this revelation as “very scary”. 

This startling admission comes after the Transport Select Committee launched an inquiry into flight time limitations. Last month the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) published a proposal to regulate limits across Europe of flight and duty times. 

Jon Horne, from the European Cockpit Association, said that he expected accident rates to increase “commensurately”. Horne added that accidents could be nearly six times as likely to happen in longer flights. 

The heavy pressures on pilots increases the danger of fatigue, according to Hunter. Pilots risk disciplinary action if they admit they had fallen asleep during a flight. As a result, Hunter said: 

“Pilots are fearful that if they report fatigue, that they’ll face a quasi-disciplinary process. [For pilots] it becomes a better option to put up with it than to report it”t

Airlines themselves were to blame for the “intensely competitive [and] very unsympathetic” environment. Hunter told MPs that there was a “vague definition of safety” in the industry. He described them as “icons of the low-cost business model”, adding:

“If [airlines] spend on safety today, they might go out of business tomorrow” 

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk

Obituary: Jac Crain -Clarinda, Iowa

Funeral services for Jac Crain, age 53, of Clarinda, Iowa, who died suddenly Sunday, February 19, 2012 as the result of a plane crash in rural Clarinda, Iowa, will be held 10:30 a.m., Thursday, February 23, 2012 at the Hillside Missionary Church, Clarinda, Iowa. Visitation with the family will be held 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., at Hillside Missionary Church, Clarinda, Iowa. Burial will be in the Clarinda Cemetery, Clarinda, Iowa. Memorials may be directed to the Midwest Opportunities. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family on our website at, www.ritchiefuneralhome.com under Obituaries. Arrangements were entrusted to the Ritchie Funeral Home of Clarinda, Iowa.

More:  http://ritchiefuneralhome.tributes.com

 

FAA IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 215BD        Make/Model: BD4       Description: BD-4
  Date: 02/19/2012     Time: 1920

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
  City: CLARINDA   State: IA   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES 1.5 MILES SSW OF CLARINDA, IA.

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


OTHER DATA


  FAA FSDO: DES MOINES, IA  (CE01)                Entry date: 02/21/2012 

10 News Investigators: Air marshals call federal investigation a coverup

TAMPA, Fla. -- Five current and former federal air marshals who first talked to the 10 News Investigators more than two years ago are calling a 21-month-long Office of Inspector General report on the agency a total whitewash and an embarrassment.

The air marshals insist the report missed the incompetence and discrimination displayed by mangers in the agency and the danger that incompetence causes in the skies.

"We asked for an investigation and we got an inspection," says Theo Doropoulos, a former air marshal who is not alone in his criticism.

Three current air marshals who asked us to not use their names are also upset with the report. "This is a whitewash. It's a whitewash from the top down," says one.

"They didn't try to find any evidence. They never interviewed the right people," says another.

"It affects us. And if it affects us, it affects the flying public. I'd be embarrassed to put my name to this," says a third.

The trigger for the investigation was a "Jeopardy" type game board we exposed in 2010. Managers in the training office in Orlando used the board to play a game disparaging African Americans, Gays, Lesbians, Hispanics, and Veterans.

"They are trying and attempting in every way to run from this game board," says Doropoulos.

To the air marshals, the board is symbolic of the system-wide attitude of managers in the agency. However, the inspector general's report says the board was not a source of allegations or retaliation and discrimination in other field offices. It goes on to say the board was used to make fun of those on the training staff, not others. The air marshals say that is a blatant lie.

Read More

Officer who claimed discrimination settles with airport

Man who claimed he was harassed for being gay agrees to $30K settlement.

An officer with the Bob Hope Airport Police Department has agreed to accept $30,000 to settle claims that he was harassed by his supervisor for being gay.

In the lawsuit, Richard Ellis claims the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority did nothing to stop the harassment, even after being notified of the situation.

Ellis claimed a police sergeant made disparaging remarks about him over his sexual orientation and took retaliatory actions against him, such as making false claims about the number of days he took off, according to court documents.

Ellis joined the airport police department in November 2006 after working as a police officer with the city of Glendale.

When he started at Bob Hope Airport, he worked with Police Sgt. Henry Gomez, who initially was friendly to Ellis and often complimented him on his work, according to court documents.

But all that changed after Ellis claims he was referred to in a derogatory way by his superior. Gomez allegedly tried to stunt Ellis’ progress within the department and took actions to erode his standing, according to the lawsuit.

The airport authority and Gomez deny all of Ellis’ allegations, court documents state.

A status hearing on the case, in which the settlement agreement is presented to the judge to consider dropping the case, was postponed Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Dismissal is likely because Ellis’ attorney, Thomas Hoegh, has signed off on the settlement, court officials said.

The airport authority confirmed that both Ellis and Gomez still work for the airport police department.

http://www.glendalenewspress.com

Everything you wanted to know about the Salt Lake City International Airport expansion

SALT LAKE CITY — The plan is still conceptual, Maureen Riley warns. How it will be executed is unclear, and it's likely to change over the next eight to 10 years.

That's the reality of the planned $1.8 billion rebuild of Salt Lake City International Airport, its executive director said.

Riley has remained rooted in reality as she's fielded questions during the past month about redevelopment plans for the nation's 26th busiest airport.

But beneath the pretense of practicality, Riley is as enthusiastic as anyone to see the airport she's headed since 2007 address longstanding seismic risks and accommodate projected growth in passenger levels.

"I think generally people are very supportive and excited," she said.

They also have plenty of questions about the project, including its price tag, its lengthy timeline for construction and even its necessity.

During the next six months, plans will be refined. And city and airport officials said they want the project to remain flexible throughout construction to accommodate an ever-evolving industry.

"That's a great advantage for us, especially with a project this size," Riley said. "We're taking some time up front to really plan the entire 10-year construction period, which in the end, I think, will work as an advantage for us."

Here are answers to key questions about the expansion, first announced by Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker during his State of the City address in January.

Cost

Where is the $1.8 billion coming from? Will tax dollars be used? Will it cost more to fly, rent cars, check baggage, etc.?

Becker called the airport expansion a "massive undertaking" and said there would be "no additional burden on Salt Lake City taxpayers." And airport officials said they can fund the project without slapping travelers with additional fees, either.

Is it true? The airport already has more than $250 million in the bank to put toward the project and to use as security for $302 million in general airport revenue bonds.

"That puts the airport in a good position to start on a project like this," Becker said.

Much of that money has been saved since 2008, when the airport retired its debt from previous construction and renovation projects, said Barbara Gann, airport spokeswoman.

Read More

'Swooping' toward a high-risk thrill

The death of another skydiver at Perris facility draws attention to the sport's trend of increased safety for novices along with riskier maneuvers by experienced divers.

By Abby Sewell, Los Angeles Times

February 22, 2012

Reporting from Perris—

The competition was high-performance and high-risk, and Sean Carey and his 16 fellow skydivers knew it.

They were equipped with special parachutes that allowed a faster and better-controlled descent, and their goal Saturday was to dive toward a shallow pond in an advanced maneuver known as swooping.

One by one, they plummeted toward the surface, executing a last-minute turn to accelerate before leveling off and gliding just above the pond. But Carey, an instructor at Skydive San Diego who had done the maneuver successfully hundreds of times, made his turn too low and crashed into the pond.

Carey was the sixth highly experienced skydiver to be killed in the last year at Perris Valley Skydiving, one of the largest and most popular facilities for the sport in the nation.

The deaths reflect a divergent nationwide trend: equipment upgrades and safety rules have reduced overall skydiving fatalities among novices — but the smaller, more aerodynamically designed chutes have allowed more experienced divers to take more risks.

Increasingly, industry veterans said, fatal accidents involve experts attempting advanced maneuvers with high-performance equipment — people like Carey, who according to his employer averaged 1,800 jumps a year and had won previous swooping competitions.

Last December, another experienced pilot died making a landing error while swooping at Perris. The facility temporarily suspended swooping while it conducted a review of safety procedures.

The company's general manager, Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld, said he found that Perris' safety standards were as high as or higher than other facilities' but further tightened requirements.

The facility had already required that before attempting a high-performance maneuver, a skydiver must have at least 700 jumps under his or her belt. After the December fatality, it added a requirement that pilots receive special training before attempting swooping.

In the wake of Carey's death, Brodsky-Chenfeld said he is again reviewing the standards.

High-risk maneuvers are clearly gaining the interest of top pilots. Among the other daredevil moves is wingsuit flying, in which people glide across the sky in jumpsuits with fabric "wings" before deploying a parachute. Another is vertical formation skydiving, in which groups of pilots grip one another's limbs, their heads or feet pointed to the ground.

But many consider swooping to be the riskiest because the high-speed maneuvering is performed so close to the ground.

On Monday, parachutists at Perris Valley Skydiving — including some who witnessed Carey's death Saturday — said they were shaken but not deterred.

"Bottom line is, this is the life we chose. We know this is dangerous," said Joe Kaufman, an instructor at the facility, who has been skydiving for more than 20 years. Kaufman was not present when Saturday's crash occurred.

Decades ago, industry experts said, fatal accidents involving faulty equipment were more common. Now, extra safeguards are in place and such accidents are rare.

In addition to a backup parachute, most skydivers — and all skydiving students — now carry an automatic activation device that will deploy the reserve parachute in the event of an emergency if the skydiver does not do so, said Nancy Koreen, a spokeswoman for the United States Parachute Assn.

The technological advances that have made the equipment safer have also allowed the development of faster, more sensitive canopies. Experienced skydivers compare the performance canopies used by advanced skydivers to race cars. Canopy pilots can reach speeds as high as 75 mph at the beginning of a swoop.

Out of 25 skydiving fatalities nationwide in 2011, six involved landing errors, which have accounted for an average of one-third of skydiving fatalities each year for the last decade, according to the Parachute Assn. Nearly all of those accidents involved highly experienced skydivers attempting advanced maneuvers, Koreen said.

There are no industrywide regulations on swooping. Each skydiving facility is left to establish its own rules, although Koreen said they are asked to restrict swooping to a separate landing area.

Skydive San Diego president Buzz Fink said Carey's co-workers there — and skydivers around the nation — were distraught and shocked by his death, but Fink does not believe the Perris facility could have done more to prevent it. Carey was a skilled canopy pilot who made an error during a maneuver he had performed more than 1,000 times before, Fink said.

"Skydiving was his life," he said. "He loved it, he enjoyed it and it was his passion in life."

http://www.latimes.com

Airblue crash: Centre to appoint new inquiry panel. Airbus A321-231, AP-BJB. Accident occurred July 28, 2010, near Islamabad-Benazir Bhutto International Airport, Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Feb 21: The federal government has decided to appoint a board of accident inquiry into the Airblue plane crash in line with the orders of the Peshawar High Court, which had expressed dissatisfaction at an early probe.

A high court bench comprising Chief Justice Dost Mohammad Khan and Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth was informed on Tuesday that the defence ministry had issued a notification on February 17 wherein it was mentioned that the federal government had decided in public interest to appoint a board of accident inquiry into the July 28, 2010 Airblue crash, which left 152 persons on board dead on Margalla Hills.

Senior law officer of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Ubaidur Rehman Abbasi informed the bench that the authority had received the notification issued by the government which provided that the said board should exercise powers conferred under the Civil Aviation Rules 1994 and furnish its report to the defence ministry within 30 days from the date of notification of the chairman and the members which would follow shortly.

The court issued directions for the heading of the said board by a team of international experts and CAA and the federal government should have no controlling power towards it. It was added that as soon as the inquiry was completed, it should be submitted to the court.

The court was hearing a writ petition filed by former MNA Marvi Memon and some family members of crash victims. The bench fixed March 27 for the next hearing into the case.

Both defence and law secretaries tendered unconditional apologies to the court in written statements given in reply to contempt of court notices issued by the court during previous hearing on January 19 for not following certain court orders.

Lawyer of defence secretary Tanveerul Islam Khan and consultant with the law division Mohammad Jawed Iqbal submitted the replies on behalf of the two secretaries saying they had taken several steps in accordance with the court orders and could not even think of disobeying it.

Mr Abbasi and Mr Tanveer informed the bench that in line with that order, the defence ministry issued a letter to the CAA on February 15 directing it to approach International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and others for nomination of experts. CAA was also asked to direct PIA and other private airlines operating under their regulatory control to prepare themselves for safety audit/assessment to be done in pursuance of the court order.

The bench observed that this being serious issue because lives of citizens were involved on a daily basis in thousands and therefore, all authorities, including federal government, was directed to undertake inspection process at the earliest otherwise if any mishap occurred responsibility would lay on the relevant authority.

During proceedings, the bench expressed annoyance over CAA performance saying facilities at airports and in aircraft were not up to international standards.

The petitioner`s lawyer, Umar Farooq Adam, said DNA tests of crash victims were not carried out as they were dumped in a single common grave in inhuman manner.

The bench directed the chief executive of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), where bodies were taken after the crash, to produce record of DNA tests on the next hearing. It said in case no such tests were conducted, then the government and Airblue were liable to pay for charges of tests and should be carried out at the earliest.

http://www.dawn.com

CC130 Hercules Flight Safety Emergency

OTTAWA, ONTARIO, Feb 21, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) 

Nine Canadian Forces personnel are safe after evacuating from a CC-130 Hercules aircraft that caught fire during take off while training at the Naval Air Station Key West in the United States, Tuesday.

The aircrew successfully conducted an emergency landing after the aircrew noted an onboard fire. Naval Air Station Key West Fire & Emergency Services extinguished the fire, and damage to the aircraft is reported as being extensive. A Flight Safety Investigation is being launched from National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa to determine the cause of the event.

The aircraft and crew are from 435 Transport and Rescue Squadron of 17 Wing Winnipeg. They have all been examined by the on scene Canadian Forces Flight Surgeon as a precautionary measure.

"Noting the seriousness of fire aboard any aircraft, I am proud of the crew that followed through on their training, conducted the immediate emergency procedures, and got everyone out safely," said Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Pamplin, Commanding Officer of 435 Transport and Rescue Squadron. "At times like this, my thoughts go to our families, and I am relieved to be able to confirm that the crewmembers are safe and remain in good spirits."

The RCAF strives to optimize its contributions to operations and training without compromising on safety or on standards, and this incident will be thoroughly investigated.

The CC-130 Hercules aircraft and crews were operating in the area to provide air-to-air refuelling support for the training of new CF-18 fighter pilots from 4 Wing Cold Lake, who were conducting essential training focused on air combat tactics and air interdiction missions.

SOURCE: Department of National Defence

 

http://www.forces.gc.ca 

http://www.marketwatch.com

Central Illinois Regional Airport: Former Restaurant Manager Sentenced

A former manager of the Tailwind Bar and Grill at the Central Illinois Regional Airport was sentenced Tuesday to jail for theft.  Kevin Scott received six months jail but was given credit for three months he's already served. He's also been ordered to pay five thousand dollars in restitution. Scott was arrested last year in Virginia for stealing several thousand dollars from the restaurant. 

http://centralillinoisproud.com

Piper Aircraft sees revenue increase from sales of higher-end models

VERO BEACH — Piper Aircraft Inc. saw revenues increase last year on an upswing in deliveries of its higher-end models.

The company's total deliveries of 136 aircraft were down from 160 the prior year, but the sales of its flagship Meridian increased from 25 in 2010 to 32 last year. As a result, revenue grew by more than 9 percent from $120.2 million to $131.2 million.

Overall, the sales and deliveries of the company's higher end M-class planes — the Meridian, Mirage and Matrix business airplanes — increased from 74 to 82 aircraft.

Piper spokeswoman Jackie Carlon said the company this year is seeing a slight uptick in sales of its trainers, with higher-end sales remaining relatively flat.

She said the company, which currently has 720 workers, doesn't anticipate any employment changes. Company officials for the past few years said their goal is to have production more closely meet demand to avoid large swings in employment levels.

"Piper continues to meet or exceed our internal financial and delivery targets, and we are focused on continuing to balance our production activities with the marketplace. Moreover, increased deliveries of the top-end Piper Meridian and a larger backlog for our overall core products entering 2012 mean that the company is stronger financially than just a year ago or the previous year," Piper President and Chief Executive Officer Simon Caldecott said in a prepared statement.

Carlon said the company continues to expand its presence globally and expects to add two new dealers by the end of this quarter. International sales accounted for 70 of the 136 aircraft sold last year. While overall delivery numbers were down last year, the company said deliveries were still more than 50 percent above what they were in 2009 when the company was feeling the brunt of the econonic downturn.

The company saw a drastic drop in employment following the 2008 downturn. In the summer of 2009, the number of company workers fell below 600. Staffing later grew back to about 850 workers before Piper announced last year it was suspending its light business jet program and laying off more than 100 employees and releasing 55 contract workers.

The reduction in jobs meant the company failed to reach certain employment level benchmarks contained in a financial incentive package signed with the state and county in 2008. As a result, the company may have to pay back part of the $10.7 million it earlier received depending on the outcome of negotiations currently under way between the parties.

http://www.tcpalm.com

DeHavilland DHC-2 Beaver: Floatplane Flips, Sinks During Takeoff Run Near Kodiak, Alaska

ANCHORAGE, Alaska—  A floatplane flipped and sank after hitting a rock during a takeoff run Tuesday afternoon near Kodiak, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. All three people on board escaped without injuries.

NTSB investigator Clint Johnson says a DeHavilland DHC-2 Beaver owned and operated by Island Air of Kodiak was carrying a pilot and two mechanics on a post-maintenance test flight when it landed in Long Lagoon, about five miles northeast of Kodiak, at about 3 p.m. to conduct some tests. It then struck a rock as it attempted to take off, holing one of the plane’s floats and causing it to sink.

The pilot and mechanics got out of the plane and were rescued by good Samaritans in the area, then subsequently picked up by the U.S. Coast Guard. Johnson says the three spent about 20 minutes in the water before they were picked up.

The plane was submerged after the crash, but crews were working on retrieving it Tuesday afternoon.

8 year old Nacogdoches, Texas, boy recognized for helping deputies nab a suspected thief . Cessna TR182, N5141S. Athens Municipal Airport (F44)

NACOGDOCHES, TX (KTRE) – A young Nacogdoches boy has been honored for his role in helping law enforcement nab a suspected thief.

Sheriff Thomas Kerss says when you do a good job, in his book, you should be recognized for it and that is exactly what he did for 8 year old Madi Simmons. Tuesday afternoon Kerss presented the youngster with an appreciation plaque for alerting his father, Jerry Simmons, when a stolen plane landed on a private air strip near their house.

That tip brought deputies to the scene, which led to an arrest in a major case.

Kerss commended the young boy for his awareness and quick action which illustrated a civic minded individual. Madi was told he is certainly a good citizen.

http://www.ktre.com

Haycraft Sport Hornet, N72PD: Accident occurred February 21, 2012 in Mariposa, California

NTSB Identification: WPR12LA113 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, February 21, 2012 in Mariposa, CA
Aircraft: HAYCRAFT SPORT HORNET, registration: N72PD
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.

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

On February 21, 2012, about 1440 Pacific standard time, a Haycraft Sport Hornet, N72PD, experienced an in-flight fire near Mariposa-Yosemite Airport, Mariposa, California. The airplane was substantially damaged during an off-airport landing and consumed by fire. The owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The sport pilot and sole passenger were not injured. The local personal flight departed from Mariposa about 1340. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

In a written statement, the pilot reported that after taking photographs of property, he began to maneuver back to the airport. With the airport about 5 miles to the north, he noticed the smell of smoke in the cockpit. He maneuvered the airplane directly toward the airport and noted that all the engine temperature and pressure cockpit gauges indicated normal operation. The smoke intensity increased and after about 15 seconds, he opted to perform a forced landing in a pasture below. During the landing roll, the nose wheel separated from the airplane and slid to a stop. The pilot and passenger egressed and watched the airplane burn. The pilot further stated that he first observed the fire underneath the engine area.

The wreckage was taken to a recovery facility for further examination.

A plane has crashed in Mariposa County. The FAA says a homebuilt, experimental plane had smoke in the cockpit and made an emergency landing in a cow pasture.

 Photo Credit:  KFSN/ ABC30

 The scorched experimental aircraft that crash landed near White Rock Road Tuesday afternoon is pictured above. Both the pilot and passenger survived. (Dan Tucker| The Gazette)

 Photo Credit:  KFSN/ ABC30

  Photo Credit:  KFSN/ ABC30

The plane, identified as a Sport Hornet, reportedly had smoke in the cockpit and made an emergency landing in a cow pasture in Mariposa County Tuesday afternoon at around 2:30 p.m.

The plane caught on fire and was destroyed, but neither of the two people on board were injured. According to FAA records, the plane is registered to Haycraft Oliver of Glendale, California.
 

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A plane has crashed in Mariposa County. The FAA says a homebuilt, experimental plane had smoke in the cockpit and made an emergency landing in a cow pasture around 2:30 Tuesday afternoon.

It's located near White Rock Road and Beach Road. The plane caught on fire but neither of the two people on board were injured.

The aircraft is registered to a person from Glendale in LA County. The crash sparked a small brush fire that continues to grow at this hour. 

Around 2:30 p.m. this afternoon an experimental aircraft that left the Mariposa/Yosemite Airport crash landed high atop a hill several miles down White Rock Road.

Both the pilot and his passenger received scrapes and bruises, but avoided serious injury. The plane caught fire on impact but both escaped. About two acres of grassland were torched before being extinguished by first responders.

Look for more details in this week's Mariposa Gazette.

 http://registry.faa.gov/N72PD

Flight departing Portland International Airport turns around after passenger lights electronic cigarette, becomes disruptive

A flight departing Portland International Airport this afternoon turned around after a passenger lit an electronic cigarette and "was not cooperative" when asked to turn the device off.

The man is currently being questioned at the airport by airport and federal authorities, said Steve Johnson, a spokesman for the Port of Portland.

The Continental Airlines flight departed PDX for Houston just before 12:20 p.m., Johnson said. At some point after take off, the man turned on the cigarette.

"He was asked to not do that and was not cooperative," Johnson said.

The flight returned to PDX about 1 p.m. and the unidentified passenger removed.

Also known as "e-cigarettes," most electronic cigarettes do not burn tobacco. Instead, a lithium battery heats a liquid nicotine solution, which creates a vapor that can be inhaled by the user and delivered directly into their lungs.

They often look similar to real cigarettes.

Federal law prohibits passengers from smoking tobacco products on a commercial plane, but does not single out e-cigarettes. In September, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced plans to explicitly ban the devices on all domestic and commercial flights within the United States.

But electronic cigarettes are currently not prohibited by the Transportation Security Administration, said spokeswoman Tina Burke.

Johnson said it wasn't clear if the man faced charges in connection with the incident and more information would be available later today.

The other passengers departed PDX about 2 p.m.

http://www.oregonlive.com

The People Of 1919 Imagined Circular Runways For New York City (You Know, For Our Personal Commuter Airplanes)

When the Wright Brothers did their thing in 1903, it apparently put the idea in people's heads that one day we'd all be flying, everywhere, for everything... even to our jobs. We've had this fantasy pop up time and time again—including the most popular pop culture reference of all, in The Jetsons—but it has yet to really happen on a broad scale, and for a long period of time. Sure, we had New York Airways, which helped some commuters skip traffic into the city, but that ended in the 1970s after too many people died and the company shut down operations. But let's go back further in time, to 1919, when this airplane business was new, and the ideas were even more wild.

Read more:  http://gothamist.com

Frederick Municipal Airport tower nears opening: Officials expect improved air traffic safety

The Frederick Municipal Airport’s new radio control tower will make air travel safer for the 160,657 aircrafts that take off and land each year, according to the airport’s manager Kevin Daugherty.

“We’re excited about it,” he said. “It’s a game changer.”

The $5.3-million tower, which has been in the works for about a decade, was paid for by the Federal Aviation Administration as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Daugherty said construction is complete, with just touch-ups — such as fixing chipped paint — needed before the FAA can approve the site. He said the tower is expected to be operational by June 1.Tower-controlled airports function by having controllers issue departure and arrival instructions for pilots, according to the FAA. Without a tower, pilots using the airport are responsible for talking directly to one another.

The tower will be staffed by between six and eight new permanent full-time positions, all of which will be paid by the FAA, Daugherty said.

The airport already is getting tower designation on national airport maps, which lets pilots know the airpsace will no longer be uncontrolled, he said.

The city broke ground on the tower in October 2010. Daugherty said the airport has two flight schools and operates as a location for business and personal flights.

About 200 aircraft are based at Frederick Municipal Airport, a reliever airport for Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, meaning it directs smaller flights away from the larger airport to alleviate traffic.

U.S. Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-Md.) and Frederick Mayor Randy McClement (R) toured the tower Tuesday and said it could lead to economic growth.

Cardin, who helped secure federal funding for the tower, said he was pleased the project is almost complete.

“I remember talking to people in this area, saying ‘We need a new tower,’” he said. “Then this opportunity presented itself to fund this with the recovery act. Now, to be standing in the tower? It’s amazing. It’s a real economic opportunity for the region.”

McClement said the new tower allows for safer travel and could increase the number of flights at the airport, which could in turn mean more fuel sales.

“This is great,” he said. “The ability to see where our future lies, to see where the runway can expand. … There are people who won’t come into uncontrolled airports. I’d hope companies might be able, if they have that concern, to be alleviated.”

Frederick's Board of Aldermen accepted federal stimulus grant money to construct the tower in September 2010.

http://www.gazette.net

Baltimore-Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport flights to Cuba postponed until fall

The lure of a mojito, the world’s most prized cigars, the rich Cuban culture and a chance to see the Pope were not enough to fill seats on what was to be the inaugural flight between Baltimore-Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport and Havana.

The March 21 charter flight has been postponed until fall, and the head of the travel agency that planned weekly service between BWI and Cuba says the agency will try again in October and improve its publicity campaign.

“We’ve had lots of calls and lots of interest, but that hasn’t translated into ticket sales,” said William J. Hauf, president of Florida-based Island Travel and Tours. “We probably could have filled up the first flight, but we want to offer these flights on a weekly basis, and right now we weren’t confident we’d sell enough tickets for the second and third flights to cover a cost of $50,000 to $60,000 per flight.”

Hauf said that Island had just six confirmed ticket sales for next month’s flight.

Charter flights to Cuba are offered from other U.S. cities, and March 21 seemed like a good launch date for Island Travel to begin offering the service from BWI. In addition to the attractions of an island that generally has been off limits to Americans since the communist takeover, the Pope’s three-day visit to the country, scheduled to begin March 26, also seemed likely to encourage ticket sales.

Vacation tourism to Cuba is still prohibited for U.S. citizens under federal restrictions mandated during the Cold War and still supported by many Cuban-Americans whose families fled after Fidel Castro came to power.

The charter flights are open to academics, journalists, religious institutions, cultural groups and other organizations that show a purpose other than tourism for the visit. Travelers are subject to daily spending limits and are prohibited from bringing home Cuban souvenirs or other goods.

Though Island travel has been promoting the BWI flights since January, Hauf said many religious and educational organizations need a longer lead time to plan such an excursion.

“We’re going to continue to promote this heavily so that when we begin [BWI] flights, probably in October, these groups will have had plenty of time to work it into their plans,” Hauf said.

Airline sues regulator over corruption

Company files case after failing to get its 'unfit carrier' cleared, counter Caab

The owner of a private airline has filed a bribery case against an official of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh, but Caab officials are saying that the case is false and has been filed to harass their colleague because he did not give a no-objection certificate to an unfit aircraft.

Rupashi Bangla Airlines Ltd acquired a provisional licence to operate flights in September 2008, but could not start operation in over three years because it could not import a single aircraft meeting the requirements of Caab, although the provisional licence was extended thrice, according to Caab documents.

Rupashi Bangla was required to own at least two aircraft within the provisional period meeting required standards for getting the final permission to operate as a passenger carrying airline.

During the period the company applied for technical clearance for 17 different types of aircraft, none of which got clearance because neither the company could provide all required original documents nor did the aircraft meet the required standards.

"Due to frequent change of aircraft for purchasing and placing of incomplete proposals, Rupashi Bangla caused loss of huge government work hours of Caab officials," said a top Caab official wishing anonymity.

On the other hand, Rupashi Bangla Managing Director Afzal Hossain said he filed the case because Caab Deputy Director Golam Sarwar had demanded Tk 10 lakh bribe in exchange for issuance of a no-objection certificate (NOC).

Afzal claimed that he did not get the clearance although his airline complied with all requirements.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is now investigating the case being ordered by Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court, Dhaka with which Afzal lodged the complaint on July 31 last year.

The immediate past investigation officer (IO) of the case, ACC Deputy Assistant Director Nazim Uddin, summoned eight top and mid- ranking Caab officials including its chairman and the director of flight safety and regulations, to the commission in December last year, although the case is against only one official.

Some of the summoned officials alleged that Nazim did not tell them whether the other seven officials were being accused or being summoned as witnesses.

"Nazim gave us a questionnaire to answer. After giving the answers we asked for copies of what we wrote, but the IO refused to give copies," one of the summoned officials told The Daily Star wishing anonymity.

Nazim said he did everything following ACC rules and regulations.

Caab sources said when their top officials brought the matter to the notice of ACC top officials they rebuked Nazim and replaced him by ACC Deputy Director Benzir Ahmed as the IO. Contacted recently Benzir said he is now studying the case.

The case statement says that Golam Sarwar assured Afzal of awarding an NOC for importing an aircraft from the Philippines in May 2010 if he was bribed.

It also claims Sarwar told Afzal that he would pocket Tk 5 lakh while the rest of the bribe would be given to his director to earn his approval. But Afzal refused to bribe, the case statement adds.

In December 2010, Rupashi Bangla again applied for an NOC for importing two aircraft from a Philippines-based airline.

Following the application, three Caab inspectors inspected the aircraft in May 2011, but the inspection results were not satisfactory. The inspectors were not even provided with the original copies of two key documents -- Certificate of Registration and Certificate of Airworthiness.

But on May 29, 2011, one of the aircraft that failed inspection landed at Chittagong Shah Amanat Airport without flight clearance, violating Bangladesh air space and Caab rules, an incident that irked all related government agencies.

After the incident Caab contacted the Philippines Civil Aviation and arranged for the unauthorised aircraft's return.

Days later the Directorate of Air Defence of Bangladesh Air Force wrote to Caab saying Rupashi Bangla should not be allowed to operate flights.

Afzal, however, denied all allegations and claimed that despite signing aircraft purchase agreement with different companies he could not buy those as Caab intentionally delayed in giving him necessary clearances.

He also said although in the original case he accused only one of seeking bribe, in his statement to the ACC he named nine officials including the Caab chairman, and the director of flight safety and regulations, all of whom allegedly demanded bribe from him.

He also accused them of causing his financial loss due to forcible return of the aircraft to the Philippines.

Asked why he did not file a petition with a higher court against Caab for sending back the aircraft, he said he tried "but a lawyer demanded a huge amount of money". He also said as the next two days were government holidays, by the time he could file the petition, the aircraft would have already been sent back.

Rupashi Bangla was first awarded the provisional licence to operate flights after certification from the registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms that the company has a paid up capital of Tk 20 crore which is Caab's required amount for issuance of the licence.

http://www.thedailystar.net