Saturday, April 07, 2012

Delta flight bound for Phoenix makes emergency landing

A Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta to Phoenix made an emergency landing Saturday afternoon when one of the plane's engines unexpectedly shut down.

Delta spokesman Paul Skrbec said Flight 2046 was beginning its decent into the Valley when one of the two engines shut down.

He said the pilot requested an emergency landing and reached the ground safely at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport at 2:35 p.m.

The plane was carrying 159 passengers, and there were no injuries, he said.

"The plane landed without incident, and we apologize for the inconvenience," Skrbec said.

It is possible for the Boeing 757 to fly if one of its two engines fails, he said. Officials don't know why the engine shut down, but it went into maintenance upon landing, Skrbec said.

Emergency Landing At Plattsburgh International Airport (KPBG), New York: Pilot Reports Possible Problem With One Engine

Airport officials say US Airways flight 4785 operated by Colgan Air was traveling from Boston to Plattsburgh when the pilot reported difficulties in one of the two turbo-prop engines. As a precaution, the pilot shut that engine down, and was able to land safely in Plattsburgh.

The aircraft was a Saab 340B which can seat 31 people though only 12 people were on this flight: nine passengers, and three crew.

Fire trucks and other emergency crews were called to the airport as precaution, but the plane landed safely, without any injuries or damage.

A US Airways representative said technicians are examining the engine to see what caused the problem.

Cessna 150H, N6616S: Accident occurred April 07, 2012 in Kent, Washington

http://registry.faa.gov/N6616S

 NTSB Identification: WPR12LA160 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, April 07, 2012 in Kent, WA
Aircraft: CESSNA 150H, registration: N6616S
Injuries: 1 Serious. 


This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On April 7, 2012, about 1430 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 150H, N6616S, collided with trees and came to rest inverted in the front yard of a residence, about 100 yards west of Crest Airpark (S36), Kent, Washington. The private pilot operated the privately owned airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulation Part 91 as a personal flight. The pilot received serious injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area flight that departed Sanderson Field Airport (SHN) Shelton, Washington, at an undetermined time. A flight plan had not been filed.


COVINGTON, Wash. - A pilot is "banged up" but expected to survive after Saturday's small plane crash near Crest Airpark - and some of his rescuers say it's a miracle he wasn't killed.

Friends will not reveal the pilot's name, but the registered owner of the downed single-engine said the man is a buddy of his - and that he is going to be OK.

The crash happened Saturday afternoon in a neighborhood just outside the air park. The plane flipped over and hit the ground just 15 feet away from one home where a little boy was napping in his bedroom.

Witnesses say they're just grateful that the pilot is alive and that no one else was hurt.

The first neighbors to reach the crash site told KOMO News they weren't sure if the pilot had survived, at first.

"Just looking at the airplane when I came out, I thought, 'He's going to be really lucky if he's alive,'" says Rob Regan.

The crash happened in the front yard of Regan's home. Running out to the plane, Regan found the pilot still buckled in.

"We tried to ascertain if the pilot was alive. He appeared to be breathing labored," says Regan.

He and others who were first on the scene carefully released the harness, and stabilized the man until paramedics arrived.

Regan also fly planes - and he thinks the only reason this pilot wasn't crushed is the lucky position of the Cessna when it came to rest.

"Where his head was in the aircraft, it was over the bottom of the ditch, and it actually saved him," says Regan.

A pocket in the ground where it was needed - so he was just literally saved by the ditch.

Some who saw it, including Regan's mother visiting from England, thought the same thing.

"I think it was a miracle," she says.

Regan suspects strong winds just above the tall trees may have surprised the pilot while he was taking off or maybe practicing a touch-and-go landing.

"He could have crashed into the house, or crashed into the trees, or hit the concrete," says Regan. "So there a lot of places he could have gone. He was really lucky ending up where he did."

The wrecked plane will be stored in a secure place in Auburn, where investigators can go over it to figure out what caused the crash.

Source:   http://www.komonews.com























   


 




  








COVINGTON, Wash. — A pilot was critically injured Saturday afternoon after a small plane crashed in a neighborhood near Covington, according to Cindi West of the King County Sheriff's Office.

 Officials said the plane was found upside down between two houses near Crest Airpark.

 According to officials, the plane had engine failure after takeoff, and the plane crashed after the pilot had to turn around.

As of late Saturday evening, the pilot was being treated for serious injuries at Harborview Medical Center. Chief John Herbert of King County Medic One said the pilot suffered a head injury.

 Witnesses told KIRO 7 the plane was trying to land at Crest Airpark, but lost control as the plane rolled and took a sharp turn away from the runway.

Rob Regan, who lives across the street from the scene, did not see the crash but heard what happened.

 “Heard a big crash and a thump, and it hit the ground,” Regan said.

 “I came out of the garage and there was an airplane in my front yard.”

Regan’s stepson described the sound as metal crunching, similar to a pop can. Residents in the neighborhood rushed to help the pilot after they saw what happened.

 Neighbors said the pilot was unconscious and they stayed with him until medics arrived.

Tim Perciful of the King County Fire District No. 44 told KIRO 7 that neighbors were helpful at the scene.

 “They actually shut off the engine, the master switch and the fuel line,” Perciful said.

 “It’s really lucky the pilot survived this one.”

No injuries on the ground were reported at the time of the incident.

 Investigators are not revealing the identity of the pilot involved in the crash. The plane wreckage was taken to a nearby hangar, where it will be stored during the investigation by the feds and the insurance company.

COVINGTON, Wash. - A small plane crashed Saturday afternoon near Crest Airpark outside Covington, critically injuring the one person aboard the aircraft, officials said.

Tim Perciful of Mountainview Fire & Rescue said the single-engine plane was coming in for a landing at the air strip at around 2:15 p.m. when it crashed and flipped over between two homes in the area, off 293rd Place.

The injured pilot was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. The pilot's condition was not immediately available, but Perciful said the injuries were critical.

The plane did not catch fire, and no one was injured on the ground.

Witnesses said the plane was coming in for a landing at the Crest Airpark when it slowed and rolled to one side, its wing knifing into the ground before it flipped over and crashed.

Residents of the area immediately ran to the scene and shut off the plane's fuel lines to avoid the possibility of a fire.

FAA records show the plane is a single-engine Cessna 150H, manufactured in 1967. It is registered to a Shelton resident.
 

 KENT, Wash. – The pilot of a small plane was hurt when the aircraft crashed near Crest Airpark on Saturday.

Mountain View Fire & Rescue said the single-engine plane flipped over between two homes about a block away from the air strip.

Medics called for an airlift helicopter to transport the injured pilot to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.  No one on the ground was hurt.

Pilot training hit after grounding of HPT-32s

The unexpected and sudden grounding of the HPT-32 basic trainer aircraft fleet, coupled with the ageing fleet of Kiran Mk-I, has snowballed into a crisis whereby the flying training of the Indian Air Force is in a limbo. In fact, amid an acute shortage of the serviceable Kiran Mk-I, the future of flying training at the Air Force Academy (AFA), Dundigal, and the advanced Fighter Training Wings at Hakimpet is in jeopardy.

Here is what has happened. Since a major technical snag and a fatal aircrash in 2009 resulting in the loss of two ace pilots, all the 114 HPT-32 planes have been grounded. To make up for the shortfall, Kiran Mk-I, till then used for advanced stage-I of basic flying training at AFA, were distributed between AFA and Hakimpet. In connection with this reshuffling, Kiran Mk-II aircraft, earlier used for stage-II training of rookie pilots at Hakimpet, were sent to Tambaram Air Force base in Tamil Nadu for the advanced training courses of flying instructors. The shortage is such that even the Surya-kirans (Kiran Mk-II) of the IAF aerobatic team has been diverted to Tambaram.

However, Kiran Mk-I in itself is an ageing aircraft and terribly “overworked”. As a result, the ratio of serviceable Kiran Mk-I aircraft available to the number of fliers is the lowest in the history of the IAF. The stress on the aircraft as well as fliers, both instructors and rookie pilots, has been noted by the Public Accounts Committee report of Parliament, which pulled up the ministry of defence for the “overuse of ageing and obsolete fleet of Kiran Mk-I for training rookie pilots”.

Going at this rate, few Kiran Mk-I aircraft will be left with the training commands at AFA and Hakimpet in another two years. In fact, the PAC has questioned the logic behind the induction of advanced jet trainers when there will be no basic trainers and thus no trained pilots to fly the planes by the time the AJTs arrive.

Crucially, even after the Cabinet Committee on Security clears the IAF proposal for acquiring the batch of 75 Pilatus PC-7 aircraft for basic training, it will not be before another three years that the first batch of the trainer aircraft are inducted. An IAF spokesperson in Bengaluru has explained that the void created by unexpected grounding of the HPT-32 fleet, the workhorse of ab initio flying training, can only be filled by the induction of the Swiss-made Pilatus.

Source: http://www.asianage.com

SBRP-SBSP VÔO COMPLETO (30 minutos)

 

 by baixadoetravado on Apr 5, 2012

Primeiro "longa metragem" do Baixado e Travado, acompanhe um vôo completo entre Ribeirão Preto e Congonhas. Sem música e sem time-lapse. Esse eu dedico a todos que "odeiam" quando a musiquinha, que eu adoro tanto, sobrepõe a fonia e os procedimentos de vôo. São 30 minutos de vídeos para quem tiver paciência de acompanhar o vôo desde a chegada a aeronave até o corte dos motores em São Paulo.
PS: Agora q vcs viram como um clip sem trilha sonora é chato, parem de pegar no meu pé com as musiquinhas!!!rs

Sorry international folks, but this one is dedicated to the Brazilian audience, it's a complete flight between SBRP and the major domestic airport in São Paulo, SBSP - Congonhas. All subtitles and communications in Portuguese, no time-lapse or background music, only cockpit ambient sound.

Cessna 150H, N23471: Accident occurred September 04, 2010 in DeLand, Florida

NTSB Identification: ERA10FA464  
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, September 04, 2010 in DeLand, FL
Probable Cause Approval Date: 12/19/2011
Aircraft: CESSNA 150H, registration: N23471
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

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.

During the initial climb after takeoff, a witness observed the airplane pitching nose down and recovering. Several witnesses observed the airplane strike power lines and come to rest inverted. Postaccident examination of the engine and airframe identified no preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. About 5 months before the accident, the Federal Aviation Administration determined that the pilot was not qualified for any class of medical certificate due to a stroke that resulted in the pilot's shuffling gait and double vision. The pilot's autopsy revealed severe disease of the coronary arteries and heart valves. Postmortem toxicology testing suggested the relatively recent use of a multi-symptom cold or allergy preparation containing an impairing and sedating antihistamine. The pilot's judgment and performance may have been impaired by the medication and/or his medical conditions, but the role of such potential impairment in the accident sequence could not be conclusively determined.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and airplane control during the initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, wire strike, and subsequent impact with the ground.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT


On September 4, 2010, about 1430 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150H, N23471, was substantially damaged when it struck power lines and then the ground shortly after takeoff from runway 23 at DeLand Municipal Airport - Sidney H Taylor Field (DED), DeLand, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The certificated private pilot and the certificated private-pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. The personal local flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to an employee of the fixed base operator, he observed the accident airplane takeoff, but not the accident. The airplane pitched nose down; recovered, and then appeared to be gaining altitude, when the employee returned to his duties. Several eyewitnesses' written statements that were provided to the DeLand Police Department officers reported that they saw the airplane strike the power lines, nose over, and come to rest inverted. Some witnesses reported that fuel was "pouring out" of the wings after it came to rest.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 90, held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His most recent application for a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate was denied; on that application he indicated that he had 1,157 total hours of flight experience. Review of the pilot's FAA medical records identified a history of a stroke with "gait ataxia" and "diplopia," and the finding by the FAA that the pilot was "not qualified for any class of medical certificate" as of April 16, 2010.

The pilot-rated passenger, age 86, held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on September 29, 1998 and on that application he indicated that he had 1,500 total hours of flight experience.

AIRPLANE INFORMATION

The airplane was manufactured in 1968, and was issued an FAA airworthiness certificate on June 7, 1968. It was equipped with a Continental Motors O-200-A engine. At the time of this writing no airplane maintenance logbooks had been located. According to an invoice provided to the NTSB investigator by a local mechanic, the airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on June 11, 2010, at which time a rudder stop kit was installed. The tachometer was located in the wreckage, and indicated 3,546.26 hours.

According to FAA records and placards located near each wing's fuel cap, the airplane had a supplemental type certificate that was dated October 26, 2000, which authorized the use of autogas in the engine.

METEROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The 1453 recorded weather observation at Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB), Daytona Beach, Florida, located approximately 13 miles to the northeast of the accident location, included wind from 270 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 10 miles, few clouds at 6,000 feet, broken clouds at 18,000 and 25,000 feet, temperature 33 degrees C, dew point 19 degrees C; altimeter 29.95 inches of mercury.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

Examination of photographs provided by the DeLand Police Department revealed that the airplane came to rest inverted, with the nose facing back towards the airport, at the edge of the westbound lanes of a four lane highway, approximately 2,750 feet from the departure end of the runway. The airplane struck and severed four power lines that ran parallel to the highway, and located 37 to 40 feet above ground level (agl). Each line was about 1 inch in diameter. The airplane came to rest 45 feet beyond the power lines, the path was on a track of 193 degrees from the power lines.

The left wing remained attached to the fuselage, and the wing strut had numerous electrical arc burn marks. The wing leading edge and main wing spar were impact damaged approximately 89 inches from the wing tip. The stall warning system was examined; the reed that was used to produce the audible alert to the pilot was detached from its normal mounting position. It could not be determined whether the reed had become detached prior to the flight, or during the accident sequence.

The right wing remained attached to the fuselage, but recovery personnel removed it to facilitate transport to a secure hanger at the airport. The fuel cap was found dislodged from the filler neck but still attached to the neck by its chain. Approximately one cup of fuel was captured from the right fuel tank.

The wing flaps were in the retracted position, and the elevator trim tab was approximately 10 degrees trailing edge up. Aileron cable continuity was confirmed from the ailerons to the recovery cuts, and from the recovery cuts to the control column.

The left side of the fuselage, aft of the cargo compartment aft bulkhead, was buckled. The horizontal stabilizers remained attached to the fuselage, but were buckled. The counterweights on both stabilizers remained attached and in position. The top 10 inches of the vertical stabilizer was bent to the right at about a 70 degree angle. The rudder was in the full trailing edge left position, and the right side of the rudder stop kit was in contact with the associated nutplate. Control cable continuity was confirmed from the rudder pedals to the rudder.

The propeller remained attached to the engine, and the engine remained attached to the airplane. The propeller spinner exhibited crush damage on one side, and had electrical arc marks around its circumference. Both propeller blades had leading edge damage, spanwise scratches, and electrical arc marks located 18 inches from the propeller hub. One propeller blade exhibited slight tip bending.

The cabin roof of the airplane was compressed and the front support structure was separated during the recovery process. Both seatbelts and shoulder harnesses had been cut by first responders to aid in the extraction of the occupants. The FAA inspector on scene stated that the fuel selector valve was found in the "ON" position, and that the ignition switch was found in the "BOTH" position.

The engine was examined, and appeared intact. Accessories on the rear accessory drive were intact, and devoid of damage. Approximately 4 ounces of fuel was drained from the fuel strainer. Corrosion was found on the carburetor fuel bowl drain plug. The fuel inlet strainer was dry and free of debris. The throttle and mixture control cables were intact from the cockpit controls to the carburetor, Both controls operated with full travel. The No. 4 cylinder was a Millennium brand cylinder; the other three were Continental cylinders. Thumb compression was verified on all cylinders, and spark was produced on all spark plug leads when the propeller was rotated by hand. The magneto timing was determined to be about 24 degrees before top dead center. The spark plugs were removed; they appeared coked, but exhibited normal wear. The combustion chambers exhibited material deposits consistent with that of combustion deposits. The cylinder bores were free of scoring. Suction and compression were obtained at the top spark plug holes on all cylinders when the crankshaft was rotated by hand at the crankshaft flange.

The engine was started and run for approximately 5 minutes at various power settings, with no anomalies noted. Throughout the engine run, the engine accelerated normally without hesitation or interruption in power. The engine throttle was rapidly advanced from idle to full throttle several times, and the engine performed without hesitation or interruption in power. The cockpit tachometer registered a maximum of 2,300 rpm during the engine run.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Office of the Medical Examiner Florida, Districts 7 & 24 performed an autopsy on the pilot on September 7, 2010. The reported cause of death was "multiple blunt traumatic injuries" and noted the presence of "Severe Atherosclerosis of the Left Anterior Descending and Circumflex Coronary Arteries" and "Dystrophic Calcification and Stenosis of the Mitral and Aortic Heart Valves."

Toxicological testing was performed post mortem at the FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The report stated that no carbon monoxide or cyanide was detected in the blood, and no ethanol was detected in vitreous samples. The report stated that 14.95 ug/ml, ug/g acetaminophen was detected in the blood, and Chlorpheniramine and Quinine were detected in the liver and in the blood.


Federal investigators have revealed a 90-year-old pilot killed in a 2010 DeLand plane crash had been denied a medical certificate because of a stroke and suffered from severe disease of the coronary arteries and heart valves, according to a report from the National Transportation Safety Board.

The findings were released more than a year after a Cessna 150H crashed Sept. 4, 2010, shortly after taking off from the DeLand Municipal Airport.

Duane Swanson, 90, was killed in the crash. His passenger, Leonard Selover, 86, died later at Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach.

According to the NTSB report, an employee who saw the plane take off said the aircraft pitched nose down before appearing to recover. But investigators determined Swanson's "failure to maintain adequate airspeed and airplane control" resulted in an "aerodynamic stall." The plane later struck power lines and then landed upside down on the ground, the report shows.

Investigators found that five months before the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration determined Swanson was not qualified for any class of medical certification because of a recent stroke, according to the report. The stroke left Swanson with a "shuffling gait" and "double vision."

Swanson on his application denied by the FAA said he had logged 1,157 hours of flight time, the report shows.

Selover, who had been issued a third-class medical certificate in 1998, said he had 1,500 total hours of flight experience, according to the report.

NTSB Identification: ERA10FA464
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, September 04, 2010 in DeLand, FL
Probable Cause Approval Date: 12/19/2011
Aircraft: CESSNA 150H, registration: N23471
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

During the initial climb after takeoff, a witness observed the airplane pitching nose down and recovering. Several witnesses observed the airplane strike power lines and come to rest inverted. Postaccident examination of the engine and airframe identified no preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. About 5 months before the accident, the Federal Aviation Administration determined that the pilot was not qualified for any class of medical certificate due to a stroke that resulted in the pilot's shuffling gait and double vision. The pilot's autopsy revealed severe disease of the coronary arteries and heart valves. Postmortem toxicology testing suggested the relatively recent use of a multi-symptom cold or allergy preparation containing an impairing and sedating antihistamine. The pilot's judgment and performance may have been impaired by the medication and/or his medical conditions, but the role of such potential impairment in the accident sequence could not be conclusively determined.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and airplane control during the initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, wire strike, and subsequent impact with the ground.

Full Narrative:  http://www.ntsb.gov

Siai Marchetti SM1019 Ex Italian Military Turbo Prop Takeoff CSU3

 

by AeroportStHyacinthe on Mar 30, 2012

Siai Marchetti SM1019 a l'aéroport de St-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada, CSU3 Siai Marchetti SM1019 at St-Hyacinthe airport, Quebec, Canada, CSU3 SIAI-Marchetti modified the design of the Cessna 305A/O-1 Bird Dog with a 400hp Allison 250-B17B turboprop engine

Aircraft on landing at George Bush Intercontinental/Houston Airport (KIAH), Houston, Texas

HOUSTON—A plane landing at Bush Intercontinental Airport Saturday morning was not able to lower its front landing gear.

The Colgan passenger plane operating as a United Express flight approached IAH from Little Rock around 10:45 a.m, according to a United Airlines spokesperson. The nose gear did not extend, although the back end gear did lower and the plane was able to land safely.

The Houston Police Department arrived at the scene and 31 passengers were evacuated and bussed into the terminal.

No injuries were reported.

Airport Commission to discuss new hangars

The Alva Regional Airport Commission will hold a regular meeting Monday at 7 p.m. in the terminal building at the airport.

Among the items on the agenda for discussion and action is an agreement with Myers Engineering for engineering and construction of water and sewer line extensions on airport property.

Members will also consider a drainage improvement project to be funded through AIP 3-40-0003-007-2009. There will be discussion and action on allowing the VFW to lease a small area west of their building for RV parking. The commission will also discuss and act on construction of new hangars.



Source: http://news.mywebpal.com

Vacant lot: Taxiway Charlie Lot 10, Lake City, Michigan - Presented by Coldwell Banker Schmidt REALTORS


00 Taxiway Charlie Lot 10
Lake City, MI 49651
$6,000
MLS ID: 21104679
Vacant lot at Homeacres Skyranch. Nice level lot for building a home, pole barn or an airplane hangar. Lot is 120' x 200'

Presented by:
Coldwell Banker Schmidt REALTORS

Read more:  http://www.cbgreatlakes.com/Property/MI/49651/Lake_City/00_Taxiway_Charlie_Lot_10

Palau continues search for missing men

Palauan authorities will continue searching for three men aboard a Cessna aircraft who went missing last Sunday, said Palau President Johnson Toribiong.

The government has not decided when it will end the search, but Toribiong said it could continue into next week.

The three men -- public safety officers Earl Decherong, 33, and Willy Mays Towai, 47; and pilot Franklin Ohlinger, 58 -- went missing while looking for a suspected illegal Chinese fishing vessel a week ago.

As of last Thursday, the U.S. Coast Guard, Palauan government vessels, and local volunteers had covered 9,000 square miles in their search for the men.

The Coast Guard suspended its search Friday. By then hopes had started to dim that the men would be reunited with their families and friends, said Fermin Meriang, the Palau president's press secretary. That night the Palau government held a candlelight vigil for the men, to which hundreds turned out, said Toribiong.

The plane flown by Ohlinger went down after Palau authorities discovered what they believed was an illegal fishing operation. Police confronted a smaller fishing vessel, and the three men were searching for a "mothership," Toribiong said in a statement.

When the plane ran low on fuel and its navigation system failed, the officers radioed in to say they were gliding into a water landing, though they couldn't see light or land.

Communication with the aircraft was lost around 8:15 p.m. Sunday. The Cessna was from ABA Sky Inc., a company in Palau that provides sight-seeing tours. Ohlinger was assisting police with the operation, the Palau government said.

Of the continued search, Toribiong said, "It's just a matter of concluding it in a way that the families know we did our very best."

Source: http://www.guampdn.com

Tulsa mechanics repairing Dallas planes


DALLAS - American Airlines crews from Tulsa are still in Dallas repairing planes damaged in Tuesday's storms.

Fifty Tulsa mechanics are working on 47 planes which are still out of service.

Hail battered the planes while passengers sat on the tarmac.

A unions representative says it may be several days before all the damage can be repaired.

Source: http://www.kjrh.com

Battle For The Sky: Nigeria Takes On The Big Boys

African governments will have gleefully pulled up a chair to watch a riveting battle between Nigeria’s aviation regulator and powerful blue-eyed foreign carriers in what analysts say could trigger a new era of tighter and unpredictable regulation in the $67.8 billion regional air industry.

Nigeria accuses major international airlines plying its routes–chiefly British Airways and Virgin Atlantic– of overcharging its citizens and gave them a 30-day ultimatum, effective March 26, to redress perceived air imbalances or be barred from operating in its airspace.

Industry watchers say African airlines flying to Nigeria were unlikely to be affected by the directive that was clearly targeted at the two giants, which Abuja insists made profits by the bucketload at the expense of Nigerians, forcing some to even travel to neighbouring capitals to take advantage of lower fares to the same destinations– ironically by the same carriers.

It is a continuation of a damaging spat between Nigeria and the British Government over landing rights at Heathrow for local carrier Arik Air and which forced the young airline to last month suspend its flights from Abuja to London.

Read more:  http://africanspotlight.com

Cessna 340A Landing in Very Strong Crosswind at St-Hyacinthe airport, Quebec, Canada (CSU3)

by Aeroport StHyacinthe on Apr 6, 2012

Cessna 340A a l'aéroport de St-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada, CSU3


Yemen air force grounds flights at Sanaa airport

SANAA, April 7 (Reuters) - Members of Yemen's air force shut down the capital's airport on Saturday, stopping all flights in protest at the sacking of their commander, a half brother of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, an aviation official said.

Military vehicles full of soldiers turned passengers away from Sanaa airport and prevented flights from taking off or landing, witnesses said. The action is a challenge to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi who replaced Saleh earlier this year.

On Friday Hadi sacked the air force head in a reshuffle intended to prise key military posts from Saleh's allies and restructure the armed forces, which split during the uprising against Saleh's rule, with some units openly siding with protesters.

Protests demanding the resignation of the air force commander, General Saleh al-Ahmar, earlier this year brought several airports to a standstill. Hadi on Friday shifted him to be assistant to the defence minister.

The airport's closure highlights the challenges Hadi faces in restructuring Yemen's army, upsetting the entrenched interests of Saleh's associates as well as those of a powerful general, Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, some of whose allies were also sacked in Friday's shake-up.

General Ali Mohsen turned against Saleh early last year along with a chunk of the armed forces, sparking sporadic open combat on the streets of Sanaa with loyalist troops and tribal miltiamen that threatened to push the country into civil war.

A committee tasked with demilitarising Sanaa was on Saturday dismantling checkpoints set up by the warring factions in the western part of the city, to enforce a withdrawal of armed tribesmen and troops from the streets by the end of the week.

Previous such efforts have failed.

Hadi faces a sectarian rebellion in Yemen's north and an emboldened wing of al Qaeda concentrated in the south, which is also home to a separatist movement seeking to revive a socialist state Saleh united with the north in 1990.

Yemen's state news agency had been hacked on Saturday, apparently by southern secessionist sympathisers. Instead of the usual news feed, there were pictures of southern leaders and the former state's flag.

"Your turn has come all major Yemeni websites. If we do not see the southern flag waving above Yemeni sites we will eventually destroy them," read a statement posted on the site.

Some southerners accuse northerners of usurping their resources and discriminating against them.

They want no part in the united Yemen envisaged by neighbouring Saudi Arabia and the United States who threw their weight behind the power transfer plan under which Saleh left office after months of anti-government demonstrations that paralysed the impoverished state.

 (Reporting by Mohammed Ghobari; Writing by Isabel Coles; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)

Sourec:   http://www.reuters.com

Hucknall flying club celebrates 50th anniversary

 A HUCKNALL flying club is celebrating its 50th anniversary – carrying on the legacy of a handful of factory workers who set it up.

While the Red Arrow display team is more famous, the Merlin Flying Club has been going two years longer – and members also have a host of aerobatic tricks and stunts up their sleeve.

And the club, based at Hucknall Airfield, in Watnall Lane, prides itself on sharing these techniques – with around 500 people learning to fly there since it was set up by a handful of Rolls-Royce factory workers in 1962.

Fifty years on, the club has more than 130 members, 25 of whom are students.

Member Nick Perkins said: "People tend to view flying as a bit of a James Bond-style pastime.

"When they come they discover that it actually tends to be a cold, dirty and uncomfortable pastime – which is far from James Bond but still very enjoyable.

"For me it's just so different to anything else in your day-to-day life.

"When you are flying all the issues you have on the ground just disappear – it's a different world."

The club, which is open to Rolls-Royce employees and their immediate family, started when several workers asked for permission to use the airfield to start a flying club. Its primary aim is to help people learn to fly in an affordable way.

Mr Perkins, who flew to Wales in around an hour for lunch last weekend, said: "It's such a good way of getting to places quickly and the people who fly with us wouldn't normally be able to afford to learn to fly.

"That's why it's important that the club continues because if we didn't exist then a lot of people wouldn't even try flying.

"A lot of schools are very expensive and it is difficult for people on average salaries to fly – certainly to fully follow through to the point of getting a pilot's licence."

While anyone is capable of learning to fly, Mr Perkins, 55, said some people take to it more quickly than others.

On average it takes about two years and the Civil Aviation Authority recommends a minimum of 50 hours.

While some club members keep flying as a hobby, others have made it a career.

Mr Perkins, who lives in Ockbrook, Derbyshire, added: "Occasionally you get ex-members of the club on the radio.

"One of them I heard recently was a chap who was on his way from Heathrow to Chicago in a jumbo jet and he radioed in to let us know he was flying over."

To celebrate 50 years of success at the club, members will hold The Merlin Pageant, also known as Wings And Wheels, on Saturday, June 16.

It will include at least one flying display and at least one Spitfire from the Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight.

There will also be an aerobatic team featuring two Yak aircraft and a display by a Pitts Special.

The club's chief flying instructor Colin Hutson will also take to the sky to perform his own stunts.

Food and trade stalls will also be available and entertainment will include the Rolls-Royce Brass Band.

There will also be a display of classic cars and bikes and anyone wanting to show their own vintage vehicle is welcome.

For more information visit www.merlinflyingclub.co.uk.

Source: http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk

What if a small regional airport was turned into a farm?

 
Photo Credit: Mainely Planning


Written by Mainly Planning 

I have a prediction. Small regional airports are going to become a thing of the past. I said it, now why do I believe that is so?

In one of the regional service centers of Maine, there resides a small airport. As with a lot of small towns, these airports can often turn into a burden for the local government to keep up with, and often require massive transfer of funding from federal and state sources. To obfuscate things a bit I am going to refrain from links. Guess the picture location, fine, but don’t tell any of my future employers. 

This particular airport is going to require about $500k in local monies, $500k in state funds, and about $9million from the federal government to make necessary repairs.

As a want-to-be planner I ask questions such as:
  • Is it in our economic best interest to have an airport that requires massive subsidization?
  • How many people in town use the airport?
  • What are the economic impacts for the area, outside of receiving federal and state subsidy for the repair and upkeep on the airport, and is this in our best interest as a society?
  • Is this system something that can sustain environmentally over time?
  • How does the airport ~15 and ~25 miles away compare to our airport and is it worth having all three?
  • Should we be competing to be the airport of the region, or should the region come together and focus its resources on one airport?

Navy to provide claim forms after crash - Available in person or online

The Navy says it will have staffing on hand at the Quality Inn on 21st Street in Virginia Beach Saturday at 2:30 p.m. to provide claims forms for personal injury or property damage resulting from Friday's aircraft accident.

The claims form is also available on line at this link.
 
Submit your completed claims form to:
Office of the Judge Advocate General
Tort Claims Unit Norfolk
9620 Maryland Avenue, Suite 205
Norfolk, Virginia 23511-2949