Aiken Municipal (KAIK), South Carolina: Airport topic of City Council work session

The Aiken Municipal Airport's success seems to be flying high as the facility has seen an increase in traffic over the last few months.

Aiken City Council members gathered at the airport Thursday afternoon for a work session to hear from Aiken Aviation Enterprises owner Mike Laver about the happenings at the facility.

Aiken Aviation Enterprises is the fixed-base operator which first leased the airport from the city in 1977.

The airport has seen many changes over the years. Most recently, the Instrument Landing System was installed and first used in February. ILS provides navigational guidance - both horizontal and vertical - to properly equipped aircraft, allowing them to land at the airport in bad weather conditions of cloud ceiling and visibility. The ILS permits additional piston-powered and jet aircraft at the airport.

Thanks to that new system, aircraft that couldn't land there before now can. For example, Laver said, they had a Global Express aircraft land there this year, which is a pretty large plane with a 100-foot wingspan. The ILS has helped increase the airport's traffic flow.

This year, the week of the Masters Golf Tournament was extremely busy, Laver said.

"It's crazy - that's the only way to describe that," Laver said when Councilwoman Gail Diggs asked what it's typically like during the Masters. "I was very proud with what everybody (staff) did this year. It was quite amazing."

The Aiken airport experienced a 47 percent increase in traffic during the Masters week. Laver said he remembers seeing 48 large jets that Friday. Aiken's aiport was taking in aircraft when Bush and Daniel fields in Augusta couldn't.

The airport did face a few challenges when the economy tanked. Starting around 2007 or 2008, the airport saw a decrease in fuel sales, Laver said. And over the years, he had to put in around $500,000 to keep the FBO afloat.

But, with his great staff, competitive fuel prices and the recent increase in traffic, Laver said the airport has pulled through a tough time.

The Aiken Municipal Airport was established by the federal government during World War II on 1,150 acres that was owned by the city. It was later returned to the municipality when the war ended, according to a memorandum from City Manager Richard Pearce. The city had to continue using that land for an airport or other related uses.

Through the years, many improvements have been made to the airport. Small, local aircraft and larger jet planes from around the country and world have made a stop at the airport as it expanded its services.

"We seem to have a good reputation - I'm proud of the job we're doing here," Laver said, later adding, "The community should be proud of what's happening at the airport."

Read more: Aiken airport topic of City Council work session | Aiken Standard

Cessna 172P Skyhawk, N64182: Accident occurred July 26, 2012 in Plainville, Connecticut

TORRINGTON >> James E. Seaver, Sr. the Torrington man killed in a Plainville plane crash in July, had a drug used to treat insomnia running through his veins when his Cessna 172P crashed into a berm near Robertson Airport.
 
Seaver, who was also being investigated by Torrington Police on allegations of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl years prior, had zolpidem detected in his liver and bloodstream, according to a toxicology report released by the National Transportation Safety Board. The brand name of zolpidem is Ambien, a sedative-hypnotic designed to slow brain activity, allowing a person to sleep easier.

Seaver’s fatal plane crash occurred on July 26 shortly after 7 p.m. in Plainville, after the private pilot departed from North Canaan Aviation Facilities, Inc. Airport at 6:20 p.m. He was 51.

Weeks following the fatal accident, Torrington Police released an unsigned arrest warrant indicating Seaver was under investigation for allegedly assaulting a 12-year-old girl in 2010. The girl, now 14, reported the incident to her mother in June and was given a forensic interview which proved consistent with her testimony of alleged sexual activity, the warrant states.

The warrant application relays an exchange between Seaver and the girl’s mother, with Seaver admitting he had “only touched her” three to four times, requesting the mother not to report him. 
“Can’t we find a therapist that doesn’t have to report,” Seaver said, according to the report.

Seaver’s toxicology report, finalized on Aug. 29 by the U.S. Department of Transportation, examined specimens from the decedent’s vital organs, blood and urine. The one-page summary states that no carbon monoxide or cyanide was detected in his blood, nor was any ethanol — indicating alcohol use — found in Seaver’s urine. The report additionally tested for amphetamines, opiates, marijuana, cocaine, and other drugs, including anti-depressants.

Medical information states that consumers of zolpidem — whether in its pill form, like Ambien, or its oral spray version — should expect to sleep shortly after taking the drug. The drug makes consumers sleepy, and consumers should expect to sleep a minimum of seven hours, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

The National Library of Medicine states that zolpidem should only be taken for seven to 10 days; not to exceed two weeks of consumption.

A recent study released by BMJ Open, a British-based medical publication, found drugs like zolpidem are more likely to cause cancer and consumers have a greater risk of death than people who don’t use sleep aid medication.

“When starting Ambien, do not do anything that requires complete alertness, such as driving, operating machinery, or piloting an airplane,” the drug’s user precautions read.

The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration has yet to finalize a report from the July 26 incident, although preliminary investigation by the NTSB claims weather was not an issue during the crash. The initial report additionally states that Seaver never made radio contact with flight service, nor were there records of contact with air traffic control.

The Cessna 172, the same model Seaver flew, is a four-seat single engine aircraft and according to the company, its best seller. Seaver’s crash marks the second fatality in the 172 model in Plainville since 2002. There have been two other crashes investigated by the NTSB near Robertson Airport since that time, although neither caused death.

Seaver was the only victim in the crash.

Source: http://www.registercitizen.com

NTSB Identification: ERA12FA483 Nonscheduled 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation Accident occurred Thursday, July 26, 2012 in Plainville, CT Aircraft: CESSNA 172P, registration: N64182 Injuries: 1 Fatal.

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 July 26, 2012, about 1910 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N64182, operated by Interstate Aviation Inc., was substantially damaged during final approach, when it impacted a berm just prior to and below runway 20 at Robertson Airport (4B8), Plainville, Connecticut. The private pilot was fatally injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight that departed North Canaan Aviation Facilities Inc. Airport (CT24), North Canaan, Connecticut, about 1820.

Review of preliminary radar data, provided by the Federal Aviation Administration, revealed primary targets that originated approximately 3 miles southeast of CT24 at 1825:57. The targets proceeded to 4B8 and terminated on a left downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern to runway 20, at 1901:24. There was no record of radio contact with air traffic control. Additionally, there was no record of any contact with flight service or direct user access terminal.

A flight instructor, who was walking to his car at the airport, saw the accident airplane approach. He reported that the pilot made one radio transmission on the local common traffic advisory frequency, regarding landing advisories. The airplane proceeded to fly a mid-field crosswind leg of the airport traffic pattern, followed by a left downwind, base, and final leg of the airport traffic pattern. The witness noted that when the airplane was on final approach, its flaps were extended and it was “a bit” high. The nose then moved right, as if the airplane entered a controlled slip. The witness then left the airport in his car and did not see the impact.

The wreckage came to rest upright, with the empennage resting on top of the airport perimeter fence. An approximate 4-foot diameter by 1-foot deep impact crater was observed in the berm, about 20 feet below runway 20. The cockpit and cabin area were consumed by a postcrash fire.

NTSB Identification: ERA12FA483 
 Nonscheduled 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, July 26, 2012 in Plainville, CT
Aircraft: CESSNA 172P, registration: N64182
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

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.

On July 26, 2012, about 1910 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N64182, operated by Interstate Aviation Inc., was substantially damaged during final approach, when it impacted a berm just prior to and below runway 20 at Robertson Airport (4B8), Plainville, Connecticut. The private pilot was fatally injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight that departed North Canaan Aviation Facilities Inc. Airport (CT24), North Canaan, Connecticut, about 1820.

Review of preliminary radar data, provided by the Federal Aviation Administration, revealed primary targets that originated approximately 3 miles southeast of CT24 at 1825:57. The targets proceeded to 4B8 and terminated on a left downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern to runway 20, at 1901:24. There was no record of radio contact with air traffic control. Additionally, there was no record of any contact with flight service or direct user access terminal.

A flight instructor, who was walking to his car at the airport, saw the accident airplane approach. He reported that the pilot made one radio transmission on the local common traffic advisory frequency, regarding landing advisories. The airplane proceeded to fly a mid-field crosswind leg of the airport traffic pattern, followed by a left downwind, base, and final leg of the airport traffic pattern. The witness noted that when the airplane was on final approach, its flaps were extended and it was "a bit" high. The nose then moved right, as if the airplane entered a controlled slip. The witness then left the airport in his car and did not see the impact.

The wreckage came to rest upright, with the empennage resting on top of the airport perimeter fence. An approximate 4-foot diameter by 1-foot deep impact crater was observed in the berm, about 20 feet below runway 20. The cockpit and cabin area were consumed by a postcrash fire.

Terri Mongeon 

Fire engulfs a plane that crashed just off the runway at Robertson Field Airport in Plainville Thursday.

Sherry Cole 

NTSB investigating deadly plane crash in Plainville 

Federal officials arrived Friday to investigate a deadly plane crash near Robertson Field in Plainville. The plane crashed shortly after 7 p.m. Thursday night, killing the pilot.

Monday, July 30, 2012   9:12 PM EDT
 By Lisa Backus

 PLAINVILLE — The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is waiting on dental records to positively identify the man who died in a plane crash while trying to land at Robertson Airport Thursday night. 

A spokesperson for the medical examiner said they have determined a tentative identity of the pilot but the office still needs to locate and compare dental records to make a positive ID.

The plane burst into flames after crashing into a fence in front of a berm at the intersection of Johnson Avenue and Northwest Drive around 7 p.m. Thursday. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board are still looking into the cause of the crash. The Cessna was rented from a company at the airport around 1 p.m. the day of the crash, investigators said.

Police said they would not release the identity of the pilot until his name is confirmed by the medical examiner’s office.

http://registry.faa.gov/N64182
http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/N64182
http://www.newbritainherald.com

FAA IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 64182        Make/Model: C172      Description: P172,Skyhawk Hawk XP
  Date: 07/26/2012     Time: 1915

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

LOCATION
  City: PLAINVILLE   State: CT   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT ON LANDING CRASHED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY, THE 1 PERSON ON BOARD WAS 
  FATALLY INJURED, PLAINVILLE, CT

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
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Landing      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: WINDSOR LOCKS, CT  (EA63)             Entry date: 07/27/2012 

New Braunfels Regional Airport (KBAZ), Texas: EMS on Stand-By for Emergency Landing at Airport Saturday

(New Braunfels, TX) -- For the second time in a week, New Braunfels Fire and EMS were called to the New Braunfels Regional Airport for reports of a plane that had issues with its landing gear. 

In the most recent incident, crews were called to the airport around 10:45am Saturday after a pilot declared an in-flight emergency and began circling the airport after a piece of his landing gear apparently malfunctioned.

The first attempt at landing was stopped short after the tower told the pilot that his left landing gear wasn’t fully extended. So the pilot circled around the airport, eventually getting ready to attempt a 2nd landing, only to be told once again that his left landing gear had come down and then had gone back up into the plane. So the pilot circled the airport a few more times.

On the 3rd landing attempt, the airplane gave the pilot some warning signals about the landing gear, but the tower told him that the gear had finally extended all the way, so he came in on final approach and landed safely. In all, the plane, a small single-engine propeller-driven plane, had circled the airport for about an hour before finally landing.

The pilot and his passenger were uninjured in the incident, and EMS crews immediately cleared the scene, around 11:40am.

Earlier in the week, on Tuesday, first responders were called to the airport, in the 23-hundred block of FM 758, after a Beechcraft single engine plane landed without its landing gear down at all.

The pilot, an 84-year old Seguin man, told KGNB News that a flock of buzzards got in his way on his final approach for landing, and so after he maneuvered around the birds, he simply forgot to put the landing gear down.

The plane scraped the tarmac and the propeller blades were bent back when they hit the ground before the engine went into an emergency stop.

The pilot was uninjured in the incident, and EMS crews released him at the scene.
Source:   http://kgnb.am

FAA IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 9493S        Make/Model: BE35      Description: 35 Bonanza
  Date: 07/23/2012     Time: 1631

  Event Type: Incident   Highest Injury: None     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Minor

LOCATION
  City: NEW BRAUNFELS   State: TX   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT LANDED GEAR UP, NEW BRAUNFELS, TX

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

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Landing      Operation: OTHER

  FAA FSDO: SAN ANTONIO, TX  (SW17)               Entry date: 07/24/2012

http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=9493S

Dana Air McDonnell Douglas MD-83, 5N-RAM, Flight 9J-992: Lawyer blame high casualty on poor crowd management - Lagos, Nigeria

 

A legal Practitioner, Adewale Adeniyi, on Monday told Coroner Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe inquiring into the cause of death of the victims of the 3 June crash of a Dana Air plane in Iju-Ishaga area of Lagos state, that there was poor management of the crowd at the crash site.

Mr Adeniyi, while responding to questions from other lawyers at the sitting, said he was related to a member of the cabin crew, Vivien Oshinuga who died in the crash.

He said he got to the site around 4.30pm after the husband of the deceased alerted him from London, urging him to rush to the site to see if there was anything he could do to save the deceased.

In his testimony, Mr Adeniyi said, “The crowd at the site was not well managed. There was stampede. People were running helter skelter. A helicopter was hovering over us. The soldiers were beating us with horse whip when the helicopter wanted to land.

“The crowd was not well managed by the agencies at the site. The crowd was too enormous for the agencies on the ground to handle.”

The lawyer, who said the post-crash inferno was still burning as at the time he left the site at 6pm, listed the agencies he met at the site to include the Federal Fire Services attached to the airport, the Nigerian Army, the Police, Julius Berger Construction Company and Red Cross.

The Counsel representing the Lagos State Ministry of Justice at the sitting, Adetunji Bakare, however blamed Mr Adeniyi for being part of the crowd which obstructed rescue operations.

Though Mr Adeniyi disagreed that the crowd obstructed rescue operations, he conceded that, due to the circumstances at the crash site, there was not much he or any other persons in the crowd could do to rescue any of the victims.

“What you should have done is to leave the scene when you could not help,” Mr Bakare said.

But Mr Adeniyi responded, saying the crowd did not obstruct rescue operations but rather “assisted in quenching the fire.”

He admitted that the crowd was using the equipment provided by the fire services and Julius Berger whose vehicles were prevented from reaching the point of the post-crash inferno.

Meanwhile, three television stations, the African Independent Television (AIT), Channels Television and the Television Continental (TVC), summoned by the Coroner were unable to bring the needed equipment to show the video clips they recorded at the crash site.

The video clips of the television stations which were said to have conducted a thorough coverage of rescue operations are to give insight into the post-crash activities at the site.

They were then slated to appear on Wednesday with their reporters who recorded the video clip. They were also asked to come to the sitting with a copy of the VCD which will be kept in the custody of the court.

Dana Air and the Accident Investigation Bureau have been slated to give their testimonies on Thursday.

The Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Airforce were asked to appear before the court on the 9th of August.

The Coroner has adjourned sitting till Tuesday when the National Aviation Management Authority, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency and the MRS Oil Nigeria are expected to testify. 

Source:  http://www.channelstv.com

Flight Design GMBH CTSW, N460CT: Accident occurred July 30, 2012 in Hutchinson, Kansas

NTSB Identification: CEN12CA499 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, July 30, 2012 in Hutchinson, KS
Aircraft: FLIGHT DESIGN GMBH CTSW, registration: N460CT
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.

During the landing roll on a grass strip (runway 9) at a private airport, the airplane encountered wind and began to skid to the left. The pilot turned the airplane in order to level the wings and stop the skid; however, the airplane departed the runway at a 30 degree angle and nosed over in the soft ground. The aft spar in the vertical stabilizer and the rudder hinge were broken. According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the airplane, no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures were found that would have precluded normal operation. Wind at the time of the accident were recorded as 100 degrees at 6 knots.

FAA IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 460CT        Make/Model: LSA       Description: FLIGHT DESIGN GMBH CTSW
  Date: 07/30/2012     Time: 1748

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: None     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Substantial

LOCATION
  City: HUTCHINSON   State: KS   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT ON LANDING, WENT OFF THE RUNWAY AND FLIPPED OVER, HUTCHINSON, KS

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


OTHER DATA
  Activity: Pleasure      Phase: Landing      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: WICHITA, KS  (CE07)                   Entry date: 07/31/2012 

 http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=460CT

 

Plane in field (Dennis Decker/Eyewitness News / July 30, 2012)

(RENO COUNTY, Kan.)— The Kansas Highway Patrol is on the scene of a crash landing in Reno County. 

 Officials on the scene tell Eyewitness News the plane went down in a field in the 3600 block of Mohawk in Reno County.

A single pilot was on board at the time. Authorities tell us he was landing on a private airstrip when he lost control and veered to the left and went into the field. His nosegear collapsed and the prop of the small plane went into the ground, causing the plane to flip over onto its back. 

No one was hurt.

Story & Photo:   http://www.kansascw.com

Robinson R44, N34JS: Husband of Boynton Beach woman who died in helicopter crash sues manufacturer - Accident occurred August 02, 2010 in Blairsville, Georgia

WEST PALM BEACH — The husband of a 37-year-old Boynton Beach woman who was killed in a 2010 helicopter crash in Georgia has sued the helicopter maker, and the companies that serviced and sold the aircraft. 

In the lawsuit filed last week in Palm Beach County Circuit Court, Sasha Zapototsky claims the companies— Robinson Helicopter Co., South Florida Helicopters and The Gates Corp. — are responsible for the death of his wife, Shelley.

The registered nurse died when the helicopter owned and piloted by her boss, Adam Reeves, crashed near Blood Mountain en route from the North County Airport, near Palm Beach Gardens. The 45-year-old Jupiter businessman also died.

The National Transportation Safety Board last year blamed the crash on bad weather and Reeves’ inexperience.

In his lawsuit, Zapototsky says the crash occurred when the helicopter’s rotors lost power. Such problems have contributed to other crashes, the suit claims. None of the companies were immediately available for comment.

Story and comments:   http://www.palmbeachpost.com

NTSB Identification: ERA10FA403
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, August 02, 2010 in Blairsville, GA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 02/06/2012
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II, registration: N34JS
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

The non-instrument-rated private pilot departed on a multi-leg cross-country trip without obtaining a weather briefing or filing a flight plan. Prior to the flight, the pilot asked a friend, a commercial helicopter operator, to accompany him on the trip, as the pilot had never flown over mountainous terrain. The friend could not accompany him due to a prior commitment and tried to dissuade the pilot from going because he thought the pilot needed mountain flying experience, but the pilot insisted on making the flight. When the helicopter failed to arrive at its destination, an alert notice was issued. The helicopter was located by aerial search in mountainous terrain 4 days after the accident. Examination of satellite images revealed that the wreckage was located in a box canyon and that the wreckage path was oriented opposite the intended route of flight. An AIRMET advisory for instrument meteorological conditions and mountain obscuration were current for the route of flight and the crash site. Satellite images from over the accident site around the time of the accident depicted an area of low stratiform clouds that extended over the area. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of pre-impact mechanical malfunction, and the damage was consistent with controlled flight into terrain.

Post mortem examinations and testing revealed heart disease and the use of amphetamine and anti-depressant medications. At least two of the medications that the pilot was taking are not permitted by the Federal Aviation Administration for use while flying, but he did not report them. However, it could not be determined whether the pilot's heart disease or his use of unapproved medications posed a significant risk to flight safety.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The non-instrument-rated pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.

ExcelAire Expands Fleet: Adds Three Private Jets

 RONKONKOMA, NY, Jul 30, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Continuing its fleet expansion, ExcelAire today announced the addition of three private jets, including a Cessna Citation Sovereign, Learjet 60 and a Gulfstream GIII. ExcelAire is one of the nation's leading private jet charter and aircraft management companies. 

 "Our fleet of private jets is an ideal way to travel anywhere in the world -- for business or leisure, and these fleet additions offer our clients even more choices in how they travel with us," said David Rimmer, president of ExcelAire.

The 2012 Cessna Citation Sovereign is a factory-new aircraft equipped with eight captain's chairs. For maximum productivity, the Sovereign features Wi-Fi along with a state of the art entertainment system. With a range of 2,847 nautical miles, the Sovereign flies non-stop from coast-to-coast. In addition, an on-board cabin attendant accompanies each Sovereign flight, providing premium service.

For shorter trips, the new Learjet 60 seats seven passengers and features a new interior. With a mid-size cabin and a range of 2,405 nautical miles, it is ideal for trips throughout the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean and beyond.

ExcelAire's new GIII offers passengers a spacious cabin, with seating for 11, including eight captain's chairs and a 3-seat divan. With a range of 3,200 nautical miles, the GIII offers an unmatched combination of comfort, capability and value. ExcelAire's highly-qualified pilots and cabin attendants ensure the highest levels of safety and service on every flight.

ExcelAire provides unmatched levels of service to aircraft owners and charter customers, which include heads of state, business leaders, royalty, celebrities and high net worth individuals. With a team of private jet travel professionals, ExcelAire exceeds even the highest expectations and ensures that each trip is executed flawlessly.

About ExcelAire
A Hawthorne Global Aviation Services company, ExcelAire is one of the nation's leading private jet charter firms, specializing in worldwide jet charters, aircraft management, maintenance and sales. The company maintains office and hangar space at Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP), with aircraft based throughout the Northeast and Midwest. Further information about the entire ExcelAire fleet, including downloadable photos and individual aircraft specifications, is available at ExcelAire's website, www.excelaire.com , or by calling 800-773-9235.

About Hawthorne Global Aviation Services 
ExcelAire is a Hawthorne Global Aviation Services company. Hawthorne is a premier provider of general aviation services, with a rich history in the industry dating back to 1932. For more information, please visit www.hawthorne.aero . 

SOURCE: ExcelAire 

http://www.marketwatch.com

Video: Ace's furniture is made from old airplanes

 

July 25, 2012 by XanCreativeDenver

This video shows the creation of repurposed airplane pieces into restaurant fixtures — host stand, wait stations, and signage. Xan Creative http://www.xancreative.com commissioned local Denver handmade furniture company, Fin Art, to help our designs come to life. The finished pieces can be seen at Ace Eat Serve, a restaurant / ping pong hall in Denver, Colorado http://www.acedenver.com/.

Feathers to fly as airport approves turkey shooting: John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County (KJST), Johnstown, Pennsylvania

Airport leaders are talking some serious turkey when it comes to the safety of aircraft at John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport. 

The authority has approved the purchase of a shotgun to use on persistent wildlife that present hazards at the Richland Township facility.

Last month, maintenance supervisor Josh Keyser told the authority his crews were regularly chasing a group of turkeys off the airfield. Keyser said he contacted the Pennsylvania Game Commission for suggestions and was told experts don’t recommend any type of trapping for turkey.

The commission recommended “lethal measures” using firearms, Keyser said last month.

Several authority members voiced concerns about authorizing the use of firearms by employees. Keyser was asked to investigate more for this month’s meeting.

Authority members stressed last month that the wildlife issue is a serious concern.

“Really bad things happen,” authority member and Cambria County Commissioner Douglas Lengenfelder said.

“When it comes to turkeys, if I hit them in my plane, I’m dead,” authority Chairman James Loncella said.

Keyser on Tuesday reported the game commission had no new suggestions, and pointed to a recently completed wildlife hazard survey that also recommended shooting birds that present hazards.

The birds are becoming cockier, Keyser reported.

“They aren’t afraid of the vehicles,” he said. “They are used to seeing us. They don’t run away until we get out of the vehicle. We fire some pyrotechnics at them and they don’t move.”

Authority member Raymond Porsch said if airport maintenance workers are trained in gun and hunting safety, they should be able to take care of the turkeys.

“We have to weigh the risks to our airline versus the risks to our personnel,” Lengenfelder said.

“We can either trust the turkeys to stay out from in front of the planes, or we can trust our people.

“I’d rather trust our staff to safely handle the shotgun.”

After a suggestion that the property committee develop firearm handling procedures to be presented at next month’s meeting, authority member Jonathan Gleason said the issue shouldn’t be put off. He made the motion to purchase a shotgun and authorize Keyser to develop criteria and safety rules, including those authorized to use the gun, required training and areas of the property where shooting would be permitted.

The motion passed unanimously.

“It was a difficult decision, but think of what would happen if we failed to act and we had an aircraft accident,” authority member Charles Moyer said.

“I’d hate to be sitting here, trying to explain to the public why we didn’t deal with this problem,” Lengenfelder said.

http://tribune-democrat.com

Cirrus Design Corp SR22, N462CP: Accident occurred July 29, 2012 in Lakeview, Arkansas

NTSB Identification: CEN12LA495 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, July 29, 2012 in Lakeview, AR
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22, registration: N462CP
Injuries: 3 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.

On July 29, 2012, about 1430 central standard time, a Cirrus SR22 airplane, N462CP, impacted trees during an attempted takeoff near Lakeview, Arkansas. The private rated pilot and two passengers were not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was owned and operated by RTJ Aircraft, Inc., New Castle, Delaware, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated without a flight plan. The flight was originating from Gastons Airport (3MO), Lakeview, Arkansas at the time of the accident.

The pilot reported to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that during the takeoff roll the airplane pulled to the right. He was unable to correct the right turn and the airplane impacted a fence and trees before coming to a stop.

The airplane was recovered for further examination.

 

Photo provided by Baxter County Sheriff's Office.

 

Photo provided by Baxter County Sheriff's Office.

Photo provided by Baxter County Sheriff's Office.

Photo provided by Baxter County Sheriff's Office.

BAXTER COUNTY, AR (KAIT) – Three people escaped injury Sunday afternoon when their small plane crashed at Gaston's Resort near Lakeview, according to the Baxter County Sheriff's Office. Corporal Edward Elliott said the 2008 4-seat Cirrus SR- 22 was attempting to take off when it began having trouble and veered to the right. 

 The plane's wings then clipped several trees before coming to a stop in front of several cabins.

The pilot, 30-year-old Jordan Smith of Kansas City, Missouri, and his passengers, 23-year-old Matthew Stengel and 28-year-old Casey Stengel of Springfield, were not injured.  The plane, however, sustained heavy damage.

According to Corporal Elliott, the Federal Aviation Administration has been notified and is expected to investigate.

The plane was registered to RTJ Aircraft, Inc. of Wilmington, Delaware.

An officer with the Lakeview Police Department assisted at the scene.

Source:   http://www.kait8.com

The pilot and two passengers escaped injury in a small plane crash in Baxter County over the weekend.

It happened Sunday afternoon at the air strip at Gaston's Resort along the White River near Lakeview.

The Baxter County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) says the 911 Center received the call at about 2:30 PM.

Deputies say the pilot of a 2008 4 seat Cirrus SR-22 aircraft was trying to take off from Gaston's.

The plane encountered difficulties and veered to the right. Each wing of the plane struck some trees, and the aircraft then traveled about 50 yards more and came to rest in some hedges near cabin no. 71.

The aircraft was registered to RTJ Aircraft, Inc. of Wilmington, Delaware.

The plane was being piloted by Jordan Smith, 30, of Kansas City, Missouri. His passengers were Matthew Stengel, 23, of Springfield, Missouri in the front and Casey Stengel, 28, in the back.
The plane sustained heavy damage, the BCSO said.

The Federal Aviation Administration was contacted, and representatives from that agency will be coming to the location to investigate the crash.

Source: http://arkansasmatters.com

 LAKEVIEW, Ark. -- Federal authorities will investigate the crash of a small plane in northern Arkansas Sunday.  No one was injured in the crash, which happened at an air strip at Gaston's Resort near Lakeview.
 
The Baxter County Sheriff's office says the pilot from Kansas City and two passengers from Springfield were on board the Cirrus SR-22 plane as it was trying to take off.

The plane veered off to one side, both wings clipped some trees and came to a stop near a cabin at the resort.

The pilot was Jordan Smith, 30, of Kansas City.  Passengers were Matthew Stengel, 23, of Springfield and Casey Stengel, 28. The Sheriff's department says the plane is registered to RTJ Aircraft, Inc. of Wilmington, Delaware.

Investigators from the FAA are expected to examine the plane this week.

Source:  http://ozarksfirst.com

http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N462CP

 http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/570337.html
 

FAA IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 462CP        Make/Model: SR22      Description: SR-22
  Date: 07/29/2012     Time: 1937

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: None     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Substantial

LOCATION
  City: LITTLE ROCK   State: AR   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  DURING TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY STRIKING TREES. LITTLE 
  ROCK, AR

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


OTHER DATA
  Activity: Pleasure      Phase: Take-off      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: LITTLE ROCK, AR  (SW11)               Entry date: 07/30/2012 

 

United Airlines To Host Live Webcast Of First Dreamliner Rolling Out Of Paint Facility

Watch United's 787 roll out online at unitedhub.com.

CHICAGO, July 30, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Tuesday morning United Airlines will host a live webcast of its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft rolling out of the paint hangar at Boeing's Everett, Wash., facility. The webcast will stream live at unitedhub.com at 5:30 a.m. PT.

The live stream will provide viewers with a look at the airline's customized livery that is exclusive to the fleet, featuring a gold line that wraps the fuselage and swoops from nose to tail. The swoop is inspired by the trademark swoop painted on each of Boeing's aircraft and is being adopted for the United 787 in a tribute to the two companies' long history of working together. United will take delivery of its first 787 in late September.

To watch the live stream, visit unitedhub.com. 

About United

United Airlines and United Express operate an average of 5,574 flights a day to 377 airports on six continents from our hubs in Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Guam, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco, Tokyo and Washington, D.C. In 2011, United carried more traffic than any other airline in the world, and operated more than two million flights carrying 142 million passengers. United is upgrading its cabins with more flat-bed seats in first and business class and more extra-legroom economy-class seating than any other airline in North America. United operates nearly 700 mainline aircraft and has orders for more than 270 new aircraft deliveries through 2022, including 50 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, 25 Airbus A350XWBs, and 100 Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft. United was rated the world's most admired airline on FORTUNE magazine's 2012 airline-industry list of the World's Most Admired Companies. Readers of Global Traveler magazine have voted United's MileagePlus program the best frequent flyer program for eight consecutive years. United is a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides service to 193 countries via 27 member airlines. More than 85,000 United employees reside in every U.S. state and in countries around the world. For more information, visit united.com or follow United on Twitter and Facebook. The common stock of United's parent, United Continental Holdings, Inc., is traded on the NYSE under the symbol UAL.

SOURCE United Continental Holdings, Inc.
 
Watch United's 787 roll out online at unitedhub.com.

Low flying plane explained: Victoria International Airport, British Columbia, Canada

 NAV Canada Flight Inspection Fleet in photos;

Photo C-GCFK Dehavilland DHC-8
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bill_fawcett/5940144226/sizes/l/
 
Photo C-GFIO Canadair CRJ-200ER
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33932332@N07/5717027321/sizes/l/

Photo C-GNVC Canadair CRJ-200ER
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bcavpics/7504828218/sizes/l/

A low-flying plane over Sidney on Wednesday, July 25 was cause for some concerned calls to Victoria International Airport and to the Peninsula News Review.

The blue and white plane could be seen flying slow, wide circles above the airport in the early afternoon. It was conducting a routine inspection of the airport's instrument landing system.

"We get a lot of calls from people every year wondering what [the plane] is doing," said Terry Stewart, director of marketing and community relations at the airport. "The calibration tests are completely controlled by Nav Canada and happen on a regular basis."

Nav Canada, a private company, performs flight inspections to verify and calibrate ground-based navigational aids as well as to check the accuracy of newly designed approaches and isolate the causes of frequency interference or system outages, said Jonathan Bagg, manager of public affairs at Nav Canada.

During the inspections, new approaches, departures and arrivals are also flown to ensure correct design and terrain clearance.

Nav Canada currently uses three aircraft to fly the tests: one Dash turboprop and two Canadair Regional Jets (CRJs). The latter was used at Victoria airport last week.

Source: http://www.peninsulanewsreview.com

Weather Channel takes to the skies with “Plane Xtreme”

New non-fiction series is about to take flight on the Weather Channel. 


Plane Xtreme, produced by Spectrum Productions (Swamp Men), follows the adventures of a group of pilots who risk their lives flying small planes through numerous adverse weather conditions to deliver general aviation aircraft – ranging from small Piper Cubs to vintage aircraft – from Florida to locations around the world.

“Plane Xtreme shows the real dangers of working for this unusual aircraft delivery business, from unpredictable weather conditions to the perils of landing in obscure destinations,” said Michael Dingley, senior vice president of content and development, for The Weather Channel Companies. “Our viewers will experience the fears and thrills of flying undersized airplanes over huge stretches of ocean, where the weather or mechanical issues can quickly become a life or death situation.”

"Plane Xtreme" is sectioned into four half-hour episodes and joins Weather Channel's emerging slate of original series including "Coast Guard Alaska" and "Hurricane Hunters." Should the new show find ratings success, net will pick up more episodes as it did with "Iron Men" this year.

"Plane Xtreme"  will bow October 15 at 9pm ET.

Ice Pilots: Engine Fire

 

July 17, 2012 by The Weather Channel 

A fire alarm goes off in the cabin of Devan's plane. It is too late to abort take off! Devan must either shut down the troubled engine and attempt a one engine landing or risk an engine fire. Watch Ice Pilots, Mondays at 9pm.

Aero AT- 4 Light Sport Aircraft: Pilot was to begin grad school; pilot not reckless, friends say. Accident occurred July 29, 2012 in Pontian, Johor - Malaysia

Samuel Ling.

Malaysian fire and police personnel conducting their investigations at the site of the plane crash. (Photo: The Star)

 

SINGAPORE: Samuel Ling Shi Min, the 25-year-old Singaporean pilot who died in the plane crash in Pontian, Johor on Sunday, was supposed to begin his postgraduate studies at the Singapore Management University (SMU) in August. 

Professor Bryce Hool from SMU School of Economics said SMU is saddened by the tragic news and would render any assistance possible to Mr Ling's family.

Mr Ling had enrolled into the School of Economics' Master of Science in Applied Economics program.

Singaporean pilot not reckless, friends say

SINGAPORE- Friends of 25-year-old Singaporean pilot Samuel Ling Shi Min who died in Pontian, Johor said they are shocked to learn that he crashed his plane.

Samuel was also an avid diver and his diving instructor, Neo Kah Heng, told Channel NewsAsia that he was persistent in his pursuits but he was never reckless.

Neo Kah Heng, diving instructor at Sunny Cove LLP, said: "When he says he wants to try something, he will go ahead and he will do it until the very end. He will not stop halfway. And he seeks something for interest other than his work. He's very friendly and very humble.

"He doesn't like to talk loud about his stuff. Only when we talk to him then he will just mingle and share a bit about what he's doing.

"He's not the kind to do crazy stuff. I was quite shocked."


http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com

GoPro Learjet 25 Takeoff - SABE (Aeroparque Jorge Newbery)

 

July 25, 2012 by snash24 

Learjet 25 taking off from SABE (Aeroparque Jorge Newbery) with original audio, making a flyby and a step turn into the river.

More work for GE Aviation - Rutland, Vermont

GE Aviation has landed a $2.65 billion engine contract from Aeromexico that will mean additional work for GE’s Rutland jet engine plants.

Included in the Aeromexico order are 10 Boeing 787 Dreamliners that will be powered by the GEnx. The GEnx engine order is valued at $400 million.

GE Rutland makes compressor and fan blades for a variety of commercial and military jet engines, including components for the GEnx.

“The development of each engine is a national effort, with several GE Aviation facilities around the United States playing a part in the production and assembly,” GE spokeswoman Amanda Belcher said in an email. “In Rutland, GE’s more than 1,000-person facility plays an important role in developing airfoils for the GEnx engine, supporting high technology manufacturing jobs.”

Belcher said recent engine orders “signal stable long-term production at the facility.”

Aeromexico Chief Executive Officer Andres Conesa said in a statement that the airline “selected the GEnx-1B engine for its thrust capability, excellent fuel efficiency, reduced emissions and lower noise levels.”

More than 850 GEnx-1B engines have been sold to 30 customers to power Boeing’s newest passenger jet, the 787 Dreamliner.

At the recent Farnborough Airshow in England, GE Aviation and its partner CFM International received orders for engines and services valued at $17.5 billion.

The backlog of engine orders has had a ripple effect. To keep up with demand, local subcontractor Ellison Surface Technologies opened a second manufacturing facility on Quality Lane in Rutland Town. Ellison provides coating and manufacturing services to the local GE plants.

Story:  http://www.timesargus.com

High-Profile aviation broker gets just six months for sex attack but he must pay victim €75k

 

Anthony Lyons ...

His lawyer told the court he was a 'businessman of impeccable character' involved in the aviation industry. 

Photograph: Collins Courts

A high-profile aviation broker will serve just six months in jail for sexual assault after a Judge today suspended five-and-a-half years of a six year prison sentence.

Anthony Lyons (51), of Griffith Avenue in Dublin, was also ordered by Judge Desmond Hogan to pay his victim €75,000.

Last month a jury rejected his claim that his cholesterol medication had made him do it.

Anthony Lyons (51), of Griffith Avenue in Dublin, had pleaded not guilty at the Circuit Criminal Court to the sexual assault of a 27-year-old woman in the early hours of October 3, 2010.

The victim’s family today reacted angrily to the sentence and said “money talks”.

Lyons was head of the aviation company Santos Dumont, before stepping aside after he had been charged.

He admitted the attack but claimed that he had been overcome with an "irresistible urge" due to the combination of alcohol, the cholesterol medicine Rosuvastatin and cough syrup.

The eight-day trial had heard extensive expert evidence on the potential effects of the cholesterol drug. The jury took just over three hours to reject the defence claim that the medicine had caused Lyons to lose control of his actions and attack the woman.

Read more here:  http://www.independent.ie

Related:  http://www.rte.ie

Man in critical condition after glider crash near Dundalk, Ontario

A glider mishap in Grey County last evening sent one pilot to hospital in London.

 The glider crashed in Southgate Township, near Side Road 15 and Southgate Road 8. The pilot had ejected from the glider and deployed his parachute just before the crash.
 
The 57-year-old man from Aurora hit the ground hard. He was air lifted to London Hospital with life threatening injuries.

The pilot was one of several glider enthusiasts from the Toronto Soaring Club that were flying above the Township of Southgate when the mishap occurred.

 A glider crash in Southgate Township has left an Aurora man in hospital with life-threatening injuries.

OPP say the 57-year-old was among a number of glider enthusiasts from the Toronto  Soaring Club that took to the skies yesterday.

Police say the man abandoned his glider around 6pm and deployed his parachute before hitting the ground.

Police say he was unresponsive when emergency workers arrived on the scene.

He was airlifted to a London Hospital.

The Transport Safety Board was notified.

Read more here: 

http://www.bayshorebroadcasting.ca
 
http://www.570news.com

http://www.am920.ca

Black Donald COZY III, N904DB: Accident occurred July 29, 2012 in Los Lunas, New Mexico

NTSB Identification: CEN12CA496
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, July 29, 2012 in Los Lunas, NM
Aircraft: BLACK DONALD COZY III, registration: N904DB
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.

While taxiing after landing, the engine lost power and the pilot turned the airplane off the runway. The pilot exited the airplane and noticed smoke at the rear of the airplane near the engine. The pilot attempted to extinguish the fire; however, his efforts were unsuccessful and the airplane was consumed by the fire. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accumulated 4.9 flight hours. Post accident examination of the airplane showed loose B-nuts on two fuel lines and one oil line. An oil streak was noted on the runway surface and no oil was found in the engine.

http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N904DB

Pilot escapes plane fire in Los Lunas: kasa.com

LOS LUNAS, N.M. (KRQE) - A pilot survived a fire that engulfed his small plane Sunday morning, shortly after landing in Los Lunas. 
 
It happened at the Mid Valley Airpark.

According to state police the pilot made an emergency landing after smelling smoke.

Shortly after landing, the plane caught fire.

State police say he tried dousing the flames with a fire extinguisher, but was unsuccessful.

So far, no word on what caused the fire.

Story and video:   http://www.kasa.com

A Los Lunas man survived a fire that englufed his small engine plane after landing at the Mid Valley Airpark in Valencia County on Sunday.

New Mexico State Police Lt. Robert McDonald said the plane caught fire after landing.

The pilot, who hasn't been identified, did not suffer any serious injuries, McDonald said.

It's unclear what caused the fire.

Story and photo:   http://www.kob.com

Lieutenant Marcus Case was 'ramp riding' in the back of a Chinook helicopter when it crashed in Afghanistan

 

Lieutenant Marcus Case was killed in a helicopter crash.

 Lieutenant Marcus Case, 26, was 'ramp riding' in the back of a Chinook helicopter Brahman 1/2, which was carrying five other officers on May 30 last year on a trip to recover an American Black Hawk.
The nose of the helicopter began surging up and down, a phenomenon known as 'porpoising', and Lt Case fell out of the aircraft, still attached to it by a strap, before it hit the ground and caught fire.

Lt Case was not an authorized crew member on the flight and was not a qualified as a pilot, aircrewman or an aircrewman technician on the Chinook helicopter, a commission of inquiry heard on Monday.

He and Sergeant Andrew Harvey were 'ramp riding' - sitting on the aircraft's rear ramp with their feet dangling over the edge - contrary to a directive from the Deputy Chief of Army.

'While it may be necessary for Sergeant Harvey, as the aircrewman technician, to assume this position so that he might operate the equipment mounted on the rear ramp, the positioning of Lieutenant Case on the ramp will be a matter for consideration of this commission,' lead counsel assisting the commission, Colonel Gary Hevey, said.

The helicopter began porpoising about 3.5 hours into the flight and did so four times before the crash.

'As the aircraft flipped through that fourth oscillation, so that it was 100 degrees to 110 degrees nose-down, it is believed that Lieutenant Case may have come into contact with the bottom of the aircraft,' Col Hevey said.

Read more here:  http://www.skynews.com.au

16-year-old pilot completes cross-country journey

Matt Gougeon prepares his aircraft in Sudbury on July 10 to begin a cross-Canada flight that starts in Tofino, B.C. and ends in Halifax, N.S.

 GINO DONATO/THE SUDBURY STAR

Sudburian Matthew Gougeon is the youngest pilot to ever fly across the country solo in an amphibious aircraft. 

 The last time The Star spoke with Gougeon, he was halfway through his cross-Canada challenge. He landed at Science North to promote his cause: The Neil Armstrong Foundation, which helps underprivileged kids learn to fly.

Gougeon, 16, spoke to The Star from Panache Lake following his trans-continental flight.

” The biggest thing that I learned on this trip is that it’s not over ’till it’s over,” he said, reflecting on the final stages of his journey. After flying over the Rocky Mountains at altitudes too high for his small plane, Gougeon says his favourite part was descending into Halifax.

” The weather was pretty rough, and I’m proud of myself because I landed so well in such bad conditions,” he said.

When he touched down at his last destination, he didn’t know what to do.

Read more here: 
http://www.thesudburystar.com

Smith Applebay Zuni II glider, N1ZV: Accident occurred July 29, 2012 in Gregory, Michigan

NTSB Identification: CEN12LA490 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, July 29, 2012 in Gregory, MI
Aircraft: SMITH APPLEBAY ZUNI II, registration: N1ZV
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 July 29, 2012, at 1343 eastern daylight time, an experimental Smith Applebay Zuni II glider, N1ZV, sustained substantial damage when it impacted trees and terrain while on the downwind leg to runway 36 at the Richmond Field Airport (69G), Gregory, Michigan. The pilot, the sole occupant, received serious injuries. The glider was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was filed for the local flight which originated from 69G at 1329. 

FAA IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 1ZV        Make/Model: EXP       Description: APPLEBAY ZUNI GLIDER
  Date: 07/29/2012     Time: 1900

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

LOCATION
  City: GREGORY   State: MI   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT ON APPROACH STRUCK TREES AND CRASHED ONTO A FIELD, NEAR GREGORY, MI

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


OTHER DATA
  Activity: Pleasure      Phase: Approach      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: DETROIT, MI  (GL23)                   Entry date: 07/31/2012 

 http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=1ZV

7/30/12 - An Ann Arbor man was injured in a glider crash over the weekend at Richmond Field in Unadilla Township. 

Unadilla Township Police say a 66-year-old Ann Arbor man was airlifted by Survival Flight to the University of Michigan Hospital with leg and head injuries following the glider crash Sunday afternoon.

The pilot’s name and condition are currently unknown.

Unadilla Police and fire units were assisted by Pinckney Police after being called out to the southwest corner of the airfield at around 1:46pm following reports of a glider accident.

 It remains under investigation but witnesses reported that the glider came in using an easterly approach, clipped some trees at the edge of the airfield and then flipped over and crashed. (JM)

Story and photo:   http://whmi.com/news/article/14930

Iron Maiden joins Ice Pilots NWT on historic northbound plane

EDMONTON - “Welcome to the Maiden flight of Ed Force Three,” beams Mikey McBryan, one of the stars of History Television’s reality show, Ice Pilots NWT.

The general manager of Buffalo Airways is standing in front of the cockpit door of a Douglas DC-3 as the vintage aircraft idles on the runway at the Edmonton Municipal Airport.

His cantankerous father, Buffalo Joe, sits in the pilot’s seat, while one of Mikey’s childhood heroes is in the co-pilot’s seat: Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson, fresh off a gig at Rexall Place.

The bright-eyed British singer, who started flying in the 1990s, used to work as a commercial pilot for a small British airline and now runs his own aircraft maintenance firm, Cardiff Aviation, in Wales. For the next three hours and 20 minutes on a cloudy Saturday in July, he’ll guide the silver and green aircraft north to Hay River, NWT.

Before slipping into the cockpit, he affixes a sticker designed as a bull’s-eye, with the words Captain Dickinson and Ed Force Three, on the outside of the plane. The 53-year-old vocalist used to fly his band from gig to gig on a Boeing 757 known as Ed Force One, named after Iron Maiden’s mascot, Eddie. This particular DC-3 was one of the first Royal Air Force planes to drop paratroopers over Normandy on D-Day in 1944.

Read more here:  http://www.edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/Iron+Maiden+joins+Pilots+historic+northbound+plane/7009343/story.html

Jeffko Glasair, N743CA: Accident occurred July 23, 2012 in Tonasket, Washington

NTSB Identification: WPR12FAMS1
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, July 23, 2012 in Tonasket, WA
Aircraft: JEFFKO ED & CLAIRE GLASAIR, registration: N743CA
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

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.

On July 23, 2012, an experimental amateur-built Jeffko Glasair, N743CA, did not arrive at its planned destination of Sequim Valley Airport, Sequim, Washington. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The certified flight instructor was presumed to have sustained fatal injuries. The cross-country flight departed Tonasket Municipal Airport, Tonasket, Washington, about 0830. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the departure airport, and no flight plan had been filed.

On July 23, at 1520, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an alert notice (ALNOT) for the missing airplane after family members reported that it had not arrived at its planed destination. A search and rescue mission was subsequently initiated by the Washington State Department of Transportation.

The search and rescue mission was called off at 1700 on July 29, after 100 sorties had been completed in the area of the Cascade Mountains, utilizing fixed wing and rotorcraft assets.

FAA records indicated that the airplane was issued its airworthiness certificate in October 2008.

 

Ed Jeffko (right) seen with photo of missing plane.

WENATCHEE, Wash. — Rescuers have suspended their search for a plane that failed to arrive on a flight from Tonasket to Sequim (SKWIM')

The Washington State Department of Transportation announced the suspension on Sunday after searching areas in the north Cascades, Winthrop and Stevens Pass.

Pilot Ed Jeffko of Tonasket was the only person aboard the home-built, single-engine kit plane that went missing July 23.

Officials say they had no emergency beacon, radar track or flight plan to aid in the search.

The Wenatchee World has reported that Jeffko is a former Tonasket city councilman who has been active in the civil service board and economic development committee.

 http://seattletimes.nwsource.com

Southport, North Carolina: Man to fly to Bahamas in homemade airplane (With Video)

SOUTHPORT, N.C.--A Southport man is planning a trip few would have the courage to make. In a plane weighing less than him, Norman Lewis will attempt to fly from North Carolina to the Bahamas. 

While the trip itself will be short, preparing has already been quite the journey.

Lewis said he has always loved flying. In fact, he grew up around planes. "My dad flew me to the Bahamas in his plane when I was in the fifth grade," Lewis said. " ... used to fly over to Wilmington on Saturdays to eat at Taco Bell. One time we flew somewhere to eat at this really nice Chinese restaurant!"

Now, this aviation enthusiast has big dreams for his own little aircraft. For eight months, Norman's been building his own ultra light, a small plane that you do not need a pilot's license to fly.

"It will fly like a regular aircraft ... Three axis control," Lewis said. But he emphasized his design is different than any other ultra light. "Most ultra light planes are not configured like an airplane. They've got a weed eater engine on them, got kite-like wings ... Looks like you're flying a lawn chair."

In just a few short months, Norman plans on flying his creation all the way to the Bahamas, where he said there are, "... palm trees and water that looks like a swimming pool with fish in it!"

The journey will only take about seven hours and a few gallons of gas, and while he may appear fearless, his wife Jennie said in the beginning, she was not without reservations. "I was just excited to see it finished," she said. "Then when it started finishing, I got a little nervous. But I'm over that.

So with his family's support, Norman said he is ready to soar. "I can't explain to you what it's going to be like turning final into the Bahamas airport."

Lewis hopes to take off for the Bahamas at the end of October. When he gets back, he plans to explore the idea of turning his passion into a business by building and selling his ultra light designs.

Story and video:    http://triad.news14.com

St. Augustine, Florida: Offshore Plane Crash Wreckage Discovered

 

July 25, 2012 by Think It Sink It Reef It

Think It Sink It Reef It (TISIRI) has recently encountered two different plane crash sites off the coast of St. Augustine Florida. This brief video shows one of our preliminary investigations of one of the crash sites. This location contains two 6 cylinder Lycoming engines but we still do not know what aircraft we are dealing with.

Bhoja Air barred from selling business assets

KARACHI, July 29: An attempt by Bhoja Air to shed its aviation assets in the country and take its investment abroad has been foiled by the Civil Aviation Authority by freezing its assets at least till the airline settles its reported Rs778 million liabilities, sources told Dawn on Sunday.

Bhoja Air was trying to give one of its aircraft to Shaheen Air International, but the CAA put its foot down and declined to allow the deal to materialize to protect interests of heirs of the Bhoja Air crash victims and to wrest its own outstanding dues from the airline, the sources added.

They said the CAA had also informed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Securities Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), and Shaheen Air International (SAI) and other relevant organizations about its decision of not allowing the airline to liquidate its assets until it cleared its dues.

Following the Bhoja Air flight crash near Islamabad on April 20, which left all the 127 people on board dead, the government had registered a case against Arshad Jalil, whose family is a major shareholder in the airline. Mr Jalil was out of the country at that time. Rather than returning to Pakistan to fight a legal battle, he preferred to reside in a Gulf state where also he had business interests, the sources said, adding that in a attempt to take away his investment in the airline, he tried to sell the Boeing 737-400 aircraft parked at the Karachi airport to SAI.

Read more here:   http://dawn.com/2012/07/30/bhoja-air-barred-from-selling-business-assets/

Air New Zealand Boeing 777-300: Plane's wheels crack airport asphalt

A push back operation which "pushed back too far" led to the cracking of tarmac underneath an aircraft at Auckland International Airport last night causing a four and a half hour delay, an airport spokesman has said. 

The problem led to an Air New Zealand plane due to depart for Los Angeles at 9.30pm not clearing the runway until after 2am.

About 250 passengers were affected.

Passengers were in the process of boarding the flight when the cracks were discovered and they were told to exit the NZ6 flight.

Airport spokesman Richard Llewellyn said Air New Zealand are investigating the incident but an error in the ground handling operation was the likely cause.

Reinforced concrete is ordinarily used to support the aircrafts as they are pushed backwards from the airport by external power.

"It looks like during the push back operation the aircraft was pushed back too far and it went beyond the designated reinforced area," said Llewellyn.

He said the flight eventually took off after 2am and Air New Zealand had catered for the passengers during the extended delay.

http://www.stuff.co.nz

http://www.farmingshow.com

http://www.nzherald.co.nz