The Mandan Airport Authority awarded $5.7 million in contracts to resurface and relight its runway. Northern Improvement will do the construction work and Strata will replace the lights, said Mandan Airport Manager Jim Lawler.
The bids came in about $1.2 million higher than engineer estimates, Lawler said, but the Federal Aviation Administration has amended its grant offer to match the steeper costs. The FAA will pay for 90 percent of the project, the state Aeronautics Commission 5 percent of costs and the Mandan Airport will pay 5 percent of the costs.
The runway surface is 35 years old.
Work will involve replacing the asphalt with concrete.The 4,400-foot main runway serves 15,000 single-engine and light twin-engine plane takeoffs and landings per year.
Lawler said no dirt work will be done at the site this fall, but said the contractor may start stockpiling material in preparation. He said work could start after the ground thaws. Resurfacing work should be completed in October 2013.
The project will close the main runway for at least five months and all plane access to the airport for 30 days, he said. A grass runway will be open for most of the construction process.
The FAA moved the resurfacing project from 2016 to 2013.
Source: http://bismarcktribune.com
September 21, 2012
More Seaplanes in Sag Harbor, New York
By Kathryn G. Menu
For the first time in three years, the Village of Sag Harbor received a handful of complaints and issued one citation about seaplanes landing, taking off or taxiing near village beaches. At the same time, according to one seaplane charter service, Sag Harbor has never been a more popular destination and may eventually evolve into becoming a second hub for seaplanes flying into East Hampton from New York City.
“It’s definitely been more of an issue this year,” said Sag Harbor Village Harbor Master Bob Bori in an interview last week.
Bori noted one of the reasons he believes seaplane traffic, and complaints, have risen is because one company – Fly the Whale – actually installed a mooring in a pop up mooring field just outside of the village’s jurisdiction.
While for the most part, Bori said seaplanes have complied with the village’s ordinances, — which prohibit landings and takeoffs in the harbor management zone, 1500 feet from most villages beaches — he added the increase in seaplane traffic does come with concerns from a harbor master’s perspective.
“Well, obviously, my biggest concern is safety,” said Bori. “One of the days, a seaplane came in and it was Sunday afternoon and the kids were sailing at the Breakwater Yacht Club. The seaplane was taxiing right next to the kids in these small sailboats. I know these pilots know what they are doing, but God forbid there was a mechanical issue or something.”
According to Sag Harbor Village Police Chief Thomas Fabiano, this year there have been four complaints logged with the police department through Bori about seaplanes. There were no complaints in either 2010 or 2011, said Chief Fabiano.
For Shaw Road resident John Parker, this summer has been unprecedented in the amount of seaplane traffic he has seen from his waterfront home. One afternoon, Parker and his wife, Joyce, were on their deck when a seaplane flew about 20 to 30 feet over his house, he said.
“We thought we were watching a plane crash,” Parker said. “It just barely cleared the tree in front of our house and landed right near where I moor my boat.”
From there, said Parker, the seaplane taxied to a yellow buoy, indicating a mooring set up in a mooring field outside of Sag Harbor’s jurisdiction, arranged by the seaplane charter company, Fly the Whale.
Parker stressed that while aviation traffic has been a controversial subject on the East End, he is not someone who is opposed to air traffic. Parker was a captain in the air force and a JAG (Judge Advocate General) officer.
“I just want people to be aware of this before there is an accident,” added Parker. “By the end of the summer, we were seeing two or three planes a day, easily.”
He suggested one solution could be designating a seaplane landing zone, far from local beaches and other boats, perhaps near Barcelona Neck in East Hampton – a quick launch service boat ride to Sag Harbor.
Melissa Tomkiel, with Fly the Whale, said her pilots consider safety a top priority and the company arranged the mooring in a different color – yellow – so it would be unique and easy to see from the air.
Having the mooring enabled the three-year-old company to land in Sag Harbor in the event of an emergency, like this summer’s plane crash, said Tomkiel, but also allows them to fly people to Sag Harbor from the East Hampton Airport.
“The reason we got a mooring this year is because there is an increase in demand for Sag Harbor, so we wanted some kind of infrastructure in place,” said Tomkiel. “Our two seaplane captains are Sag Harbor residents, and we maintain a positive relationship with the village launch service.”
Tomkiel added that Fly the Whale has not received any citations despite the complaints and that it is in the company’s best interest to operate safely.
Particularly since, if demand for Sag Harbor service continues, Fly the Whale may start offering direct service from Manhattan to the village using that mooring, Tomkiel said.
According to Sag Harbor Village attorney Fred W. Thiele, Jr., outside of the harbor management area, where Fly the Whale has its mooring, Sag Harbor Village has no jurisdiction. Regardless, he said the Sag Harbor Village Board of Trustees will discuss the issue at its October 9 meeting at 6 p.m.
Story: http://sagharboronline.com
For the first time in three years, the Village of Sag Harbor received a handful of complaints and issued one citation about seaplanes landing, taking off or taxiing near village beaches. At the same time, according to one seaplane charter service, Sag Harbor has never been a more popular destination and may eventually evolve into becoming a second hub for seaplanes flying into East Hampton from New York City.
“It’s definitely been more of an issue this year,” said Sag Harbor Village Harbor Master Bob Bori in an interview last week.
Bori noted one of the reasons he believes seaplane traffic, and complaints, have risen is because one company – Fly the Whale – actually installed a mooring in a pop up mooring field just outside of the village’s jurisdiction.
While for the most part, Bori said seaplanes have complied with the village’s ordinances, — which prohibit landings and takeoffs in the harbor management zone, 1500 feet from most villages beaches — he added the increase in seaplane traffic does come with concerns from a harbor master’s perspective.
“Well, obviously, my biggest concern is safety,” said Bori. “One of the days, a seaplane came in and it was Sunday afternoon and the kids were sailing at the Breakwater Yacht Club. The seaplane was taxiing right next to the kids in these small sailboats. I know these pilots know what they are doing, but God forbid there was a mechanical issue or something.”
According to Sag Harbor Village Police Chief Thomas Fabiano, this year there have been four complaints logged with the police department through Bori about seaplanes. There were no complaints in either 2010 or 2011, said Chief Fabiano.
For Shaw Road resident John Parker, this summer has been unprecedented in the amount of seaplane traffic he has seen from his waterfront home. One afternoon, Parker and his wife, Joyce, were on their deck when a seaplane flew about 20 to 30 feet over his house, he said.
“We thought we were watching a plane crash,” Parker said. “It just barely cleared the tree in front of our house and landed right near where I moor my boat.”
From there, said Parker, the seaplane taxied to a yellow buoy, indicating a mooring set up in a mooring field outside of Sag Harbor’s jurisdiction, arranged by the seaplane charter company, Fly the Whale.
Parker stressed that while aviation traffic has been a controversial subject on the East End, he is not someone who is opposed to air traffic. Parker was a captain in the air force and a JAG (Judge Advocate General) officer.
“I just want people to be aware of this before there is an accident,” added Parker. “By the end of the summer, we were seeing two or three planes a day, easily.”
He suggested one solution could be designating a seaplane landing zone, far from local beaches and other boats, perhaps near Barcelona Neck in East Hampton – a quick launch service boat ride to Sag Harbor.
Melissa Tomkiel, with Fly the Whale, said her pilots consider safety a top priority and the company arranged the mooring in a different color – yellow – so it would be unique and easy to see from the air.
Having the mooring enabled the three-year-old company to land in Sag Harbor in the event of an emergency, like this summer’s plane crash, said Tomkiel, but also allows them to fly people to Sag Harbor from the East Hampton Airport.
“The reason we got a mooring this year is because there is an increase in demand for Sag Harbor, so we wanted some kind of infrastructure in place,” said Tomkiel. “Our two seaplane captains are Sag Harbor residents, and we maintain a positive relationship with the village launch service.”
Tomkiel added that Fly the Whale has not received any citations despite the complaints and that it is in the company’s best interest to operate safely.
Particularly since, if demand for Sag Harbor service continues, Fly the Whale may start offering direct service from Manhattan to the village using that mooring, Tomkiel said.
According to Sag Harbor Village attorney Fred W. Thiele, Jr., outside of the harbor management area, where Fly the Whale has its mooring, Sag Harbor Village has no jurisdiction. Regardless, he said the Sag Harbor Village Board of Trustees will discuss the issue at its October 9 meeting at 6 p.m.
Story: http://sagharboronline.com
Tracy Municipal (KTCY), California: Lawyer seeks answers to airport issues
Tracy Municipal Airport (KTCY), California
Glenn Moore/Tracy Press
by Jon Mendelson
A local lawyer is looking for answers regarding the source of a lingering problem with the main runway at Tracy Municipal Airport.
On Tuesday, Sept. 18, attorney Steve Nicolau addressed the City Council and requested an investigation regarding a paving job on the airport’s main runway that pilots and an earlier inquiry determined was poorly done.
He alleges the city was alerted to defects in the paving the same year the work was started, but that nothing was done until after the warranty on the work had expired.
Nicolau is seeking answers about what happened and who was responsible.
“We are now looking at the very real possibility of more taxpayer money being spent to correct problems that should’ve been corrected on the contractor’s dime, not ours,” he told the council during Tuesday’s public comment session.
In 2007, the city contracted with California Pavement Maintenance Inc. to repave the airport’s main runway, which runs northwest to southeast. Ninety percent of the nearly $598,000 cost was picked up by the Federal Aviation Administration, according to previous Press reports, while 8 percent came from the state and 2 percent came from the city.
The contract between the city and CPM, a copy of which was provided to the Press by Nicolau this week, stipulated that the city had one year after the work’s completion to identify any work that was inadequate.
The work was acknowledged as completed Feb. 5, 2008, according to a document signed by Mayor Brent Ives, and the city released CPM in a document dated Feb. 11, 2010.
However, an email provided by Nicolau that was sent by airport coordinator Bruce Ludeman to then-Parks and Recreation Director Rod Buchanan suggests that people at the airport identified problems before the work was accepted as finished.
“I have voiced our concerns in recent weeks about the quality of the work being performed at Tracy Municipal Airport,” states Ludeman’s email, dated Sept. 13, 2007. “… In summary: There are huge areas of the airport that need further application of material to ‘glue’ down the loose aggregate, and a solution needs to be found to make sure that we don’t continue to have paint coming loose and lifting up the underlying slurry mixture. … We have an uneven crumbling slurry layer that is also being pulled apart by the paint.”
City Manager Leon Churchill acknowledged Nicolau’s concerns later in the week.
“I think we had some project management issues at the time that, if we had the chance, we would do differently and do better,” he said Wednesday, Sept. 18.
Problems with the pavement at the airport continue to be reported.
Several pilots told the Press in February 2011 that loose bits of the resurfaced runway were damaging propellers and posed a safety risk to pilots.
Donald Huag, aviation safety officer for the California Department of Transportation Division of Aeronautics, penned a letter dated Feb. 28, 2011, documenting the “progressive disintegration of the slurry seal layer” at the Tracy airport, according to a previous Press report.
John Favors, the president of the Tracy Airport Association, said this week that the repaving in 2007 also shortened the main runway from its designated 4,002 feet to 3,996 feet.
The difference of 6 feet is huge, he said, because many insurance companies only cover planes to touch down on runways longer than 4,000 feet.
Favors said the result is that many jet-turbine planes no longer land at the airport, putting a dent in fuel sales and prompting a hike in Tracy’s typically cheaper-than-average fuel prices.
“When we had the 4,000-foot runway, … we had a lot of jet traffic,” Favors said. "There was always a line at the gas pumps. Now, there’s nothing.”
Churchill said city staff has received clear direction from the City Council to ensure that the runway’s length is restored to longer than 4,000 feet and that the quality of the surface is improved.
“The next part of this issue is we need to make it right,” he said. “We’re going to make it right.”
Churchill said the city is seeking a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration that would largely pay for the Tracy airport’s runway to be repaved. He said the city’s chance of landing the grant was “pretty good.”
Churchill added that even if the 2007 slurry job had been perfect, the lifespan of such a seal is only about five years.
Story and comments: http://www.tracypress.com
Beech 95-C55, N265Q: Accident occurred September 20, 2012 in Gulf of Mexico
NTSB Identification: CEN12LA652
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, September 20, 2012 in Gulf of Mexico
Aircraft: BEECH 95-C55, registration: N265Q
Injuries: 2 Minor.
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 September 20, 2012, about 1545 central daylight time, a Beech 95-C55 airplane, ditched into the Gulf of Mexico waters. The commercial pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane sank in deep water and was not recovered. The airplane was registered to and operated by Government Auctions Online LLC, Henderson, Nevada, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on an instrument flight plan. The flight originated from the Baytown Airport (KHPY), Baytown, Texas, about 1400, and was destined to the Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport, Sarasota, Florida.
According to initial statements collected by the Federal Aviation Administration, the pilot was en route to his destination, when he detected smoke in the cockpit. The pilot attempted to troubleshoot the smoke, and saw a fire behind the cockpit panel. The pilot then elected to ditch the airplane in the water.
'Hopefully this is the last recording because we will be rescued soon': Incredible survival of two men whose plane crashed into Gulf of Mexico - and filmed it on their iPad
http://today.msnbc.msn.com
http://www.dailymail.co.uk
NEW ORLEANS – Two Texas men are lucky to be alive after their plane crash landed in the Gulf of Mexico east of South Pass Thursday.
The Coast Guard rescued the men from the water near the mouth of the Mississippi River.
According to the Coast Guard, the men, identified as Theodore Wright and Raymond Fosdick were spotted floating in the water after a Guard helicopter was dispatched to the area.
The men were hoisted out of the water and taken to the Belle Chasse Naval Air Station.
The aircraft was flying from Baytown, Texas to Sarasota, Florida when its emergency beacon alerted.
Wright declined medical attention, Fosdick was taken to a west bank medical center for treatment. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N265Q
http://www.flickr.com/photos
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, September 20, 2012 in Gulf of Mexico
Aircraft: BEECH 95-C55, registration: N265Q
Injuries: 2 Minor.
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 September 20, 2012, about 1545 central daylight time, a Beech 95-C55 airplane, ditched into the Gulf of Mexico waters. The commercial pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane sank in deep water and was not recovered. The airplane was registered to and operated by Government Auctions Online LLC, Henderson, Nevada, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on an instrument flight plan. The flight originated from the Baytown Airport (KHPY), Baytown, Texas, about 1400, and was destined to the Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport, Sarasota, Florida.
According to initial statements collected by the Federal Aviation Administration, the pilot was en route to his destination, when he detected smoke in the cockpit. The pilot attempted to troubleshoot the smoke, and saw a fire behind the cockpit panel. The pilot then elected to ditch the airplane in the water.
'Hopefully this is the last recording because we will be rescued soon': Incredible survival of two men whose plane crashed into Gulf of Mexico - and filmed it on their iPad
http://today.msnbc.msn.com
http://www.dailymail.co.uk
The Coast Guard rescued the men from the water near the mouth of the Mississippi River.
According to the Coast Guard, the men, identified as Theodore Wright and Raymond Fosdick were spotted floating in the water after a Guard helicopter was dispatched to the area.
The men were hoisted out of the water and taken to the Belle Chasse Naval Air Station.
The aircraft was flying from Baytown, Texas to Sarasota, Florida when its emergency beacon alerted.
Wright declined medical attention, Fosdick was taken to a west bank medical center for treatment. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 265Q Make/Model: BE95 Description: 95 Travel Air
Date: 09/20/2012 Time: 2048
Event Type: Incident Highest Injury: None Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Unknown
LOCATION
City: GRAND ISLE State: LA Country: US
DESCRIPTION
AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO THE WATER, COAST GUARD RECOVERED THE 2 PERSONS ON
BOARD WITH UNKNOWN INJURIES, WRECKAGE LOCATED 75 MILES FROM GRAND ISLE, LA
INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0
# Crew: 2 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk: 2
# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
OTHER DATA
Activity: Unknown Phase: Unknown Operation: OTHER
FAA FSDO: BATON ROUGE, LA (SW03) Entry date: 09/21/2012
http://registry.faa.gov/N265Qhttp://flightaware.com/live/flight/N265Q
http://www.flickr.com/photos
Luanda – Public air transport company explains retention of its plane in Portugal
Luanda – The state-owned
Angolan Airlines (TAAG) last Thursday here informed that one of its
planes had been retained for some hours in Portugal’s Sá Carneiro
Airport, in Porto City, due to a seizure lawsuit filed at the court of
Vila Nova de Gaia.
On a communiqué that ANGOP had access to, TAAG explains that the seizure lawsuit was filed by the Portuguese citizen Manuel Lapas Correia, against the Republic of Angola.
The aircraft, a 777-200ER Boeing, with the plate D2-TEF, landed in the mentioned airport at 06.38 pm and was retained until 11.15 pm, after TAAG accepted to give the bail that was determined by the court.
Meanwhile, the Angolan flag carrier’s aeroplane has already returned to Luanda.
TAAG also states on the note that the seizure lawsuit is illegal and has caused serious damages to its image at a time that the company has been making an extraordinary effort to recover its operational and commercial credibility.
TAAG also apologises to all the passengers that were in the referred plane, as well as to its customers in general, for all the constraints caused by that situation.
http://www.portalangop.co.ao
On a communiqué that ANGOP had access to, TAAG explains that the seizure lawsuit was filed by the Portuguese citizen Manuel Lapas Correia, against the Republic of Angola.
The aircraft, a 777-200ER Boeing, with the plate D2-TEF, landed in the mentioned airport at 06.38 pm and was retained until 11.15 pm, after TAAG accepted to give the bail that was determined by the court.
Meanwhile, the Angolan flag carrier’s aeroplane has already returned to Luanda.
TAAG also states on the note that the seizure lawsuit is illegal and has caused serious damages to its image at a time that the company has been making an extraordinary effort to recover its operational and commercial credibility.
TAAG also apologises to all the passengers that were in the referred plane, as well as to its customers in general, for all the constraints caused by that situation.
http://www.portalangop.co.ao
'Unnecessary' purchase of aircraft: Supreme Court issues notices to government, Air India over Boeing purchase and lease
The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Centre and
Air India on a plea seeking a CBI/SIT probe into alleged irregularities
in the purchase of 111 aircraft for the national carrier costing
Rs.67,000 crore to the exchequer when Praful Patel was Civil Aviation
Minister.
A bench of justices H L Dattu and C K Prasad sought response from the government, the national carrier and CBI on a petition filed by an NGO, Centre for Public Interest Litigation, alleging that various decisions taken during the tenure of Patel were meant to benefit private airlines and caused huge loss to Air India.
The CPIL has also sought probe into taking on lease aircraft that again dented the exchequer by "thousands of crores of rupees".
The NGO, in its petition, has referred to several of Patel's decisions, including the "massive" purchase of 111 aircraft for national airlines costing about Rs 70,000 crores,taking a large number of planes on lease, giving up profit-making routes and timings in favour of private airlines and the merger of Air India and Indian Airlines.
The NGO approached the apex court challenging a Delhi high court order dismissing its plea into the alleged irregularities.
The high court had refused to pass any order on the NGO's plea for a probe into Air India's fleet expansion programme and its decision to purchase 111 planes at a whopping Rs 67,000 crore, saying that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament is already looking into it.
"A responsible committee like PAC is looking into the matter and we are not giving any direction at this stage but expect PAC to look into the matter from all angles...," the high court had said.
Besides this, the CPIL has also prayed for probe into the national carrier leaving profitable routes and timings "for the benefit of private airlines".
A probe has also been sought into Air India giving away its bilateral rights to foreign carriers.The notice is returnable in four weeks.
Acquisition of 111 aircraft for Air India in 2005-06
Former civil aviation minister Praful Patel defended the acquisition of 111 aircraft for Air India in 2005-06 after a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report indicated that this purchase led to the downfall of Air India .
The CAG said that the entire acquisition (for both Air India and Indian Airlines) was to be funded through debt (to be repaid through revenue generation), except for a relatively small equity infusion of Rs.325 crore for Indian Airlines.
The CAG report slammed the decisions made by the government to buy new aircraft, which was driven by the aviation ministry, and the dismal management practices had led to the downfall of Air India.
Reviewing the decision to buy 68 Boeing aircraft for Air India and 43 Airbus planes for Indian Airlines, the report termed the acquisition process ill-timed and driven from the top, resulting in the airline accumulating a massive debt of Rs.38,423 crore as on March 31, 2010.
http://english.samaylive.com
A bench of justices H L Dattu and C K Prasad sought response from the government, the national carrier and CBI on a petition filed by an NGO, Centre for Public Interest Litigation, alleging that various decisions taken during the tenure of Patel were meant to benefit private airlines and caused huge loss to Air India.
The CPIL has also sought probe into taking on lease aircraft that again dented the exchequer by "thousands of crores of rupees".
The NGO, in its petition, has referred to several of Patel's decisions, including the "massive" purchase of 111 aircraft for national airlines costing about Rs 70,000 crores,taking a large number of planes on lease, giving up profit-making routes and timings in favour of private airlines and the merger of Air India and Indian Airlines.
The NGO approached the apex court challenging a Delhi high court order dismissing its plea into the alleged irregularities.
The high court had refused to pass any order on the NGO's plea for a probe into Air India's fleet expansion programme and its decision to purchase 111 planes at a whopping Rs 67,000 crore, saying that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament is already looking into it.
"A responsible committee like PAC is looking into the matter and we are not giving any direction at this stage but expect PAC to look into the matter from all angles...," the high court had said.
Besides this, the CPIL has also prayed for probe into the national carrier leaving profitable routes and timings "for the benefit of private airlines".
A probe has also been sought into Air India giving away its bilateral rights to foreign carriers.The notice is returnable in four weeks.
Acquisition of 111 aircraft for Air India in 2005-06
Former civil aviation minister Praful Patel defended the acquisition of 111 aircraft for Air India in 2005-06 after a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report indicated that this purchase led to the downfall of Air India .
The CAG said that the entire acquisition (for both Air India and Indian Airlines) was to be funded through debt (to be repaid through revenue generation), except for a relatively small equity infusion of Rs.325 crore for Indian Airlines.
The CAG report slammed the decisions made by the government to buy new aircraft, which was driven by the aviation ministry, and the dismal management practices had led to the downfall of Air India.
Reviewing the decision to buy 68 Boeing aircraft for Air India and 43 Airbus planes for Indian Airlines, the report termed the acquisition process ill-timed and driven from the top, resulting in the airline accumulating a massive debt of Rs.38,423 crore as on March 31, 2010.
http://english.samaylive.com
Malaysia: ‘Investigate air traffic system failure’
PKR wants probe on the cause of the total system failure at the Air Traffic Control Centre last week. DCA, however, claims it was not a total failure.
SUBANG: Aircraft in the local airspace were “flying blind” last week when the Kuala Lumpur Air Traffic Control Centre (ATCC) suffered a “total failure in the system with no radar, no radio” for almost one-hour-plus, alleged PKR today.
The incident occurred between 2.50am and 4.15am on Sept 12, according to a systems log of the Subang Air Traffic Control Centre and a preliminary report of the incident was revealed to the press by PKR vice-presidents Nurul Izzah Anwar, Tian Chua and N Surendran today.
“A total system failure occurred for almost two hours and throughout that time, the Malaysian airspace was rendered blind, with all departures cancelled and existing air traffic handed over to neighbouring countries,” said Nurul outside the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) traffic control centre at the Subang airport.
She said the system failure had put civilian passengers on board the planes at risk as they were cut off from any guidance from ground control, and during the down time Singapore and Thailand were in total control of the traffic system, which “left us completely defenceless”.
Retired Royal Malaysian Air Force director-general of operations, brigadier-general Abdul Hadi Abdul Khatab who joined PKR last year, said that what occurred must be taken seriously as there were “high risks” when the airspace is blind, which can even lead to possible air collisions.
Read more here: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com
SUBANG: Aircraft in the local airspace were “flying blind” last week when the Kuala Lumpur Air Traffic Control Centre (ATCC) suffered a “total failure in the system with no radar, no radio” for almost one-hour-plus, alleged PKR today.
The incident occurred between 2.50am and 4.15am on Sept 12, according to a systems log of the Subang Air Traffic Control Centre and a preliminary report of the incident was revealed to the press by PKR vice-presidents Nurul Izzah Anwar, Tian Chua and N Surendran today.
“A total system failure occurred for almost two hours and throughout that time, the Malaysian airspace was rendered blind, with all departures cancelled and existing air traffic handed over to neighbouring countries,” said Nurul outside the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) traffic control centre at the Subang airport.
She said the system failure had put civilian passengers on board the planes at risk as they were cut off from any guidance from ground control, and during the down time Singapore and Thailand were in total control of the traffic system, which “left us completely defenceless”.
Retired Royal Malaysian Air Force director-general of operations, brigadier-general Abdul Hadi Abdul Khatab who joined PKR last year, said that what occurred must be taken seriously as there were “high risks” when the airspace is blind, which can even lead to possible air collisions.
Read more here: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com
September 20, 2012
Erie International Airport/Tom Ridge Field (KERI), Pennsylvania: Construction Wrapped Up on Runway Extension
WICU12/WSEE Erie, PA News, Sports, Weather and Events
Planes are expected to begin using the runway extension at the Erie International Airport before winter.
The actual construction of the extension and new safety zones is finished. Crews are just doing some final electrical work. But pilots can't begin landing or taking off until the FAA completes testing and gives the extension it's stamp of approval.
Airport Director Chris Rodgers said, "We have to wait until the commissioning process is completed. And I am happy to report that we are well underway in the commissioning process. And we are very confident we will be able to use the fully extended runway and the instrument landing system at both ends before winter starts."
Next year, the existing 6500 feet of main runway will be re-paved. That is the final phase of the project.
http://www.erietvnews.com
Planes are expected to begin using the runway extension at the Erie International Airport before winter.
The actual construction of the extension and new safety zones is finished. Crews are just doing some final electrical work. But pilots can't begin landing or taking off until the FAA completes testing and gives the extension it's stamp of approval.
Airport Director Chris Rodgers said, "We have to wait until the commissioning process is completed. And I am happy to report that we are well underway in the commissioning process. And we are very confident we will be able to use the fully extended runway and the instrument landing system at both ends before winter starts."
Next year, the existing 6500 feet of main runway will be re-paved. That is the final phase of the project.
http://www.erietvnews.com
Bainbridge, Georgia: Historic hangar has friends
Historic hangar has friendsDecatur County is using state and federal grant money and a private donation to renovate a World War Two hangar at the county airport.
County leaders say the facelift will improve the look of the airport, preserve history, and boost the local economy.
The 28,000 square foot airport hangar has more than 70 years of history. Decatur County officials say now is the best time for a makeover.
"We could have postponed, but the problem with grant money in these times is if you postpone, the next fiscal year you may get that notification that we're sorry but that money has been reallocated to somebody who had the ability to take advantage of it at the time," said County Administrator Gary Breedlove.
Built in 1942, this airport hangar was once part of a World War II training facility. "Hundreds of airplanes sat out on this ramp and trained pilots for World War II combat."
County officials say once the hangar is completed, they plan to bring back pilots who trained here during World War II.
"We're starting to get information from people across the country who have ties to this World War II airbase and to other aspects of flying operations from the Bainbridge Airport," said Breedlove.
The county would need to match about four percent of the $250,000 grant, but a private citizen has offered to pay that difference.
"We have a tremendous opportunity right now of renovating this hangar, making it look like the front of a World War Two hangar, still usable and functional for parking and storing aircraft, with no cost to the county," said Breedlove.
Folks who work at the airport say once the hangar is renovated, it will be a great place to host fundraisers and other large events.
"Right now the inside isn't real pretty. It's dirty. A lot of stuff blows in and out, but I think once it is all done and cleaned out I think it can used for functions here at the airport also," said Airport Manager Jim Cerone.
And airport officials say even though many folks don't know the Bainbridge Airport exists, with the cheapest fuel in a 50 mile radius, they stay busy with flights.
The grants are coming from the FAA and DOT money set aside to improve small community airports.
Story, video and photos: http://www.walb.com
Narita airport's exorbitant landing fees still drawing flak from carriers
CHIBA — The high cost of using Narita International Airport continues to draw criticism from airlines.
Narita's landing fees, which account for the bulk of that cost, are more than double the fees at South Korea's Incheon Airport and Singapore's Changi Airport, which are competing for the title of Asia's main air travel hub.
Narita International Airport Corp., which runs Narita airport, has tried to justify its high fees by citing its huge debt load, a legacy of cost overruns from its construction. As of the end of March 2012, the company was saddled with ¥666.2 billion in debt.
Narita airport is also incurring ¥7 billion annually from security measures needed to counter acts of sabotage from the airport's opponents, even though such activities have subsided since the anti-Narita movement's peak in the 1970s and 1980s.
Despite these financial problems, Narita airport is raking in steady earnings due to its pre-eminence as the international gateway to Tokyo. For the business year ending March 2013, the airport's operator expects to earn a net profit of ¥12.6 billion on operating revenue of ¥188.4 billion.
A disgruntled airline official suggested that Narita airport is enjoying unfairly juicy profits.
"Does an airport, which is a public facility, need to earn that much profit?" the official asked.
Adding to the annoyance of airlines is the cost of the general security checks that they must bear when using Japan's airports. In other countries, this cost is usually covered by governments.
Amid the chorus of complaints, Narita airport has taken some action over the past several years to placate air carriers.
In 2005, the airport introduced a new fee system that rewards the use of low-noise aircraft with reduced fees. This led to fee cuts averaging around 20 percent.
After the global financial crisis in 2008, Narita airport introduced a provisional discount of around 7 percent that was in place from November 2009 to March 2011. In the business year ended in March 2012, the airport discontinued the discount but cut fees for the use of other airport facilities as a compromise.
In the current year, this fee arrangement has been maintained as a provisional measure. Still, in the eyes of airlines, Narita has apparently failed to do enough.
An airline official urged the airport to cut its landing fees further, arguing that this will benefit Narita itself. Lower fees will help it attract more flights and passengers and increase income received from airport tenants, such as restaurants and shops, the official said.
Ultimately, the threat of competition from Tokyo International Airport at Haneda may be the key to whether Narita will whittle down its prices.
Whereas Narita has only two runways, Haneda completed is fourth runway in 2010. The addition of the new runway has paved the way for an increase in international flights to and from Haneda, which has better access to downtown Tokyo than Narita but has served mainly as a hub for domestic flights.
However, Narita can count on a steady stream of traffic, at least for now, according to Kazusei Kato, a professor at Nihon University's College of Economics.
Narita airport "is unlikely to swallow a landing fee reduction until the number of landing slots for international flights at Haneda increases sufficiently to pose competition," Kato said.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp
Narita's landing fees, which account for the bulk of that cost, are more than double the fees at South Korea's Incheon Airport and Singapore's Changi Airport, which are competing for the title of Asia's main air travel hub.
Narita International Airport Corp., which runs Narita airport, has tried to justify its high fees by citing its huge debt load, a legacy of cost overruns from its construction. As of the end of March 2012, the company was saddled with ¥666.2 billion in debt.
Narita airport is also incurring ¥7 billion annually from security measures needed to counter acts of sabotage from the airport's opponents, even though such activities have subsided since the anti-Narita movement's peak in the 1970s and 1980s.
Despite these financial problems, Narita airport is raking in steady earnings due to its pre-eminence as the international gateway to Tokyo. For the business year ending March 2013, the airport's operator expects to earn a net profit of ¥12.6 billion on operating revenue of ¥188.4 billion.
A disgruntled airline official suggested that Narita airport is enjoying unfairly juicy profits.
"Does an airport, which is a public facility, need to earn that much profit?" the official asked.
Adding to the annoyance of airlines is the cost of the general security checks that they must bear when using Japan's airports. In other countries, this cost is usually covered by governments.
Amid the chorus of complaints, Narita airport has taken some action over the past several years to placate air carriers.
In 2005, the airport introduced a new fee system that rewards the use of low-noise aircraft with reduced fees. This led to fee cuts averaging around 20 percent.
After the global financial crisis in 2008, Narita airport introduced a provisional discount of around 7 percent that was in place from November 2009 to March 2011. In the business year ended in March 2012, the airport discontinued the discount but cut fees for the use of other airport facilities as a compromise.
In the current year, this fee arrangement has been maintained as a provisional measure. Still, in the eyes of airlines, Narita has apparently failed to do enough.
An airline official urged the airport to cut its landing fees further, arguing that this will benefit Narita itself. Lower fees will help it attract more flights and passengers and increase income received from airport tenants, such as restaurants and shops, the official said.
Ultimately, the threat of competition from Tokyo International Airport at Haneda may be the key to whether Narita will whittle down its prices.
Whereas Narita has only two runways, Haneda completed is fourth runway in 2010. The addition of the new runway has paved the way for an increase in international flights to and from Haneda, which has better access to downtown Tokyo than Narita but has served mainly as a hub for domestic flights.
However, Narita can count on a steady stream of traffic, at least for now, according to Kazusei Kato, a professor at Nihon University's College of Economics.
Narita airport "is unlikely to swallow a landing fee reduction until the number of landing slots for international flights at Haneda increases sufficiently to pose competition," Kato said.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp
Aer Lingus flight returns to airport after engine failure: Aer Arann Avion de Transport Regional ATR-72-200, EI-SLL, Flight EI-3606
An Aer Lingus flight was forced to return to Shannon Airport
yesterday after one of the aircraft’s engines failed soon after
take-off.
Aer Lingus regional flight EI 3606, operated by Aer Arann, had left Shannon at 3.49pm for Manchester with 46 passengers and a crew of four on board.
Shortly after 4pm, while the flight was still climbing, the pilot issued a mayday call reporting that an engine had failed. The pilot told air traffic controllers at Shannon that he was stopping his climb and wished to return to the airport and make an emergency landing.
About five minutes before the flight was due to land at Shannon, the crew confirmed they had successfully managed to restart the engine but they still wished to continue on to land. With crash crews standing by at designated locations alongside the main runway, the aircraft touched down safely at 4.21pm.
http://www.irishtimes.com
Aer Lingus regional flight EI 3606, operated by Aer Arann, had left Shannon at 3.49pm for Manchester with 46 passengers and a crew of four on board.
Shortly after 4pm, while the flight was still climbing, the pilot issued a mayday call reporting that an engine had failed. The pilot told air traffic controllers at Shannon that he was stopping his climb and wished to return to the airport and make an emergency landing.
About five minutes before the flight was due to land at Shannon, the crew confirmed they had successfully managed to restart the engine but they still wished to continue on to land. With crash crews standing by at designated locations alongside the main runway, the aircraft touched down safely at 4.21pm.
http://www.irishtimes.com
Stay calm: it's just an emergency rescue
The most important thing is to stay calm, focused. Concentrate, because bad things happen when you get distracted near a machine with two rapidly spinning rotors.
That can be hard to do, however, when that helicopter isn't some far-off blip in the sky. When it's close enough to touch, the noise of the engine is near deafening. Those spinning blades — awfully close for something so deadly — whip up a wind so fierce that the only way to stay upright is to crouch down, low to the ground, while dirt and grass and gravel are swirling and churning all around you.
Communication is through a firm hand on the shoulder, and a quick signal that it's time to leave the relative safety of the ground and get even closer to the hovering helicopter, and to clamber into it.
Gently, that is. A helicopter may be big and powerful, but it's surprisingly easy to push around when it's off the ground.
"The helicopter raises everyone's level of awareness," said Ian MacDonald, the Coquitlam Search and Rescue (SAR) member taking a group of about 30 SAR volunteers through a helicopter safety demonstration at Eagle Mountain Park on Saturday morning.
"It's loud, it's moving, it's yellow. There are so many cases of experienced guys walking into a tail rotor...so move with a purpose. Move with a plan," MacDonald said.
"Take your time, get your gear," added Talon Helicopters pilot Derek Riendeau. "When people forget things, that's when things go squirrelly."
The helicopter demonstration — getting in and out of a hovering chopper safely — kicked off a morning of training for Coquitlam SAR volunteers that also included the first demo by the newly minted Helicopter External Transportation System (HETS) crew.
Eleven SAR members are now certified to use the technique, in which a rescuer is suspended from the chopper, transported to a small opening in the forest canopy and lowered down to retrieve an injured and/or lost hiker.
Saturday's annual training session and demonstration was the culmination of a two-year process of detailed cost analysis, fundraising and training for the SAR crew's HETS certification, said Dwight Yochim, Coquitlam SAR manager.
With increasing development in the Tri-Cities comes more people venturing into the trails dotting the mountains now in their back yards, as well as hikers who have covered the North Shore mountains and are looking for new adventures.
"We've seen over a period of the past six to seven years we're starting to use HETS more and more," said Bill Papove, the HETS committee chair. "People are getting into more remote...and varied terrain."
• For more information, visit www.coquitlam-sar.bc.ca. For video of the training session, check out their Facebook page.
Source: http://www.tricitynews.com
Duluth Air Show Is Saturday And Sunday
DULUTH, MN (KDAL) - The 2012 Duluth Air and Aviation Expo is being held on Saturday and Sunday at the airport.
The featured performers include the Canadian Forces Snowbirds, the United States Army Golden Knights Parachute Team, a U-S Air Force Heritage Flight, a Czechoslovakian MiG 21 and a Russian MiG 17 and much more.
There are also a variety of ground displays including the NASA Education Center and a kids zone.
Gates open both days at 9 a-m and the air show begins at 10:30.
Get parking details and more information on the website duluthairshow.com.
The DTA and show organizers are providing free shuttle bus service to the show from the Miller Hill Mall.
Air Canada to hire more than 1,100 workers
Air Canada plans to hire about 1,100 employees, including 200 at its new low-cost carrier, as the airline moves ahead with growth plans following a spate of labour conflicts with its major unions.
The airline said Thursday the jobs are part of its strategy to "seize new commercial opportunities, enhance customer service and renew our workforce."
Air Canada says it will hire approximately 400 flight attendants and some 500 airport customer service agents and baggage handlers. Sixty customer service agents will be hired for call centres in Montreal and Toronto.
The company — which has been beset by labour problems that have hurt both its reputation and its share price — cited attrition as one of the main drivers behind the hiring of customer service agents and flight attendants.
Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick said he didn't have exact number of employees lost through attrition or departures through retirement and career changes.
But, he added that the number of hires is carefully calculated to replace those employees as well as augment the workforce, while keeping costs low.
Airline offers buyouts
In addition to those leaving for other reasons, the company is also offering voluntary separation packages, or buyouts, which would usher out an unspecified number of highly paid employees.
They'll be replaced with new hires, who will make lower wages and take a hybrid pension plan — agreed upon in the latest collective agreements, which is less burdensome to the company.
"With our new labour contracts there's a new pension program for new hires as well," Fitzpatrick said.
"We are a heavily unionized workforce and the people that are leaving tend to be senior and the ones coming in will be (lower on the pay scale) ... so there will be some savings there."
Air Canada president and CEO Calin Rovinescu said its new recruitment program is "consistent with our focus on controlling costs to become more competitive in our various markets."
"At a time when youth unemployment is nearly 15 per cent in Canada, we are pleased to offer exciting career opportunities that will especially appeal to young people."
In addition to the hires at the main airline, the company says it will hire approximately 150 flight attendants and 50 pilots for its low-cost airline — which is slated to launch in 2013.
Air Canada says information on the job postings can be found at aircanada.com/careers, adding applications can be filled out online.
On Wednesday, Air Canada said it's just a couple of weeks away from announcing details of the new discount carrier that will serve transatlantic and leisure routes in the Caribbean and the United States.
It will be wholly owned by Air Canada, but carry a different name.
Pilots concerned about job security
Air Canada pilots complained during labour negotiations earlier this year that the airline's launch of a low-cost carrier could threaten their job security and working conditions. In the end, a federal arbitrator chose Air Canada's final offer that included provisions allowing the airline to create a budget carrier.
The pilots are one of two major labour groups at Air Canada that were forced to accept the airline's final offer in labour negotiations. The other union is the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which represents repair and ramp crews.
Both disputes were sent to binding arbitration ordered by the federal government, which brought in back-to-work legislation after Air Canada locked out the pilots and the Machinists announced they would go on strike earlier this year.
In August, the airline reported it lost $96 million in the second quarter, more than double the $46 million it lost in the same period a year earlier and more than analysts had expected.
The loss was equal to 35 cents per share, up from 17 cents per share in the comparable year-earlier period.
On an adjusted basis, the Montreal-based airline had a loss of five cents per share, up from a loss of one cent per share a year ago.
Air Canada is the country's largest domestic and international full-service airline providing scheduled and charter air transportation for passengers and cargo to more than 175 destinations on five continents.
It is the world's 15th largest commercial airline, providing service to more than 32 million passengers a year.
Source: http://www.cbc.ca
Gallery: Rare plane lands at Western Canadian Aviation Museum
A rare airplane has been added to the collection at the Western Canadian Aviation Museum.
A 1937 Lockheed Electra plane landed at the museum Thursday, where it will go on display as part of an exhibit honoring Air Canada’s 75th anniversary.
The Lockheed Electra was a twin-engine, all-metal monoplane developed by the Lockheed Aircraft Corp. in the 1930s. It carried a pilot, a co-pilot and 10 passengers.
See photo gallery: http://metronews.ca
A 1937 Lockheed Electra plane landed at the museum Thursday, where it will go on display as part of an exhibit honoring Air Canada’s 75th anniversary.
The Lockheed Electra was a twin-engine, all-metal monoplane developed by the Lockheed Aircraft Corp. in the 1930s. It carried a pilot, a co-pilot and 10 passengers.
See photo gallery: http://metronews.ca
New GE Engines to Get Regular Checks
By ANDY PASZTOR, KATE LINEBAUGH and JON OSTROWER
The Wall Street Journal
U.S. aviation-safety regulators on Thursday announced relatively stringent requirements for inspections every 90 days of General Electric Co. engines installed so far on all Boeing Co.'s 787 and newest 747 models.
It is unusual for regulators to require such frequent ultrasound inspections of engines only recently approved for airline use.
The Federal Aviation Administration's decision, expected to become effective on Friday, follows urgent recommendations issued last week by the National Transportation Safety Board calling for enhanced inspections of GE's newest engine type, called GEnx. Citing cracked or fractured internal parts on three different engines since July, the board warned about the "threat of multiple engine failures on a single aircraft."
In its safety directive, the FAA similarly warned about preventing potential additional ruptures of the suspect shafts, which it said could result "in one or more" engine failures leading to "possible loss of the airplane."
The FAA previously telegraphed it planned to mandate enhanced inspections of GEnx engines. But in explaining its response to alleviate the hazard, the agency's latest statement said the "root cause is still somewhat unknown." The FAA also stressed that the shaft failures are "likely due to environmentally assisted cracking," which it described as a "type of corrosive cracking that is time-dependent."
Initial inspections have been completed on all 128 GEnx engines that have been delivered to customers and no further problems were found, GE said. "No GEnx-powered aircraft will be grounded for inspection," GE said.
Boeing said it has worked with GE to design inspections that can be completed during regularly scheduled maintenance and "not affect airline operations." The inspections will take up to three hours to complete and can be performed while the engine remains on wing.
To remedy the corrosion problem, GE is reverting to the coating on some internal parts that is used on its family of GE90 engines, from which the GEnx engine is derived. All future GEnx engines will use the coating and lubricant process used for the GE90, which has already been certified on other GE engines.
Calling the mandatory inspections "an interim action," the FAA document suggests replacement of some or all of the suspect parts with the old coating may be the ultimate solution.
Source: http://online.wsj.com
The Wall Street Journal
U.S. aviation-safety regulators on Thursday announced relatively stringent requirements for inspections every 90 days of General Electric Co. engines installed so far on all Boeing Co.'s 787 and newest 747 models.
It is unusual for regulators to require such frequent ultrasound inspections of engines only recently approved for airline use.
The Federal Aviation Administration's decision, expected to become effective on Friday, follows urgent recommendations issued last week by the National Transportation Safety Board calling for enhanced inspections of GE's newest engine type, called GEnx. Citing cracked or fractured internal parts on three different engines since July, the board warned about the "threat of multiple engine failures on a single aircraft."
In its safety directive, the FAA similarly warned about preventing potential additional ruptures of the suspect shafts, which it said could result "in one or more" engine failures leading to "possible loss of the airplane."
The FAA previously telegraphed it planned to mandate enhanced inspections of GEnx engines. But in explaining its response to alleviate the hazard, the agency's latest statement said the "root cause is still somewhat unknown." The FAA also stressed that the shaft failures are "likely due to environmentally assisted cracking," which it described as a "type of corrosive cracking that is time-dependent."
Initial inspections have been completed on all 128 GEnx engines that have been delivered to customers and no further problems were found, GE said. "No GEnx-powered aircraft will be grounded for inspection," GE said.
Boeing said it has worked with GE to design inspections that can be completed during regularly scheduled maintenance and "not affect airline operations." The inspections will take up to three hours to complete and can be performed while the engine remains on wing.
To remedy the corrosion problem, GE is reverting to the coating on some internal parts that is used on its family of GE90 engines, from which the GEnx engine is derived. All future GEnx engines will use the coating and lubricant process used for the GE90, which has already been certified on other GE engines.
Calling the mandatory inspections "an interim action," the FAA document suggests replacement of some or all of the suspect parts with the old coating may be the ultimate solution.
Source: http://online.wsj.com
Syrian Arab Airlines: 'Passenger jet clipped' in crash
SYRIA'S state-run TV says that a military helicopter that crashed had clipped a passenger jet with 200 people aboard.
The helicopter went down southeast of Douma, a Damascus suburb that has seen clashes in recent days.
In the incident, the helicopters rotor clipped the tail of a Syrian Arab Airlines jet, the state TV said. The passenger plane "landed safely at the airport and none of the 200 passengers were harmed," the report said.
"We heard the sound of several explosions and some gunfire, and a few minutes later, we were told that a helicopter had crashed," said Mohammad Saeed, an activist in Douma.
But there were conflicting reports as to what brought down the helicopter with rebel fighters claiming responsibility.
The Syrian government has increasingly been using helicopters and other aircraft in its fight against the rebels. Rebels have claimed to have shot down helicopters and warplanes in the past, although the regime has blamed most of the problems on mechanical difficulties.
A series of explosions rocked Douma, just northeast of Damascus, shortly before the rebels downed the helicopter, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. State television said the aircraft had "crashed."
The fighting raged as the Observatory, which relies on the accounts of activists on the ground, said the death toll in the 18-month uprising had surpassed 29,000 people, the vast majority of them civilians.
Meanwhile, diplomats from more than 60 nations and the Arab League were meeting in The Hague to toughen and improve coordination of sanctions against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
"We need vigorous implementation," Netherlands Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal told the opening of the "Friends of Syria" working group.
"Sanctions will only have an impact if they are carried out effectively. That is how we can make a difference."
Overnight, UN chief Ban Ki-moon warned the Syrian government and rebels seemed intent on fighting to the bitter end, while saying the international body may offer a new strategy for peace.
And in the latest violence, helicopter gunships pounded Al-Hajar Al-Aswad in Damascus, as the political opposition added new claims of devastation to the southern district and in adjacent neighbourhoods.
The helicopter went down southeast of Douma, a Damascus suburb that has seen clashes in recent days.
In the incident, the helicopters rotor clipped the tail of a Syrian Arab Airlines jet, the state TV said. The passenger plane "landed safely at the airport and none of the 200 passengers were harmed," the report said.
"We heard the sound of several explosions and some gunfire, and a few minutes later, we were told that a helicopter had crashed," said Mohammad Saeed, an activist in Douma.
But there were conflicting reports as to what brought down the helicopter with rebel fighters claiming responsibility.
The Syrian government has increasingly been using helicopters and other aircraft in its fight against the rebels. Rebels have claimed to have shot down helicopters and warplanes in the past, although the regime has blamed most of the problems on mechanical difficulties.
A series of explosions rocked Douma, just northeast of Damascus, shortly before the rebels downed the helicopter, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. State television said the aircraft had "crashed."
The fighting raged as the Observatory, which relies on the accounts of activists on the ground, said the death toll in the 18-month uprising had surpassed 29,000 people, the vast majority of them civilians.
Meanwhile, diplomats from more than 60 nations and the Arab League were meeting in The Hague to toughen and improve coordination of sanctions against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
"We need vigorous implementation," Netherlands Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal told the opening of the "Friends of Syria" working group.
"Sanctions will only have an impact if they are carried out effectively. That is how we can make a difference."
Overnight, UN chief Ban Ki-moon warned the Syrian government and rebels seemed intent on fighting to the bitter end, while saying the international body may offer a new strategy for peace.
And in the latest violence, helicopter gunships pounded Al-Hajar Al-Aswad in Damascus, as the political opposition added new claims of devastation to the southern district and in adjacent neighbourhoods.
Justice Minister Shatter surprised about ‘Apple’ airport in the middle of Dundrum - Ireland
By Ed Carty
MINISTER for Justice Alan Shatter has said he is surprised at the discovery of an airfield in the middle of Dundrum, his constituency.
The airport, which does not exist, comes up in the maps application of the latest iPhone and iPad operating systems and the Minister said he had made arrangements to inform Apple of the error.
The blunder is one of a series discovered in the new iPhone update, which also suggests Dublin Zoo is located in Temple Bar.
“I know on occasion mistakes can be made and I am surprised to discover that Airfield, which is in the centre of my constituency in Dundrum, has, in Apple’s new operating system iOS 6 maps application, been designated with the image of an aircraft,” Minister Shatter said in a statement.
"Clearly the designation is not only wrong but is dangerously misleading in that it could result in a pilot, unfamiliar with the area, in an emergency situation and without other available information, attempting a landing.
"I have arranged that Apple be informed of the error and requested that it be urgently corrected."
“There are a variety of possible alternative images that could be utilized such a cow, a goat, a sheep, a flower or any indeed other type of plant as Airfield operates a nursery.”
But Mr Shatter's warning did not wash with experienced pilots operating in busy Dublin airways.
Read more, photos and comments: http://www.independent.ie
MINISTER for Justice Alan Shatter has said he is surprised at the discovery of an airfield in the middle of Dundrum, his constituency.
The airport, which does not exist, comes up in the maps application of the latest iPhone and iPad operating systems and the Minister said he had made arrangements to inform Apple of the error.
The blunder is one of a series discovered in the new iPhone update, which also suggests Dublin Zoo is located in Temple Bar.
“I know on occasion mistakes can be made and I am surprised to discover that Airfield, which is in the centre of my constituency in Dundrum, has, in Apple’s new operating system iOS 6 maps application, been designated with the image of an aircraft,” Minister Shatter said in a statement.
"Clearly the designation is not only wrong but is dangerously misleading in that it could result in a pilot, unfamiliar with the area, in an emergency situation and without other available information, attempting a landing.
"I have arranged that Apple be informed of the error and requested that it be urgently corrected."
“There are a variety of possible alternative images that could be utilized such a cow, a goat, a sheep, a flower or any indeed other type of plant as Airfield operates a nursery.”
But Mr Shatter's warning did not wash with experienced pilots operating in busy Dublin airways.
Read more, photos and comments: http://www.independent.ie
Arik Air collapse threatens Boeing orders: The Nigerian airline has pending orders for both 747-8 jumbo jets and 787 Dreamliners
By Dominic Gates
Seattle Times aerospace reporter
In a blow to Boeing's order book, West African airline Arik Air has ceased operations indefinitely amid chaos in Nigeria's aviation sector.
The Associated Press reported that Arik Air cancelled its flights Thursday after men rampaged through its maintenance hangar at the International Airport in the Nigerian capital, Lagos.
The airline's executives blamed employees of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria. The airport authority in turn blamed the raid on unions upset over unpaid salaries. And the union alleged corruption and non-payment of wages, according to AP.
A spokesman for the country's Aviation Ministry later told AP that Arik was using the disruption of its flights as an excuse to try and escape paying money owed to the federal government.
Arik was one of the few remaining airlines operating in Nigeria. It is one of only three airline customers with orders for the passenger model of Boeing's new jumbo jet, the 747-8.
Boeing has pending firm orders from Arik for two 747-8s, eight 737s and seven 787-9s.
Read more here: http://seattletimes.com
Seattle Times aerospace reporter
In a blow to Boeing's order book, West African airline Arik Air has ceased operations indefinitely amid chaos in Nigeria's aviation sector.
The Associated Press reported that Arik Air cancelled its flights Thursday after men rampaged through its maintenance hangar at the International Airport in the Nigerian capital, Lagos.
The airline's executives blamed employees of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria. The airport authority in turn blamed the raid on unions upset over unpaid salaries. And the union alleged corruption and non-payment of wages, according to AP.
A spokesman for the country's Aviation Ministry later told AP that Arik was using the disruption of its flights as an excuse to try and escape paying money owed to the federal government.
Arik was one of the few remaining airlines operating in Nigeria. It is one of only three airline customers with orders for the passenger model of Boeing's new jumbo jet, the 747-8.
Boeing has pending firm orders from Arik for two 747-8s, eight 737s and seven 787-9s.
Read more here: http://seattletimes.com
Beechcraft King Air 250 en Colombia
Published on September 19, 2012 by Aviacolnet
The aircraft manufacturer introduced its latest model in our country. More images and information at: http://www.aviacol.net/articulos-de-aviacion/articulos-de-interes-general/beechcraft-king-air-250-una-nueva-opcion-en-colombia.html
El fabricante de aviones introduce su más reciente modelo en nuestro paÃs. Más imágenes e información en: http://www.aviacol.net/articulos-de-aviacion/articulos-de-interes-general/bee...
Endeavour on Final Voyage over Houston this morning . . . NASA Photo
Space Shuttle Endeavour Over Houston, Texas
Space Shuttle Endeavour is ferried by NASA's Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) over Houston, Texas on September 19, 2012. NASA pilots Jeff Moultrie and Bill Rieke are at the controls of the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. Photo taken by NASA photographer Sheri Locke in the backseat of a NASA T-38 chase plane with NASA pilot Thomas E. Parent at the controls.
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_2359.html
Space Shuttle Endeavour is ferried by NASA's Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) over Houston, Texas on September 19, 2012. NASA pilots Jeff Moultrie and Bill Rieke are at the controls of the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. Photo taken by NASA photographer Sheri Locke in the backseat of a NASA T-38 chase plane with NASA pilot Thomas E. Parent at the controls.
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_2359.html
Officials cite pilot error for mishap; Small plane crashed into Second Lake
Transportation Safety Board officials believe pilot error was the cause of a plane flipping over as it tried to land on Second Lake, south of Nanaimo Tuesday morning.
Vince Crooks, an investigator with the safety board, said his staff had spoken with the 70-year-old pilot and are convinced that the landing wheels were down on the home-made, Christavia two-seater ultra light float plane as it tried to land on the lake around 11 a.m. on Tuesday.
"These planes are purchased as a kit and assembled by the purchaser," Crooks said.
"It flipped over as soon as one of the wheels hit the water is our initial assessment."
Crooks said the agency must still examine the aircraft that was built from a kit but "all indications are that he inadvertently lowered his landing gear as he was approaching to land at the lake."
Mike Bennie and his fishing buddy King Pauze, members of the Nanaimo Fish and Game Club, were just launching their 12-foot aluminum boat when they saw the plane flip over in the lake.
"The plane was right in the middle of the lake and we headed out towards it immediately."
When they arrived, the 70-year-old pilot and his golden retriever were on either side of the plane but both were in good condition. "We got them both in our boat and took them to the beach where a fellow in a mechanical truck was. He called 911 and the ambulance came to look after the pilot. King and I went back to the plane and we towed it into shore at the west end of the lake."
Bennie said he wanted to clarify early reports based on an RCMP news release that said a logging company towed the plane to the shore.
"No that was us. The police were on the shore and nobody from the RCMP ever asked us anything about it."
Paramedics took the pilot to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital for observation and he was released.
Neither the RCMP or safety board will release the name of the pilot.
http://www.canada.com/Officials+cite+pilot+error+mishap/7273580/story.html
South African aviation employees killed in suicide attack in Afghanistan
http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/18/world/asia/afghanistan-attack/index.html
http://www.avcom.co.za/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=101847 Victims names appear top of page 6.
'I'm back in Afghanistan, I wonder what lies before me': The tragic last tweet of British woman killed by a suicide bomber in Kabul
- Jeni Ayris, from Edinburgh, died alongside 11 fellow aviation workers when a female insurgent rammed a car laden with explosives into their minibus
- Born in South Africa, she lived in Edinburgh for 20 years and had British nationality
- Friends described her as a 'great cook who loved entertaining' and keen sailor who loved sailing on the Firth of Forth and the West Coast of Scotland
- She died with eight South Africans in blast which claimed 12 lives on Tuesday
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk
September 19, 2012
OHIO: Auditor Finds State Owns Too Many Airplanes
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The state of Ohio has too many planes, fragmented accounting for their costs and nonexistent standards governing their use, according to the Auditor of State of Thursday.
The report released Thursday by State Auditor David Yost recommends Ohio develop a single cost center for all expenses related to executive branch travel on state aircraft.
The report also recommends the state either find another purpose for its underused five-person helicopter or sell it.
“It’s time to have some clear accounting and have clear policies and procedures and set-out, put everybody on notice that this is what the planes are for and how they’re used,” Yost said.
Gov. John Kasich’s office sent Watchdog 10 a statement on Thursday regarding the audit.
"We welcome this kind of constructive feedback,” Kasich’s office said. “We're glad to have a partner in state government who is as committed to efficiency and good stewardship of taxpayer dollars as we are, and we'll give his recommendations close consideration.".
The audit says Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor took three flights last year that included routes meant to divert to the Canton Airport near her home for her “convenience,” and Ohio House Speaker William Batchelder used a state plan to go from a private event to the Statehouse in Columbus.
The report says both reimbursed the state.
Batchelder’s spokesperson did not say under what circumstances he reimbursed the state.
Taylor also reimbursed the state for the three trips in question. Her office told Watchdog 10 that there was nothing improper about the travel.
The Ohio Department of Transportation said it planned to use the recommendations going forward.
Story and video: http://www.10tv.com
The report released Thursday by State Auditor David Yost recommends Ohio develop a single cost center for all expenses related to executive branch travel on state aircraft.
The report also recommends the state either find another purpose for its underused five-person helicopter or sell it.
“It’s time to have some clear accounting and have clear policies and procedures and set-out, put everybody on notice that this is what the planes are for and how they’re used,” Yost said.
Gov. John Kasich’s office sent Watchdog 10 a statement on Thursday regarding the audit.
"We welcome this kind of constructive feedback,” Kasich’s office said. “We're glad to have a partner in state government who is as committed to efficiency and good stewardship of taxpayer dollars as we are, and we'll give his recommendations close consideration.".
The audit says Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor took three flights last year that included routes meant to divert to the Canton Airport near her home for her “convenience,” and Ohio House Speaker William Batchelder used a state plan to go from a private event to the Statehouse in Columbus.
The report says both reimbursed the state.
Batchelder’s spokesperson did not say under what circumstances he reimbursed the state.
Taylor also reimbursed the state for the three trips in question. Her office told Watchdog 10 that there was nothing improper about the travel.
The Ohio Department of Transportation said it planned to use the recommendations going forward.
Story and video: http://www.10tv.com
Cessna 208B: State Auditor Identifies $3 Million In Ohio Department Of Transportation Savings
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio Auditor of State Dave Yost said Wednesday that getting a state mapping plane off the ground could lead to $3 million in potential savings for the Ohio Department of Transportation.
Watchdog 10 reported on the Cessna Caravan that was supposed to be used to take the high-tech pictures and speed along road projects.
It cost taxpayers $1.7 million and then another $1.3 million for the camera.
It had taken no pictures in a more than two year period.
The project hit a snag when the Federal Aviation Administration took issue with the camera's installation. ODOT had to then pay outside contractors more than $200,000 for the work.
In his latest report, Yost said that $335,000 could be saved annually by using the aerial mapping equipment instead of hiring from the outside.
Yost said better management of the total fleet could lead to taxpayer savings of more than $19.4 million in 10 years.
The recommendations followed a report that Yost released earlier this month which stated that the state owned too many planes.
The auditor is required to conduct performance audits of at least four state agencies each biennium. ODOT is one of the four agencies currently under review.
Watch Video
http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/N850H.html
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N850H
Watchdog 10 reported on the Cessna Caravan that was supposed to be used to take the high-tech pictures and speed along road projects.
It cost taxpayers $1.7 million and then another $1.3 million for the camera.
It had taken no pictures in a more than two year period.
The project hit a snag when the Federal Aviation Administration took issue with the camera's installation. ODOT had to then pay outside contractors more than $200,000 for the work.
In his latest report, Yost said that $335,000 could be saved annually by using the aerial mapping equipment instead of hiring from the outside.
Yost said better management of the total fleet could lead to taxpayer savings of more than $19.4 million in 10 years.
The recommendations followed a report that Yost released earlier this month which stated that the state owned too many planes.
The auditor is required to conduct performance audits of at least four state agencies each biennium. ODOT is one of the four agencies currently under review.
Watch Video
http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/N850H.html
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N850H
Plane in emergency landing on dam wall - Plover Cove Reservoir, Hong Kong
The Civil Aviation Department has ordered the Hong Kong Aviation Club to submit a report on an emergency landing by a light aircraft on the wall of Plover Cove Reservoir's main dam yesterday.
With two people aboard, the Cessna C152 aircraft landed on the 2km wall at 9.39am. The plane was reportedly undamaged and no one was injured.
Police said the emergency arose so quickly that they were only notified after the landing, so were unable to evacuate the few people visiting the dam at the time.
The reservoir is a popular site for cycling and picnics.
The plane was said to have approached the dam from the southeast and it was not known how far it travelled along the wall before coming to a stop.
Legislator Andrew Cheng Kar-foo said it was a blessing that no one on the dam was hurt.
The 10-year-old single-engine aircraft had flown fewer than 2,000 hours and had just passed its annual inspection.
An engine problem is believed to have been the cause of the forced landing.
As a precautionary measure, the Hong Kong Aviation Club suspended flights by another aircraft of the same model pending further investigation into the cause of the incident.
The plane took off from the club's base in Shek Kong and flew to Tolo Harbour for a flying lesson, said club vice-president Cren Kwok.
On board were the club's chief flying coach, S.K. Gupta, who was in control of the aircraft at the time, and a student.
The pilot said the engine seemed to become unstable at a height of about 2,000 feet (610 metres).
The pilot carried out the necessary checks and decided not to risk flying back to Shek Kong. He then made a precautionary landing at the dam,' Mr Kwok said.
He added that Mr Gupta had flown more than 13,000 hours and had previously served as a fighter pilot.
Mr Kwok said all pilots had been trained to handle engine problems and were given guidelines to minimise the chances of endangering people on the ground during emergency landings.
A spokesman for the Civil Aviation Department said that after receiving the request for an emergency landing, it immediately cleared nearby air traffic from the area and notified fire services to be on standby.
'The pilot is responsible for picking an appropriate place for an emergency landing as he knows best the condition of the plane,' the spokesman said.
He added that the department had no information on whether the dam had been cleared for landing, but believed the pilot would not choose a place that might jeopardise the safety of others.
Civil Aviation Department director-general Norman Lo Shung-man said the department would investigate the plane's mechanical problems and interview the pilot.
After the incident, police cordoned off the scene for investigation.
An engineering team from the club arrived and towed the aircraft to the dam's helipad, where it was partially disassembled and taken to Shek Kong.
In 1996 another plane made an emergency landing at Plover Cove Reservoir's main dam, while a year earlier a plane landed at Tseung Kwan O landfill.
Source: http://www.scmp.com
With two people aboard, the Cessna C152 aircraft landed on the 2km wall at 9.39am. The plane was reportedly undamaged and no one was injured.
Police said the emergency arose so quickly that they were only notified after the landing, so were unable to evacuate the few people visiting the dam at the time.
The reservoir is a popular site for cycling and picnics.
The plane was said to have approached the dam from the southeast and it was not known how far it travelled along the wall before coming to a stop.
Legislator Andrew Cheng Kar-foo said it was a blessing that no one on the dam was hurt.
The 10-year-old single-engine aircraft had flown fewer than 2,000 hours and had just passed its annual inspection.
An engine problem is believed to have been the cause of the forced landing.
As a precautionary measure, the Hong Kong Aviation Club suspended flights by another aircraft of the same model pending further investigation into the cause of the incident.
The plane took off from the club's base in Shek Kong and flew to Tolo Harbour for a flying lesson, said club vice-president Cren Kwok.
On board were the club's chief flying coach, S.K. Gupta, who was in control of the aircraft at the time, and a student.
The pilot said the engine seemed to become unstable at a height of about 2,000 feet (610 metres).
The pilot carried out the necessary checks and decided not to risk flying back to Shek Kong. He then made a precautionary landing at the dam,' Mr Kwok said.
He added that Mr Gupta had flown more than 13,000 hours and had previously served as a fighter pilot.
Mr Kwok said all pilots had been trained to handle engine problems and were given guidelines to minimise the chances of endangering people on the ground during emergency landings.
A spokesman for the Civil Aviation Department said that after receiving the request for an emergency landing, it immediately cleared nearby air traffic from the area and notified fire services to be on standby.
'The pilot is responsible for picking an appropriate place for an emergency landing as he knows best the condition of the plane,' the spokesman said.
He added that the department had no information on whether the dam had been cleared for landing, but believed the pilot would not choose a place that might jeopardise the safety of others.
Civil Aviation Department director-general Norman Lo Shung-man said the department would investigate the plane's mechanical problems and interview the pilot.
After the incident, police cordoned off the scene for investigation.
An engineering team from the club arrived and towed the aircraft to the dam's helipad, where it was partially disassembled and taken to Shek Kong.
In 1996 another plane made an emergency landing at Plover Cove Reservoir's main dam, while a year earlier a plane landed at Tseung Kwan O landfill.
Source: http://www.scmp.com
Chicago, Illinois: Emergency call about plane in lake turns up nothing
Emergency crews responded to the lakefront downtown this afternoon after someone called 911 about a plane in the lake, but crews found nothing and local airports reported no missing planes, officials said.
The Fire Department was called to 300 north along the lakefront about 3:30 p.m. but fire officials called off the search less than 10 minutes later after finding nothing, according to department spokeswoman Meg Ahlheim.
More than 60 Fire Department personnel, including a special water operations chief and a dive coordinator, responded to the area near Randolph Street and the lakefront, Ahlheim said.
There was "nothing to substantiate" the report, said Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Veejay Zala.
Neither Midway nor O'Hare airport reported any missing planes, according to the Fire Department.
The U.S. Coast Guard was not called to assist, a Coast Guard officer at Lake Calumet said.
Source: http://www.chicagotribune.com
The Fire Department was called to 300 north along the lakefront about 3:30 p.m. but fire officials called off the search less than 10 minutes later after finding nothing, according to department spokeswoman Meg Ahlheim.
More than 60 Fire Department personnel, including a special water operations chief and a dive coordinator, responded to the area near Randolph Street and the lakefront, Ahlheim said.
There was "nothing to substantiate" the report, said Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Veejay Zala.
Neither Midway nor O'Hare airport reported any missing planes, according to the Fire Department.
The U.S. Coast Guard was not called to assist, a Coast Guard officer at Lake Calumet said.
Source: http://www.chicagotribune.com
Fighter pilots shut down CF-18 engines more than 200 times since 1988
By Lee Berthiaume
OTTAWA — Government records show Canadian CF-18 pilots shut down one of their aircraft’s two engines in midflight more than 200 times since 1988 because of safety concerns.
The revelation highlights a key aspect of the debate over whether the single-engine F-35 stealth jet is not only the right aircraft for Canada, but also the safest — or whether the air force would be better off with another dual-engine jet.
Critics of the Harper government’s plan to purchase the F-35 stealth fighter have long maintained that a dual-engine fighter is better suited and safer for Canada’s air force pilots — particularly so they will have a backup while patrolling the country’s vast north.
That was one of the main reasons given by the federal government and military for choosing the twin-engine CF-18s as Canada’s main fighter jet in the 1980s.
In a report filed in Parliament this week, National Defence says it does not officially known how many times CF-18 engines have failed since 1988.
“With two engines, pilots are trained so that when an engine malfunction occurs or is suspected,” the report reads, “they complete an early precautionary shut-down of the affected engine and return to base using a single engine.”
Between 1988 and March 31, 2012, there were 228 precautionary engine shutdowns, the report reads, though it emphasizes that “a precautionary engine shut-down is not an engine failure.”
“Since this is a precautionary measure, there is no way to know if the engine would actually have failed or not, had it continued to be used.”
That caveat did little to calm opposition critics and experts, who were alarmed by the average of about 10 engine shutdowns per year for more than two decades — and what it could mean for the F-35.
“They’re not shutting down the engine because they think it’s a great idea,” said NDP defence critic Jack Harris, who requested the information from National Defence. “They’re shutting it down because they have to.
“This means 228 times they had an opportunity of getting a plane back to base when it could have resulted in an engine failure of significant proportions.”
Liberal defence critic John McKay said the figures are concerning not only from the perspective of pilot safety, but also the potential cost of losing a multi-million-dollar F-35 due to engine failure.
“Say there’s one failure a year, not only is the life of a pilot at risk, but you lose one of your fleet,” he said.
“I think they’d better start teaching our F-35 pilots some gliding and some ejection skills.”
The Harper government, Defence Department officials and F-35 manufacturer Lockheed Martin have previously downplayed the significance of moving from a twin-engine fighter to one.
They say there is no statistical evidence to indicate single-engine fighters are any less safe than those with two engines.
They also say today’s jet engines are much more reliable than previous generations, while maintenance costs are cut in half.
Alan Williams, who was responsible for military procurement until 2005, said National Defence had little doubt the Defence Department has studied whether one engine is as good as two.
The problem is that it continues refusing to come clean with what it knows.
“Whether we should buy the F-35 because it has only one engine is a legitimate question to ask,” he said. “And this is one more issue that we should have the information for.”
OTTAWA — Government records show Canadian CF-18 pilots shut down one of their aircraft’s two engines in midflight more than 200 times since 1988 because of safety concerns.
The revelation highlights a key aspect of the debate over whether the single-engine F-35 stealth jet is not only the right aircraft for Canada, but also the safest — or whether the air force would be better off with another dual-engine jet.
Critics of the Harper government’s plan to purchase the F-35 stealth fighter have long maintained that a dual-engine fighter is better suited and safer for Canada’s air force pilots — particularly so they will have a backup while patrolling the country’s vast north.
That was one of the main reasons given by the federal government and military for choosing the twin-engine CF-18s as Canada’s main fighter jet in the 1980s.
In a report filed in Parliament this week, National Defence says it does not officially known how many times CF-18 engines have failed since 1988.
“With two engines, pilots are trained so that when an engine malfunction occurs or is suspected,” the report reads, “they complete an early precautionary shut-down of the affected engine and return to base using a single engine.”
Between 1988 and March 31, 2012, there were 228 precautionary engine shutdowns, the report reads, though it emphasizes that “a precautionary engine shut-down is not an engine failure.”
“Since this is a precautionary measure, there is no way to know if the engine would actually have failed or not, had it continued to be used.”
That caveat did little to calm opposition critics and experts, who were alarmed by the average of about 10 engine shutdowns per year for more than two decades — and what it could mean for the F-35.
“They’re not shutting down the engine because they think it’s a great idea,” said NDP defence critic Jack Harris, who requested the information from National Defence. “They’re shutting it down because they have to.
“This means 228 times they had an opportunity of getting a plane back to base when it could have resulted in an engine failure of significant proportions.”
Liberal defence critic John McKay said the figures are concerning not only from the perspective of pilot safety, but also the potential cost of losing a multi-million-dollar F-35 due to engine failure.
“Say there’s one failure a year, not only is the life of a pilot at risk, but you lose one of your fleet,” he said.
“I think they’d better start teaching our F-35 pilots some gliding and some ejection skills.”
The Harper government, Defence Department officials and F-35 manufacturer Lockheed Martin have previously downplayed the significance of moving from a twin-engine fighter to one.
They say there is no statistical evidence to indicate single-engine fighters are any less safe than those with two engines.
They also say today’s jet engines are much more reliable than previous generations, while maintenance costs are cut in half.
Alan Williams, who was responsible for military procurement until 2005, said National Defence had little doubt the Defence Department has studied whether one engine is as good as two.
The problem is that it continues refusing to come clean with what it knows.
“Whether we should buy the F-35 because it has only one engine is a legitimate question to ask,” he said. “And this is one more issue that we should have the information for.”
Avolon issues analysis of economic life of commercial jet aircraft
,
Analysis validates continued use of 25 year aircraft depreciation policies practiced by global aviation industry Conference call & webcast to discuss findings scheduled for 2 October
DUBLIN, Sep 19, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Avolon, the international aircraft leasing company, today publishes a comprehensive review and analysis of commercial aircraft economic lives and retirement patterns. The purpose of this analysis is to test whether the current assumptions made by airlines, aviation investors and aircraft financiers, on the economic life of commercial jets – that aircraft should be depreciated over a useful life of approximately 25 years – remains valid.
The analysis, the first in a series that will deal with a range of aviation industry issues, considers how trends in aircraft retirement have changed over time and identifies key differences between the behaviour of specific aircraft types. The paper also considers the likely impact on retirement trends and aircraft economic values of the retirement of newer fleets, including current Airbus A320 and Boeing 737NG aircraft. Avolon will host a conference call and webcast to discuss the analysis and its findings at 3pm BST (4pm CET/10am ET) on 2 October, 2012.
Aircraft Retirement
The average retirement age for all commercial jet aircraft retired, since commercial jet aircraft began flying in the 1950s, is close to 26 years. Avolon expects 8,000 aircraft to be retired over the next ten years, more than all of the retirements that have taken place since the 1950s. Despite the increasing number of aircraft retirements, Avolon’s analysis confirms that in-service life and average retirement ages continue to support the global aviation industry’s widely used 25 year depreciation assumption. Avolon’s study supports the thesis that the in-service lives of core single and twin-aisle fleets are not experiencing material diminution and that the industry’s economic life assumptions and depreciation policies will remain valid over the next decade and beyond.
Dick Forsberg, author of the paper and Avolon’s Head of Strategy commented:
“The economic life of commercial jet aircraft is an issue of great debate in the aviation industry today. In times of economic uncertainty or around the introduction of new technology, questions are raised around aircraft economic life assumptions made by investors and financiers and whether a permanent shift is taking place in the long-term values ascribed to commercial jets. We are experiencing both of those factors today and we have completed a detailed review of the retirement outlook for the global aviation industry to assess whether a change in valuation and depreciation time horizons is required.”
“Whilst a small number of individual aircraft may suffer value impairment through early retirement, there is strong evidence that the broader patterns of fleet operation and ownership will continue to support current industry value retention assumptions and that that in-service life and average retirement ages continue to support the global aviation industry’s widely used 25 year depreciation assumption.”
A copy of the report is available on the Avolon website at: www.avolon.aero For details of the conference call and webcast, please contact FTI Consulting on the details set out below.
About Avolon
Headquartered in Ireland, with offices in Stamford CT, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore and Dubai, Avolon provides aircraft leasing and lease management services. Avolon’s investors include three of the world’s leading private equity firms Cinven, CVC Capital Partners and Oak Hill Capital Partners and one of the world’s leading sovereign wealth funds, Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC).
For more information, see www.avolon.aero
SOURCE: Avolon
http://www.marketwatch.com
Lessor defends aircraft industry in accounting spat
PARIS, Sept 19 (Reuters) - The aircraft leasing industry has
hit back at criticism from its lenders over the way it values hundreds
of billions of dollars of passenger jets in an obscure dispute that
could hit the pockets of air travellers and the world's leading
planemakers.
Irish leasing firm Avolon defended the industry's accounting practices in a detailed study issued on Wednesday as a major industry gathering got under way in Rome, hoping to put to rest a debate that has been troubling the industry for some months.
For years the aircraft leasing industry, which rents jetliners to airlines and owns about two airliners in five in the global fleet, operated on a rule of thumb that passenger jets fly on average for 25 years. It wrote down the value of its assets and built up its business models accordingly.
But the practice came under fire after a few jets became unprofitable and were broken up for their parts with just a few years on the clock, due in part to soaring fuel costs.
Critics including some of the industry's top bankers say the industry should make its accounting system more conservative by shortening the depreciation period and thus driving up annual charges, a move that could directly threaten lessors' profits.
But Dublin-based Avolon, after analysing data on every passenger jet ever placed in service, said that there was no reason to alter the widely used accounting practice.
"We are not seeing seismic shifts in the way the industry is behaving or the way fleets are being retired compared to 10 or 20 years ago," said Dick Forsberg, author of the report which is likely to be discussed at the ISTAT finance conference in Rome.
On average jets have been retired after about 26 years and 60 percent of all jets ever built have still been flying at 25 years, he said. Of all the passenger jets ever built in a half-century of mass air travel, two out of three are still flying.
Analysts say a change in accounting methods could have far-reaching consequences on the economics of airlines and suppliers, starting with higher aircraft lease rates for airlines that would most likely be passed on to passengers.
The leasing industry occupies a powerful position in a food chain stretching from assembly plants to airlines and the giant-clawed machines that eventually tear up old jets for scrap.
Many airlines find it more efficient to lease aircraft than own them, spawning a specialist rental industry that now controls about 40 percent of the global fleet.
Experts say when lease rates for new planes go up, airlines tend to hold older aircraft for longer, depressing demand for newer aircraft built by Airbus and Boeing.
"The increase in costs that would have to be passed on to the airline would be significant enough that it could affect ownership patterns," Forsberg said in an interview.
BABY BOOM
But some lenders to the leasing business remain convinced of a problem. Bertrand Grabowski, managing director of aviation finance at DVB Bank, said book values had fallen out of step with real markets, potentially distorting industry finances.
"If depreciation rates do not reflect the reality of values, clearly some P+L are overstated and in the long run this is not good for the industry," he said of the risk that profit and loss accounts reflected lower depreciation costs than they should.
Under current practice, accountants write down the purchase cost of aircraft over 25 years, down to a residual value of 15 percent. This equals an annual depreciation rate of 3.4 percent.
Grabowski said a depreciation policy of 20 years down to zero would better reflect real aircraft values, a suggestion which implies annual depreciation closer to 5 percent.
The debate simmers just as the aircraft industry is recovering from fears over the availability of finance after European banks pulled back due to the region's debt crisis.
Large sums ride on the discussions, but it is still relatively unexplored territory - a reminder that the jet age began in earnest barely 50 years ago with the Boeing 707.
As with the baby-boom generation whose love affair with the jet shaped the industry, aircraft retirements are likely to soar in the next decade when Avolon estimates 8,000 will stop flying - about as many as went off to scrap since the jet age began.
When jetliners stop making money they can be sold, stored in deserts, where dry air prevents corrosion, or get converted to freighters. Eventually they retire and get broken up for parts.
Some say one of the reasons some airlines have been willing to scrap small and less sought-after jetliners after just a few years in use is to cash in on prices for second-hand engines.
These have been rising sharply as manufacturers like General Electric divert most of their resources to supporting record production for new Airbus and Boeing jets, Forsberg said, rather than keeping a supply of engines available as spares.
Source: http://in.reuters.com
Irish leasing firm Avolon defended the industry's accounting practices in a detailed study issued on Wednesday as a major industry gathering got under way in Rome, hoping to put to rest a debate that has been troubling the industry for some months.
For years the aircraft leasing industry, which rents jetliners to airlines and owns about two airliners in five in the global fleet, operated on a rule of thumb that passenger jets fly on average for 25 years. It wrote down the value of its assets and built up its business models accordingly.
But the practice came under fire after a few jets became unprofitable and were broken up for their parts with just a few years on the clock, due in part to soaring fuel costs.
Critics including some of the industry's top bankers say the industry should make its accounting system more conservative by shortening the depreciation period and thus driving up annual charges, a move that could directly threaten lessors' profits.
But Dublin-based Avolon, after analysing data on every passenger jet ever placed in service, said that there was no reason to alter the widely used accounting practice.
"We are not seeing seismic shifts in the way the industry is behaving or the way fleets are being retired compared to 10 or 20 years ago," said Dick Forsberg, author of the report which is likely to be discussed at the ISTAT finance conference in Rome.
On average jets have been retired after about 26 years and 60 percent of all jets ever built have still been flying at 25 years, he said. Of all the passenger jets ever built in a half-century of mass air travel, two out of three are still flying.
Analysts say a change in accounting methods could have far-reaching consequences on the economics of airlines and suppliers, starting with higher aircraft lease rates for airlines that would most likely be passed on to passengers.
The leasing industry occupies a powerful position in a food chain stretching from assembly plants to airlines and the giant-clawed machines that eventually tear up old jets for scrap.
Many airlines find it more efficient to lease aircraft than own them, spawning a specialist rental industry that now controls about 40 percent of the global fleet.
Experts say when lease rates for new planes go up, airlines tend to hold older aircraft for longer, depressing demand for newer aircraft built by Airbus and Boeing.
"The increase in costs that would have to be passed on to the airline would be significant enough that it could affect ownership patterns," Forsberg said in an interview.
BABY BOOM
But some lenders to the leasing business remain convinced of a problem. Bertrand Grabowski, managing director of aviation finance at DVB Bank, said book values had fallen out of step with real markets, potentially distorting industry finances.
"If depreciation rates do not reflect the reality of values, clearly some P+L are overstated and in the long run this is not good for the industry," he said of the risk that profit and loss accounts reflected lower depreciation costs than they should.
Under current practice, accountants write down the purchase cost of aircraft over 25 years, down to a residual value of 15 percent. This equals an annual depreciation rate of 3.4 percent.
Grabowski said a depreciation policy of 20 years down to zero would better reflect real aircraft values, a suggestion which implies annual depreciation closer to 5 percent.
The debate simmers just as the aircraft industry is recovering from fears over the availability of finance after European banks pulled back due to the region's debt crisis.
Large sums ride on the discussions, but it is still relatively unexplored territory - a reminder that the jet age began in earnest barely 50 years ago with the Boeing 707.
As with the baby-boom generation whose love affair with the jet shaped the industry, aircraft retirements are likely to soar in the next decade when Avolon estimates 8,000 will stop flying - about as many as went off to scrap since the jet age began.
When jetliners stop making money they can be sold, stored in deserts, where dry air prevents corrosion, or get converted to freighters. Eventually they retire and get broken up for parts.
Some say one of the reasons some airlines have been willing to scrap small and less sought-after jetliners after just a few years in use is to cash in on prices for second-hand engines.
These have been rising sharply as manufacturers like General Electric divert most of their resources to supporting record production for new Airbus and Boeing jets, Forsberg said, rather than keeping a supply of engines available as spares.
Source: http://in.reuters.com
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