Saturday, November 24, 2012

Cessna 182D Skylane, N61LN: Accident occurred November 17, 2012 in Bondurant, Wyoming

NTSB Identification: WPR13FA053 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, November 17, 2012 in Bondurant, WY
Probable Cause Approval Date: 05/08/2014
Aircraft: CESSNA 182D, registration: N61LN
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The noninstrument-rated pilot departed on a visual flight rules cross-county flight. Visual and instrument meteorological conditions prevailed throughout the area around the time of the accident. Review of recorded radar data provided by the FAA (which did not record altitude) and recovered GPS data depicted the flight departing and proceeding on a south, southeasterly course then turning left to an easterly heading toward the intended destination; the last recorded radar return was about 1.5 miles northwest of the accident site. Throughout this timeframe, recorded GPS altitudes varied between 8,000 and 12,300 feet, however, an ascent to 13,450 feet mean sea level (msl) was recorded just before the end of recorded GPS data, about 22 miles west of the accident site. Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane impacted trees and mountainous terrain on a southwesterly heading just below the top of a ridgeline at an altitude of about 10,030 feet msl. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
AIRMETs for instrument meteorological conditions, mountain obscuration, and moderate icing conditions were in effect throughout the area about the time of the accident. Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) imagery indicated that clouds with tops of 16,700 feet msl were within the accident area, however, the cloud bases could not be determined. There was no evidence that the pilot obtained a weather briefing for the flight. Wreckage impact signatures and radar data were consistent with a right turn away from the flight’s intended destination just before the accident. It is likely that the pilot did not maintain sufficient altitude above the mountainous terrain while attempting to maneuver around the instrument meteorological conditions at the time of the accident.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The noninstrument-rated pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering around weather.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On November 17, 2012, about 1345 mountain standard time, a Cessna 182D, N61LN, was destroyed when it collided with terrain south of Bondurant, Wyoming. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. The private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was fatally injured. Visual and instrument meteorological conditions prevailed throughout the route of flight and a flight plan was not filed. The cross-country flight originated from Stevensville, Montana, about 1130 with an intended destination of Pinedale, Wyoming.

Information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that the family of the pilot contacted the FAA on the evening of November 17, 2012, after they became concerned when the pilot had not arrived at his intended destination. The FAA subsequently issued an Alert Notification (ALNOT). The Civil Air Patrol, United States Air Force, and local law enforcement, commenced search and rescue operations throughout the area of the pilot's intended flight path. The wreckage was located by aerial units on the afternoon of November 24, 2012.

Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane impacted mountainous terrain approximately 35 miles west of the flight's intended destination. The wreckage debris path was about 133 feet in length and oriented on a magnetic heading of about 200 degrees at an elevation of about 10,150 feet. All major structural components of the airplane were located within the debris path.

FAA personnel reported that the purpose of the flight was to return the airplane back to the pilot's home airport following maintenance in Stevensville. Law enforcement personnel reported that the family of the pilot reported that his son and daughter-in-law were leaving the country on a prolonged trip out of the country and he was traveling back to take care of their ranch.


Review of radar data provided by the FAA depicted the flight departing from Stevensville and proceeded on a south, southeasterly course until reaching Freedom, Wyoming, where the data depicted a left turn to an easterly heading. The easterly track continued until about 1.5 miles northwest of the accident site. The radar data contained no altitude data for any of the recorded plots.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 63, held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating which was issued on January 24, 2008. A third-class airman medical certificate was issued on March 1, 2012, with the limitation stating "must wear corrective lenses." The pilot reported on his most recent medical certificate application that he had accumulated 160 total flight hours. Review of the pilot's logbook revealed that as of the most recent entry, dated February 7, 2012, the pilot had accumulated 159.3 hours of total flight time of which 91.9 hours were in the accident make/model airplane. The pilot's most recent flight review was completed on May 3, 2011.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The four-seat, high-wing, fixed-gear airplane, serial number (S/N) 18253398, was manufactured in 1961. It was powered by a Continental P. Ponk O-470-50 engine, serial number 291076-R. The airplane was also equipped with a McCauley D3A34C401-C adjustable pitch propeller.

Review of the aircraft maintenance logbooks revealed that the most recent annual inspection was completed on June 28, 2012, at an airframe total time of 1,884.1 hours and an engine time since major overhaul of 126.1 hours. The most recent airframe logbook entry, dated November 17, 2012, at an airframe total time of 1,886.8 hours, stated that the right hand outboard landing gear support was replaced with a serviceable part.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) staff meteorologist prepared a factual report for the area and time frame surrounding the accident.

The National Weather Service (NWS) Surface Analysis Chart for 1400 depicted a regional high-pressure center of 1018 hectopascals (hPa) in northwestern Colorado. Station models in the region of the accident site generally depicted a light and variable wind; however some stations reported wind magnitudes of 10-15 knots. Southwest of the accident site, stations were reporting cloudy conditions, while stations northeast of the accident site were reporting relatively clear sky conditions.

A regional Next-Generation Radar (NEXRAD) mosaic for 1345 did not identify any areas of reflectivity close to the accident location.

Unofficial weather observations were retrieved from the Bridger Teton National Forest Avalanche Center station DEABT, which was located about 4.5 miles to the west of the accident site at an elevation of approximately 10,350 feet. Data recorded at 1345 was temperature -2.8 degrees Celsius, dew point -3.4 degrees Celsius, relative humidity 94 percent, wind from 217 degrees at 7.8 knots, gusting to 13.9 knots.

Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) in Jackson, Wyoming, was located approximately 37 miles north-northwest of the accident site at an elevation of 6,451 feet. At 135, JAC reported a wind from 190 degrees at 6 knots, visibility of 8 miles, snow showers between 5 and 10 miles from the airport, few clouds at 3,500 feet above ground level (agl), ceiling broken at 5,000 feet agl, overcast cloud base at 8,000 feet agl, temperature of 4 degrees Celsius (C) and dew point temperature of -1 degrees C, altimeter setting 30.06 inches of mercury.

Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-13 and GOES-15 visible and infrared data indicated that there were clouds in the accident area. While it can be difficult to discriminate meteorological cloud from snow-covered terrain in individual visible images, an animation of the visible imagery surrounding the accident time assisted in identifying the meteorological clouds in the area. GOES-13 infrared data indicated cloud-top brightness temperatures near the accident site at 1345 were approximately -16 degrees C, which, when considering the NAM model sounding, corresponded to cloud-top heights of about 16,700 feet. GOES-15 infrared data indicated cloud-top brightness temperatures near the accident site at 1330 were approximately -15 degrees C, which, when considering the NAM model sounding, corresponded to cloud-top heights of about 16,100 feet. Cloud bases for the area surrounding the accident site were not determined.

An Airmen's Meteorological Information (AIRMET) advisories issued at 0745 for areas of Wyoming that included the accident site. The AIRMETs advised of mountain obscuration and moderate icing between the freezing level and flight level 220. At 1345, two AIRMETs were issued for areas of Wyoming that included the accident site. The AIRMETs advised of mountain obscuration and moderate icing between the freezing level and flight level 220. For further information, see the weather study report within the public docket for this accident.

It was not determined if the pilot obtained a weather briefing for the flight.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane impacted mountainous terrain on a heading of about 200 degrees magnetic at an elevation of about 10,030 feet mean sea level (msl). The wreckage debris path was oriented on an approximate heading of 200 degrees magnetic and was about 133 feet in length. The first identified point of contact (FIPC) was a group of freshly topped trees about 15 feet in height. Extending from the FIPC was portions of both the left and right wings, and elevators, partially submerged within 12 to 24 inches of snow. The aft portion of the fuselage behind the baggage bulkhead came to rest upright on a heading of about 309 degrees magnetic. The forward portion of the fuselage was found inverted underneath the aft portion of the fuselage.

Both wings were separated from the fuselage. The empennage remained attached to the fuselage. The outboard portions of the left and right elevators and horizontal stabilizers were separated. The top portion of the rudder and vertical stabilizer were separated. Numerous instruments were displaced from the instrument panel and located adjacent to the main wreckage.

The flap cables were separated. The rudder and elevator flight control cables were intact from their respective flight controls forward to the aft baggage bulkhead where the fuselage was folded over.

The engine was submerged within snow. The propeller assembly was separated from the engine. One of the three blades was separated from the propeller hub. The remaining propeller blades remained attached to the propeller hub, however, rotated freely within the hub.

All major structural components of the airplane were located within the wreckage debris path.

The emergency locator transmitter (ELT) was removed by Search and Rescue personnel. Review of photo documentation revealed that the ELT switch was in the "OFF" position and that both the remote switch cable and antenna cable remained attached. The ELT switch was placed in the "ON" position by the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) and was found to function normally.

The wreckage was recovered to a secure location for further examination.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Sublette County Coroner conducted an autopsy on the pilot on November 28, 2012. The medical examiner determined that the cause of death was "…multiple blunt force trauma..."

The FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAMI) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicology tests on the pilot. According to CAMI's report, carbon monoxide, cyanide, volatiles, and drugs were tested, and had negative results.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

A portable Garmin handheld GPS unit was located during wreckage recovery. The GPS was subsequently sent to the NTSB Recorders Laboratory, Washington, DC, for further examination. The data recovered from the GPS unit showed that following departure from Stevensville, the flight ascended to about 9,500 feet mean sea level (msl), and remained between 9,000 and 10,000 feet for about 25 minutes. The data depicted a climb to about 10,500 feet over a 2 minute time frame, before descending about 8,000 feet and remaining between 8,000 feet and 9,500 feet for about 27 minutes. The data further depicted that the flight climbed to about 12,300 feet over a 12 minute time frame before a descent was observed to about 8,700 feet across 19 minutes. The remaining 27 minutes of recorded GPS data depicted that the flight climbed from 8,700 feet to an altitude of 13,450 feet at the last recorded data point near Freedom, Wyoming, about 22 miles west of the accident site.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Examination of the recovered airframe revealed that the forward portion of the fuselage from the rear seats forward was fragmented. The aft portion of the fuselage from the rear seats was crushed aft to about 12 inches aft of the baggage door. The upper half of the vertical stabilizer and rudder were separated. The outboard halve of the left horizontal stabilizer and elevator was separated. The right horizontal and elevator remained attached; however, was impact damaged on the inboard leading edge and bent upwards about mid span. Both wings were fragmented into multiple pieces. The instrument panel was fragmented into multiple sections with numerous instruments displaced. The tachometer was located and displayed 1,700 rpm and 889.4 hours.

Control cable continuity was established from the empennage to the rear doorpost bulkhead. Both aileron control cables were located and exhibited signatures of tension overload. The left flap cables exhibited tension overload. The right side flap cables were cut by recovery personnel. The fuel selector was in the "right fuel tank" position. The flap bar was in the stowed position.

Examination of the Continental P-Ponk Aviation O-470-50 engine revealed that it was separated from the engine mount structure via all its mounts. The starter, right magneto, propeller, oil cooler, external oil filter, and carburetor were separated from the engine. The top spark plugs, starter adapter, and the vacuum pump were removed. The crankshaft was rotated by hand using a hand tool attached to the engine crankshaft. Continuity was established throughout to the rear of the engine and valve train. Thumb compression and suction was obtained on all six cylinders. All six cylinders were inspected using a borescope; all of the cylinders, valve faces, and pistons displayed normal operating signatures.

The left magneto remained attached to the engine and was intact. The magneto was removed and the magneto drive shaft was rotated by hand. Spark was produced on all six terminals. The right magneto was separated from the engine and was intact. The magneto drive shaft was rotated by hand. No spark was produced on all six terminals. The right magneto was installed on a magneto test bench and produced spark on all six posts.

The carburetor was impact damaged to the bottom portion of the float bowl. The mixture arm was separated. The throttle arm moved from stop to stop freely by hand. The fuel screen was removed and found free of debris. The carburetor bowl was removed. The floats were intact and as the bowl was removed, one float separated. The needle valve was intact.

The vacuum pump drive coupling was intact and undamaged. The drive coupling would not rotate by hand. The vacuum pump was disassembled and the vane and rotor assembly was damaged.

A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.


http://registry.faa.gov/N61LN

NTSB Identification: WPR13FA053 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, November 17, 2012 in Bondurant, WY
Aircraft: CESSNA 182D, registration: N61LN
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On November 17, 2012, about 1345 mountain standard time, a Cessna 182D, N61LN, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain south of Bondurant, Wyoming. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. The private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was fatally injured. Visual and instrument meteorological conditions prevailed throughout the route of flight and a flight plan was not filed. The cross-country flight originated from Stevensville, Montana, about 1130 with an intended destination of Pinedale, Wyoming.

Information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that the family of the pilot contacted the FAA on the evening of November 17, 2012, after they became concerned when the pilot had not arrived at his intended destination. The FAA subsequently issued an Alert Notification (ALNOT). The Civil Air Patrol, United States Air Force, and local law enforcement, commenced search and rescue operations throughout the area of the pilot's intended flight path. The wreckage was located by aerial units on the afternoon of November 24, 2012.

Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane impacted mountainous terrain approximately 35 miles west of the flights intended destination. The wreckage debris path was about 133 feet in length and oriented on a magnetic heading of about 200 degrees at an elevation of about 10,150 feet. All major structural components of the airplane were located within the debris path.

The wreckage will be recovered to a secure location for further examination.


IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 61LN        Make/Model: C182      Description: 182, Skylane
  Date: 11/17/2012     Time: 0000

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

LOCATION
  City: BONDURANT   State: WY   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE 1 PERSON ON BOARD WAS 
  FATALLY INJURED, SUBJECT OF AN ALERT NOTICE ISSUED 11/17/12, WRECKAGE 
  LOCATED 15 MILES FROM BONDURANT, WY

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


OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Unknown      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: CASPER, WY  (NM04)                    Entry date: 11/26/2012 
 


Courtesy photo

 Search crews looking for a missing plane in Wyoming are coping with deep snow and low clouds. The plane departed from the Stevensville Airport on Saturday.




 JACKSON, Wyo. – Crews searching for a small plane missing for a week in the rugged terrain of the Upper Hoback found wreckage of the aircraft and the body of its pilot, Sublette County sheriff’s officials said Saturday.

The sheriff’s office said the only person on board, 63-year-old Miles McGinnis, died in the plane crash near the Lincoln and Sublette County line. He and his single-engine Cessna 182 were reported missing a week ago when it failed to arrive in Pinedale on the afternoon of Nov. 17.

McGinnis was flying to Wyoming from Stevensville, the Jackson Hole News and Guide reported.

An air crew from Teton County found the wreckage more than a mile from the location of the last radar contact with the plane, in the Wyoming Range, and a ground crew hiked to the crash site. The sheriff’s office said search crews had been in that area of the Upper Hoback earlier in the week but the debris field had been covered by snow, which melted during recent warmer temperatures.

Search and rescue teams from both counties had spent the past week searching the area for the La Barge pilot and his single-engine Cessna. The Sublette County Sheriff’s Office began distributing fliers Wednesday for help from hunters and hikers.

Authorities plan to recover the body Sunday. Federal transportation and aviation officials will investigate the crash.

http://missoulian.com


JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) — Crews searching for a small plane missing for a week in the rugged terrain of the Upper Hoback found wreckage of the aircraft and the body of its pilot, Sublette County sheriff's officials said Saturday. 

 The sheriff's office said the only person on board, 63-year-old Miles McGinnis, died in the plane crash near the Lincoln and Sublette County line. He and his single-engine Cessna 182 were reported missing a week ago when it failed to arrive in Pinedale on the afternoon of November 17th.

McGinnis was flying to Wyoming from Stevensville, Montona, The Jackson Hole News and Guide reported.

An air crew from Teton County found the wreckage more than a mile from the location of the last radar contact with the plane, in the Wyoming Range, and a ground crew hiked to the crash site. The sheriff's office said search crews had been in that area of the Upper Hoback earlier in the week but the debris field had been covered by snow, which melted during recent warmer temperatures.

Search and rescue teams from both counties had spent the past week searching the area for the La Barge pilot and his single-engine Cessna. The Sublette County Sheriff's Office began distributing flyers Wednesday for help from hunters and hikers.

Authorities plan to recover the body Sunday. Federal transportation and aviation officials will investigate the crash.



 
Missing plane flyer

 The Sublette County Sheriff's Office began distributing flyers Wednesday night asking anyone who sees the plane to contact law enforcement.


The Sublette County Sheriff’s Office has sent out a flyer asking for help in locating a plane and pilot that went missing on November 17th. The plane is believed to be in the Upper Hoback area of the Wyoming Range. 

 There's been no sign of the Cessna 182 that left Stevensville, Montana, last Saturday. The plane was due in Pinedale, Wyoming, that afternoon but didn't arrive. Sixty-three-year-old Myles McGinnis of LaBarge, Wyoming, and his aircraft have not been found. As of Wednesday, searchers on snowmachines and in the air have yet to spot signs of any wreckage.

The Sublette County Sheriff's Office began distributing flyers Wednesday night asking anyone who sees the plane to contact law enforcement. 


The plane is white with red markings.  The tail number on the plane is N61LN.  If found, do not touch anything.

The Sublette County Dispatch can be reached at 307-367-4378.  The Lincoln County Dispatch can be reached at 307-885-5231.


Source:  http://www.tetonvalleynews.net

Veteran says Lockheed Martin Aeronautics demoted him after deployment

 FORT WORTH -- Capt. Gary Ward shipped off to Afghanistan with his Army National Guard unit in April 2011, confident that after returning from active duty he could return to his job at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics.
 

A 16-year Army and National Guard veteran, Ward had worked at Lockheed's Fort Worth division since 2005 as a buyer on the F-35 program.

Lockheed, which has hundreds of employees deploy for active service each year, had always supported Ward's military commitments, including leaves for training. He was given his job back in 2009 after he returned from a yearlong tour in Iraq.

But not this time. When he showed up for work on June 4, Ward says, he had no desk, telephone or computer, and no duties. No one had a plan for what he was supposed to do.

"I walked in the first day and they didn't welcome me back, they didn't say anything. They pointed to an empty cubicle and told me to sit there," Ward said.

After discovering that the accounts he previously handled had been permanently assigned to other buyers, Ward asked the department supervisor what he was to do.

"He just shrugged his shoulders and walked off," said Ward. "They had six weeks notice I would be returning and they had done nothing to prepare to take me back."

That wasn't the reception Ward expected from the largest U.S. defense contractor, a company that routinely runs patriotism-rich television commercials that end with the tag line, "We Never Forget Who We're Working For." After eventually being reassigned to a lesser job, he decided to resign.

Ward, 45, is a divorced father of two daughters, Allyson, 5, and Samantha, 7. His marriage fell apart from the strain of the 2008-09 Iraq deployment, Ward said. Now the Afghanistan employment cost him his job with Lockheed.

Lockheed spokesman Joe Stout said the company met its commitments to Ward.

"Lockheed supported Mr. Ward through several military leaves. When he returned from his most recent leave, Mr. Ward was reinstated with the same pay and benefits," Stout said.

"Instead of taking advantage of training opportunities associated with his position, Mr. Ward voluntarily resigned his employment."

For several weeks after his return, Ward says, he tried to get Lockheed managers to give him a job with real duties.

Nothing changed. He scrounged some work from his colleagues, completed refresher training and required certifications online, but no one offered him a new position. Lockheed managers, he says, were content to pay him to sit and surf the Internet.

"That's not who I am," he said. "I had been a company commander in Afghanistan. It was embarrassing, humiliating to just sit there all day."

A federal law (the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, USERRA) protects the employment rights of members of the armed forces.

The law generally requires that they be given the same or a comparable job and that their career promotion opportunities not be limited because of military service requirements.

Ward appealed to the Department of Labor, which has the authority to enforce the law. Department officials corresponded with Lockheed's lawyers and human resource officials. Lockheed told Ward to use vacation time and personal leave he was due while the matter was being discussed, so he took off until September.

The Department of Labor, in a letter to Lockheed, said that Ward was entitled to his old job or one of similar rank and opportunities for promotion. If needed, Lockheed was to provide a training plan.

When Ward returned to work in September, he said, his managers suggested he take a lesser job.

"There was no training involved. It was menial work that relegated me back into a position I hadn't held since 2007 and was not even remotely on par with returning to the same job position and status I held in 2011."

Convinced that he had no future with Lockheed, Ward agreed to a voluntary severance offer and gave two weeks notice. The company, he says, told him to just go on home and paid his salary for the two weeks.

Now, to add "insult to injury," Ward says, Lockheed has demanded that he repay $27,000 that it says he should not have received because of his deployment.

Ward is investigating whether he can pursue legal action against Lockheed.

Lockheed, says Stout, "has made a strong commitment to support our veterans in a variety of ways. In 2011 alone, the corporation hired more than 3,300 transitioning military personnel and veterans.

"Lockheed and the Aeronautics organization have been recognized for their unwavering support of employees who serve in Guard and Reserve organizations, and we have policies to ensure these employees are treated fairly upon their return to work."

Last year, Lockheed estimated that 1,200 of its employees -- about 1 percent of its workforce -- was on military leave in the previous 12 months. No specific numbers were available for the aeronautics division.

But Ward says the company's supposed commitment to support members of the military and veterans "is phony."

"It angers me that they wave that flag at the corporate level, but they don't do it. It's patronizing. It's a joke."

Story, photos, reaction/comments: http://www.star-telegram.com

Cooking Lake Airport set to expand under new ownership

Watch Video:  http://www.globaltvedmonton.com

 It's one of the busiest small airports in Canada, and now it's under new ownership.

Operation and ownership of the Cooking Lake Airport was recently transferred from Edmonton Airports to the Cooking Lake Airport Condominium Association. The association is made up of a group of recreational flyers, small business owners and aviation enthusiasts.

The deal has been in the works for years, and the airport was officially turned over on October 1.

Members from both sides of the transaction say it's a great facility but, it was in need of some upgrades.

"We came to an agreement where we'll take over the operation of the airport and continue to grow and meet the needs of the smaller aircraft pilots and owners in the region," explained Jim Johannsson, President, Cooking Lake Airport Condominium Association.

"We just weren't in a position to give it that time and attention that it needed, whereas the owners are now at a perfect opportunity to take responsibility for their own destiny," added Diane Trenn, Vice President of Airport Operations at EIA.

With 70 hangars, 130 aircraft, and about 25,000 aircraft movements per year, Cooking Lake Airport is one of the busiest small airports in the country. The new owners say they are already looking to expand operations.

"We'd actually like to continue to expand the number of hangars out here. So, we've actually got some modest expansion plans that we'd like to start moving on in the next year," said Johannsson adding, "There's definitely air taxi and charter type operations, and of course small companies looking to manage their business interests out here."

In order to do that, Johannsson says the will be working closely with the county.

"There's potential there. So, it is a partnership," said Strathcona County Mayor, Linda Osinchuk.

She says with its great location and history, expanding the airport could lead to great economic benefits for the area.

"This one could truly be a win-win for not only the capital region but, for the province."

Edmonton Airports will continue to work with the new owners to provide advice wherever needed but, Johannsson says it's time for them to dive in head first.

"Of course there's a little bit of nervousness amongst the owners, because it is a big responsibility. But, the reality is we've got a really strong board and we've got a really supportive membership."


Read it on Global News: Global Edmonton | Cooking Lake Airport set to expand under new ownership

University Park Airport (KUNV), State College, Pennsylvania: Plane lands safely after problems with landing gear - Incident occurred November 14, 2012

Passengers exit the airplane and walk across the runway to the terminal.   A United Express flight had landing gear problems and landed at University Park Airport shortly after take-off on Wednesday.
 Nabil K. 



— No one was hurt when a small commercial plane had to make an emergency landing Wednesday afternoon at University Park Airport.

Airport officials said United Airways Express Flight 5017 had just taken off from the airport and was heading to Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C., when it encountered a problem with its landing gear.

Ed Foster, associate director of the airport, said the pilots noticed shortly after takeoff that the plane’s landing gear wouldn’t retract. The pilots checked the plane’s equipment and found it would be safe to land. They requested to turn around and put down at the airport.

“It’s an emergency in our eyes, so we rolled out all of the equipment,” Foster said. “It’s all protocol because of the size of the plane and the number of people on board.”

The plane was carrying 36 passengers, he said.

Emergency crews were called to the scene shortly after 2 p.m. as the plane was circling to land.

After the plane touched down, crews ran into an issue with the front landing gear, causing passengers to be disembarked near the runway and the plane to be towed. The issue was unrelated to the problem the pilots experienced in flight, Foster said.

“We’ll move the plane to a secure location and our maintenance workers will look at it and determine if something is wrong,” he said.

He said the airline would then determine what to do about the flight. “We don’t have a second airplane here for them,” Foster said. “That plane comes and goes from Dulles.”

United Airways officials at the airport declined comment.

It’s the second time a small plane has made an emergency landing at the airport in two months. A US Airways Express flight traveling from Buffalo, N.Y., to Philadelphia was forced to land when an indicator light on the cockpit control panel came on and smoke was seen outside the plane.

There were six people on board that flight — five crew members and one passenger. All made it off the plane safely.

“The thing is they are usually uneventful, which is good,” Foster said. “For this one, the plan went as planned, which is good.”

Read more here: http://www.centredaily.com/2012/11/14/3402803/centre-county-emegency-crews-responding.html#storylink=cpy

Story, reaction/comments, video and photos:   http://www.centredaily.com


Read more here: http://www.centredaily.com/2012/11/14/3402803/centre-county-emegency-crews-responding.html#storylink=cpy

Lucky escape just another chapter in Rudy's life

The crash site of the ultralight plane. 
Photo: Colleen Petch

IT'S AMAZING that Rudy Meyer hasn't managed to kill himself yet, though as he said from his Canberra Hospital bed,''It's not through lack of trying.''

The hospital has been the 83-year-old's home for the past eight months since he crashed the ultralight aircraft that he had built himself.

He jokes that if he spends much more time in the hospital, he will be entitled to vote in the local elections.

In April he jumped into his ultralight and threw his swag into the seat behind him.

83-year-old Rudy Meyer has been in Canberra Hospital since April after crashing his ultralight plane. 
Photo: Colleen Petch

Soon after take-off, just above the trees, his luggage in the back seat moved forward on to the plane's second set of controls. 

"The wing hit the tree canopy and the nose cone scraped the ground - if only I'd had the brains to lift my feet," he said. 

The flesh is still growing back on to his feet which have not been allowed to touch the ground since the crash at Coleambally, five hours west of Canberra, and in which he also cracked his vertebrae and pelvis. The site of the ultralight crash. 

The site of the ultralight crash. 
Photo: Colleen Petch

"Luckily the doctors were good at jigsaw puzzles," he said.    "They saved my foot and I can move my ankles."   Mr Meyer is the subject of a 484-page book, Let's Look at the Sunset, launched at the hospital on Friday by author Garry Baker. 

The book's title comes from a talk that Mr Meyer and his Dutch family had before they were interned in Japanese camps during World War II. His father, knowing his family was about to be separated and imprisoned in the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia, said:

 "Each evening, let's look at the sunset and think about the time we will be together again." 

83-year-old Rudy Meyer has been in Canberra Hospital since April after crashing his ultralight plane. 
Photo: Colleen Petch


With his father's help, Mr Meyer survived several brutal camps when others did not and after the war migrated to Australia, becoming a share farmer in western NSW. 

He is now the father of four daughters, has eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

 He celebrates his 58th wedding anniversary in December and is ready to learn to walk again.

 "But I might have to crawl first," he said. 

Story and photos:   http://www.canberratimes.com.au

Viking Air's Twin Otter a success story with backlog of orders through 2015 • Low costs, high quality key to competitive aerospace sector

 
A new Twin Otter plane in front of the Viking Air facility at the Victoria International Airport. 
Photograph by: Adrian Lam, Victoria Times Colonist Files, Vancouver Sun; With Files From Scott Simpson


As Viking Air CEO Dave Curtis told a small crowd gathered earlier this month at a hangar at Victoria International Airport for his company's handover of the first of six Twin Otter aircraft to the Vietnamese navy, it was a "very big day," for the company. 

A big day and a sign of more to come as the British Columbia company continues production of the Twin Otter.

De Havilland first produced the aircraft in 1965 but discontinued production in 1988. Viking bought the rights from de Havilland, began production in 2009, and delivered the first new Twin Otter in two decades in 2010.

Vietnam's six DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 400 aircraft, which cost about $5 million each, will be primarily used for search and rescue and patrols along Vietnam's coastline. They are just a few of the Twin Otters to be built. Viking has a backlog of orders for the aircraft that will take the company through to the middle of 2015. It makes for a hectic pace - Curtis told the Victoria gathering that his company is building a plane every 15 days.

While that is an impressive backlog of orders, the company is by no means complacent.

Martin Swan, Viking's vice-president of engineering, said the challenge facing Viking and the Canadian aerospace industry is the emergence of competition from Brazil, Russia, India and China.

"It would be very foolish to underestimate any of those countries," said Swan. "These are serious contenders.

"Their products will be competing with Canadian products and, at least at Viking, we are very vigilant and we do not want to be complacent at all."

Despite the success of the Twin Otter, the company isn't taking the future for granted.

"We are very pleased with the Series 400 Twin Otter but there is a need to continue to get our costs down and to improve our products so customers will continue to hold us in high regard," said Swan. "I think the product looks bright as long as we remain competitive."

Swan said in a global economy it is imperative for Canadian companies to keep their costs in line or they risk becoming uncompetitive. Viking has about 580 employees at its operations in Calgary and Victoria and has kept its production in Canada.

While other manufacturers seek lower-cost production in Mexico and other countries, so far Viking as avoided that route and Swan said the company has no plans to take work out of the country now.

"Right now we're looking at how to remain competitive, but we are also mindful of the fact we want to be a good corporate citizen and employ Canadians as well," he said.

Swan said the company has had success in finding engineering graduates, aircraft maintenance engineers and technicians here to meet its recruiting needs.

"We are able to find people in Canada," he said. "We don't have any wild dreams of growing this company five times from where it is now in the next five years or anything like that."

Viking has ties with the University of Victoria with various programs that help students acquire skills in the industry and at the same time allow Viking to identify prospective recruits among graduating students.

Swan said fuel economy will be extremely important in his industry in the future.

"I think there will be significant improvement in engine performance in terms of the amount of fuel they burn," he said.

"On the emissions side, we are seeing improvements in Europe already.

"Who knows, by 2035 there may even be some solutions that are more favourable to the environment from a carbon footprint point of view as well.

"And we fully expect that between now and 2035 there will be lots of improvements in the avionics side of things - the instruments in the cockpit and that sort of thing."

Viking has been considering manufacturing new de Havilland Buffalo aircraft as the Canadian military considers replacing the 40-year-old Buffalos in its search-and-rescue squadrons.

While Viking is continuing to fill orders for the Twin Otter through its Victoria and Calgary operations, one of B.C.'s largest aerospace companies, Cascade Aerospace, is about to be taken over by the Halifax-based IMP Group.

IMP recently announced a deal to buy the B.C. company, which has 650 employees and operates out of facilities at Abbotsford International Airport. The deal would see Cascade join IMP's Aerospace & Defence division.

Conair Aviation, also based in Abbotsford, is the former owner of Cascade. IMP and Conair are Canadian-owned and privately held, so no financial details are available. The deal requires federal approval to proceed.

In announcing the proposed takeover, the companies said it will create a stronger entity capable of increasing Canada's participation in the international aerospace sector.

"Part of the rationale for this deal is that by combining two strong Canadian-owned companies we are going to be able to leverage growth into the international marketplace," David Schellenberg, president and CEO of Cascade Aerospace said at the time of the announcement.

"We weren't looking to sell, but when IMP approached us with this idea about putting two strong companies together, that operate in Canada in the aerospace and defence sector with a view of growing internationally, we felt that concept made some sense.

"As sort of a medium-sized company, it can be difficult to grow in the international market space if you're by yourself. So our thought is that by combining with them we will have a stronger base from which to do that."
 

Story and photo:  http://www.vancouversun.com

UK: Matt from Menston gets his wings at the age of just 24

 
Matt Midgley from Menston has qualified as a commercial airline pilot


Matt with one of the planes he will fly

A Menston man has already achieved great heights at the age of 24 after qualifying as a commercial airline pilot. 

 Former Guiseley School student Matt Midgley has been fascinated with flying since he was a small boy, and would often watch the planes take off and land at Leeds Bradford Airport.

After years of tough training, study and practice, he has secured his dream job of working as a pilot for Ryanair.

He and his family are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – known to most as Mormons – who attend the local congregation that meets in Burley Road, Menston.   He volunteered to spend two years as a missionary in Ireland before going to flight school.

After an intense period of assessments, interviews, and exams, Mr Midgley was accepted into an independent flying school.

Thousands of hours of training and study later, including a five-month visual flying stint in Phoenix, Arizona, he emerged as a qualified pilot.

Ryanair invited him to Stansted for an interview and assessment and three weeks later he was accepted on to the airline’s training program.

He said: “To have been offered this job is an incredible blessing.

“It is the culmination of so many years of hoping and working towards this goal.

“It is absolutely thrilling.

“I am absolutely sure that my voluntary service as a missionary has helped me to achieve my dreams of becoming a pilot.”


http://www.wharfedaleobserver.co.uk

China: Training grants proposed to address pilot shortage

The civil aviation authority will offer 120,000 yuan ($19,240) in grants for general aviation pilot training.

With pilots in short supply across the general aviation industry, the Civil Aviation Administration of China has included the grants in the draft of regulations to support the industry, said Gao Yuanyang, director of the General Aviation Industry Research Center of Beihang University.

Training grants proposed to address pilot shortage

The regulations, which also include grants for airport building and to general aviation operators, are expected to be released by the end of this year, Gao said.

"The authority is already collecting data from general aviation operators, since the grants will be provided according to their flight hours," he said.

The lack of pilots is one of the main problems that limit the general aviation's development in China, some business insiders said.

China's general aviation fleet increased to 1,154 aircraft in 2011, but about one-third of the aircraft cannot fly because of the shortage of pilots, Gao said.

Chen Guangcheng, deputy director of the CAAC's general aviation division in the flight standards department, said earlier this year that only about 6,000 pilots are working in the industry, and more than half of them are studying or teaching in schools.

The general aviation industry needs more than 10,000 pilots, and the demand will continue growing as the industry develops, some business insiders said.

Yunnan Jing Cheng Group, a privately owned enterprise based in Ruili, Yunnan province, is working on recruiting crews now, since the group is building helicopters and needs operators.

"It's very, very difficult to recruit pilots," said Zhao Wei, assistant president of Jing Cheng Group.

According to the authority's requirement, the group needs at least 10 pilots for its two helicopters, which will be delivered by the end of 2013.

The group is currently looking for five pilots and is offering an attractive salary and benefits package, Zhao said.

"The cost of hiring a pilot is almost as high as what we pay for the aircraft," he added.

In order to cope with the lack of pilots, some operators have started to build their own training programs.

"We are preparing for our own pilot training school, and it will be an important business direction in the future," said Rong Weiguo, deputy general manager of the Zhuhai Helicopter Branch of China Southern Airlines Company Ltd.

The helicopter operator, which mainly works on offshore oilfields, plans to train 20 to 30 pilots at the start of the program, Rong said

AVIC International Holding Corp, a subsidiary of Aviation Industry Corp Group of China, opened two training schools - one in South Africa and the other in China - this year, said Fu Yuming, deputy general manager of AVIC International.

The schools will train 100 pilots for both general aviation and commercial aviation in the first semester, and the number will continue to grow, he said. 


 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn

Philippines: Mayor flies high

“Everyone can fly: plane and simple,” claims WCC Aeronautical and Technological College, the aeronautical school that sits at the heart of Binalonan, Pangasinan.

Fielded as one of Asia’s best aviation schools, WCC’s Aeronautical and Technological College is the brainchild of 36-year-old licensed pilot and instructor Ramon Guico III, who is incidentally the town’s mayor.

“It all started with a hobby. Even when I was young, I was already interested in planes, jets, all kinds of aircrafts. I turned that hobby into a profession right after I graduated from the University of the Philippines,” says Guico, who flew his first aircraft when he was only 23 years old.

In 2005, Guico at the age of 29, made Binalonan one of Pangasinan’s tourist drawers with the establishment of an airstrip that served as headquarters to the WCC Aviation Company. The WCC Aeronautical School was inaugurated in 2008.

With only two hobby aircrafts and two students seven years ago, a batch of 60 trainees from various Southeast Asian countries followed right after. Now, WCC operates a fleet of 30 aircrafts of varying capacities.

An aviation school

“Every day, the aviation industry needs highly-trained aircraft maintenance specialists, flight attendants, and professional pilots to serve thousands of domestic and international flights. There is a serious need for competent personnel worldwide,” says Guico, whose goal of training highly skilled pilots is addressed by having a school with a functioning airport facility and an 850-meter airstrip, which he says is almost as long as the one in Caticlan, the gateway to Boracay.

“In more than five years of educating aviation professionals, we have produced 500 commercial pilots. It also goes for our flight attendants and aircraft mechanics who are now actively working in airlines.” But more than that, Guico is proud that “we now have a big influx of students from all over Asia who come to the Philippines to learn about aviation.”

Today, aside from the flagship Pilot Academy of the College of Aviation, WCC has diversified by putting up the College of Engineering and Aviation Technology, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Tourism, and Flight Attendant Course.  These offerings complete the training institute in service of the aviation industry’s staffing and professional needs.

The school has also expanded its offerings to include services for charter flights, airport operations, aircraft and parts sales, and more. “In fact, our graduates in aircraft maintenance technology are now hired in countries in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and even in Africa,” says Guico.

A new airline


“We have a number of trainer aircrafts and have dedicated all our talents, skills, and knowledge in aviation that we even created our own airline—the Sky Pasada,” he says.  It also offers an Aircraft Maintenance Certification at its own repair stations at its Pasay Hangar as well as the Binalonan airport.

Not only does WCC offer the most complete and state-of-the-art aviation hands-on curriculum, it also assures students of the safest facilities and best instructors that trainers can get to advance in a world-class career in the aviation industry.

“They don’t [even] have to look for another place to stay in Binalonan,” Guico says, adding that the school recently opened a two-level 60-room resort-type hotel for students and transients.

By the end of the year, WCC will unveil its Airbus A320 full flight simulator.  Since it is the only one housed near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport complex, the simulator is more accessible to other airlines with regional and domestic operations.

The recently acquired multi-million-peso simulation training system developed by SIM Industries is proof of WCC’s world-class training facilities for pilots.

WCC is the first aviation school in the country to offer The Flight Navigator Trainers Procedure II in its curricular offering.

More than that, it is one of only three schools that operate its own airport, airline, and MRO facilities—and the first and only school in the Philippines to operate its own airfield, says Guico.


http://manilastandardtoday.com

Cessna 182D Skylane, N61LN: Accident occurred November 17, 2012 in Bondurant, Wyoming

NTSB Identification: WPR13FA053 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, November 17, 2012 in Bondurant, WY
Aircraft: CESSNA 182D, registration: N61LN
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.


On November 17, 2012, about 1345 mountain standard time, a Cessna 182D, N61LN, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain south of Bondurant, Wyoming. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. The private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was fatally injured. Visual and instrument meteorological conditions prevailed throughout the route of flight and a flight plan was not filed. The cross-country flight originated from Stevensville, Montana, about 1130 with an intended destination of Pinedale, Wyoming.

Information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that the family of the pilot contacted the FAA on the evening of November 17, 2012, after they became concerned when the pilot had not arrived at his intended destination. The FAA subsequently issued an Alert Notification (ALNOT). The Civil Air Patrol, United States Air Force, and local law enforcement, commenced search and rescue operations throughout the area of the pilot's intended flight path. The wreckage was located by aerial units on the afternoon of November 24, 2012.

Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane impacted mountainous terrain approximately 35 miles west of the flights intended destination. The wreckage debris path was about 133 feet in length and oriented on a magnetic heading of about 200 degrees at an elevation of about 10,150 feet. All major structural components of the airplane were located within the debris path.

The wreckage will be recovered to a secure location for further examination.


IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 61LN        Make/Model: C182      Description: 182, Skylane
  Date: 11/17/2012     Time: 0000

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

LOCATION
  City: BONDURANT   State: WY   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE 1 PERSON ON BOARD WAS 
  FATALLY INJURED, SUBJECT OF AN ALERT NOTICE ISSUED 11/17/12, WRECKAGE 
  LOCATED 15 MILES FROM BONDURANT, WY

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


OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Unknown      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: CASPER, WY  (NM04)                    Entry date: 11/26/2012 
 
Courtesy photo

 Search crews looking for a missing plane in Wyoming are coping with deep snow and low clouds. The plane departed from the Stevensville Airport on Saturday.

 JACKSON, Wyo. – Crews searching for a small plane missing for a week in the rugged terrain of the Upper Hoback found wreckage of the aircraft and the body of its pilot, Sublette County sheriff’s officials said Saturday.

The sheriff’s office said the only person on board, 63-year-old Miles McGinnis, died in the plane crash near the Lincoln and Sublette County line. He and his single-engine Cessna 182 were reported missing a week ago when it failed to arrive in Pinedale on the afternoon of Nov. 17.

McGinnis was flying to Wyoming from Stevensville, the Jackson Hole News and Guide reported.

An air crew from Teton County found the wreckage more than a mile from the location of the last radar contact with the plane, in the Wyoming Range, and a ground crew hiked to the crash site. The sheriff’s office said search crews had been in that area of the Upper Hoback earlier in the week but the debris field had been covered by snow, which melted during recent warmer temperatures.

Search and rescue teams from both counties had spent the past week searching the area for the La Barge pilot and his single-engine Cessna. The Sublette County Sheriff’s Office began distributing fliers Wednesday for help from hunters and hikers.

Authorities plan to recover the body Sunday. Federal transportation and aviation officials will investigate the crash.

http://missoulian.com


Hunters and hikers are being asked to keep their eyes open if they travel to the Upper Hoback area of the Wyoming Range.

The Lincoln and Sublette county sheriff’s offices hope the added attention might lead to a sighting of a plane missing in the area.

Search and rescue teams from both counties have spent the past week searching the area for a La Barge pilot and his single-engine Cessna. The plane missed a scheduled landing in Pinedale Nov. 17. Last radar contact was in the Wyoming Range near the border between Sublette and Lincoln counties. Sixty-three-year-old Myles McGinnis and his aircraft have not been found, and searchers on snowmachines and in the air have yet to spot signs of any wreckage.

The Sublette County Sheriff’s Office began distributing flyers Wednesday night asking anyone who comes across the wreckage of the plane to contact law enforcement.

Anyone who finds the plane is also asked not to touch anything and call either the Lincoln or Sublette county dispatch lines, “with GPS coordinates if possible.”

A photo of the plane, which is white with red markings, accompanies the message.

Earlier in the week, a hunter in the area reported a possible sighting of the wreckage, but searchers in the air did not find it when flying over, said Teton County Undersheriff Bob Gilliam. Teton County Search and Rescue volunteers have provided air support, using the team’s helicopter throughout the search, and Civil Air Patrol fixed-wing aircraft have also been involved.

Anyone who finds signs of McGinnis or his plane should call the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office at 885-5231 or the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office at 367-4378. 


 http://www.jhnewsandguide.com

Alarm at airports over bird strikes • 50 disused planes in Lagos, 19 in Benin, several others in Kano, Abuja

What air travelers may not readily be aware of is the danger quietly locked up in disused airplanes that litter the nation’s airports.  Experts have warned of serious security implications of the abandoned planes which now serve as homes to dangerous birds and other creatures.

One of such security implications, according to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), is the menace of bird strikes. Birds which strike aircraft engines use abandoned aircraft as hiding places before finding their ways into the engines of other aircraft.

Bird strikes occur most often during take-off or landing of a plane or during low altitude flight. Some air crashes occur when the bird hits the windscreen or flies into the engines of a plane.

Speaking on this, an aviation expert, Captain Dele Ore, said apart from debasing the looks of the airports, the planes are also dangerous to passengers.

According to him, it is easy for birds and other wild animals to hide in abandoned planes and from there creep into planes at the tarmac ready to take off and cause flight problems.

Saturday Tribune’s investigations revealed that there are over 100 of such aircraft currently sitting idly in the various airports — a situation which has made the airports an eyesore to first-time visitors into the country and even other airport users.

Efforts so far made by FAAN to clear the mess have been frustrated by the owners, who have used their connections to retain their aircrafts in the airports.

 For several years, FAAN has been issuing orders to owners of such aircraft to remove them from the airports, but without results, as investigation revealed that aircraft that have been abandoned for over 20 years by some defunct airlines still sit on the hangars at the various airports across the country.

It is no longer news that the issue of abandoned aircraft across the nation’s airports has been generating debates in the past decade between FAAN (the authority directly responsible for the management of airports) and some airline operators, who are men of means in the society.

Saturday Tribune discovered that the over 100 abandoned aircraft belong to Albarka, owned by Brigadier-General Muhammed Buba Marwa (rtd); Okada Air, owned by Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin; Chanchangi,  which belongs to the business magnate, Alhaji Ahmadu Chanchangi; Concord Airlines owned by the late business mogul, Chief Moshood Abiola.

Other abandoned aircraft include those of NICON Airways, owned by Mr Jimoh Ibrahim, Chairman, Global Fleet; Kabo Air, owned by the late Alhaji Dan Kabo. Others are Bellview, Triax, Oriental, Sosoliso, Dasab, Chrome, EAS, Afrijet, Gas Air, Freedom Air and Capital Air.

 Efforts made in the past by FAAN to dispose of the aircraft were frustrated by litigations instituted by the owners.

A visit to the airports, especially the international airports, would reveal some dirty-looking aircraft of all sizes and types parked on the hangar.

At the Murtala Muhammed Airport, for instance, there are close to 50 disused aeroplanes  occupying a large space, some of them belonging to Bellview, Sosoliso, Nigeria Airways, Space World and Concord.

At the Benin airport,  over 19 of such aircraft, belonging to Okada Air, have taken over a large portion of the airport, while the Kano airport has continued to house a similar number of disused aircraft belonging to Kabo Air.

The airline once operated with so much promise and complemented the efforts of the liquidated Nigeria Airways and had the largest fleet of BAC 1-11 and B727, with over 29 planes in its fleet. It took part in air lifting of Muslim pilgrims for hajj operations with its jumbo B747.

This is the case in virtually all the airports, and key players in the industry had in the past raised the alarm over the security implications of the continued presence of abandoned planes in the country’s airports.

Many of these airlines performed creditably well in the 1980s to early 1990s until they collapsed due to challenges, and since then, the owners have not been able to revive them.

Former Minister of Aviation, Fidelia Njeze, once inaugurated a committee to advise her on how to address the menace constituted by the parking of disused airplanes at strategic areas of the nation’s airports, which she noted portends danger.

She inaugurated a 12-member committee on the removal of the disabled aircraft, chaired then by Captain Mohammed Ruma, the Director of Safety and Technical Policy Department of the ministry in Abuja.

Besides the security implications, FAAN also loses billions of naira to the parking of abandoned planes at positions where operational airlines could have parked functional planes.

Under FAAN’s financial policy on the domestic scene, each aircraft parked on the tamarc is expected to pay between N1,500 and N2,000 per hour. The agency would have lost several billions of naira to the presence of the abandoned planes, as their owners just left the unused planes at the airports without paying for the portions they occupy.

The Managing Director of FAAN, Mr. George Uriesi, said: “The abandoned aircraft pose potential safety hazard to airport operations and have over the years constituted an eyesore at our airports.”

During one of the warnings issued to the airline owners to remove the abandoned planes, the FAAN boss once declared: “If the affected airlines fail to remove the disused aircraft on or before the deadline, the authority will be compelled to remove them, and the affected airlines made to pay for the costs of such removals.”

All the threats have been ignored, as several months after the warning was issued, the abandoned planes are still occupying the same spaces at the airports.

However, a fresh warning has again been issued by the FAAN through its public affairs unit, giving owners of the aircraft one month to remove them from the airports.

Speaking on behalf of FAAN, Yakubu Dati, the General Manager, Corporate Communications, said the management of FAAN would soon start the removal of all abandoned aircraft from all airports in the country.

The exercise, he said, had become necessary because the aircraft constitute a safety hazard, apart from being an eyesore at these airports, as some of these aircraft have been abandoned for over 10 years.

He said: “The authority is constrained to embark on this removal exercise because owners of these abandoned aircraft have deliberately refused to remove them despite all efforts made to make them do so, including meetings with the owners and publication of paid notices in various newspapers in the past five years.

“Some of the owners of these abandoned aircraft had taken FAAN to court over this issue and got court injunctions that made it difficult for the authority to carry out this exercise before now. Some of these cases have now been concluded, hence the commencement of the removal exercise — at least for the abandoned aircraft which cases have been concluded.

“The authority hereby calls on all owners of abandoned aircraft to remove them from all our airports within the next one month, as the presence of these aircraft negates the spirit of the current aviation master plan of the Federal Government.”

While it is not clear whether or not this latest warning will be ignored, it has become worrisome that aircraft of various types have continued to be abandoned at airports.

Speaking further on the implication of the abandoned planes, FAAN noted: “The presence of the disused planes can attract strangers to the airport environment, as well as people of questionable character wanting to sell the scrap.

“By the end of this month, we are going ahead to remove the planes in the overall public interest. We have given enough time to the owners to do so, but some have not.

“We are not happy that a significant number of old aircraft belonging to inactive operators currently create awful scenery several metres along the runway of many domestic airports across the country.”

Steve Mahonwu, Chairman of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), once said that the aircraft owners would remove the aircraft if FAAN obeyed international practices by providing adequate ‘graveyards’ for the airlines.

“ICAO convention provides that the agency provides adequate spaces for abandoned aircraft. When we have befitting places for the aircraft, the airlines will move them,” Mahonwu said.

But FAAN had insisted that the agency had provided a graveyard at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, adding that the airlines had not made any move to obey FAAN’s order even when they knew the consequence of leaving the aircraft at the airports.

Many stakeholders are not comfortable with the development, basing their arguments on the current state of national security.

But the Assistant Secretary-General of the AON, Alhaji Mohammed Tukur, believes there is an urgent need for FAAN to meet with the owners of the abandoned aircraft on how to remove them.

He said the need for all parties to meet became important in the sense that aircraft are not like cars that can be towed away easily into any car park.  He added that there was no point keeping unused aircraft at the airport when the portion the aircraft currenttly occupy could be used to build maintenance hangar.

Tukur urged the affected operators to cooperate with FAAN to rid the airports of this unnecessary obstruction.

Tukur believes the abandoned aircraft pose safety problems. Apart from obscuring the airside, he noted that they occupy space during operational and emergency-related hours.

One passenger who simply identified himself as Seye attributed the takeover of the airports by abandoned aircraft to the failure of government to tackle the issue with sincerity in line with global practice.

“From what I heard, they said the owners of the planes are rich people who think they can bend the rules to favour them whenever they like. Since they all have private jets, they care less about the safety of other Nigerians. But they cannot continue to have their way every time as nemesis will catch up with them very soon.

“Those rusty planes infested with algae once provided flights and comfort as the ones that are flying now; but they have gone the way of publicly owned Nigeria Airways. The private airlines have abandoned them like human corpses at Nigerian airports.”

According to information gathered by the Saturday Tribune, buyers of such unused aircraft overseas sell them to people who eventually convert them to living spaces, having reconfigured them.

An aircraft engineer who spoke to Saturday Tribune cited  how one of the aircraft in the fleet of the former Nigeria Airways, which was flown to Belgium for maintenance but could not be brought back due to lack of funds, was turned to a restaurant in the country, as an alternative way of making money.

Another way of recycling unused aircraft was displayed recently in Benoit, a town in Bolivar County, Mississippi State, United States, where a lady who needed accommodation decided to buy an unused aircraft for $2,000 and subsequently reconfigured it into a new home.

Investigations revealed that there are many people who deal in aluminium and cutlery and similar items willing to buy these abandoned planes to convert them to other uses.

It was gathered that disused aircraft attracts as high as N500,000, depending on the state of such aircraft.

The aircraft engineer added that anyone with over 10 disused aircraft could make as much as N5 million. This he noted was more profitable than littering the airports with such disused aircraft.

Many stakeholders have urged the government to quickly treat cases filed by owners of abandoned aircraft so as to make it easy for FAAN to dispose of them, if the owners fail to consider what they describe as national interest.

Source:  http://www.tribune.com.ng

Ensuring airport safety, security through facility improvement

Towards shaping Nigerian aviation industry to meet world-class standards, the Federal Government has been embarking on remodeling of airports’ facilities to strengthen security and safety of air travel in the country.

The idea, according to experts, was to boost the fortunes of airliners and air passengers, also with the vision of making airports safe, secure and comfortable.  It would also redeem the image of air travel in Nigeria with the commitment of becoming the hub of aviation in Africa.

They noted that when the remodeling and expansion are completed, air travellers would be checked at the entrance of the airport terminals before they access the departure halls and would also be checked again before going to the airside to board their flights.

The Federal government has also unveiled plans to build five new international terminals in the country. The new terminals are to be built in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt.

Meanwhile plans are at advance stage to upgrade the existing airports facilities in about 22 locations ‘in line with international best practices.’

According to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the remodeling works on the existing airports are expected to be completed in two years.

At the end of modelling exercise, the 22 airports would have been well renovated, polished and reconstructed to international standard

Speaking with the Guardian, recently, the General Manager, Corporate Communications, Yakubu Dati said the authorities have been working hard to ensure that after the remodeling of the airports, they would meet international standard. He also appealed to the travelling passengers to bear whatever inconveniences they are experiencing for now.

“We are replicating what is going on at the Lagos international airport in 10 other airports in the country for the first phase and second phase would be to 12 other airports in the country.

“The idea is that at the end of two years we will have 22 airports that are completely reconstructed. Apart from that, there are also plans to build five new international airports terminals in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt that is brand new totally because we are preparing the sector to be in line with international best practices and world class standard

Continuing, he said “Aviation is global business and we live in a global world and whatever we are doing, we must do it to meet world standard so that when you step down into our tarmac it should not be different from what you see at Heathrow airport in London.

The facilities should be the same because we are dealing with international travellers so those structures are done to replace aviation where they belong.

Dati raised the hope when he said some of the airports undergoing remodeling would soon be commissioned. “We hope to commission Owerri and Enugu airports before the Christmas, so we have quiet a lot of projects that are ongoing at the same time. We may not be able to know when they would be ready, but we would commission them as soon as they are ready”.

“Our expectations are that the facility will boost the fortunes of airliners as we achieve our vision of making our airports safe, secure and comfortable. These terminal will also redeem our image in the committee of Nations and place us as the hub of aviation in Africa, where we rightly belong”, he said.

The new commissioned General Aviation Terminal of the Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos, provide airport facilities to accommodate passengers while awaiting boarding or arrival and can accommodate the capacity of over 1,000 passengers. It was built at the cost of 648 million naira in a record time of ten months.

Also, the Director of Engineering, (FAAN) Mr. Saleh Dunoma said recently that after the remodeling work on these airports is completed, FAAN would depend more on sophisticated security apparatus based on technology and not on the old system that is human oriented as security threats in the country has taken a new dimension.

The Managing Director of the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) Nnamdi Udo,  also said that “Air safety is something verifiable, something you can measure and establish. Already, for Abuja airport, before now there have been incessant airfield lighting outage but within 48 hours we were able to bring portable emergency landing system, which had been deployed so we are at second layer level of safety and above that and of course the rehabilitation that is ongoing is almost completed.

 http://www.ngrguardiannews.com