Kathryn's Report: 12/16/12

Dec 16, 2012

Duo soar into aviation history

Randy Rauck (left) and John McClintock celebrate after Canada’s first battery-powered electric aircraft flight.

Photo submitted

A Lumby company has made aviation history.

Randy Rauck, co-owner of eUP Aviation, successfully flew Canada’s first battery-powered electric aircraft, the Green1, at the Pitt Meadows Airport Saturday.

“This a very exciting day in Canadian aviation history,” said John McClintock, a co-owner.

“While eUP will offer this system on other aircraft, right now the state-of-the-art in electric flight is a perfect match for self-launch soaring gliders such as hang gliders and paragliders.”

Rauck and McClintock manufactured the aircraft using components from North America, Korea and Europe over the past year.

Testing had been completed in the Vancouver and North Okanagan areas over the past several months.

“Our motivation in developing the craft was to create an affordable, fun, environmentally-friendly electric aircraft with a clean, smooth and quiet flight experience,” said Rauck.

“eUP will be demonstrating the aircraft across Western Canada and the U.S. early in 2013, and we expect interest to be high in the Green1.”

Along with the Green1 trike-style of ultralight, development of an electric system for motorized paragliders and conventional gliders is underway.

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

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department takes over security at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport (KCLT), Charlotte, North Carolina

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Travelers to Charlotte Douglas International Airport should start seeing more police officers and marked patrol cars as part of an effort to boost security at the facility.

The increased visibility comes as the police officers who used to report to airport officials are now part of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. The consolidation was announced in November, but became official on Saturday.

Authorities have not said exactly how many police officers will be patrolling at the airport. Forty officers had been working at the facility, and officials have said they are adding more.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police Lt. Dave Moorefield said changes at the airport will include more police officers at security gates and making checks along the airport’s perimeter. Officers already patrol those areas now, he said, but they’ll be even more visible.

In the future, Moorefield said people also will see more officers at the airport from CMPD specialized units such as its bike and motorcycle patrols.

“We’re equipped to enhance the safety of not only the folks that work out at the airport, but (to) enhance the safety of the traveling public,” Moorefield said.

City and police officials have said there have been talks for years about how best to handle security at the airport. CMPD has managed and trained the police officers who work there, but they reported to the airport.

Officials have said the merger of security to the police department was not prompted by any single event.

But concerns about airport security were highlighted last year in a report on the stowaway of a high school student. Delvonte Tisdale breached airport security and climbed into the wheel well of a Boston-bound plane in 2010. His body fell from the plane as its landing gear was lowered on approach to the city.

A CMPD report found that police staffing at Charlotte Douglas ranked next to last when compared with eight comparable airports. It recommended, among other things, adding more staff. The airport also made changes such as improving fencing along its 19-mile perimeter.

In November, CMPD Deputy Chief Kerr Putney said the review played a part in the consolidation of airport security.

“There was no way to deny that that incident was a catalyst for a lot of discussions and concerns,” Putney told the Observer then. “This is the path forward.”

CMPD won’t be the only law enforcement agency at the airport. Workers from the Transportation Security Administration, who handle security checkpoints, will remain there and private security employees also have been there in the past.

On Saturday, Moorefield said the transition to the consolidated police department had begun that morning. He said the various security enhancements would be added over time, but there is no hard deadline at this point on when the consolidation will be complete.

Moorefield also said that while CMPD will now be the local law enforcement entity at the airport, police officials have been working closely with Aviation Director Jerry Orr and his staff.

http://www.wcnc.com

http://charmeck.org/city/charlotte/Airport

http://www.airnav.com/airport/KCLT

2013 Tyndall AFB Air Show Canceled

There will be no Gulf Coast Salute event in 2013.

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AP) -- The 2013 air show at a Florida Panhandle military base has been canceled because of budget cuts.

U.S. Air Force Lt. Melanie Holiday says that officials at Tyndall Air Force Base had been planning for their March show when senior military officials told them to stop.

Holiday said Friday that budget cuts were to blame.

About 75,000 people attended the Gulf Coast Salute Open House and Air Show in 2011.

It's a longstanding tradition in Bay County, though it has been canceled periodically for various reasons.

http://www.newsherald.com

http://www.wtvy.com

Rans S-12: Loss of power, emergency landing in Sparks farm, northern Baltimore County, Maryland

An experimental plane landed safely on a Sparks soybean field after experiencing loss of power on Dec. 15. (Submitted photo / December 17, 2012)

An experimental plane landed safely on a Sparks soybean field after experiencing loss of power on Dec. 15.

Baltimore County police and Maryland State police responded to a report of a plane down on Cold Bottom Road in Sparks around 12:15 p.m., said Greg Shipley, state police spokesman.

Shipley said they found a 1996 Rans S experimental light plane sitting in the field. Pilot Peter Stern, 51, of Baltimore, and passenger Ricardo Velez, 58, of Abingdon, were not injured and the plane was not damaged, he said.

"The first thing I knew about it was police cars screaming up the driveway," said Chuck Ensor, who owns Cold Bottom Farms where the plane landed. "For most of the time, I stood outside directing police and the fire departments to the field."

Ensor said this isn't the first plane to land in his field. He said there have at least two other similar incidents, both without injuries.

Shipley said the Federal Aviation Administration was notified and after FAA personnel arrived at the scene, they gave the pilot permission to take off. He said the plane's home base is Shoestring Airport in Shrewsbury, Pa.

http://www.baltimoresun.com

SPARKS, Md. — A small plane lost power Saturday over northern Baltimore County, prompting an emergency landing in a farmer's field, state police said.

Troopers were called at about noon Saturday to a farm in the 1000 block of Cold Bottom Road in Sparks, where the plane landed.

The plane was a 1996 Black and Yellow Rans S 12 Experimental Light Plane and was flying south at approximately 2000 feet in Parkton when the engine started running rough. The pilot is from Baltimore and a passenger is from Abingdon, and they were headed back to their home base, Shoestring Airport in Pennsylvania.

The landing was uneventful, and there was no damage to the plane or the farmer's property.

The Federal Aviation Administration authorized the plane to take off from the farmer's field and return to Pennsylvania.

http://www.wbaltv.com

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Airport Spending, Remodeling Questioned: Northwest Arkansas Regional (KXNA), Fayetteville/Springdale, Arkansas

Posted: December 16, 2012 at 2:51 a.m.

I’m a business traveler who usually votes for anything to improve airport facilities. But the $2.7 million proposed budget for a new rental car wash facility at Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport and $300,000 in restroom renovations seems a bit excessive to this road warrior. Who will design this car wash, Moshe Safdie? And the men’s room just past XNA security has been adequate and uncrowded in my experience. My only suggestion would be to clean it more often.

Source: http://www.nwaonline.com/opinion

http://www.nwara.com

http://www.airnav.com/airport/kxna

Rare bird recalls wartime flights: The only flying Anson in the world

The sound of veteran aeroplane engines was heard all day at the Bombers and Biplanes fundraiser at the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre on Saturday.

The 350 aviation enthusiasts at the show were treated to aerial displays from rare World War I and II vintage aircraft, the most anticipated being the Anson Mk 1 twin-engined bomber.

The Anson was restored to its original condition by Nelson couple Bill and Robyn Reid.

Mrs Reid was delighted to share the aircraft with other aviators after 10 years of restoration work.

"There were times that we thought we were never going to finish it, so it's wonderful to see it finished and somewhere where everyone can enjoy it," said Mrs Reid.

The Anson is believed to be the only one in flying condition in the world, and will be on show at the Wings over Wairarapa airshow in Masterton in January and the Omaka Classic Fighters airshow in Blenheim in April, she said.

John Sandilands of Blenheim, a former flight technician for the Royal Airforce from 1943 to 1949, recalls many missions in Ansons shortly after World War II ended.

One of the most memorable was flying the "top brass" from the Royal Navy above the Oslofjord in Norway, identifying the surrendered German naval ships.

"It's very interesting to see one back in its full colours," he said.

"It looks just like it used to, only much shinier and much cleaner."

Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre trustee Graham Orphan said thousands of the Ansons were built between 1935 and 1952.

The Reids' Anson, built in Britain, was one of about 100 sent to Australia and used as an intermediate training plane by the Royal Australian Airforce during World War II, he said.

It was sold and fitted out as a passenger and freight plane in 1953, later being used in a movie about the MacRobertson Air Race.

The Reids began shipping it in pieces to New Zealand in 2002.

Mr Orphan said it was a dream come true to see an Anson in the air.

See full article: http://www.stuff.co.nz

Fatal accident reported at Sin City Skydiving

JEAN, NEV. -- A skydiving accident claimed the life of one person on Saturday. Clark County authorities are investigating the incident near Jean, Nevada. The coroner's office says the person's parachute did open. However, windy weather contributed to their death.

http://www.8newsnow.com

http://www.ktnv.com

http://www.sincityskydiving.com

Beechcraft E90 King Air, N67PS: Accident occurred December 14, 2012 in Amarillo, Texas

NTSB Identification: CEN13FA105
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, December 14, 2012 in Amarillo, TX
Aircraft: BEECH E-90, registration: N67PS
Injuries: 2 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 December 14, 2012, about 1805 central standard time, a Beechcraft E-90 airplane, N67PS, impacted terrain following an inflight break-up near Amarillo, Texas. The commercial rated pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to O'Neal Aviation LLC, Colorado Springs, Colorado, and operated by a private individual. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight originated from the Rick Husband International airport (KAMA), Amarillo, Texas, about 1750, and destined for the Fort Worth Meacham Airport (KFTW), Fort Worth, Texas.

According to preliminary air traffic control communications and radar data, air traffic control transferred the airplane from AMA departure control to Albuquerque Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC). The ARTCC controller reportedly cleared the airplane to flight level 210, and gave the pilot permission to deviate east of the airplane’s route for weather and traffic avoidance. Shortly thereafter, the airplane appeared to turn to the north, and the pilot did not respond to the controller’s radio transmission about the turn.

The Texas Department of Public Safety located the airplane wreckage about 20 miles south of KAMA on open, rolling hill ranch land. The airplane’s outer wing sections, engines, elevators, vertical and horizontal stabilizers were separated from the fuselage and located in several directions from the main wreckage, at distances up to one-half mile.

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 67PS        Make/Model: BE9L      Description: 90, A90 TO E90 KING AIR (T-44, VC-6)
  Date: 12/15/2012     Time: 0005

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

LOCATION
  City: WAYSIDE   State: TX   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE 2 PERSONS ON BOARD WERE 
  FATALLY INJURED, SUBJECT OF AN ALERT NOTICE, WRECKAGE LOCATED 10 MILES FROM 
  WAYSIDE, TX

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   2
                 # Crew:   2     Fat:   2     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: LUBBOCK, TX  (SW13)                   Entry date: 12/17/2012

KYTX CBS 19 Tyler Longview News Weather Sports

AMARILLO (KYTX) - A lightning bolt may be to blame for a plane crash that killed two men in Amarillo.

Unofficial reports show the plane might have been hit by the lightning, causing it to lose a wing and crash right after leaving the airport.

Kelly O'Neal of Colorado Springs was the pilot and owner of the plane. 79-year-old Robert O'Neal of Amarillo was also on board. He died at the scene.

http://www.aircraft24.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N67PS

http://registry.faa.gov/N67PS

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N67PS/tracklog

http://www.airnav.com/airport/KAMA

The Boeing 787 Hole Gets Deeper, Questions Of Plane’s Safety

Posted: December 16, 2012 at 1:45 pm

Each time that Boeing claims that some problem with its 787 Dreamliner is an anomaly, another problem occurs. With each new turn, the question of whether the 787 is safe for flight or not arises again. And, other problems has occurred recently.

The most pressing issue with the aircraft now is its power panel and generators. The Wall Street Journal reports:

But the electrical system is more critical to the operation of the Dreamliner than on previous Boeing aircraft. The Dreamliner’s design eliminates a hot and hard-to-maintain system that transferred hot air from the engines to power many of the jet’s systems, in favor of a more heavily electrical design that powers such processes as starting the jet’s engines, deicing the wings and operating the cabin environmental system.

With each new report, both the flying public and carriers should become more skeptical about whether the 787′s issues a sign of very severe flaws in the 787s design and assembly.

Read more: http://247wallst.com

http://www.boeing.com

Ryanair 'planning' sale of Aer Lingus slots

Aer Lingus could lose all but four of its landing slots at London's Heathrow Airport under a proposal being put together by Ryanair as part of its ongoing attempts to take full control of the airline.

Ryanair has offered to sell 20 of Aer Lingus's 24 landing slots at the UK's busiest airport to British Airways as part of an agreement aimed at allaying the European Commission's concerns over competition if it gives the airline the go ahead to take over Aer Lingus.

Ryanair, which owns 29.8 percent of Aer Lingus, renewed its €700m takeover bid in June, five years after the Commission blocked its first attempt.

Its latest bid is more extensive than when the merger was first blocked in 2007, according to the EU competition authority and it faces an uphill battle to win regulatory approval. In a "statement of objections released last month the competition authority said the merged carrier would hold a more dominant position than five years ago and would have an effective stranglehold on over 40 routes.

A determination to change that landscape to allow the takeover proceed has prompted Ryanair to seek deals with both British Airways and the smaller carrier Flybe. The dramatic overhaul of routes between Ireland an Britain would see as many as six British Airways planes and four from Flybe, based in the Republic.

If it is given the green light by the Commission, the BA deal would maintain competition on three routes from Ireland into Heathrow at current levels. The proposed deal between Ryanair and International Airlines Group (IAG), the parent company of British Airways, would see British Airways take over Aer Lingus services from Cork, Shannon and Dublin and run them as normal for a period of between three and five years.

With British Airways operating 20 flights into Heathrow from Irish airports on a daily basis, Ryanair would then be in a position to argue that that a merged Ryanair/Aer Lingus was no longer the dominant carrier on those routes.

A separate part of the same takeover process being planned would see the smaller carrier Flybe operate flights to and from Ireland on 20 other routes where Ryanair and Aer Lingus currently both have services for at least three years. This move would remove the monopoly any merged Ryanair-Aer Lingus operation would have an those routs. .

While the deals would keep services at present levels for now, industry sources have cautioned, that British Airways could eventually use some of the Heathrow slots to expand its long-haul services and reduce the number of flights to and from Irish airports.

"We have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Ryanair which is subject to EC approval, as part of its review of Ryanair's proposed takeover of Aer Lingus, and IAG board approval," IAG said in a statement.

Ryanair told The Irish Times today that it was not commenting on the plans as "the process is ongoing".

Source: http://www.irishtimes.com

http://www.ryanair.com

http://www.aerlingus.com

Gateway Science Museum in Chico hosts career day

CHICO — Backed by a hands-on exhibit called "Take Flight," the Gateway Science Museum hoped its first career day, aimed at high school students, would take off.

Armed with five experts in aviation, the museum hoped to provide insight into the field, which is labeled by many as "under represented."

"We have a lot of expertise in the community," said Renee Renner, co-director of the museum.

Two presenters came from North Valley Aviation Association while others came from various flight backgrounds and gave students a look at different career paths and benefits of becoming a licensed pilot.

"There's a lot of folks out there looking for a good, solid aviation technician," said Floyd Sanderson, of North Valley Aviation Association.

Despite a bad economy, he says, aviation jobs are rising and always in demand.

"I never know what my day is going to bring," said James Marshall of Enloe Flight Care.

The main benefit to becoming a pilot is that you aren't locked into one thing. Pilots can work for fire and police departments, hospitals and the Army. They can do flight tours, flight photography and work as air traffic controllers, he said.

"If I can do it, you can do it," said Tom Aylward, a commercial pilot, during his presentation.

All presenters urged students to start their career by getting a four-year degree. They also discussed the large cost of becoming a pilot.

"Money makes an airplane fly," said Aylward.

The museum followed the speeches with a short video on how to get into the aviation job industry and beginning salary expectations.

After the event, the museum hosted a helicopter rescue demonstration at the Ranchaero Airport, put on by Enloe Flight Care and the Butte County Sheriff's Office.

"It is our first career day and we hope there will be many more," said Renner.

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

Santa lands bi-plane for special party with kids: Bowman Field Airport (KLOU), Louisville, Kentucky

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) – Santa made a very special visit to Louisville today but ditched his normal ride for a bright red bi-plane.

He delivered presents to more than 120 children with Down Syndrome out at Bowman Field for the Down Syndrome of Louisville Christmas Party

The group has held the party every year for the last 5 years.

“Just to see the joy in the children’s faces because some of our children have had medical challenges and just to see them healthy and smiling is just the best gift anyone can expect,” Down Syndrome of Louisville’s Diana Merzweiler said.

Down Syndrome of Louisville uses the party as a way for families to connect with each other and share their challenges and success and share personal stories of why they are involved with the organization.

http://www.whas11.com

http://www.airnav.com/airport/KLOU

Caribbean Airlines Chairman: Don’t expect profit soon

(Trinidad Express) Don’t expect national carrier Caribbean Airlines (CAL) to turn a profit within the next 24 months.

That’s the word from airline chairman Rabindra Moonan.

In an interview with the Sunday Express yesterday, Moonan said the airline had embarked on several initiatives to rationalise assets and turn CAL into a more efficient operation.

Even so, it will be a while before the airline can become a profitable enterprise.

“Caribbean Airlines is at present not performing above the line, but there are many reasons for this situation—funding for the ATR fleet and wet leases to adequately satisfy the demands of the traffic throughout the system are just two instances which have impacted the bottom line. Rest assured, however, that everything is being done to reverse the situation in the shortest possible timeframe,” he told the Sunday Express.

A few months ago, CAL faced what was described as “operational risk” in the face of mounting debt.

On May 4, former finance minister Winston Dookeran disclosed to Parliament that the airline made an unaudited loss of US$52.8 million (TT$339.5 million) for 2011 while subsidiary Air Jamaica recorded an unaudited loss of US$38.1 million (TT$245.2 million) for 2011.

The Sunday Express had also reported exclusively that CAL’s liabilities was about US$100 million, the majority of which was owed to France’s Aviones de Transport Regional (ATR).

Moonan said the airline was meeting its financial obligations with regard to fees to airports, its fuel bill, and it had not defaulted on any obligations.

“We are using any line or length of credit that is available to us. We also have to keep in mind the purpose of the airline, which is to bring people of the region into the country. Now, that money is not reflected in the balance books of CAL, but it would impact on the GDP of the country,” he said.

Asked if the company was making money from its Air Jamaica investment, Moonan responded: “The company is not yet realising any profits from its Air Jamaica operations. On that side of the business, stiff competition from several low-fares airlines out of the US has caused CAL to revisit its strategies and its cost structure, which we are progressively working on in an effort to level the playing field.”

Since the acquisition in 2010, the Sunday Express understands the actual performance for the Air Jamaica operation, from May to December 2010, was a loss of US$21 million “for various reasons” and US$38 million for 2011 (the 2011 figure has to be contextualised given that there was an adjusted jet fuel subsidy from US$1.50 to US$2.34 a gallon).

While Moonan did not give data on the present state of affairs at the airline, he explained that CAL was now rationalising assets.

As part of that operation, CAL is trying to dispose of its Dash-8 fleet. The ATRs were acquired to replace the Dash-8s.

“Caribbean Airlines has experienced some reliability issues with the new ATR aircraft. It must be remembered, however, that these airplanes are state-of-the-art, and CAL is only the fourth airline in the world and the first in the region to operate these aircraft and such teething problems are not really unexpected. ATR engineers are on the ground at Piarco to assist,” said Moonan.

He said the airline did not hope to raise money from the disposal but rather was seeking to reduce costs.

“To operate two separate fleets means pilot training and two sets of inventories. It’s a major initiative to reduce costs,” he said.

He noted the airline was also in the process of reviewing its routes.

The airline has already dropped one route, from Montego Bay to Philadelphia, USA.

“We will look to consolidate flights and run more during the peak periods and less during the off periods,” he said.

“Caribbean Airlines is constantly seeking innovative ways to become more cost-effective in its operations as it moves to become a profitable entity, and that transcends every facet of the operation, from ticket sales to aircraft maintenance.

“A few months ago, executive management presented to the board a number of initiatives aimed at reducing overall costs and included strategies to deal with its direct and indirect competition, revenue generation and plans for greater yield on all its routes,” he said.

Moonan insisted the airline will one day turn a profit.

“The airline will be profitable, but it is almost impossible at this stage to forecast a specific time frame in which such welcome results will be achieved. The signs are there for a better 2013,” he said.

Two weeks ago, CAL was given national carrier status to Guyana.

Moonan said this will further open up more opportunities for the airline as CAL can relocate some of its maintenance staff.

http://www.stabroeknews.com

Air-Pooling? BlackJet Brings Ride-Sharing to the Skies (With Video)

Private travel operator BlackJet is bringing ride sharing to the friendly skies, selling seats on idle private planes to cater to travelers fed up with the hassles of conventional airlines.

The service, which started in late October, was created to take advantage of "an opportunity in private aviation," BlackJet co-founder and president Dean Rotchin told CNBC on Tuesday. For a traveler stranded in JFK airport, or a relatively small group of people in need of transport to hunting or fishing trip, BlackJet could be a potential workaround for their air woes.

"The first thing we did was look at the whole landscape aviation and said, 'Hey, there are people with a serious travel need,'" Rotchin said. "They need to get from here to there."

While still pricier than flying commercial, BlackJet aims to "create affordability" by offering fliers the option of buying a seat on a private jet to avoid delays and overcrowding on regular airplanes, Rotchin said. He said BlackJet's lowest air fare is $900, which is higher than average but well below the cost of chartering a private jet.

Berkshire Hathaway's aviation company NetJets offer similar services, where clients take "fractional" ownership stakes in planes in exchange for flight time.

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

2012… Air Crashes Too Many In Nigeria

Six years after a Nigerian 18-seater Dornier 228 Air Force transport plane, carrying 15 senior army officers and three crewmembers crashed leaving only three survivors that sustained serious injuries on September 17, 2006, 2012 will go down in history as the year that recorded the most recurrence of plane crashes in the country since the first recorded incident, which happened on January 22, 1973, when Royal Jordanian Airlines flight 707, carrying 171 Nigerian Muslims returning from Mecca crashed in Kano, killing five crewmen.

Though air transportation is seen as the fastest and safest of the three forms of transportation; water, land and air, but it is not short of its disasters.

The first of five crashes that threw the country into national mourning this year was on Wednesday, March 14, when a helicopter conveying the newly promoted Deputy Inspector General of Police, Haruna John, with three other senior police officers crashed in Jos. The Police helicopter was to convey the officers from Jos to Abuja, and took off from the Jos prison field. However, after one and half kilometer of flight, it crashed into a house where the occupants were said to have escaped before the planed finally crash landed.

Just before Sunday, June 3, when the nation was thrown into mourning again as a Dana Airlines Flight 9J 992 carrying 153 passengers on board crashed into Iju-Ishaga, a densely populated residential area of Lagos, killing all passengers on board, a Nigerian cargo plane, attempting to take off from the Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana, crashed few hours earlier on Saturday night, killing 10 people and injuring an unspecified number of others. The plane smashed through the airport’s fence before slamming into cars and a bus loaded with passengers on a nearby street.

Four months after, precisely October 25, governor of Taraba State, Danbaba Suntai and five of his aides narrowly escaped death when a Cessna 208 aircraft marked 5N-BMJ and was piloted by Suntai, reportedly lost contact with the Yola Control Tower 38 miles to landing, after leaving Jalingo, the Taraba State capital and crashed into a hill in Adamawa.

Just when the nation thought they had seen an end to air crashes for 2012, the nation was jolted with the news of four persons, including Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State and former National Security Adviser to the president, General Owoeye Azazi, who were reportedly burnt in a helicopter crash that occurred in the forest of Okoroba community in Nembe local government of Bayelsa State.

Here is a chronicle of some recent plane crashes in Nigeria:

December 10, 2005 – A Nigerian Sosoliso Airlines DC-9 crashes in Port Harcourt, killing all 103 on board. Most on board were school children going home for Christmas.

October 22, 2005 – A Nigerian Bellview Airlines Boeing 737 airliner with 117 people on board crashes and disintegrates in flames shortly after take-off from Lagos. All on board killed.

May 4, 2002 – Nigerian EAS Airlines’ BAC 1-11-500 with 105 people on board crashed and burst into flames in a poor, densely populated suburb of Kano killing 76 on board and 72 on the ground, a total of 148 dead.

November 7, 1996 – A Nigerian ADC (Aviation Development Corporation) Airline Boeing 727-231 flying from Port Harcourt to Lagos with 142 passengers and nine crew members crashed on landing, plunging into a lagoon with all on board killed.

November 13, 1995 – Nigeria Airways Boeing 737-2F9 crashes on landing in Kaduna killing nine.

June 24, 1995 – Harka Air Services Tupolev 34 crashes on landing in Lagos killing 16.

Source: http://www.osundefender.org

Wanted: Helicopter Flight Instructor

"I'm looking for a helicopter flight instructor who gives lessons in R22 or similar."

Read more here: http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/edu/3479438283.html

Beechcraft E90 King Air, N67PS: Accident occurred December 14, 2012 in Amarillo, Texas

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 67PS        Make/Model: BE9L      Description: 90, A90 TO E90 KING AIR (T-44, VC-6)
  Date: 12/15/2012     Time: 0005

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

LOCATION
  City: WAYSIDE   State: TX   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE 2 PERSONS ON BOARD WERE 
  FATALLY INJURED, SUBJECT OF AN ALERT NOTICE, WRECKAGE LOCATED 10 MILES FROM 
  WAYSIDE, TX

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   2
                 # Crew:   2     Fat:   2     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: LUBBOCK, TX  (SW13)                   Entry date: 12/17/2012

KYTX CBS 19 Tyler Longview News Weather Sports

Photos of the scene of that plane crash that killed both the pilot and his passenger Friday night have been released by Armstrong County officials.

The plane, identified as a Beech King Air, went down about three and half miles south of FM 1258 and County Road three. Kelly O'Neal of Colorado Springs was the pilot and owner of the plane. He was pronounced dead at the scene. 79-year-old Robert O'Neal of Amarillo was also aboard the aircraft and died at the scene.

Officials say the plane stopped at TAC Air in Amarillo to pick up Robert O'Neal and then crashed shortly after departing. Unofficial reports indicate the plane might have been struck by lightning, losing a wing and causing it to go down.

Dr. Kelly O’Neal

As the Nation mourns the loss of those killed in the Connecticut shooting, we mourn a loss in our own community.

A well-known and well-loved local dentist was killed in a plane crash Friday night.

Dr. Kelly O’Neal was a dentist in the Colorado Springs community for over two decades.

Those we talked to described him as a special man with a witty personality, who was not only an accomplished dentist, but they say more importantly a loving family man.

The dentist was flying his plane when it crashed Friday night. Not only was the pilot who loved to fly killed, but also his 79-year-old father Robert O’Neal from Texas.

The Doctor picked up his dad at the Amarillo airport. The Texas Department of Public Safety says the plane went down only 20 miles from the airport.

The crash happened during high winds, but investigators are still trying to figure out what caused the crash.

Back here in the Springs, the dentist held his own practice at Family Restorative Dentistry in the Rockrimmon area.

He served the community as a dentist for 25 years, 23 years at the same location.

An orthodontist, who works right across the hall, tells us he met Kelly when O’Neal was a dentist in the Air Force.

Dr. Allen Benning says Dr. O’Neal continually took courses to improve his work and made sure he had cutting edge technology. Benning says O’Neal always wanted the best for his patients.

His friend says dentistry was secondary to him; first was his love for people, treating his patients like family.

Dr. Benning has fond memories of playing golf with the dentist and says he was a unique person who was warm, caring and very witty. And that he was dedicated to serving the community.

Employees at O’Neal office tell us they are in shock, and were emotional as they had to call his patients Saturday to let them know the sad news.

Dr. O’Neal was the father of three boys and one daughter and leaves behind his loving wife Kathy.

His son is a Deputy District Attorney here in the Springs.

O’Neal was a past President of the Colorado Springs Dental Society, serving back in 2005, and was a current member in 2012. Officials with the society call it a great loss for not only the community, but the dental community.

We’re told several fellow dentists who have respect for the dentist and his work, have volunteered their services to help the dentistry out during this difficult time.

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Aerovodochody L-29, N29NR: Accident occurred December 13, 2012 in Combine, Texas

NTSB Identification: CEN13FA100
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, December 13, 2012 in Combine, TX
Aircraft: AEROVODOCHODY L-29 DELFIN, registration: N29NR
Injuries: 2 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 December 13, 2012, about 1102 central standard time, an Aerovodochody L-29 airplane, N29NR, impacted terrain near Combine, Texas. The commercial rated pilot and passenger were fatally injured and the airplane sustained substantial damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by CNR Aircraft, Inc. Dallas, Texas. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The local flight originated from the Lancaster Municipal (KLNC), Lancaster, Texas, about 1030.

According to reports, the accident flight was the airplane’s second flight of the day, with the intent of giving the passenger a ride in the airplane. A witness reported that he observed a smoke plume from the ground, but did not see the crash. The witness said that he saw and heard the airplane before the crash, and did not think the airplane was doing aerobatics.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) responded to the accident site. The airplane impacted in a large open field, about 350 feet from a river that bordered the edge of the large field. After the initial impact point, the wreckage path was distributed on a northerly heading towards the river. The major components of the airplane separated on impact and were located along the wreckage path. A postcrash fire ensued.

Floyd, Fisher

The Lord called Lee Fisher Floyd, 30, home on Thursday, December 13, 2012. Fisher was riding in a vintage Aero L-29 Delfin when it crashed tragically in Kaufman County. Fisher is survived by his loving wife, Lindsey Cheney Floyd and two precious boys, Ryder and Hudson. Fisher is also survived by his mother, Jill Savage Kimball and her husband Bill Kimball; father, Ric Floyd and his wife Ronda Floyd; brother, Hunter Floyd and his wife Tanya Floyd; parents-in-law, Gail and Bobby Cheney; sister and brother-in-law, Lisa and Wayne Moore; nephew, Holden Moore; and nieces, Gwyn and Gretchen Moore. He was a doting father, adoring husband, remarkable son, brother, uncle and friend. Fisher was a constant support for his family; finding the fun, happiness and joy in their daily life. Fisher attended Highland Park High School, class of 2001, then went on to earn his Economics BA with honors at University of California Santa Barbara. Lindsey and Fisher were married on the coast of the Pacific Ocean on February 16, 2008. Ryder Jackson Floyd was born September 29, 2010, and he and his father were inseparable from that glorious day. Happy little Hudson Hill Floyd joined the family less than a year later, on September 2, 2011. Fisher's life was centered around his family. He was happiest spending time with his wife and playing with his boys. He also enjoyed music, basketball, cars, developing mobile applications for his technology company and working with his father-in-law, Bobby Cheney. Fisher truly possessed a gift from God that made everyone love to be around him. Fisher will be missed greatly but will live in the hearts of all those he touched and be remembered for the constant love he gave.

Fisher's memorial service will be held on Tuesday, December 18th, at 10AM at Highland Park Methodist Church.

In lieu of gifts and because of Fisher's love for children, the family has requested donations to be made in Fisher's name to stjude.org

Please visit www.sparkman-hillcrest.com for online condolences.

http://www.legacy.com/guestbook

Aero Vodochody L-29 Delphin, N29NR

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 29NR        Make/Model: EXP       Description: AEROVODOCHODY L-29
  Date: 12/13/2012     Time: 1717

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

LOCATION
  City: COMBINE   State: TX   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE 2 PERSONS ON BOARD WERE 
  FATALLY INJURED, NEAR COMBINE, TX

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   2
                 # Crew:   2     Fat:   2     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: DALLAS, TX  (SW05)                    Entry date: 12/14/2012

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Metro public agencies are under fire for not being public enough - Pressure builds for more accountability for Met Council and Airports Commission

Daniel Boivin Chair of the Metropolitan Airports Commission.

Brian Peterson, Star Tribune

Citizens first check in at a basement information booth. They show their driver's license, sign a form, get a pass and stand in line for security scanning with people getting ready to board planes.

Then they go upstairs for the public meeting.

Welcome to the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), a government agency that spends a quarter of a billion dollars a year. It caught heat recently when homeowners near Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport made a rare showing at a commission meeting to complain they were surprised by a plan to shift airplane noise over their neighborhoods.

"We have to turn over a new leaf in the way we engage the public," Commissioner Rick King told the crowd at the end of the meeting.

The commission is one of two Twin Cities agencies with big responsibilities that are facing criticism for poor public accountability. The other agency, the Metropolitan Council, has run afoul of residents and businesses living near construction of a light-rail line.

Council members and commissioners who make policy for the two agencies are appointed -- mostly by the governor -- and don't hold elected positions in local government. They depend heavily on staffs that shape agendas.

Calls for a shake-up are coming from inside and outside the agencies. A Republican legislator long at odds with the Met Council has been joined by some DFL allies of the agency in supporting changes to improve accountability.

At the MAC, King looks for better ways to reach the public about agency plans.

"Perhaps social media is something we ought to look at," he said at the meeting. "Legal notices ... don't seem to be read very well."

Involving the public

The MAC provides lots of information. Its website links to pages that allow residents to track airplane flights over their neighborhoods. Online maps show the loudest decibel levels. Agency officials hosted open houses in Minneapolis and Eagan to describe the Federal Aviation Administration's new satellite system to consolidate airplane takeoffs -- and redistribute noise in the process.

Those efforts fell short in the recent controversy. MAC maps of the plan didn't illustrate clearly how it would change flight patterns. Residents who followed online links to FAA explanations found them heavy on acronyms such as RNAV. The FAA says it's short for "aRea NAVigation."

"They didn't actually tell how RNAV was going to impact us and what it meant to me living at this particular block." said Sara Thompson, whose home in southwest Minneapolis would be under one proposed flight path.

Others say it's part of a broader problem.

"The officials who are making these decisions are not elected," said Bob Kane, one of the opponents of the proposed flight pattern. "I don't feel like I have a voice."

Edina residents mobilized following news reports of the potential effects of the new flight pattern. Community leaders e-mailed instructions for how to get past airport security -- the pass allows them to share an express security lane with airline crews -- and find the room where MAC officials would vote on the plan Nov. 19. More than 100 people showed up.

After hearing emotional public testimony, the MAC recommended a partial use of the new flight system, excluding departure runways that send planes over parts of Minneapolis, Richfield and Edina.

Asked whether a more public place would have been a better venue for the meeting, MAC spokesman Patrick Hogan said rescheduling it at a MAC office building outside the airport would have confused attendees. "The lack of security at that site could pose a danger to all attending," he said.

But MAC Chairman Dan Boivin acknowledged, "Any future noise discussions will probably be off site to try to make it more convenient."

A final decision on the new takeoff system rests with the FAA.

Immediately after the meeting, FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory was asked if her agency might install a system not recommended by the MAC. "We have stated that we will follow the MAC's recommendation," she said.

Last week Cory said the FAA is studying the recommendation to see whether it is feasible. "There is no scheduled date for completion of that review," she said.

Closer representation

The Met Council, which is overseeing construction of the Central Corridor light-rail line and plans for the Southwest Corridor light-rail project, also has been criticized for not being responsive enough.

U.S. District Judge Donovan Frank in 2011 ruled that the agency failed to assess the potential impact of disruption caused by construction of the Central Corridor line on nearby businesses. He ordered an in-depth study that was completed last week as the line nears completion.

"I think the Met Council's outreach program was a little too focused on selling the merits of the project ... and not as focused on talking with the community about their concerns," said Thomas DeVincke, an attorney for the businesses.

The legislative auditor in 2011 concluded that the agency "lacks adequate credibility and accountability" because its members are appointed by the governor and are not local elected officials with a constituency. It proposed a council combining gubernatorial appointees and local elected officials appointed to the panel with staggered terms.

Met Council chairwoman Susan Haigh said that the council is answerable to legislators and other elected officials and that any changes "should start from a discussion of how to best meet our core mission of creating a competitive region that attracts jobs."

"The council takes resident concerns -- particularly those impacted by businesses in the Central Corridor construction zone -- very seriously," she said, adding that it oversaw financial and other assistance to businesses.

Met Council critic Rep. Michael Beard, R-Shakopee, has long called for an overhaul. Two DFL supporters of the agency -- Sen. Scott Dibble and Rep. Frank Hornstein, both Minneapolis DFLers, favor putting elected officials on the agency.

Dibble, the incoming chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, also would like neighborhood groups and local officials to evaluate prospective appointees to the MAC to make sure they would be responsive to community concerns. The governor appoints all but two of its members -- who are appointed by the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul.

"A lot of people ... feel the agency has to have a closer relationship with the communities it represents," Hornstein said. "There would be a little more direct accountability to the public and to voters by having elected officials."

Story and reaction/comments: http://www.startribune.com

http://www.mspairport.com

http://www.airnav.com/airport/KMSP

Smyrna (KMQY) Airport seeks funds for $10.2 million expansion

The Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport Commission hopes to add 50 to 100 employees by building a 29,000-square-foot hangar, 15,000-square-foot office, auto and aircraft parking areas, associated taxiway connectors, and repairs to existing hangars for $10.2 million. To pay for the project, commissioners plan to blend $5.7 million from a federal grant, $4 million from a loan from the town and county and $1 million from the Rutherford County Industrial Development Board.

Source: http://www.tennessean.com

http://www.smyrnaairport.com

http://www.airnav.com/airport/KMQY

JetBlue terminal to expand: John F Kennedy International Airport (KJFK), New York

An arm of the New York City Economic Development Corp. Tuesday approved the sale of close to $200 million in tax-exempt bonds to help JetBlue build an expansion to its Terminal 5 at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

The New York City Industrial Development Agency’s board of directors voted 11-1-0 to approve the sale of $194 million in private activity bonds the Long Island City-based airline will use to finance the terminal’s 150,000-square-foot addition, which will serve as the new gateway for its international arrivals.
Divorce Fast

The IDA calculated that the $6 million in tax revenue the city will forego from the sale of the bonds will be offset by about $250 million in taxes generated by the facility over the next 25 years.

The total project cost was placed at around $240 million, with $140 million set aside for construction costs and the remainder going to soft costs and fees. The development agency estimated the interest rate would be between 6.5 percent and 7.5 percent for the 30-year term of the bonds.

JetBlue projects it will add 396 new, full-time employees starting at $25,000 a year with benefits by the time the addition is up and running in early 2015 and 67 part-time employees.

Missing from the application was the number of contracted workers at the airport, which raised concern with IDA board member Kevin Doyle, the executive vice president of the service workers’ union 32BJ-SEIU..

“There are, however, the conditions of thousands of contracted employees who are making at or close to the minimum wage with no benefits,” he said. “Those conditions should be examined as well as part of the presentation to get an accurate picture.”

Doyle abstained from voting.

In 2008, JetBlue’s Terminal 5 was the first at JFK to be designed and built after Sept. 11, 2001. The 635,000-square-foot facility features 26 gates spread out through three concourses and with 20 security lanes, it was the largest checkpoint in a U.S. airline terminal.

In October, the airline broke ground on what it calls T5i, a 150,000-square-foot addition where the former Terminal 6 sat that will include dedicated gates for JetBlue’s international arrivals as well as a new customs and immigration checkpoint.

International flights currently arrive at Terminal 4.

JetBlue received similar tax-exempt financing through the IDA in 2003 for demolition of JFK’s old Building 179 and the construction of the airline’s 100,000-square-foot Hangar 81.

When the company was considering moving its headquarters from Forest Hills to Florida in 2009, the EDC put together a package of incentives, including $7 million in tax exemptions through the IDA to renovate what would become JetBlue’s Long Island City headquarters.

The deal also included branding rights with the “I Love NY” campaign and officially named JetBlue as “New York’s Hometown Airline.”

http://www.timesledger.com

http://www.jetblue.com

http://www.panynj.gov/airports/jfk.html

http://www.airnav.com/airport/JFK

Wanted: person for worst job in the world - PR director for Ryanair... Even Michael O’Leary admits it is the worst PR job in the world

By PATRICK COUNIHAN, Irish Central
Published Sunday, December 16, 2012, 7:27 AM
Updated Sunday, December 16, 2012, 7:27 AM

The worst job in the world is now up for grabs – as Michael O’Leary’s apologist with budget airline Ryanair.

Even O’Leary has admitted that the position as head of communications with the Irish carrier is next to impossible.

Current mouth piece Stephen McNamara is leaving the airline after Christmas to join the Irish Rugby Football Union.

And O’Leary is already inviting online applications for those willing to justify his airline’s controversial policies confessed publicity seeker O’Leary.

A statement from the airline added: “Stephen McNamara is moving on after four years of being battered and abused by [Ryanair CEO] Michael O’Leary on one side, and the European media on the other.”

O’Leary added: “As a company that spends little on advertising, we rely on our communications department to generate loads of free PR as well as responding to the never-ending series of absurd claims and fanciful stories that surface on a daily basis.

“We look forward to recruiting another brave soul to take on the worst job in Irish PR and look forward to grooming the next candidate to take over the high profile and incredibly overpaid position.”

Anyone willing to take on O’Leary and the job is invited to send a CV and cover letter to recruitment@ryanair.com quoting vacancy number FRHOC001. Applications close on Friday evening at 5:30pm.

Story and reaction/comments: http://www.irishcentral.com

http://www.ryanair.com