Kathryn's Report: 2013-01-06

January 18, 2013

Bengals offensive lineman Andre Smith arrested after allegedly bringing gun to Hartsfield - Jackson Atlanta International Airport (KATL), Atlanta, Georgia

ATLANTA - Bengals offensive lineman Andre Smith was arrested Thursday after he allegedly brought a gun to an airport in Atlanta.

Atlanta police say they found a loaded .380 pistol in Smith's carry-on bag when he tried to board a plane at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport around 4:50 p.m. Thursday. Police responded to the scene and arrested Smith.

“We continue to remind passengers of the importance of looking through carry-on bags to ensure there are no prohibited items inside,” said Jon Allen, TSA spokesman.

TSA officials say this is the third firearm discovered at Hartsfield-Jackson airport this year. In 2012, 1,548 firearms were discovered at airports nationwide, which is up 1,320 from 2011. Officials say the majority of the firearms were loaded.

Smith, 25, of Birmingham, Alabama, appeared in court Friday morning and was issued a $3,000 bond.

Smith was one of just 10 Bengals to start all 16 games in the 2012 season.

Source: http://www.kypost.com

With 2,700 Jobs on the Way, Duluth Needs Workforce Housing Options

Duluth, MN (NNCNOW.com) - With Kestrel Aircraft expecting 500 additional jobs by 2016, AAR and Maurices expecting to bring a combined 400 jobs by summer, and expansions at Altec Hiline and Kuettel & Sons also boosting those figures, it seems like job growth in the Northland workforce market is back on track.

According to DEDA Executive Director Christopher Eng, now we need to find a place to put these estimated 2,700 new employees.

"These are good–paying jobs. These are $60,000 – $80,000 jobs. Those folks are going to be looking for housing opportunities, and we want them to choose Duluth," said Eng.

While Eng says high–end retirement–style housing is more than adequate in the city, there's a significant shortage of workforce housing.

"And that's the homes... in the range of about $180,000 – $200,000," said Eng.

Some are contributing the nationwide housing construction boom to low–interest housing and construction loan options that banks and credit unions have been advertising, which Duluth Teachers Credit Union Assistant VP of Lending Bryan Lent says are just as available in the Northland.

"It really boils down to how they can build, [and] how much equity they need to bring to the table, which creates some hurtles at the time of initiating," said Lent.

Along with that, Lent says the lean toward buying already built homes over building is still keeping workforce housing construction slow.

So, what's going to get the workforce housing construction on the fast–track?

According to Eng, the problem might actually result in the solution, as the need for construction should bring in the contractors.

"That will bring some of those builders back to Duluth, and we'll see some new construction happening—I'm hoping—as early as this spring," said Eng.

...promising news for the 2,700 or so new employees that will need it.

And where did many of the builders and contractors flock to?

According to Eng, where the jobs are, which, in large, has been in North Dakota with their recent boom in the oil industry.

Source: http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com

Flight school issued training certificate: Victoria Regional Airport (KVCT), Texas

Calhoun Air Center at Victoria Regional Airport was recently certified to teach private airplane pilots lessons.

The center also offers helicopter private lessons.

The next step for the flight school is to add instrument, commercial, certified flight instructor and certified flight instructor instrument to the certification.

Erin Michael, chief flight instructor, is working on the instrument and commercial approval. Once those courses are approved by the Federal Aviation Administration, the flight school will begin the process to become certified by the Veterans Administration. This will enable veterans to attend the flight school and use their VA benefits.

In addition, an application has been submitted for the flight school to accept international students through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System program.

The Flight School is working on approval for all courses for helicopter training as well.

To learn more about the newest addition to Calhoun Air Center's airplane flight training courses, contact Michael at 361-575-2359 or via email at erin@calhounaircenter.com. For more information on helicopter flight training courses, contact Toni McCarthy at 361-575-2359 or via email at toni@calhounaircenter.com.

Source: http://www.victoriaadvocate.com

Boeing Halts Dreamliner Deliveries Pending FAA Approval

Boeing Co. will suspend deliveries of its grounded 787 Dreamliner while working to meet a U.S. Federal Aviation Administration directive to ensure that the plane’s lithium-ion batteries are safe.

“Production of 787s continues,” Marc Birtel, a Boeing spokesman, said today in an interview. “We will not deliver 787s until the FAA approves a means of compliance with their recent airworthiness directive concerning batteries and the approved approach has been implemented.”

Halting handovers of Boeing’s most advanced model ever adds to fallout from the Jan. 16 FAA order that 787s in the U.S. be taken out of service due to “potential battery fire risk,” a move followed by regulators worldwide. With Dreamliners barred from flying, airlines can’t get new ones at Boeing’s Washington state and South Carolina factories.

Boeing isn’t changing the 787’s production rate, now at five planes a month, Birtel said. Chicago-based Boeing is working to double monthly output in 2013 to help shrink a backlog of about 800 unfilled orders that swelled during seven delays to the jet’s debut, which finally came in late 2011.

Deliveries are important because that’s when planemakers get large bulk payments on the purchase price of a jet. While the 787’s list price starts at about $207 million, airlines typically buy at discount.

One Delivery

Only one Dreamliner has been handed over this year, on Jan. 3, said Lori Gunter, a spokeswoman. That plane marked the 50th delivery. Boeing said yesterday that it was in talks with the FAA on plans for deliveries and production test flights while work continues to assure the safety of the battery packs.

Boeing fell 0.3 percent to $75.04 at the New York close. The shares have risen 2.4 percent in the past year.

The FAA and its counterparts abroad acted after a fire on a Japan Airlines Co. 787 last week in Boston and an emergency landing by an All Nippon Airways Co. plane on a domestic flight in Japan this week because of a battery-fault warning.

“We have high confidence in the safety of the 787 and stand squarely behind its integrity,” Chief Executive Officer Jim McNerney said today in a message to employees. “We are working around the clock to support the FAA, our customers, and others in the investigations.”

Source: http://www.bloomberg.com

Flabob Airport (KRIR), Riverside/Rubidoux, California: Aviation charter school pitched for airport

A request that Jurupa schools approve a charter school at Flabob Airport appears headed for defeat when it comes before the school board Tuesday, Jan. 22.

In her report on the charter petition for the proposed Tom Wathen Center-Big Picture Aviation Academy, attorney Dina Harris raises questions about the project’s budget and cash flow, and educational program.

“The Charter Petition presents an unsound educational program for the pupils to be enrolled in the Charter School,” Harris states.

Bill Sawin, president and chief executive officer of the Tom Wathen Center, which owns Flabob Airport, said he wasn’t happy with Harris’ review and that she overlooked many of the positives about the proposal

“I think she’s wrong,” Sawin said. “They’re looking at nuts and bolts. All those things are fixable.”

“This kind of school opens the doors for so many things,” he said.

Charter schools operate with public money but are free of many of the regulations that govern regular public schools. However, there remain many regulations that they must follow.

Sawin said the Wathen Center is partnering with Big Picture Schools California to establish a comprehensive high school with an emphasis on aviation studies.

The school would open in fall for the 2013-14 school year. It would start with 9th and 10th grades, and 11th and 12th grades would be added over the next two years respectively.

The Jurupa Unified School District board held a public hearing on the proposal in November, when parents and students enrolled at the existing Tom Wathen Academy, also a charter school, expressed support for the charter school petition.

Sawin said the existing aviation academy will vacate its modular classrooms at Flabob Airport to make way for the new charter school.

The Tom Wathen Center hopes to break ground on a school building in spring 2014 that will include classrooms, offices and a meeting room.

If the Jurupa school board follows its attorney’s recommendation and votes down the charter petition, Sawin said it would be submitted to the Riverside County Office of Education.

“We’ll open our doors for t he fall semester,” Sawin said. “I wish we could have had a working relationship with Jurupa because it would benefit everyone.”

CHARTER SCHOOL PITCH

WHAT: The Jurupa school board will consider a charter petition for The Tom Wathen Center – Big Picture Aviation Academy at Flabob Airport.

WHEN: Tuesday, Jan. 22, at 6 p.m.

WHERE: Benita B. Roberts Education Center, 4850 Pedley Road, Jurupa Valley.

INFORMATION: 951-360-4100.

Source: http://www.pe.com

Bob Hope Airport (KBUR), Burbank, California: Airport to spend $82,000 on emergency lighting system after recent outage

Bob Hope Airport is taking a two-path approach to preventing another outage like the one on Nov. 28 that took out operations on its longest runway.

The Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority on Monday voted to buy an emergency lighting system while officials complete a multimillion-dollar proposal to replace the dated wiring system that caused the outage.

“That outage, frankly, was not to the standard that we offer to the traveling public ... it creates havoc for those customers that couldn’t fly out of here at night,” said Dan Feger, the airport’s executive director.

The cause of the outage was the normal deterioration of the high-voltage connectors attaching each runway light to the single-wire circuit for the runway, Feger said. The connectors were installed more than 30 years ago.

Feger said airport officials were putting together a bid proposal for contractors and have a design completed in time to start construction this summer.

The project’s total cost would be close to $3 million, and would likely be completed by the end of the year, according to Feger.

The authority intends to ask the Federal Aviation Administration for permission to use funds raised by the passenger facility charge — a $4.50 fee attached to every departure ticket at the airport — to pay for the project.

In the meantime, the airport will be getting an emergency lighting system to use in case of any future failure, whether from faulty equipment or something more drastic, officials said.

“We’ve done a lot of work on emergency response here at the airport — how to operate the airport after either some natural disaster or even a human-caused problem,” said Denis Carvill, the airport’s director of contractors and properties.

In an emergency, Carvill said the airport could use the emergency lighting system to set up a helicopter landing area, as well as light any one of its runways.

The airport authority unanimously voted to spend $82,610 in reserves to buy the emergency lighting system.

Commissioner Susan Georgino said that until the new runway lighting infrastructure is completed, paying for the emergency system was a small price to pay to prevent another outage.

“I know personally $82,000 is not a small amount, but compared to a $3-million investment, it seems like a small amount to ensure this capacity,” she said.

Source: http://www.burbankleader.com

Pilatus PC-12/45, N68PK, operating as Skylab 53: Accident occurred January 16, 2013 in Burlington, North Carolina

NTSB Identification: ERA13FA115
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, January 16, 2013 in Burlington, NC
Aircraft: PILATUS PC-12/45, registration: N68PK
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 January 16, 2013 about 0557 eastern standard time, a Pilatus PC-12/45, N68PK, operating as Skylab 53, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground in Burlington, North Carolina. The airline transport pilot was fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and a instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight. The flight departed from Burlington-Alamance Regional Airport (BUY), Burlington, North Carolina at 0553, and was destined for Morristown Municipal Airport (MMU), Morristown, New Jersey. The business flight transporting medical specimens was operated by LabCorp, Inc. under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

Review of preliminary air traffic control radar and communication data provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Greensboro Approach Control, revealed that the airplane departed from runway 06 at BUY and made initial contact while climbing to the assigned altitude of 3,000 feet mean sea level. The pilot was told to reset his transponder and no further communications were received from the accident flight.

According to FAA records, the pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with multiple ratings, including airplane single-engine land, as well as a flight instructor certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on November 19, 2012, at which time he reported 6,279 total hours of flight experience.

The accident site was located in a park approximately 5 miles northeast of BUY. The initial impact location was identified by a ground impression with various parts of the right wing and also a crater that measured about 3 feet deep. The wreckage debris field was 793 foot-long and 298 foot-wide, oriented on a 140 degree heading. Various sizes of wing spar segments, the propeller hub, two propeller blades, and the front reduction gear box were located in the crater. The engine was located about 100 feet from the impact point. Fragments of the airplane, including a section of the cabin area, empennage, left and right wings, and cockpit were located along the wreckage path. The two other propeller blades were located about 200 and 400 feet from the impact point, and exhibited some S-bending damage. All major flight control surfaces and associated counter weights were located in the debris field.

The 0554 recorded weather observation at BUY, included wind from 040 degrees at 4 knots, visibility 10 miles, broken clouds at 700 feet above ground level (agl), overcast at 1,700 agl, temperature 4 degrees C, dew point 3 degrees C; barometric altimeter 30.02 inches of mercury.

Greensboro, N.C.— Allen Cranford still remembers his last conversation with his brother-in-law David Gamble.

“He would always mentioned what trip he was going on next. He loved his job,” Cranford said.

Gamble, a pilot for LabCorp for nearly five years died when his plane crashed in a softball field in Burlington Wednesday morning.

Investigators say he was in route for the company when the crash happened.

“We are all still in shock,” Cranford said.

The family says the 57- year-old father of three has had a passion for flying since he was a teenager. Gamble, a graduate of Clemson University was an avid gardener, fisherman, and hunter.

“Dave always put others first. You know that’s just him,” Cranford said.

Gamble’s actions have a lot of people calling him a hero. Investigators say Gamble avoided hitting dozens of homes near where his plane went down.

“There was a lady on Fox8 Ms. Bird that was quoted as saying he must have been a very special person to do something like that for us and that touched my sister,” Cranford said.

The NTSB and the FAA will release a preliminary report on the crash in six months.

The family is planning a celebration of life service at the Centenary United Methodist Church on Sunday at 3:00 p.m.

Story and Video: http://myfox8.com

http://registry.faa.gov/N68PK

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 68PK        Make/Model: PC12      Description: PC-12, Eagle
  Date: 01/16/2013     Time: 1055

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

LOCATION
  City: BURLINGTON   State: NC   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  N68PK SKYLAB FLIGHT SKQ53 PILATUS PC12 AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN 
  CIRCUMSTANCES, THE 1 PERSON ON BOARD WAS FATALLY INJURED, NEAR BURLINGTON, 
  NC

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: Business      Phase: Unknown      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: GREENSBORO, NC  (SO05)                Entry date: 01/17/2013

Pilatus PC-12/45, N68PK, operating as Skylab 53: Accident occurred January 16, 2013 in Burlington, North Carolina

Workers with Atlanta Air Recovery remove debris Friday from the site of an airplane crash in Burlington.

Scott Muthersbaugh/Times-News

The North Park ballfield where a plane crashed earlier this week should be repaired and ready for play this spring.

The plane belonged to LabCorp. David Gamble, 57, was the pilot and sole occupant. He died, the only person injured.

The site is adjacent to the Mayco Bigelow Community Center and serves as a ballfield for teams playing youth baseball and softball in leagues sponsored by the Burlington Recreation and Parks Department.

Employees of Atlanta Air Recovery were retrieving the wreckage Friday – loading it onto a flatbed trailer. A spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board said it’s not unusual to take a year or more to determine the cause of such crashes.

Tony Laws, director of the Recreation and Parks Department, said because of the volume of fuel spilled at the site, a good portion of soil will have to be excavated and removed. Emergency personnel said as much as 400 gallons of aviation fuel were on the plane at the time of the crash.

The aircraft had taken off minutes earlier from Burlington-Alamance Regional Airport. It was en route to New Jersey.

Laws said that once the extent of the contamination is determined, the appropriate amount of soil will be excavated. It’ll be replaced with fresh dirt, Laws said, and the infield redone. The outfield will be resodded and damaged fencing replaced.

“I feel pretty confident it will be ready by the start of the season,” Laws said. He said that will be either late April or early May.

Laws said it has yet to be determined who’ll pay for the repairs, though he said he hopes it’ll be covered by insurance. He said this is his 44th year with the Recreation and Parks Department and the first time a plane has crashed on a ball field or in a park belonging to the city.

“It’s very unusual and certainly a tragedy,” Laws said. “In my opinion, if the pilot had to put a plane down in that area, he picked the best possible site. I give a lot of credit to him. He saved lives.”

Numerous residents of the area surrounding the field agreed, noting they heard the plane in distress prior to the crash, the pilot seeming to be searching for a vacant field in which to land. Many hailed Gamble as a hero.

Alamance County Emergency Management Director David Leonard was in his office on Martin Street – near the old Western Electric plant – early Wednesday at the time of the crash. The office isn’t far from North Park and Leonard was among the first emergency responders to arrive.

He said he called Zack Smith, Burlington’s emergency management coordinator, on the drive over. Smith arrived just minutes after Leonard.

Leonard said debris from the wreck was on fire when he arrived, though firefighters with the Burlington Fire Department quickly extinguished the flames. He said there were numerous residents of the community at the site – all searching frantically for survivors.

Leonard said he was told by NTSB officials the wreckage will be carried to Atlanta where it will be sheltered until an investigation is complete. He said volunteers with the Red Cross were a great help to emergency responders and investigators, as were volunteers from a number of other organizations.

“So many people stepped up from within the community,” Leonard said.

A spokesman for LabCorp said the plane that crashed Wednesday was one of three belonging to the company that fly out of Burlington-Alamance Regional Airport. He said the planes are principally used for the transportation of medical specimens between LabCorp facilities and collection sites.

Story and Photo: http://www.thetimesnews.com

http://registry.faa.gov/N68PK

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 68PK        Make/Model: PC12      Description: PC-12, Eagle
  Date: 01/16/2013     Time: 1055

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

LOCATION
  City: BURLINGTON   State: NC   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  N68PK SKYLAB FLIGHT SKQ53 PILATUS PC12 AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN 
  CIRCUMSTANCES, THE 1 PERSON ON BOARD WAS FATALLY INJURED, NEAR BURLINGTON, 
  NC

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: Business      Phase: Unknown      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: GREENSBORO, NC  (SO05)                Entry date: 01/17/2013

Is outsourcing to blame for Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner woes?

It’s been a miserable week for Boeing. Federal investigators have grounded all of the U.S. company’s new and much-hyped 787 Dreamliner jets after reports that the aircraft’s lithium-ion batteries were overheating and catching fire.

And already, a favorite culprit has emerged: outsourcing. Critics have long charged that Boeing was far too reliant on offshore suppliers for the 787′s production. More than 30 percent of the jetliner’s components came from overseas, including the Japanese-made lithium-ion battery that is now garnering all the headlines. (By contrast, just 5 percent of the parts of its predecessor, the 747, were foreign-made.)

But why should outsourcing matter here? After all, it’s not as if Japan is incapable of making decent lithium-ion batteries. And this is where the argument gets a bit fuzzier. One possibility is that Boeing’s far-flung network of suppliers made it that much trickier for the U.S.-based manufacturer to spot and evaluate systemic problems. Here’s the Globe and Mail’s Guy Dixon making that case:

But the vast collection of components by hundred of suppliers that go into a 787 makes troubleshooting potentially more difficult. Although outsourcing has always been a part of commercial aviation, the difference now is the complexity and co-dependence of the electronics operating the aircraft.

Aerospace consultant Scott Hamilton quotes an engineer who raises similar worries:

“There aren’t that many qualified outside experts (except at Airbus). Where are they going to get them from?” he says. “This is where the extreme outsourcing really causes problems. How are they going to get their suppliers to be truthful? That has always been a problem in aeronautics. The 787 organization makes it much, much worse.”

These concerns are hardly novel. Back in 2011, Michael Hiltzik published a long piece for the Los Angeles Times questioning Boeing’s over-reliance on foreign suppliers for the Dreamliner. That piece, however, was largely focused on delays and cost overruns: “The drawbacks of this approach emerged early,” Hiltzik wrote. “Some of the pieces manufactured by far-flung suppliers didn’t fit together. Some subcontractors couldn’t meet their output quotas, creating huge production logjams when critical parts weren’t available in the necessary sequence.”

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

Lockheed Martin workers worried about layoffs, budget cuts

FORT WORTH -- In September, Lockheed Martin production worker Brian Kieffer transferred to Fort Worth from the company's Marietta, Ga., plant to be near his children and grandchildren.

The layoff slip arrived a couple of months later. His last day at the plant in west Fort Worth was Jan. 4.

"They are downsizing," Kieffer said. "Morale is hurt. It's bad."

Life at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, like at other defense contractors, has had its ups and downs since the plant went operational in 1942, with workers' fortunes often tied to the whims of politicians and generals.

Count the past few months as one of those "down" periods.

Two recent rounds of layoffs, looming cuts in the country's defense budget and a bitter, 10-week strike have created a tense, uncertain atmosphere at one of Fort Worth's largest employers, employees say.

A total of 260 hourly workers have received pink slips since November. The second layoff, announced Monday, was the largest, as 150 workers were told that their last day was expected to be Jan. 25.

Lockheed employs about 14,200 people in Fort Worth.

Some veteran employees have taken advantage of a separate voluntary separation program, which provides a lump sum payment to those with 25 years seniority, a union official said. No one would say how many have left under that program.

"There's a lot of anxiety and uncertainty,'' said Paul Black, president/directing business representative of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Local 776, which represents about 3,600 workers.

That's why dozens have chosen to leave, he said. "That, in and of itself, has contributed to the number of folks who have accepted the separation package."

Lockheed Martin has been under Pentagon pressure to reduce escalating costs on its major fighter jet program, the F-35. Spokesman Ken Ross said that the company intends to keep the factory full of able workers and that the recent layoffs are the result of the "ebb and flow" of normal business practices.

He declined to provide details about the incentive program but said the layoffs were not the result of "sequestration," or automatic spending cuts to defense programs that could result if Congress is unable to reach a budget deal in the coming months.

Lockheed executives have said that its largest program, the F-35, should not have to reduce production and jobs immediately, thanks to two recent contracts.

Last month, Lockheed received a Pentagon contract guaranteeing a final installment of about $127.7 million for the fifth production lot of F-35 fighters. Just before year's end, Lockheed and the Pentagon agreed to contracts for a sixth lot of 31 additional F-35 jets.

About 6,000 of Lockheed's workers at the west-side complex are directly involved in F-35 development, engineering and production, and many other jobs at the plant are tied to the program.

Plans call for Lockheed to build more than 2,400 F-35s for the Air Force, Navy and Marines at a cost now estimated to be $395.7 billion.

But some wonder if that number will ultimately be reduced. Some employees said layoff notices can be issued one week and retracted the next day.

Adding to the uncertainty is the way the aerospace industry must conduct business in an uncertain economy, others say.

"In the past, defense contractors really didn't worry much about the cost because they were able to recover their money," Black said. "Now, it's a different way of doing business, and I understand they have to pinch pennies."

Black and other union employees also said they are trying to recover from the emotional toll of the strike, which ended in July 2012.

The new contract, struck between aerospace workers and the company, established the voluntary buyout program for assembly workers. The buyouts are now being offered to painters at the plant, some employees said.

The offer provides employees $1,000 per year of seniority, not to exceed $30,000.

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com

VENT: No jet noise

"This is about those stupid jets making louder noise like turning on the exhaust and flying over Sun City and Peoria and over the home sections. It is ridiculous. They have a whole desert out there to use and they have to fly over people’s houses. How stupid of a government can you get when they let them do that? They need to fix that."

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

VIDEO: Airlines face downgrade threat

Published on January 18, 2013

After reports of four pilots of 2 major Indian airlines were accused of fudging training records global body is now reviewing these pilots' records. Sources told TIMES NOW that Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the national aviation authority in America, has issued a safety alert for its operators - a move that could have far-reaching implications for Indian airlines.

Lockheed Martin to close plant; 57 jobs lost

MANATEE COUNTY - Lockheed Martin Corp. plans to close its Gyrocam Systems plant in southern Manatee County later this winter, eliminating 57 local jobs.

The giant defense contractor notified state employment officials last week that it was permanently shutting down the plant on March 15.

A company spokeswoman said Friday that 22 of the employees will transfer to plants in Orlando or Ocala, where the Gyrocam work is being absorbed.

Gyrocam's long-range optical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance — or "ISR" — products have been used primarily on ground vehicles by the U.S. Army, Marine Corps and Air Force.

In September the company announced it had won a $333 million, two-year contract to provide spare and repair parts for the systems it had created for the Army that can spot roadside and other threats.

Gyrocam, then known as Aerial Films Inc., moved here from New Jersey in 2000. At the time, the company focused on a zoom video camera system stabilized by a gyroscope and mounted on the bellies of TV news helicopters.

After beefing up the systems with night vision and thermal imaging, the renamed Gyrocam expanded into defense work. Bethesda, Md.-based Lockheed bought the company in 2009.

http://www.heraldtribune.com

FedEx Donates Jet Engine to Lewis University: Once part of an Airbus A310, the engine will be used in classes teaching aviation maintenance

Lewis University’s Aviation Department received a Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7R4 engine as a donation from the FedEx Express Air Operations based in Memphis, Tenn.

The engine was previously used on an Airbus A310. Aviation Maintenance students will utilize the engine for various training exercises. The Pratt & Whitney JT9D was the first high bypass ratio jet engine to power a wide-body aircraft.

Richard Ugarte, Managing Director at FedEx, personally delivered and presented the engine during a reception on Monday, Jan. 14 in the university’s hangar.

Surrounded by Lewis University faculty and students, Ugarte spoke about his experience working on the engine and the future of aviation. He said that technology is changing the industry and that students with technological skills are invaluable to organizations in the field. Ugarte praised the Aviation Maintenance students and discussed how retirements as well as industry changes are dramatically increasing demand for aviation maintenance professionals.

Brother James Gaffney, FSC, President of Lewis University, highlighted the university’s pioneer aviation program and spoke about the advancements in the field and opportunities for education.

“Aviation is a legacy program here at Lewis University. We are continuously seeking ways to supplement classroom learning by providing our students with hands-on experience to apply what they learn in the classroom,” Gaffney said.

In 2009, FedEx also donated a Pratt and Whitney JT8D-15AQM engine. The engine is still in use in the Aviation Maintenance program.

The Aviation reception also showcased recent improvements in the Aviation Building where updated furnishings have been added to labs, workshops and classrooms in an ongoing transformation of aviation facilities.

Plans also call for refurbishing the large hangar that anchors the Aviation Building and adjoining Harold E. White Aviation Center on the Lewis main campus in Romeoville.

Since 1932, Lewis University has been a leader in the field of aviation education, preparing students from around the world to succeed in the aviation industries. An on-site airport, experienced and industry-leading faculty, personalized learning, degree programs that provide specialized experience and a well-rounded business, management and liberal arts education have made Lewis University’s aviation program one of the most respected in Illinois.

Lewis University provides aviation programs in Flight Management, Administration, Maintenance, Security and Air Traffic Control. Lewis is one of 31 institutions in the country certified by the FAA to offer the Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative Program.

Story and Photos: http://romeoville.patch.com

Gambling on airplanes, stalled at takeoff?

(CNN) -- Two French aviation design studios are betting on gambling in the air.

Jean-Pierre Alfano of AirJet Designs and Frédérique Houssard, the founder of Designescence, have teamed up to create the Casino Jet Lounge, a luxe bar-cum-casino they hope will one day become standard on long-haul commercial flights. The Casino Jet Lounge features trendy seating, a drinks area and a blackjack table.

"We're trying to bring back the glamor of the '50s and '60s a little bit; the kind you see in the James Bond movies," says Houssard.

The concept is relatively new (launched last October), so as of now, Houssard and Alfano are still in talks with various airlines.

The idea of in-flight gambling may seem like a new one, principally because no airline is currently doing it. But in reality, the concept has been around for decades.

Singapore Airlines took gambling up in the air in 1981, when they installed lightweight slot machines in the aisles on a flight that operated between Singapore and San Francisco. It was an experiment that lasted a mere two months. The company admits the machines posed "an operational challenge", and had them removed.

In the 1990s, Swissair installed gambling software that allowed passengers to bet up to $350 on a variety of casino classics, including poker, keno and blackjack. It seemed other carriers were going to follow suit, that is, until a Swissair plane crashed in 1998. Air crash investigators implicated a failure of the jet's in-flight entertainment system as a reason for the disaster.

However, the idea of in-flight gambling re-emerged a few years ago. Virgin Atlantic Airways tycoon Richard Branson announced in 2005 that a handful of recently purchased A380 planes would include double beds and in-flight casinos.

"You'll have two ways to get lucky on a Virgin flight," he joked with The New York Times.

The company seems to have backtracked since then.

"Casinos were just an idea, along with many other ideas we talked about a few years ago," a Virgin spokesman told CNN. "Truthfully, we did not really get any further with it."

They declined to comment as to why they didn't ultimately implement casinos on their A380s.

Ryanair announced in 2004 that it would introduce gambling through an in-flight entertainment system, though this too has yet to come to fruition. Ryanair's head of communications, Stephen McNamara, said the company still hopes to do so in the future.

"We don't have the technology in place at the moment, but hopefully we will in the next two or three years," he says. "Really, the reason we don't currently is based on the expense of the Wi-Fi technology that would be required for it. We're waiting for the price to come down."

Aside from the initial investment, there are several other barriers to introducing casinos on airplanes. For starters, as more carriers are unrolling Wi-Fi on their flights, passengers could feasibly just gamble online from their mobile devices. One wonders if this wouldn't defeat the purpose of airlines investing in their own gaming systems.

McNamara says that Ryanair plans to combat the issue by ultimately offering "closed loop" Wi-Fi, so that passengers will have to go through the airline's own system to gamble.

Houssard and Alfano also don't see online gambling as competition to their own concept.

"When you're gambling on your screen, or on your phone, you're still cramped with other people. If you get out of your seat and enter another space with your friends and colleagues, it gives you a completely different experience," notes Alfano.

"When you're on a 14-hour flight, even when you're in business class, all you can really do is eat, drink, watch movies and sleep. The Casino Jet Lounge isn't just a bar or entertainment idea. We see it as a social space."

It's difficult to imagine that airlines would be willing to give over potential passenger space (and the fares that come with it) to a social arena, but Alfano says if designed properly, there shouldn't be a conflict.

"Most big aircrafts have crew rest areas and lavatories in the cargo area down below. The space could be easily rearranged to include a social space, without representing a loss of revenue," he says.

The biggest obstacle to in-flight gambling, however, is a legal one. Since 1994, gambling has been prohibited in U.S. airspace. Still, Houssard believes that this might change in the future.

"A few years ago, it was forbidden to play games for money on the internet. It was not open then, but now you can play online. A lot of things are changing."

Story and Reaction/Comments: http://www.cnn.com

Baku Adopts Law to Shoot Down Civilian Aircraft

BAKU, YEREVAN (Combined Sources)—Azerbaijan’s cabinet on Friday issued document on use of airspace, which allows official Baku to shoot down civilian aircraft deemed to violate Azeri airspace, reported APA news agency.

The document, the use of which is obviously intended to thwart plans to open the airport in Stepanakert, allow the government of Azerbaijan to declare certain areas “banned zones and limited zones,” hence allowing the government to randomly shoot down aircraft it deems in violation of Azeri airspace.

“If the aircraft does not obey orders to land and there is no exact information about innocent passengers onboard, the legislation permits the government to shoot down the aircraft,” reported APA.

Armenia fired back by saying that its Air Force will ensure the safety of Stepanakert Airport.

Armenia’s Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian told reporters Friday ”The Armenian Air Force will run the operation and flights of civil aircraft,” and will be ready to defend and ensure the safety of flights.

Stepanakert airport was built in 1974 and was mostly used to accommodate flights from Yerevan and Baku. In 1992 the airport ceased operations. In 2008 work began on the construction of a new passenger terminal resembling stretched wings of an eagle. In the course of this period the runway was also expanded, by leveling several adjacent hills and completely modernized the facility.

Since official Stepanakert’s announcement of its intention to open the newly rebuilt Stepanakert airport, Baku has threatened to down civilian planes. International mediators have urged a diplomatic solution to the issue.

Baku’s cabinet decision Friday signals that Azerbaijan and its authorities are unwilling to work under international norms and are determined to cause harm to civilians at their random discretion.

On a lighter note, the Artsakh Public Television and the Voice of Artsakh Musical Society have produced a skit, which was entirely shot at the Stepanakert airport.

After airing the segment, the television station was flooded with calls from viewers who wanted to know whether the airport has, in fact, become operational.

Source: http://asbarez.com

F-22 training flight schedule announced

LAS CRUCES — Holloman Air Force Base officials announced Friday the F-22A Raptor training flying schedule for next week.

Las Cruces and southern New Mexico residents should be aware that possible sonic booms, from the training flights, could occur from 7 a.m. until 9:30 a.m., and 11 a.m.to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Sonic booms are also possible from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Jan. 25.

No training flights are scheduled Monday, or on Jan. 26 and Jan. 27. However, schedules can change based on a variety of reasons.

Scheduled training flight times do not always mean sonic booms will occur.

For more information on the Internet, go to Holloman's website: www.holloman.af.mil; Holloman's Facebook page, www.facebook.com/HollomanonFB; or follow Holloman on Twitter, @HollomanAFB.

http://www.lcsun-news.com

Alaska Airlines basing attendants in San Diego

SEATTLE (AP) — Alaska Airlines says it will open a base in San Diego in April for more than 150 flight attendants.

It will be the fifth such base for the airline, which also centers flight attendants at Anchorage, Los Angeles, Portland and Seattle, where Alaska is based.

A San Diego base will reduce employee travel costs and improve on-time performance by reducing commuting.

The airline says about 15 percent of the flight attendants needed for the new base already live in San Diego and have been commuting to Los Angeles or other airports.

http://www.mynews4.com

Plane makes Logan International Airport (KBOS) landing after cabin pressure issue

BOSTON —A Newark-bound flight was diverted to Logan Airport after a pressurization issue on Friday.

United Airlines Flight 121 from Barcelona landed safely at Logan at 3:03 p.m., according to FlightAware.com.

After the pressurization issue, the 757 plane descended to 10,000 feet. United said no oxygen masks deployed to passengers.

The 757 was carrying 113 passengers and seven crew at the time of the incident, according to United.

Passengers said they were advised before departure that a different type of aircraft was being used for Friday's flight and it would make a stop in Goose Bay, Canada, to refuel.

After clearing customs at Logan, passengers will board another United plane and continue to Newark.

NewsCenter 5 and wcvb.com will have more details as they are available.

Fog diverts early morning flights from Salt Lake City International Airport (KSLC), Utah

Eleven flights had to be diverted from the Salt Lake City International Airport early Friday because of low visibility caused by fog, according to an airport spokeswoman.

All other early morning arrivals and departures at the airport were delayed because of the weather, according to Barbara Gann.

Gann added that the fog had cleared up by late morning and operations were back to normal.

The National Weather Service issued a hazardous weather outlook Friday that called for patchy, dense fog under the strong valley inversions through north west and central Utah.

Foggy conditions are expected to resume Friday night. The inversions are expected to remain through Tuesday of next week, but a Pacific storm system could bring some snow and "a brief period of improved air quality late next week," the outlook predicts.

Source: http://www.sltrib.com

Pentagon grounds Marine Corps version of F-35 fighter jet

Jan 18 (Reuters) - The Pentagon and U.S. Navy on Friday ordered a temporary grounding of the Marine Corps version of Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35 fighter jet after an incident that occurred during a training flight at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida on Wednesday.

The Pentagon's F-35 program office said the grounding affected all 25 F-35B model jets, while flights of the Air Force's A-model and the Navy's C-model were unaffected. Ground operations of the B-model planes continued.

The program office said the grounding was ordered after a propulsion line associated with the B-model's exhaust system failed prior to takeoff. The pilot aborted the takeoff without incident and cleared the runway, the program office said in a statement. There were no injuries to the pilot or ground crew.

http://www.reuters.com

Wings over Wairarapa: Old Mosquito adds to buzz as airshow set for take off

Wings over Wairarapa airshow director Tom Williams and event organizer Liz Pollock at Hood Aerodrome yesterday.

LYNDA FERINGA

Vintage aviators say it's a sound known to make grown men cry.

The rare De Havilland Mosquito fighter bomber, a two-seater Spitfire and a P40 Kittyhawk were at Masterton's Hood Aerodrome yesterday ahead of the biennial Wings over Wairarapa event which kicks off today.

A crowd gathered yesterday to watch the trio of planes take off to fly circuits around Wellington. People from the capital city have traditionally been big supporters of the airshow.

Event manager Liz Pollock said the Mosquito was the star of the show. "The Mosquito is unique because it's the only one in the world. The noise of the Merlin engine has been known to make grown men cry."

The Mosquito was reconstructed by Avspecs in Auckland. Airshow director Tom William said they spent months negotiating with American owner Jerry Yagen to bring the aircraft to Masterton.

Hugh Cunningham, of Brisbane, contacted Avspecs about the plane last month. He sponsored the plane to bring it to Masterton and was offered the spare seat on the flight from Auckland.

He said it was an amazing experience. "It's a beautiful machine. There's something about it," he said.

Ms Pollock said the 70 other aircraft at the show were impressive in their own way, and organizers were looking forward to the event. "We're certainly on track for it to be the biggest Wings over Wairarapa show that we've ever had."

Story and Photo: http://www.times-age.co.nz

Wairarapa air show to host last WWII plane of its kind

The eighth annual Wings Over Wairarapa air show will this year play host to the world's only working Mosquito - a wooden plane used during WWII.

Up to 30,000 people are expected at this weekend's event where the rare Mosquito will be the biggest drawcard among the 70 planes on display.

The Mosquito was constructed by cabinet-makers almost entirely from wood during the 1940s and was affectionately known as the "Mossie" by its crew members, who flew the planes in two-man crews.

"The Mosquito was a marvellous plane in terms of speed and manoeuvrability," former Royal Airforce pilot Les Munro told ONE News.

Munro was a pilot in the Royal Air Force 97 bomber squadron and hasn't flown a Mosquito since 1944.

"It's a very emotional aircraft," said Tom Williams, director of the Wings Over Wairarapa air show. "The New Zealanders, the Australians, and the Brits - pretty much all of the Commonwealth airforce flew these aircraft, and they are just pretty special airplanes."

The Mossie will be the centrepiece in some spectacular formation flying throughout the weekend.

"The two Vampires and the Venom are going to formate together," said Williams. "And also the two Vampires and the Mosquito are going to formate together.

"That's absolutely unique. That won't happen anywhere else in the world," he said.

Story and Video: http://tvnz.co.nz

Mayor: Planning for 2010 air show will save money for 2013 edition - St Cloud Regional Airport (KSTC), Minnesota

St. Cloud’s costs to stage this summer’s scheduled air show shouldn’t be as high as in 2010.

Mayor Dave Kleis said much of the planning done for the 2010 show will be used to organize this summer’s show and won’t have to be redone.

“A lot of things don’t have to be reinvented,” he said.

The U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels precision flying team will return July 20-21 to St. Cloud Regional Airport to headline the show. The Central Minnesota Council of the Boy Scouts of America will be putting on the event. The group will be required to pay for all city-incurred costs.

Townsquare Media backed the 2010 show. In 2010, St. Cloud received about $161,000 to pay for city services used for the air show. Those costs included improvements made to the airport, officer time to staff the event and time spent to plan for the event.

More than 70,000 people attended the air show in June 2010.

Kleis said the city will have a contract with the Boy Scouts to make sure all city costs are covered. The city had a similar contract with Townsquare Media.

Story and Reaction/Comments: http://www.sctimes.com

Aviation shame for India: 4 pilots under scanner for fudging records

New Delhi: Four Indian pilots have been suspended for fudging records by international civil aviation bodies. The pilots belong to two airlines who may face action by the international body. This revelation is not a good news for Indian civil aviation industry as it might face sanctions from the international body.

A high-level inquiry has been set up at the level of Indian Civil Aviation Ministry. Meanwhile, the international bodies are reviewing the records of suspended pilots.

As India faces a downgrade threat which would mean that Indian flights may be restricted, Indian's Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh has called the issue 'serious'.

A GM-level officer has also been suspended.

The aviation sector has been languishing under huge financial crisis with leading airlines running into loss. Vijay Mallaya's Kingfisher Airlines has already been stripped from license after may of its flights got cancelled after selling tickets. This issue may further the problems of troubled civil aviation in India.

Source: http://daily.bhaskar.com

Maker of Sport Aircraft Moving to Bartow Municipal Airport (KBOW), Florida

BARTOW | A new business will be landing in Bartow in March.

Phil McCoy, president and CEO of Light Sport America, announced Thursday that his company has purchased the assets of Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR StormAircraft, and will be relocating its factory to Bartow Municipal Airport.

McCoy made the announcement at the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, where LSA is displaying the Storm Rally, one of the planes that will be manufactured in the Bartow factory, today and Saturday.

"The acquisition of StormAircraft will enable LSA to offer America's only full line of U.S. built sport aircraft," McCoy said in a prepared release.

LSA also purchased the assets of Florida Aircraft Painting Inc. and Florida Aircraft Supply, which are located at Bartow Municipal.

The purchase includes a 36,000-square-foot aviation complex on 6 acres at the airport.

According to McCoy, LSA will continue to operate the painting business in a 60-by-60-foot building, while using the 150-by-151 foot hangar and offices to build aircraft.

McCoy said he hopes to hire about 70 employees during its first year of operation in Bartow, and hopes to have as many as 125 employees by 2016.

Director of Bartow Municipal Airport Cindy Barrow said McCoy came to her a couple years ago with a vision of what he wanted to do, but at that time lacked the funding to move forward.

In the latter part of 2012, McCoy came back with his ducks in a row.

"He has been working really hard to get all of this together," Barrow said.

"I'm hoping that it brings in some jobs and that he can survive through these tough economic times."

The Federal Aviation Administration predicts that 50 percent of all general aviation aircraft sold in the United States between now and 2020 will be light sport aircraft, which translates to about 6,600 sales.

LSA plans to manufacture and sell four StormAircraft models: the all-composite Storm Rally, the Rally Amphibious, the all-metal Century and the Century Conventional.

The models will range in price from $99,000 to $117,000, and the factory will also produce several Storm kits, including the Fury, Fury RG and 400.

McCoy said StormAircraft has been in business for 30 years and sold more than 3,000 aircrafts.

Giovanni Salsedo, the founder of StormAircraft, will be moving to the United States to assist in the company's transition, and will remain on board as vice president of LSA.

Barrow said the new factory is an exciting opportunity for the Bartow Airport and Bartow as a whole.

"We're just anxious to meet the time line," she said. "The lease hasn't been signed yet, but between now and March a lot can happen."

Brian Hinton, chairman of the Bartow Committee of a Hundred, echoed Barrow's sentiments, and said the committee is looking forward to the city's new addition.

"We think it's a real positive for Bartow all around," Hinton said.

"It's filling vacant space up there. Over the years there has been a lot of different industry at the airport, and this just enhances that group.

"This has the potential to create more jobs and more traffic, so from an economics standpoint, we're excited."

Story and Reaction/Comments: http://www.theledger.com

Should seaplanes be allowed on Waldo Lake? It's under discussion

A proposal would make permanent a set of temporary rules allowing aircraft to land and take off at the lake

The state is getting ready to set permanent rules for how seaplanes can use Waldo Lake, and state Department of Aviation officials want public comment.

The department has set a public hearing in Springfield for Jan. 31.

The state has banned motorboats on the lake for a couple of years, but seaplanes would be allowed under the proposed rules.

Lake users have fought for years over engines on Waldo, a pristine body of water high in the Cascade Range north of Highway 58.

Kayakers, canoers, environmentalists and other advocates of a ban largely won the war last spring, when the state Marine Board voted 3-2 to keep its ban on motorboat internal combustion engines on Waldo.

The vote came after the board was inundated with comments supporting the ban. A small number of people had been pushing for the board to allow engines.

For decades, authorities had allowed engines on the lake, with a speed limit. For years, the U.S. Forest Service had tried to implement a ban on engines on the lake, but was thwarted by a small number of motorboat advocates who waged legal appeals. The fight then shifted over to the Marine Board.

No one has filed legal challenges against last April’s Marine Board vote, said board spokeswoman Ashley Massey.

However, the Marine Board ban doesn’t cover aircraft. In April, the board specifically exempted seaplanes from the ban, leaving that matter to the state Aviation Board, which sets policy for the Aviation Department.

The state Aviation Board last summer put in place temporary rules regulating seaplane use of the lake.

During last summer, six seaplanes used the lake, said Mitch Swecker, aviation department director.

Now, the Aviation Board wants to make the rules permanent, he said. Before doing that, it needs to gather public sentiment.

Already, the department has received a few e-mails asking for the agency to ban seaplanes, and a few from seaplane supporters, Swecker said.

Under the proposed permanent rules — which are much the same as the temporary rules — the state would:

Ban the use of Waldo for pilot training.

Limit planes to landing or taking off between 8 a.m. or 30 minutes after sunrise, whichever is later, and 8 p.m., or 30 minutes before sunset, whichever is earlier.

Restrict landings to the eastern half of the lake.

Ban high-power taxiing in the water, except where required for safety.

Require pilots to look for and remove invasive species from their aircraft before using the lake.

Require pilots to notify the department whenever they use the lake.

Swecker said that before approving final rules, the agency wants to gather more information about invasive species and what procedures pilots would need to follow to ensure that their floats didn’t bring invasive species into the lake.

Swecker said his agency doesn’t know how much the lake has been used over the years by seaplanes.

Before last year’s temporary rules, the state didn’t require pilots to report whether they landed on the lake.

“Now with that data in hand, we’ll do permanent rulemaking,” he said.

WALDO Lake
PUBLIC HEARING

When/where: Jan. 31, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Ken Long Conference Room, Willamalane Center, 250 S. 32nd St., Springfield

More information: Contact state Aviation Department at 503-378-4880 or toll-free at 800-874-0102

On the web: www.oregon.gov/aviation

Source: http://www.registerguard.com

Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (KFLL), Florida: A top spot for aviation photographers

Photo Credit: Taimy Alavrez, SunSentinel

They try to capture the most exotic big birds, and South Florida is one of their favorite haunts.

Hunters? No. These are aviation photographers, who call themselves "spotters," because they take pains to identify and shoot interesting and colorful airliners, corporate jets and military planes.

"It's a passion," said Eddy Gual, 70, of Miami, a retired freelance photographer, who has taken more than 200,000 photos of planes, and organized the shutterbugs under the Florida Aviation Photography Society about 23 years ago.

Coming from around the globe, including Japan, Australia and Germany, dozens of the spotters congregated on the roof of a parking garage at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International on Thursday and shot everything from small commuter planes to Airbus airliners.

"It's like bird watching, but instead we're looking for airplanes," said Manfred Turek, of Munich, Germany, who noted Fort Lauderdale airport is primo for the spotters because of its good vantage points and diverse operations.

"There's a large variety. You get the Canadian aircraft, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue and the Latin American traffic," added Suresh Atapattu, of Plantation, a biomedical engineer.

Armed with expensive Cannon and Nikon digital cameras and lots of long lenses, the photographers also shoot at Palm Beach and Miami International airports, as well as smaller general aviation airports.

Joe Pries, who drove nine hours from North Carolina to join the photo-fray on Thursday, said South Florida airports are usually drenched in sunlight, "and the sun's angle is critical for photographers."

John K. Morton, 78, of West Yorkshire, England, has vacationed in South Florida for 35 years to shoot airplanes. He also has published 14 picture books, featuring many of his 60,000 photos.

"I used to take pictures of steam trains in England, but in 1968 they stopped running those," he said. "I just started taking photos of planes, and it went from there."

Now that most photography is digital, many of the spotters display their work on websites, such as Airliners.net or have their own links. For instance Victor Lopez, of Miami, administrates NetAirSpace.com.

"I'm a third generation pilot, so it's in the blood," said Lopez, a quality control director for an aircraft company.

The photographers on Friday plan to tour Miami International Airport and hold their annual convention, where they will swap and sell their photos at prices ranging from 50 cents to hundreds of dollars.

Much like bird or train spotters, some try to capture entire collections of aircraft, for instance, every plane in an airline's fleet, or every Boeing 757 ever built. They also covet older planes on the verge of retiring.

Story and Photo: http://articles.sun-sentinel.com

FAA OKs request to privatize Chicago Midway International Airport (KMDW), Illinois

January 18, 2013 (CHICAGO) -- Federal authorities have given a green light to Chicago to press ahead with plans to privatize Midway International Airport.

The Federal Aviation Administration says Friday in a statement that the city "can take the next steps to select a private airport operator" after the agency accepted a preliminary application to privatize Chicago's second largest airport.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel said last month he's seeking private bidders interested in leasing Midway for up to 40 years. He wants enough cash from the deal to pay off Midway's roughly $1.4 billion debt. There'd be a split of profits with the private operator.

Emanuel proposed a panel of City Council members, business leaders and labor representatives to oversee the process.

He says a "Traveler's Bill of Rights" would be part of any deal.

http://abclocal.go.com

Did the FAA give Boeing too much say in Dreamliner testing?

Now that the FAA has grounded the Boeing 787, a lot a people are wondering how the agency certified the airplane in the first place, especially considering the unproven and untested batteries it uses to power its electrical systems.

The FAA and Boeing spent years working out the kinks with these 63-pound, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, but the FAA didn't do most of the testing of the batteries, and certified them as safe for use based almost entirely on data created by Boeing.

The Wall Street Journal reports Boeing had the lead in certifying the safety and reliability of the batteries, and many analysts are now wondering if the FAA should have been more aggressive in its testing.

It's not unusual for the FAA to sign off on work and grant certification this way. It's actually the agency's standard. It doesn't have the people or the money to do this testing itself so it usually relies on companies to do most of the work and gathering of data.

Some experts are now saying that has to change as airplane manufacturers are using new technology and other unproven systems.

There's also some word on Capitol Hill that Congressional hearings into the FAA and the Dreamliner might be on the way.

Mark Rosenker is the former head of the NTSB and a CBS analyst. He doesn't believe the FAA cut any corners in certifying this airplane. "Who knows more about the aircraft than the manufacturer itself," he asked?

Rosenker said playing the blame game right now seems a little early to him. He said that can wait until Boeing, the FAA, the NTSB and everyone else investigating this battery problem finds-out exactly what's happening.

"I believe the FAA is quite competent to be able to regulate this industry."

He still believes Boeing and the Dreamliner will recover from this.

"This is not a show-stopper for this aircraft," Rosenker said. "This is just a very serious bump in the road that's going to have to be fixed, smoothed out, and we'll move-on from there."

All 50 in-service Dreamliners will remain on the ground for at least a week as the investigation continues. Meanwhile, Boeing plans to keep building its flagship jetliner while engineers try to solve battery problems that have grounded most of the 787 fleet.

Story and Reaction/Comments: http://mynorthwest.com

FAA Relied on Boeing-Generated Battery Data

Updated January 18, 2013, 3:11 a.m. ET

By ANDY PASZTOR and JON OSTROWER

The Wall Street Journal

In approving Boeing Co.'s 787 Deamliner to start carrying passengers in 2011, the Federal Aviation Administration relied extensively on data generated by Boeing that indicated the plane's advanced lithium-ion battery systems—never used before on a big jetliner—featured redundant safeguards that were essentially foolproof.

Such reliance on manufacturers in certifying new planes is the standard approach for the agency, which today oversees the safest airline fleet in history. But barely days after vouching for the jet's safety, the FAA's about-face is focusing renewed attention on how cutting-edge aircraft are brought into service.

The agency decided Wednesday to halt Dreamliner flights in the U.S. after two major battery malfunctions aboard the aircraft, and regulators around the world quickly followed its lead, essentially grounding all 50 Dreamliners now in airlines' fleets.

The aircraft-approval process has long been a give-and-take between manufacturer and regulator, with the two sides collaborating and sharing information. Compared with the industry, the FAA has neither the budget nor the expertise to do extensive testing on its own. Instead, it often designates company teams to do the bulk of the work, with FAA participation and oversight.

FAA officials approved the Dreamliner's battery technology based on such an arrangement and, according to people familiar with the matter, ended up largely accepting the technical and engineering analyses submitted by the Chicago-based plane maker and its supplier partners. Ultimately, Boeing itself effectively had the lead in certifying the safety and reliability of the batteries.

The FAA Wednesday grounded all flights of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner after two major battery malfunctions on its flagship jets. WSJ's Jon Ostrower and Former U.S. DOT Inspector General Mary Schiavo discuss on the News Hub. Photo: Getty Images.

During 200,000 hours of testing on the ground and in the air before the 787 was certified by the FAA in summer 2011, battery-safety issues apparently didn't prompt a significant re-evaluation by senior FAA officials, these people said. The initial 2007 decision to authorize use of the novel battery systems didn't change, though outside safety experts now say the FAA should have been more aggressive in its scrutiny.

The difference with the Dreamliner, according to government and industry officials, is that Boeing was in basically uncharted territory in developing the rechargeable-battery systems.

"The biggest question out there," according to Kitty Higgins, a former member of the National Transportation Safety Board, "is whether the FAA's certification systems and processes are where they need to be for this new world."

A spokeswoman for the FAA said it routinely "grants authority to an organization with demonstrated qualifications and technical expertise to perform approved certification functions on behalf of the agency," adding that testing plans and personnel must be preapproved by regulators. "We provide rigorous oversight," she said, and the FAA "will revoke the authority" if there is any evidence the system is compromised.

"We are confident in the regulatory process that has been applied to the 787 since its design inception," said Boeing spokesman Marc Birtel. "With this airplane, the FAA conducted its most robust certification process ever."

Investors have reacted to Boeing's problems warily, but not with panic. On Thursday, its shares were up 1.2% at $75.26 in 4 p.m. trading on the New York Stock Exchange, after falling more than 3% Wednesday ahead of the FAA's announcement that it was suspending Dreamliner flights. The stock has dropped 3.1% since an auxiliary-power battery aboard a parked Dreamliner operated by Japan Airlines Co. 9201.TO -0.95% caught fire on Jan. 7, triggering widespread concern.

"Any investor that totally overlooks this would be irrational. I think you have to look at the scope of it," says Greg Houser, chief investment officer at Chinook Capital Management LLC, which owns Boeing shares. Mr. Houser said that if the issue is localized to the battery, "then the faster it will be rectified."

If the FAA clears the aircraft to begin flying again soon with a simple modification, any damage to Boeing could be limited to its reputation. If the delay runs longer, it could disrupt Boeing's carefully choreographed increase in production aimed at doubling its output of Dreamliners to 10 a month by the end of the year—a timetable that analysts already had said was ambitious. If resolving the problems permanently requires Boeing to significantly redesign the 787's advanced electrical system, that could also cause delays.

The main risk for Boeing ahead of any potential design changes, said David Strauss, aerospace analyst at UBS Research, is that jets pile up awaiting delivery, potentially hurting the company's cash flow.

The FAA's move to ground 787s also could affect production if Boeing isn't able to get the FAA's approval to test-fly undelivered Dreamliners. Boeing 's Mr. Birtel said the company is in discussions with the agency seeking clearance to fly undelivered 787s on production test flights—which need to be done before an aircraft is delivered, and could cause a bottleneck to getting new Dreamliners into customer hands.

For now, Boeing and the FAA are working on interim operational and maintenance changes aimed at allowing airlines to get their 787s quickly back into service. If final FAA approval comes as easily as some industry and government officials hope, most of the grounded planes could resume flying by early next week.

Steps under discussion include changing pre-takeoff checklists requiring pilots to verify that battery systems are operating normally, according to government and industry officials knowledgeable about the details. Other interim safety measures proposed by Boeing, these officials said, include enhanced in-flight checks of battery health, as well as ground inspections that would consist of manually removing both of the 63-pound batteries from the aircraft to ensure they aren't leaking or damaged.

Made out of lightweight carbon-fiber composites, the Dreamliner relies more heavily on electrical systems than previous generations of jetliners, for everything from cabin pressurization to brakes.

Regulators increasingly depend on manufacturers to provide design and engineering justifications in the approval process required before any new aircraft enters service. The procedure typically assumes industry has the requisite expertise to take the lead. The FAA, given its limited resources, works cooperatively with manufacturers and relies on them to provide federal decision makers with appropriate, accurate data.

As a result, approvals for many routine aircraft systems effectively are delegated to manufacturers, with FAA officials basically reviewing those efforts. Ultimately, formal sign-off for the entire plane comes from the FAA.

"This is the standard way to certify aircraft," according to Robert Francis, former vice chairman of the NTSB. And the process has been effective over the years, making the FAA and U.S. airlines global leaders in devising ways to track incidents and in-service safety problems, in order to verify that the original design assumptions were correct.

Regulators recognized early that the Dreamliner's rechargeable lithium-ion batteries presented new and special potential hazards. The officials and Boeing understood that mitigating those dangers posed broad technical and policy questions.

The FAA and Boeing spent years developing special protections in case the batteries, their chargers or associated wiring went haywire. The mandated safeguards included hardware and software able to automatically disconnect batteries from the onboard electrical grid in case of unexpected problems; and additional protections to prevent overheating or overcharging even if the automatic-disconnect system failed.

In hindsight, Mr. Francis said in an interview, senior FAA officials should have decided " 'there's a lot we don't know yet about this technology,' " and "they should have done something differently."

Through a spokesman, Marion Blakey, who ran the FAA while nearly all of the battery-certification work was done, declined to comment. She is now chief executive of the Aerospace Industries Association, a trade and lobbying organization.

A spokesman for Thales SA, which supplied the integrated battery systems, declined to comment

The FAA grounded the Dreamliner after a malfunction Wednesday on an All Nippon Airways Co. 787 burned portion of the plane's main battery, its wiring and two circuit boards, prompting an emergency landing and evacuation. That came just over a week after the fire on the Japan Airlines 787 while it was parked at a gate in Boston, which melted the bolts attaching the auxiliary battery to an equipment rack.

Even last Friday, when the FAA launched a comprehensive review of 787's design and manufacturing, FAA chief Michael Huerta reassured passengers by saying "we are confident about the safety" of the jet. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said "I would have absolutely no reservation in boarding one of these planes."

Some safety experts predict fallout from the 787 grounding will roil FAA headquarters and spark major changes among its far-flung offices, much as in previous decades when the agency changed course following lengthy controversies over the safety of low-fare airlines and Boeing 737 rudders.

As in those earlier controversies, arguments over the adequacy of the FAA's 787 oversight are bound to persist. On Capitol Hill, some lawmakers already are preparing to hold hearings. And the NTSB, which has assembled industry-government teams to investigate both battery-fire incidents, is expected to delve into certification issues.

Boeing and FAA may be forced to consider potential longer-term solution that include installing extra shielding or a different design for the compartments that hold the powerful Dreamliner batteries, according to some safety experts.

The FAA also is likely to look at manufacturing quality controls for the systems. The urgency of protecting the plane from smoldering or burning power packs is heightened by the fact that the batteries can't simply be left disconnected until necessary fixes are made. That's because the 787's main lithium battery serves as the primary source of electricity for some key systems when the jetliner is flying.

Beyond the Dreamliner, the impending debate over certification and batteries could have a big impact on other aircraft. Some Gulfstream business jets, for example, have FAA approval to use onboard lithium-ion batteries in a different way than the 787. After a fire last year, the FAA separately issued an emergency directive ordering lithium ion batteries removed from more than 40 Cessna aircraft.

Source: http://online.wsj.com