St. Petersburg files lawsuit against former operator at Albert Whitted Airport (KSPG), Florida

ST. PETERSBURG— The battle between the city and the former operator of the Albert Whitted Airport is now in court.

City lawyers recently filed a lawsuit against locally-based Bay Air Flying Service for $122,026 in unpaid rent, fuel flowage fees, stormwater charges and late fees and interest, records show.

The city ended its 30-year relationship with Bay Air and its owner, Ron Methot, in November.

Methot could not be reached to comment.

The lawsuit contends Methot didn't pay rent on a hangar between November 2007 and December 2010. The stormwater charges were accrued between September 2009 and June 2011.

The other charges were incurred this year.

The city sought a new operator after Methot racked up late fees, fines and interest on its monthly lease. Methot blamed the bad economy and the city's bad billing practices for much of the debt.

Sheltair Aviation Services of Fort Lauderdale now manages the city-owned airport.

Source:  http://www.tampabay.com

Flight instructor sentenced to jail

 

Paul and Linda Spencer had just returned from holiday when they died

 

Crash Site

 

Ian King

 
A flight instructor has been jailed for six months for lying to get a license for a millionaire client who later died in a crash.

Ian King was found guilty last month of signing off inaccurate training records for Paul Spencer.

Mr Spencer and his wife Linda died in the crash at Rudding Park, near Harrogate, in January 2008.

King, 53, of Burns Way, Clifford, West Yorkshire, was sentenced by a judge at Leeds Crown Court.

The trial heard that the former Army captain had recorded that Mr Spencer had completed 51 training flying hours against the Civil Aviation Authority's demanded minimum of 45 hours.

'Utter disregard'

Following the crash, a record of Mr Spencer's flying experience was discovered among his papers that was different from the hours recorded in the official log submitted for his license.

King's trial heard he knew it was false, but certified it to fast-track the process for his student, displaying an "utter disregard" for aviation rules.

The jury found him guilty of making a false representation with intent to deceive the Civil Aviation Authority.

Judge Tom Bayliss said King cut corners and was uncooperative throughout the investigation.

He said: "Mr Spencer's logbook was a work of fiction. The missing exercises are difficult exercises, exercises carried out at the end of the training period.

"Your purpose was to deceive the Civil Aviation Authority into granting Paul Spencer a private pilot's licence.

"Your attitude, it seems to me, was one of complete and utter disregard for the Civil Aviation Authority's rules, put in place by them to protect public safety.

"Your actions have cost you dear. You have lost your livelihood. You will never instruct again."

Mr Spencer, 43, and his wife, 59, from Brighouse, had just returned from a holiday in the Caribbean when they were killed.

The couple, who ran Country Baskets, a business which sold dried flowers, were regular visitors to the Rudding Park Hotel.

Source:   http://www.bbc.co.uk

Ian King

A flight instructor who lied to obtain a helicopter license for a multimillionaire who killed himself and his wife in a chopper crash just weeks later has been jailed for six months.

Ian King, 53, was found guilty of making a false statement to the Civil Aviation Authority with intent to deceive, after he certified that Paul Spencer had complied with all the training requirements and flown the required amount of hours.

Wealthy Paul Spencer, 43, the boss of Country Baskets, crashed his 250,000-pounds Westland Gazelle in the grounds of the plush Rudding Park Hotel in Harrogate, North Yorks, on January 26, 2008 - just weeks after his license was granted in December 2007. He and his wife Linda, 59, died.

A jury had been told that Mr Spencer obtained his licence after King falsely certified to the authority that his student had complied with all the training requirements and flown the required amount of hours.

The trial heard how a record of Mr Spencer’s flying experience found in his papers was different to the hours recorded in the official flying log submitted for the license.

Today at Leeds Crown Court, King was jailed for six months by Judge Tom Bayliss QC, who told him: “The deliberate deception which you perpetrated was crucial in obtaining the pilot’s license.

“Your actions risked putting an inexperienced individual at the helm of a helicopter. Mr Spencer’s logbook was a work of fiction.

“Whether or not it was Paul Spencer’s inexperience that lead to the crash is immaterial. We simply do not know what caused his accident.

“But as an instructor you enjoyed a privileged position. You were in a position of trust. You participated in a deceitful and successful attempt to procure a license.”

The court also heard that King had a previous conviction for CAA breaches and has been banned from being an instructor since 2009.

To which Judge Bayliss commented: “These convictions demonstrates a propensity to act in a cavalier manner towards the authority regulating your profession.”

Martin Goudie, prosecuting at the trial, said that an investigation was made after the crash and among Mr Spencer’s papers a personal unofficial flying log was found suggesting he had not flown the required hours and that some of the hours he had flown were before November 19, the date he was licensed to begin his training.

Mr Goudie said: “Mr Spencer’s logbook - which was verified by Mr King - stated that he had flown for 51 hours which was more than the 45 hours required to obtain a license.

“However, a personal flying sheet - which Mr Spencer kept - recorded a different set of hours which would have left him unqualified to fly.

“When you look at the solo hours flown - which is one requirement of being able to gain a license - according to Mr Spencer’s records the amount totals 8.6 hours rather than the minimum requirement of 10.”

The court was also told that despite the log book showing Mr Spencer’s flying taking place only between November 19 and December 12 communication between the two men showed that flying had been taking place from the end of August before his logbook arrived.

When he finally got his logbook through, Mr Goudie claimed that King falsified the official logbook to make it appear Mr Spencer had completed the flying in the allotted time.

Jon Gregg, for King, of Wetherby, West Yorks, told the court that his client, a married father, was well respected within his community.

He added: “In my submission Mr King did not allow a novice to take to the skies. That is one thing that he did not do.”

A spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Authority said: “Flight Instructors have a duty to certify training truthfully and accurately.

“Following the tragic deaths of Paul and Linda Spencer, the CAA sought corroboration from Paul Spencer’s Instructor, Ian King, of his certification of Mr Spencer’s training.

“No corroboration was found and the decision was taken to prosecute Mr King for falsely certifying the training.”

Mr Spencer and his wife, of Brighouse, West York, ran Country Baskets, a business which sold dried flowers, and were regular visitors to Harrogate’s Rudding Park Hotel, which has recently been voted the number one hotel in the UK.

The hotel also ranked fourth worldwide and second for hotels in Europe in the  research by TripAdvisor.

The couple’s 250,000-pounds helicopter had previously been owned by DJ Neil Fox.

Story:   http://www.wetherbynews.co.uk

Warplane museum appeals for help: Lancaster repair costs soar

Hamilton’s Mynarski Memorial Avro Lancaster Mk X bomber needs all four engines overhauled, at a cost of roughly $500,000.

 (Ian Johnson, CBC)

Hamilton’s warplane museum is making a public plea for donations to help keep its famous World War II Lancaster bomber flying. 

“We expect the Lancaster to be flying at the June airshow,” says Al Mickeloff, spokesman for the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. “But there is a bit of urgency — we need to come up with the money to pay for the current engine, and there are three more that need to be done after that.”

It costs about half a million dollars a year and countless volunteer hours to do the regular maintenance on the Lancaster. Overhauling the four engines every few years costs an additional $500,000.

“Each engine on the aircraft has an 800 hour flight time before it requires a major overhaul,” museum president and CEO Dave Rohrer told CBC Hamilton.

That works out to an overhaul about every 15 years, based on the roughly 55 hours the museum currently flies the aircraft annually.

The museum has one spare Packard Merlin 224 engine for its four-engine Lancaster. As part of the overhaul schedule, the museum swaps out one engine at a time and sends it to a specialized shop in San Jose, Calif., for service.

When the engine is rebuilt and returned, it’s swapped for the next engine. This process continues until all four engines are finished.

The museum identified some premature metal wear in the No. 1 engine, Rohrer said, which was why it was the first one removed from the aircraft for servicing, but all four engines were due for an overhaul.

“Right now, all the engines are in their last stage of life. We need to secure funding to sequence through all four engines over the next 18 to 24 months so that we don’t interrupt our flying schedule,” said Rohrer, a retired RCAF officer who currently pilots Bombardier Global Express corporate jets and who is also one of the world's few pilots trained to fly the Lancaster.

The museum has to pay for the engine work up front, so it’s starting the fundraising drive now to get the money needed to finance the work it knows will have to be done in the coming months.

“If we were deficient in funding it could have the effect of putting the plane on the ground, and obviously nobody wants that to happen,” Rohrer said. “But if Canadians and the international and corporate communities respond as they have in the past, we should be able to continue to run without a noticeable stoppage in aircraft operations.”

Rohrer said the museum needs to raise the first $150,000 no later than May 1. It needs to secure another $150,000 by September, and the remaining $200,000 by the end of the year.

"A lot of Canadians, and people around the world, have such a huge emotional attachment to the Lancaster," Rohrer says. "It's an honour to be able to present this aircraft in a living way to those people, and this money is necessary to allow us to continue to do that."

Only two flying

The Lancaster in Hamilton is one of just two of the famous World War II bombers in the world that are still airworthy. The other is in the UK, owned by the Royal Air Force and flown out of Royal Air Force Coningsby in Lincolnshire.

“The Lancaster is the crown jewel of our collection,” Mickeloff said. “When we got it flying years ago, the museum changed – suddenly we became known as the museum with a flying Lancaster.”

But the costs of keeping the venerable bomber in the air have soared in recent years, making the Lancaster an extremely expensive flying exhibit.

“When we restored the Lancaster back in 1988, refurbishing an engine cost about $25,000. Now it’s at least $125,000 each,” Mickeloff said, and the price can top $150,000. “It’s a combination of things. Parts are rarer, people with the expertise to do the work are getting harder to find.”

He adds that some spare parts simply don't exist. Replacement Lancaster engine pistons, for example, aren’t made any more.

“Now we use pistons from Roush Racing, and I can tell you they aren’t cheap,” Mickeloff said.

Funding

Less than 1 per cent of the museum’s budget comes from the government. The rest is a combination of private memberships, corporate donations, and money raised through everything from airplane rides to renting out the museum for weddings.

"We stay in operation through our own ingenuity and creativity, and the generosity of donors," Rohrer says.

The cost of refurbishing the Lancaster’s engines has outstripped the museum’s ability to fund the work through regular donations, so it has turned to the public with its Lancaster Engine Fundraiser. Tax deductible donations can be made through the museum’s website.

People can also support the maintenance effort by becoming a member of the museum, Mickeloff said. By upgrading their membership to “crew member” (a limited number are sold each year at a cost of $2,500), they're eligible to book flights on museum aircraft — including a flight on the Lancaster.

“People come from all over the country, and all over the world, to fly in the Lancaster,” he said.

The last time the museum had to go to the public for financial help for the plane was 2009, when it needed $100,000 for new propellers.

“We were completely shocked and in awe at the support from the public — we were able to buy the propellers we needed to keep the plane flying,” Mickeloff said. “We had many smaller donations, but we also had a $10,000 donation from a local individual – the response was amazing.”

Rohrer said it took about 90 days to raise the money for the propellers. "We're hoping for a similar response to fund the engine work."

Hamilton’s Lancaster

The Lancaster, the Royal Air Force’s only heavy bomber capable of carrying up to 22,000-pound Grand Slam bombs, was one of the most famous aircraft of World War II. More than 7,300 Lancasters were built in Britain and Canada.

Hamilton’s Mynarski Memorial Avro Lancaster Mk X bomber was built at Victory Aircraft in Malton, Ont., in 1945. It didn’t see action, but was used to train air crews and later for coastal patrols and search-and-rescue work. It was retired in 1963, and the museum bought it in 1977 for about $10,000. Volunteers spent 11 years restoring it.

The Lancaster is celebrating its 25th year of flight operations at the museum.

Hamilton also has five of the nine pilots in the world trained to fly the aging bomber.

“Hamilton has the most experienced Lancaster pilots in the world now, because we’re pretty much the only place still flying one,” Mickeloff says.

"Flying the Lancaster is a more exclusive club than being a space shuttle pilot," Rohrer laughs.

The museum’s Lancaster is dedicated to the memory of Pilot Officer Andrew Charles Mynarski of 419 (Moose) Squadron, 6 (RCAF) Group, who won the Victoria Cross for his bravery. In the early morning hours of June 13, 1944, the Winnipeg native's Lancaster was shot down. Instead of bailing out, Mynarski – his clothes burning – tried to free the trapped rear gunner. The gunner survived the crash, but Mynarski died from the burns.

Starring TV role tonight
 
Hamilton’s Lancaster features prominently in Air Aces, a six-part historical documentary series that made its debut on the History Channel in January. The third episode, Wing Walker, is about the crew of bomber ME669 of the RAF’s 106 Squadron. It premiers on History Channel Canada tonight and will air again over the coming weeks.

Few Lancaster crews made it even to the half-way point of the 30 missions they were expected to fly during the war. ME669’s crew avoided disaster until its 30th mission.

“It’s really an amazing story, and the pilot was Canadian, Fred Mifflin,” says Nick Godwin, head of documentaries at Toronto’s Cineflix Productions, which made Air Aces for History Television Canada and The Military Channel.

“During the mission they’re attacked, the plane catches fire, and a man named Norman Jackson does something absolutely insane — he climbs out onto the wing at over 200 miles an hour and he puts the fire out.”

The museum’s chief pilot, Leon Evans of Fonthill, Ont., flew the Lancaster for the Air Aces sequences in the summer of 2012.

The scenes of the aircraft over water were done above Lake Ontario near the city. The airstrip scenes were done at an airstrip in Brantford, Ont., and the interior footage of the Lancaster was filmed at the warplane museum in Hamilton.

Story and Reaction/Comments:  http://www.cbc.ca

Here's What It's Like To Fly In A Private Plane Over The Gorgeous Arizona Desert

Feb. 4, 2013, 1:59 PM
By Alex Davies 

To show off its new luxury Range Rover, Jaguar Land Rover invited us to the Utah desert to try it out. Last week, we took the trip from New York to Phoenix, with a stop in Philadelphia. Those flights were fine, but it was the third leg of the trip that was really cool.

To get our group of journalists to the Amangiri resort in Big Water, Utah, Jaguar Land Rover chartered a flight from Phoenix to Page, in northern Arizona.

The plane itself was nothing special, but the experience of private air travel was, especially since we had a great view of some of Arizona's best natural wonders. We even got a look at the Grand Canyon itself.

Disclosure: Jaguar Land Rover paid for our travel and lodging expenses to drive the Range Rover.

See how the flight went >

Judge orders Air Canada to maintain aircraft repair plant in Montreal

MONTREAL - A judge has ordered Air Canada to keep its plane repair and overhaul operations in Montreal, but the carrier plans to appeal the ruling.

Superior Court judge Martin Castonguay ruled in favor of the Quebec government, which argued Air Canada had violated the Air Canada Public Participation Act.

The law requires that Air Canada maintain a Montreal-based overhaul centre with satellite plants in Mississauga, Ont., and Winnipeg.

The centers, operated by Aveos Fleet Performance, shut down last year, putting more than 2,600 people out of work across Canada.

Aveos' bankruptcy filing cited a drop in fuselage and engine maintenance work from Air Canada, which provided 85% of the firm's business.

The closures ignited a firestorm, leading to worker protests and a storm of criticism from the political class.

The court ruling issued Monday applies only to Quebec, where most of the laid-off staff are based.

Source:   http://www.torontosun.com

New Bill Would Regulate Los Angeles Helicopter Traffic

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Rep. Adam Schiff and Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer Monday introduced legislation that would regulate helicopter traffic over L.A. neighborhoods.

The Los Angeles Residential Helicopter Noise Relief Act would control flight paths and require minimum altitudes for helicopter operations.

“Los Angeles area residents living in Glendale, Pasadena, the Valley, the Hollywood Hills, West Hollywood and other areas are especially affected by intrusive, disruptive and often non-emergency related helicopter traffic above their neighborhoods,” Schiff said in a statement. “The terrain of canyons around the Rose Bowl concentrates low-flying helicopter noise to high levels, and Hollywood Hills and West Hollywood residents frequently suffer from noise generated by celebrity news media that follow stars to the beach, the grocery store, or for court appearances. The residents in these areas deserve peace and quiet, and if the FAA won’t act, Congress must pass this legislation to give residents the relief they need.”

“LA County residents suffer from high levels of disruptive, low-flying helicopter traffic over their neighborhoods. This bill would address that problem by requiring the FAA to create regulations for how helicopters operate in the skies above Los Angeles,” Feinstein said in a statement. “In addition to reducing noise, this bill would increase safety and minimize commercial aircraft delays while exempting first responders and military aircraft from its limitations. I look forward to working with Congressman Schiff and Senator Boxer to get this bill passed.”

The legislation would require the FAA to set its new guidelines within 12 months of being signed into law.

It would also provide exemptions for law enforcement, emergency responders and the military.

Story and Reaction/Comments:   http://losangeles.cbslocal.com

Aviation maintenance technicians keep planes airborne

 

 Leita Cowart 

Student Charles Willis works on a reciprocating engine at the Aviation Institute of Maintenance. The aviation industry will need more than 600,000 technicians in the next 20 years.

By Laura Raines 

You don’t have to leave the ground to fly high in today’s sluggish job market.

“Aviation maintenance technicians are in demand worldwide,” said Reggie Baker, executive director of the Aviation Institute of Maintenance (AIM) in Duluth.

The global airline industry will need 34,000 new airplanes (double the current number) by 2031, according to a 2012 Current Market Outlook report published by the Boeing Co. It forecasts that commercial airlines will require 601,000 new aircraft maintenance technicians in the next 20 years to maintain that fleet.

“That’s just the commercial side of the industry and doesn’t include regional carriers, charters, the military and other aviation needs,” Baker said. “In Georgia, everyone knows Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, but few realize that there are more than 400 airports in the state.”

Every airplane that takes off and lands needs technicians on the ground to do safety checks, perform  maintenance and make repairs to keep it flying.

“That means that when someone walks into our school and learns what he needs to know, he is going to walk away knowing that there will be plenty of job openings,” Baker said.

Becoming an aviation maintenance technician requires completing a program that leads to an airframe and powerplant (A&P) certificate and license at a school approved by the Federal Aviation Administration.

To qualify as an aviation maintenance technician, the FAA requires job candidates to be at least 18, fluent in English and have 30 months of work experience, or to graduate from an approved educational program.

Most programs in avionics, aviation technology or aviation maintenance management last from 18 to 24 months, but about one-third of the schools offer two-year and four-year degrees, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. A degree offers advancement opportunities.

“An A&P license qualifies you to work on any U.S.-registered airplane anywhere in the world, but the skills are equally desired by high-end automakers, elevator companies, robotics manufacturers, cruise ship fleets and power plants,” Baker said.

The Southeast is a hub for the aviation industry, with Airbus building its first U.S.-based production facility in Alabama; Boeing in South Carolina; Lockheed in Marietta  and South Carolina; Gulfstream in Savannah; and Pratt & Whitney in Columbus.

“People are always surprised when they come inside our huge big-box structure and find it filled with aircraft and engines, and there’s no airport in sight,” Baker said. “But we are in a perfect spot to support the industry.”

The institute has about 600 students enrolled in its aviation maintenance technician (18 months); avionics (five months); aviation maintenance technology engineer (24 months); and advanced structures technician (12 months) programs. Graduates get  entry-level jobs paying $15 to $20 an hour, Baker said.

Students  take courses in math, physics, electronics and aerodynamics and all systems of an aircraft. Tuition at AIM is about $20,000 per year.

“To get into school and succeed in this industry, you have to have an interest in all things electrical, agility and manual dexterity,” Baker said. “You also have to have the highest work ethics, morals and integrity.

“This is a very serious industry. When a surgeon does something wrong, he may lose a patient. When a technician does something wrong on an Airbus plane, 800 people could die.”

The job is very detail-oriented.

“That’s where female technicians excel. Women aren’t always interested in this field, but once they enroll, most love it and do awesome in their careers,” he said.

Story:   http://www.ajc.com

Disgruntled passengers return home from Cancun, delayed with no explanation why

EDMONTON- Passengers on a flight from Cancun to Edmonton had a bit of a rough end to their vacation.

"Whatever stress was gone from my vacation is now back," said Tyler Gratrix, a passenger on the flight.

"It's been incredibly long and incredibly disappointing," said another passenger, Devyn Dyrland.

Sunwing flight 586 was scheduled to leave Cancun at 4:00p.m. Saturday. After sitting on the tarmac for nearly three hours, the plane took off for what was supposed to be a direct flight to Edmonton.

"We landed in Calgary because apparently there was a snow storm in Edmonton," said Milana Rai who was travelling with three small children.

"We were told that we couldn't land in Edmonton because of bad weather but, we checked the weather network when we landed in Calgary and it was clear skies," added Gratrix.

Passengers say they were given numerous reasons as to why the plane had to land in Calgary, from bad weather to the need for a new crew onboard the aircraft.

After landing in Calgary Rai says passengers were told the flight would be leaving for Edmonton at 6:00a.m. Sunday.

"The six o'clock departure that we were promised turned into a nine o'clock departure."

While they waited in Calgary, passengers say requests for food and water went unanswered.

"When we were sitting in the baggage claim area, not allowed to leave for two and a half hours, I asked for water and something to eat for my children, because they hadn't eaten in 13 hours, and there was nobody to help us," Rai explained.

"We'd asked to talk to a manager, there was no management. There were kids that hadn't eaten. One lady was fainting, and we asked repeatedly for food and water and we were told 'Well, there's the fountain, you can go drink there'," Gratrix added.

The flight that was originally supposed to land in Edmonton at 11:50 Saturday night, finally landed around 9:40 Sunday morning.

"It's been an incredibly, incredibly long day on very, very little sleep. The most sleep I got was actually just laying on the carousel waiting for our luggage in Calgary. I think I got about an hour of sleep there," said Dyrland.

Passengers say it wasn't necessarily the delay that bothered them. They say they're disappointed with the lack of communication and service from Sunwing.

"Not only was there a lack of communication, but they were misleading," Gratrix explained. "There was really no customer service."

Sunwing's VP of Sales and Marketing says without a full report, he can't comment on what passengers were told or how the situation was handled.

"I can honestly tell you, after many years in this business there's going to be passengers that will say 'We were not told anything' and other passengers on the same flight are going to say 'That's not true. I don't know where these people were, I don't know what they were listening to, but that's just not true.'" said Daryl McWilliams.

Passengers have been offered a $150 voucher, which can be used for future travel with Sunwing.

However, the gesture isn't being received well by many.

"I refused the $150 voucher that we were offered because, no, it's not worth a whole 24 hours of my time," said Rai.

"I'll probably give it to somebody who wants a flight from hell, I guess," added Dyrland.

McWilliams says those who are not satisfied with the voucher can write a letter or email to the company.

Story and Video: Disgruntled passengers return home from Cancun, delayed with no explanation why

Cessna 175B Skylark, N8125T: Accident occurred February 02, 2013 in Wellsville, Utah

NTSB Identification: WPR13LA108 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, February 02, 2013 in Wellsville, UT
Aircraft: CESSNA 175B, registration: N8125T
Injuries: 5 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On February 2, 2013, about 1350 mountain standard time, a Cessna 175B, N8125T, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Wellsville, Utah. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The private pilot and his four passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight. The local flight originated from Logan, Utah, at 1300.

The pilot reported that while climbing through about 5,800 feet mean sea level (msl), the engine lost power. Despite multiple attempts, he was unable to restart the engine. The pilot initiated a forced landing to an open snow covered field. During the landing roll, the airplane nosed over.

Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the fuselage, vertical stabilizer, and rudder were structurally damaged. The airplane was recovered to a secure location for further examination.

(KUTV) A passenger on a small plane that crash landed in a Cache County field on Saturday afternoon captured the whole ordeal on his cell phone, from the moment the plane begins to fail to minutes after the crash.

Jonathan and Kara Fielding are on a recreational flight for Kara's birthday. Seated beside his mother-in-law, Jonathan is holding their seven-month-old baby boy as their family friend and pilot Lynn Goodsell flies his single-engine Cessna 175.

“We are just over the top of the overpass,” Jonathan says, narrating the video, as the plane clears the Wellsville Mountains. “We are told that there’s carburetor ice, so this is kind of exciting. I’m not worried. I think we’re going to be just fine.”

Goodsell turns on the carburetor heater but the engine shuts down. He begins reviewing his emergency checklist and searches for an impromptu landing spot below.

"Just got a prayer in our heart. I think we’re gonna be just fine," Jonathan says.

All five remain calm as the plane hovers over a Wellsville neighborhood.

"We’re going to land in a field, right here,” Jonathan says calmly, just before the plane touches down in a field of snow, only to flip upside down.

The phone flies from Jonathan's hands but continues to record the crash.

"Is everybody okay?" Goodsell asks.

"Oh man... Oh wow... Oh my gosh," the passengers say quietly hanging upside in their seats.

The baby is heard crying for a few seconds. They unbuckle their seatbelts and climb out uninjured.

Goodsell's totaled plane lies in an otherwise serene field of snow.

"I’m really sorry about your plane. Are you okay?" Jonathan says to Goodsell.

Jonathan then asks his wife if she will ever fly again, laughing nervously. She answers yes.

"I knew that we’d be fine," Jonathan says, "I just, I didn’t expect that."

Jonathan later said he fully expected a smooth landing and he never would have pulled out his phone and recorded the crash if he had known the landing would've been so rough.

The FAA and NTSB are investigating the crash.

Watch Video:   http://www.kutv.com

http://registry.faa.gov/N8125T

Cirrus SR20, N929CD: Yankee widow 80-grand slammed in crash suit: Accident occurred October 11, 2006 in Manhattan, New York City

By BRUCE GOLDING
 Last Updated: 3:25 AM, February 4, 2013
Posted: 2:35 AM, February 4, 2013

The widow of late Yankee pitcher Cory Lidle is crying foul after being ordered to pay more than $80,000 for losing a suit over the private-plane crash into a Manhattan high-rise that killed her husband.

“It’s an injustice compounded on an injustice,” said lawyer Todd Macaluso, who represents Melanie Lidle.

Lawyers for aircraft maker Cirrus Design Corp. won a judgment for court costs against Melanie and Stephanie Stanger, whose husband, professional pilot Tyler Stanger, also died in the 2006 Upper East Side wreck.

It’s unclear if Cirrus will also seek to recoup its huge legal fees for successfully battling the women’s product-liability claims.

The tragic widows alleged that defects in the design of Cory Lidle’s Cirrus SR20 caused its controls to lock up during a U-turn over the East River.

A Manhattan federal jury took just three hours to clear the company in 2011, and an appeals court unanimously upheld the verdict last month.

Macaluso blamed the outcome on pretrial rulings that kept jurors from learning that Cirrus recalled all its SR20’s and changed the manufacturing process after the deadly incident. Lawyers for Cirrus didn’t return requests for comment.

Story:  http://www.nypost.com

NTSB Identification: DCA07MA003. 
The docket is stored in the Docket Management System (DMS). Please contact Records Management Division
Accident occurred Wednesday, October 11, 2006 in Manhattan, NYC, NY
Probable Cause Approval Date: 06/27/2007
Aircraft: Cirrus Design Corp. SR-20, registration: N929CD
Injuries: 2 Fatal,1 Serious,2 Minor.

NTSB investigators traveled in support of this investigation and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

[The Safety Board's full brief is available at http://ntsb.gov/Publictn/pubictn.htm. The Aviation Accident Brief number is NTSB/AAB-07/02]

On October 11, 2006, about 1442 eastern daylight time, a Cirrus Design SR20, N929CD, operated as a personal flight, crashed into an apartment building in Manhattan, New York City, while attempting to maneuver above the East River. The two pilots on board the airplane, a certificated private pilot who was the owner of the airplane and a passenger who was a certificated commercial pilot with a flight instructor certificate, were killed. One person on the ground sustained serious injuries, two people on the ground sustained minor injuries, and the airplane was destroyed by impact forces and postcrash fire. The flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, and no flight plan was filed. Marginal visual flight rules (MVFR) conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilots' inadequate planning, judgment, and airmanship in the performance of a 180º turn maneuver inside of a limited turning space.

Full narrative available

A very small airport....

http://www.internationalairportmontello.com

West Virginia studies state government aircraft fleet; Flights decline under Gov. Tomblin

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin's administration is conducting a comprehensive review of the state's aircraft fleet, following a significant decline in state plane use since Tomblin took office.

The use of the state's largest airplane, a King Air 350, has dropped by a third -- from a high of 302 flights in 2006 to 197 last year. Flights on the state's other plane, a 2009 Cessna Grand Caravan, are down by half, from 199 to 95 flights, during the same period.

The governor's office primarily uses the state aircraft, followed by the departments of transportation, commerce and environmental protection.

"We're doing a significant amount of research assessing the use of aircraft, as well as our helicopters, attempting to determine what is best for the state," said Administration Secretary Ross Taylor, who is leading the review.

Since Tomblin became acting governor in November 2010, the twin-engine King Air has flown about 175 times a year, while the Cessna Caravan has averaged about 100 flights annually. Former Gov. Joe Manchin's administration, which preceded Tomblin's, used the King Air plane 207 times per year on average, while the Cessna, a single-engine turboprop plane, averaged 162 flights.

Flight hours also are down. The King Air flew 210 hours in 2008, compared to 155 during the past fiscal year. The Cessna logged 79 flight hours in 2008, and 72 last year.

Taylor said he was unsure why flights have declined since Tomblin took office. The governor has not directed his office or state agencies to curtail use of state planes.

However, the governor's office has asked that cabinet secretaries analyze all flight requests submitted by state agency employees to determine whether a commercial flight would be cheaper, Taylor said.

The number of flights started to decline in 2008, two years before Manchin left the governor's office and became a U.S. senator.

"There doesn't appear to be a particular reason for the decline in usage of state aircraft," Taylor said.

Aviation division operational costs have dropped by $21,000 per year over the last four years. The state also has saved about $34,200 a year in fuel costs because of the drop in flights. The decline has led to a total savings of about $221,000.

During the past five years, two pilots have left the state aviation office, and they haven't been replaced.

"These positions were not filled as it was determined the remaining staff was sufficient to meet the needs of the agency," Taylor said.

In 2009, the state traded in a 2005 model Cessna Grand Caravan for a new model. The 2009 Cessna had a $2.1 million purchase price, but the state paid $287,000 for the new aircraft because the seller agreed to credit $1.7 million of that cost as a trade-in for the 2005 plane.

The aviation office charges state agencies $700 an hour for flights on Cessna, half the hourly rate for King Air flights.

The state Aviation Division also has three helicopters.

Source:  http://wvgazette.com

Truck hits parked cargo plane; driver injured -- Salt Lake City International Airport (KSLC), Utah

An airport truck driver was hospitalized Sunday night after his vehicle collided with the wing of a parked cargo plane.

The 6:20 p.m. collision sent fuel stored in the plane’s wing spewing onto the tarmac on the east side of the airfield, Salt Lake City International Airport spokeswoman Barbara Gann said.

Part of the plane’s wing came through the truck’s windshield, injuring the driver, she said.

Salt Lake City Fire Department hazardous materials crews were working to clean up the spill, she said.

The cause of the accident was unclear Sunday night, Gann said. Fog, which had blanketed the Salt Lake Valley earlier in the day Sunday did not appear to be a factor, she said.

The driver’s name was not immediately released. He was taken by ambulance to Intermountain Medical Center, but the nature of his injuries and his condition were unknown Sunday night, Gann said.

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

Floyd Bennett Memorial (KGFL), Glens Falls, New York: Some oppose airport changes

QUEENSBURY -- A proposal to charge fees to pilots who land their planes at Warren County Airport has drawn opposition from some members of Warren County Board of Supervisors.

The county board’s Facilities Committee last month approved a proposal by Rich Air, the fixed base operator at the airport, to charge fees of up to $20 to “transient” pilots who land at the airport.

The proposal was to charge $15 for single-engine planes and $20 for twin-engine aircraft. Planes based at the airport will not be charged. Warren County would get 3 percent of the fees collected.

Queensbury at-Large Supervisor Mark Westcott, who has taken a particular interest in airport issues, said he was bombarded with comments from pilots during a visit to have breakfast at Carol’s Airport Cafe, recently. He said a number of the recreational pilots approached him with concerns about the fee, saying they will instead go to other airports that don’t charge.

“I got hammered on this,” Westcott said. “A number of people I spoke with said there would be fewer planes landing and it would hurt business at the diner.”

The county Facilities Committee passed a resolution last month supporting Rich Air’s request to start charging landing fees, but the full Board of Supervisors tabled the proposal at the subsequent meeting.

That action resulted in the Facilities Committee discussing the idea again this week, and passing it with only Westcott voting against it. The full Board of Supervisors will consider it again Feb. 15.

The county can only overrule Rich Air on the proposal if it finds the fees are “unreasonable,” Public Works Superintendent Jeff Tennyson said.

Airport Manager Ross Dubarry said he compared the proposed fees to those charged at other airports and did not believe they were unreasonable. A review of other airport policies in the region showed the nearest two, Saratoga County Airport and Argyle Airport, do not charge landing fees.

Two others in the region, Adirondack Regional near Saranac Lake, and Rutland Southern Vermont Regional in Rutland, Vt., charge landing fees, according to federal airport records.

Rich Air’s motivation for the new fee was not clear Friday. Calls to Rich Air owner Rich Schermerhorn were not returned Wednesday or Friday.

Source:   http://poststar.com

Dearth of pilots raising worries

 

MATTHEW PUTNEY

 Tim Newton, left, manager with Livingston Aviation goes over instruction with flight student Rob Kietzman, right, at the Waterloo Municipal Airport Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013, in Waterloo, Iowa. Kietzman from Ainsworth, Nebraska is working on his commercial pilots license.

 (MATTHEW PUTNEY / Courier Photo Editor)

WATERLOO, Iowa --- Airlines anticipate a pilot shortage in coming years that could cut into service of small-market airports like Waterloo. 

 But it could boost business at flight schools, according to at least one aviation expert.

Pilots in general aren't young workers, according to Denny Kelly, a former pilot and now an aviation consultant with Kelly-James and Associates in Dallas. He says the average age of a commercial airline pilot is about 48.

"You've got to remember 5 to 10 percent of these pilots will retire every year," he said.

He pointed out American Airlines, whose regional carrier, American Eagle, serves Waterloo with two flights per day in and out of Waterloo Regional Airport, has been in bankruptcy reorganization and has lost pilots in recent years. If trends continue, he could envision American cutting back service to Waterloo if it needs to shift regional pilots to longer routes.

"If Eagle or American starts having a pilot shortage they're going to have to cancel flights, and the first ones they're going to cancel are markets like Waterloo," Kelly said. "If there's only two flights, that's a pretty small market, and that would be a place they'd look to cut. It's going to affect a lot of people a lot of ways."

But Brad Hagen, director of Waterloo Regional Airport, said there are a couple of reasons to doubt Kelly's dire outlook.

"First, we haven't heard anything from American regarding pilot shortages and any possible impact in the future," Hagen said.

Secondly, Hagen said, Waterloo is now part of the federal Essential Air Service program, which likely would insulate it from cutbacks.

"Since we're an EAS market, I don't think there's going to be any impact on Waterloo any time in the future," Hagen said. "If that comes about, small markets might be affected but not EAS markets."

Hagen said American Airlines likely would have informed him of any possible local impact.

"Through the years, there's been ebbs and flows of pilot shortages. How serious this is, I don't know, but we haven't been told by American there's going to be an impact, and I don't see that in the near and mid-term," he said.

A shortage of pilots could hit Waterloo, said Roger Cohen, president of the Regional Airlines Association, based in Washington, D.C.

"I absolutely think that communities, even much larger than Waterloo, will be in jeopardy of losing their services, and that is not only by nature of the airline business but by the potential of pilot shortage that could hit almost at any time," Cohen said. "The concern is well-founded."

Residents who want to protect commercial air service should contact their lawmakers in Washington, Cohen said.

Rules that require an 1,500 hours of flight time for new pilots need to be reviewed, Cohen said.

"That ... is the single biggest barrier to getting new pilots into the pipeline," he said.

Flight schools like Livingston Aviation in Waterloo and Walter Aviation Inc. in Independence fill a vital role in addressing the problem --- as far as they can.

But that takes time.

People pursuing aviation careers may come out of training with 300 to 500 hours flight time. That leaves them 1,000 hours short of qualifying to be an airline pilot.

"Young pilots who would consider pursuing these careers aren't even getting interviewed," Cohen said.

Boost possible
 
On the other hand, Kelly said, the potential shortage could be a boon to flight schools.

Experts say some airlines could be strapped for pilots by the end of the year as current pilots reach mandatory retirement age of 65 and rules from the Federal Aviation Administration requiring extra training take hold.

Kelly cited Boeing Aircraft Co. estimates that the world's airlines will have to hire 460,000 pilots in the next 20 years. Flight schools are not turning out enough candidates, and the people they do turn out don't have enough experience.

The best way to build that experience is by becoming a flight instructor, Kelly said.

"They go out and get 1,000 hours instructing," he said. "But they instruct in a two seat single-engine plane that goes 90 mph."

Livingston Aviation, located next to Waterloo Regional Airport, has seen a slight increase in inquiries from prospective students for its flight training program in the last year, said Tim Newton, general manager.

"There certainly is talk of a shortage and a lot of older pilots retiring, and that's something we hope to tap into at some point," Newton said.

Livingston's flight school has an enrollment of about eight students, Newton estimated. Some learn to fly helicopters, some private planes, some commercial. Livingston does "a fair amount" of flight instructor training, Newton said.

"We have an accelerated program," he said. "I've noticed our flight instructor one is quite popular. Perhaps there's more people getting into the professional pilot field than in the past."

Walter Aviation, which operates at Independence Airport, has about a dozen students, said owner Jonathan Walter.

"We'll over double that in the summer," he said.

It generally takes three to six months to get a pilot's license and at least two years to become a flight instructor, Walter said.

Commercial airlines aren't the only sector short of pilots, but there's some hope of a reversal.

"Just in the last year we've had a tremendous increase in people under 30 enrolling in our flight school," he said. "Over half of our students now are under 26."

Before, nine of every 10 enrollees were over 30 years old, Walter said.

The obstacles to becoming a commercial pilot are numerous.

"The feedback I'm getting is that a few want to go airline. The rest want to make a career out of aviation, but in medical flights, corporate, charter or crop dusting, you name it," Walter said.

Money shortage
 
Flight schools could take on a more important role, Kelly said. He thinks the airlines should join with flight schools to train aspiring pilots in bigger airplanes. But the major airlines are chronically strapped for cash.

The airlines once got a lot of pilots from the military, but those numbers have dwindled as airlines have disappeared and rules have changed. The military used to require a five-year obligation, Kelly said. Today, military pilots sign on for 11 years.

"You got out and were 25-28 years old, and the airlines gobbled you up," he said. "That isn't the case now. Plus, there's not that many guys, and once these guys get 11 years in, why not go up nine more and get a retirement?"

Commercial captains can make $200,000 a year, and co-pilots make good money, too, Kelly said. But there are yearly physicals, regular flight checks in a simulator and routes often are awarded according to seniority, Kelly said.

"If you're furloughed and come back, you have to start at the bottom," he said.

American Airlines has about 8,000 pilots --- down from a peak of 11,000. The airline says it will need 800 more to accommodate new FAA rules that mandate longer rest periods --- from eight to 10 hours --- if the new FAA regulation takes effect, Kelly said.

Whether it does up in the air now. The rules currently don't apply to cargo pilots, and they are threatening to sue, saying they should, Kelly said.

The biggest problem, though, is the wave of retirements.

American's bankruptcy also could play a role in the airline's ability to keep pilots, Kelly said.

Foreign carriers are offering jobs to experienced pilots that pay 20 to 30 percent more than some American jobs, Kelly said.

"If I'm 40 and flying for American airlines and flying co-pilot on a 737-800, and Qatar Airways will pay twice what you're making to be a captain, what are you going to do?" he asked.

Livingston's Newton said there is another, perhaps bigger, potential shortage in the aviation field --- mechanics.

"It's hard to get the training," Newton said. "Numerous community colleges have closed their programs in the last five to 10 years, including three or four in Iowa. We've actually had a couple of apprentices through our shop."

Story and Photos:   http://wcfcourier.com

Missing ultralight plane found north of Brisbane

 
Searcher have found the body of a female pilot who went missing in an ultralight plane 70km north of Brisbane. 

Police have confirmed the Skyfox Gazelle has been found in bushland at Glass House Mountains.

The body of the missing female pilot has been found in the wreckage.  

An Australian Maritime Safety Authority spokesman said the officer who discovered the scene reported the pilot to be deceased.

"The search has now ended and the Queensland Police take over the investigation," the spokesman said.

The missing Skyfox gazelle was located just north of Beerburrum on Woodford Road at Glasshouse Mountains.

Vegetation in the area was extremely dense, and explains why the aircraft was not found sooner, Caboolture Aero Club president John Dawson said.

He said the thoughts of the Caboolture Aero Club members were with the pilot and her family.  

"Didn't know the lady, I know she was a part owner in aircraft which was a Skyfox Gazelle built in Caloundra," he said.

"I spoke to people yesterday who said she was most competent at flying; the lady was in a syndicate ownership and the plane was operated by the flying school."

Mr Dawson said he spoke to a number of people yesterday who knew the pilot but he was not aware of her flying history.

He said concerns were raised about by mid afternoon Sunday.

"When she didn't return by time fuel would run out the alarm was set off", he said.

The aircraft's signal dropped off the radar over the Glass House Mountains about 9.30am Sunday.  

Ground and aerial search crews, involving six helicopters and a fixed-wing aircraft, swept the area yesterday but found no sign of the pilot or the green-coloured aircraft.

One of the search aircraft was AMSA's high-tech Dornier, a type used in the search for the deHavilland Dragon which crashed near Kandanga last year.

Earlier, Australian Maritime Safety Authority spokesman Mal Larsen said a team was dispatched at first light.

“After attempts failed last night the search resumed this morning, 12 helicopters, one fix-winged aircraft and police on foot have begun the search,” he said.

“Because of the thick bushland helicopters are the more effective search vehicle."

Four police trail bikes and three police 4WDs are assisting in the land search.

He said the search area for the day had been mapped out in the hopes of finding the accredited pilot and her green ultra-light aircraft.

“It is narrowed to 108 square nautical miles, which is roughly 220 km, in the area north-west of Caboolture,” he said.

“The search area has been narrowed to the likely area according the last known radar sighting."
 
Careflight Rescue Helicopter crewman Ryan Purchase told the ABC the search area covers some very difficult terrain.

"The radar can pinpoint where she lost contact," he said.

"The terrain we were flying over was dense bushland, pine plantations around the western side of the Sunshine Coast."

A police media spokeswoman said the woman was believed to only be carrying enough fuel for 150 minutes of flying.

No distress signal had been activated yesterday.

Police are investigating a report from a woman in the nearby town of Neurum who said she saw a plane flying low over the ground.

Residents in neighbouring areas offered information to Queensland Police via their Facebook page.   

“My daughter was watching a green and white plane flying really low this morning about 10am at Neurum,” Teresa Stanton wrote.

Another user said: “I heard a small plane coughing and spluttering this morning. We are in Woodford and I mentioned it to my daughter as it didn't sound good at all!”

Princess Danni wrote: “I saw a plane this morning at about 9 at the glasshouse mts (sic) I was unsure if it was landing.”

Krystal Drew said she saw a dark blue plane flying low over the rural township of D'Aguilar.
 
“I watched it for a bit and it seemed to be circling,” she wrote.

“I had polarized sunglasses on so may have been mistaken for blue instead of green but was definately (sic) a skyfox gazelle it nearly ran into the tops of trees on the next property at about 12:30 pm today.”

Caboolture resident Kerry Willson said she heard a light plane over her house “spluttering and misfiring badly” about 9.15am.

“This plane was quite low over our house and continually spluttering and cutting out and could possibly have come down unseen from the highway or from the airport,” she wrote.

 - reporting by Jacinda Tutty, Kris Crane, Kristin Shorten and AAP

Federal Aviation Administration Mandates Inspections of Older Piper Aircraft

Updated February 3, 2013, 7:46 p.m. ET

By ANDY PASZTOR
The Wall Street Journal

Regulators on Monday will mandate enhanced inspections and repairs where necessary to cables that control tail surfaces on about 30,000 Piper aircraft, some of the most popular general-aviation planes sold in the U.S.

Prompted by at least one accident and a serious incident stemming from such malfunctioning flight-control systems in recent years, the Federal Aviation Administration wants planes that are 15 years or older to be checked for damaged or corroded cables during their next annual inspection. Younger planes are supposed to undergo the same inspection once they reach 15 years.

The FAA's safety directive, slated to become final when it is published in Monday's Federal Register, also mandates repetitive follow-up inspections. The move is unusual because it follows a pair of nonbinding recommendations by the agency on the topic going back 10 years, as well as more-recent safety letters and bulletins issues by the manufacturer.

The FAA said the move was prompted by "reports of control cable assembly failures that may lead to failure" to control movable tail surfaces that are essential to direct the noses of the planes up or down.

The mandate covers more than 34,000 propeller-driven Piper Cherokee, Saratoga, Lance and Seminole models, and industry officials said most of them are older than 15 years.

In comments submitted to the FAA, the chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board said previously nonbinding government safety bulletins calling for inspections of all cable fittings for corrosion or cracking weren't adequate

Closely held Piper Aircraft Inc., based in Vero Beach, Fla., on Sunday issued a statement noting it "has cooperated fully with the FAA in developing" the safety directive and considers the move "helpful to increase overall flight safety."

In the statement, Jackie Carlson, Piper's director of communications, also said the company in 2010 and 2012 told owners and operators of the affected planes to inspect the control cables and associated hardware. In all three hazardous events cited by the safety board, according to Piper's statement, "evidence of approaching failure" of the cable or control systems "should have been clearly observable" during recurrent inspections.

Considering the large number of Piper aircraft that have been "in operation in the past 50 years, the historical data demonstrate that trained mechanics can identify these conditions before failure occurs," according to the company.

An FAA spokeswoman declined to comment. The agency initially proposed the safety directive last August but then invited comments.

In the final version of the directive, scheduled to become effective in early March, the FAA said safety data show "that certain Piper models have multiple reports" of cracked, corroded or frayed cables.

Source:   http://online.wsj.com

India: Flying club’s clipped wings leave students high and dry: Students unable to complete required flying hours due to club’s lack of chief flight instructor

Young flying aspirants have been left in the lurch, unable to complete their stipulated period of flying training to obtain a commercial pilot’s license.

The situation has arisen as the Madras Flying Club has not had a flight instructor for the past year. Airport sources said Captain N.K. Singh was the club’s last chief flight instructor. In January 2012, he turned 65 and as per civil aviation requirements, could not continue as instructor. Since then the club has not filled his post, and its students have been unable to complete the stipulated 200 hours of flying.

Another hiccup is the expiry of the club’s flying training approval. As per the guidelines of the directorate general of civil Aviation (DGCA), the validity of flying training approval of the club expired in March 2012, and was not renewed due to the non-appointment of a qualified instructor.

Another source said that ground classes had also been suspended for nearly six months after the chief ground instructor went on leave. They said he returned only a few weeks ago

The club however, continued to enroll a fresh batch of students. A senior official from the airport said nearly 30 students have been enrolled by the club in the last year. Each student has paid nearly Rs. 2 lakh for the training, which includes flying training, the official said.

The club has two Cessna 152 aircraft and a Cessna 172 aircraft, allotted to it by the Aero Club of India. All the aircraft are air-worthy, but they have not been operated for more than a year and are standing idle at the club’s hangar in the old airport in Meenambakkam.

Sources said that students have to spend nearly Rs. 20 lakh to undergo training in the Cessna 172 aircraft and Rs. 15 lakh for the Cessna 152.

Another problem with the club is that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has not renewed the club’s agreement. An AAI officer said they refused to renew the agreement issued to the club as they found it was using the facility to repair private aircraft. The officer said this was a gross violation by the club. The AAI had allocated a space to the club only on the condition that they would not undertake any commercial activity.

The AAI has already issued a notice to the club to vacate its premises at the old airport, where it has its administrative office and hangar.

When contacted, K. Sebastian Joseph, honorary secretary of the Club said they had already identified a suitable person to impart flying training. However, he could not begin classes as the DGCA had not given its clearance for the appointment of a new chief flight instructor.

“We have sent the proposal for the appointment of the new flying instructor to the DGCA for its approval. We expect to get its clearance in a few days,” he said.

On the plight of the 50 students who have completed the course but not the stipulated flying hours, he said that they would complete them shortly.

Source:   http://www.thehindu.com

Rhode Island Air National Guard Recruiting Pilots

NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. --    For Rhode Island Air National Guard pilot Captain Mike Collins, it's the best of both worlds.

"I wanted to serve my country but also be there for my family, the Guard allows me to do both," said Collins.

Now, the 143rd Airlift Wing is looking for more people like Captain Collins.

The Rhode Island Air National Guard is holding an open house March 3rd, at Quonset Point where they fly the C130 J aircraft.

According to Major Mike McCarron, "going from civilian flying to Air Force flying is like night and day; the amount of precision required to be an Air Force pilot is second to none."

The process is competitive; the training takes about two years start to finish.The missions can be either near or far, responding to an emergency or natural disaster.

"There's a lot of logistics work, bringing in support personnel, first responders that need to be brought to the area, our aircraft are uniquely capable here in Rhode Island to do that," said Captain Ryan Nugent.

The pilot positions with the Air National Guard are part time. They're looking for people up to 28 years old, who have, or are working toward, a 4 year degree. No military experience is necessary.

Anyone interested in the March 3rd Open House can email 143pilots@gmail.com or follow the Guard on twitter at @143pilots.

Source:   http://www2.turnto10.com

Court dismisses airline ticket fraud case

DUBAI: A court has dismissed an airline ticket fraud case against a Palestinian driver and an Emirati broadcaster because the plaintiff was the airline company’s security officer and not the officials directly concerned with the case.

“The case was filed by someone who has no direct concern,” Judge Mohamed Jamaal Kamaal explained to a Dubai Criminal Court hearing on Sunday.

The driver, MR, 22 was being accused of committing electronic forgery on 20 tickets belonging to a national airlines company besides presenting them to the company’s employee.

He also faced charges of snatching credit card information of several people through fraudulent online means. He reportedly used the stolen data to purchase 6 more tickets worth Dhs77,100 after logging onto the airline company’s website.

His accomplice, the broadcaster MA, 25, faced criminal complicity in the above counts.

According to court proceedings, both defendants have been defending themselves against the accusations since the previous year.

The plaintiff, a 43-year-old Indian security officer HK had testified that while on duty at the airline company, he received a letter from a Dubai-based Australian bank notifying him that payments for several tickets had been cancelled.

The bank had reportedly discovered the theft of credit card data belonging to its customers. HK added that upon discerning the bookings at the company, it was discovered that six tickets were booked using data from the credit cards. He added that data from stolen cards was used in America to purchase tickets under different names.

They all turned out to be names of MA’s relatives.

On HK’s testimony prosecutors added that upon arrest, MR admitted he committed the tickets fraud with the help of a male accomplice residing in Egypt.

MR had earned some Dhs10,500 from customers and MA received Dhs300 from each ticket that he booked. They also told the court that MA had acknowledged criminal complicity. 

http://gulftoday.ae

Firefighters respond to reports of noninjury aircraft crash near Camarillo Airport (KCMA), California

Ventura County firefighters responded to reports of a non-injury aircraft crash near the Camarillo Airport Saturday afternoon, fire officials said.

The small aircraft was reported down about 2:16 p.m. in the 700 block of Aviation Drive, officials said.

There were two occupants in the plane but they were not injured, a fire dispatcher said.

A small fuel leak appeared to be the cause of the crash, officials said.

Bell 47G-2, N3755Z: Copter pilot died from crash injuries - Tom Slocum was 49: Accident occurred December 01, 2012 in Walkerville, Michigan

 

Tom Slocum, seen in an undated photo, died in a helicopter crash in December 2012. He was 49. 

 

A helicopter that crashed in an Oceana County wetlands in December 2012 was retrieved on January 6, 2013 

(Photo: Oceana County Sheriff Department)

 

A helicopter that crashed in an Oceana County wetlands in December 2012 was retrieved on January 6, 2013

 (Photo: Oceana County Sheriff Department)

Updated: Sunday, 03 Feb 2013, 12:42 PM EST
Published : Sunday, 03 Feb 2013, 12:42 PM EST

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Caffeine was the only substance found in the body of a helicopter pilot who died in a crash in a remote area of Oceana County in December, authorities confirmed to 24 Hour News 8.
 
Thomas Slocum was 49. His passenger, 28-year-old Matt Williams, was seriously injured but is recovering.
 
Lt. Craig Mast of the Oceana County Sheriff's Department confirmed the autopsy on Slocum showed he died from the injuries sustained in the crash on December 1, 2012.
 
The helicopter went down in a swamp in a remote area. Williams was able to get enough of a cell phone signal to call for help, and authorities used its GPS to pinpoint the crash.
 
It's still unclear exactly what caused the crash, though Williams told investigators he heard a loud noise right before the crash.
 
The helicopter was not able to be recovered until Jan. 6, 2013.

Source:   http://www.woodtv.com

NTSB Identification: CEN13LA086
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, December 01, 2012 in Walkerville, MI
Aircraft: BELL 47G-2, registration: N3755Z
Injuries: 1 Fatal,1 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On December 1, 2012, about 1420 central standard time, a Bell 47G-2, N3755Z, impacted terrain near Walkerville, Michigan. The commercial pilot was fatally injured and the passenger was seriously injured. The helicopter was substantially damaged. The helicopter was owned and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Helicopter visual conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated without a flight plan. The flight originated from private property at an undetermined time.

According to preliminary information provided by local law enforcement and the responding Federal Aviation Administration inspectors, the helicopter was traveling at a low altitude when a loud noise was heard by the passenger. The helicopter descended in to trees and impacted a swamp.

At 1414, an automated weather reporting facility at Fremont Municipal Airport, located 17 nautical miles to the south-southeast of the accident location, reported wind from 110 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 4 miles, haze, ceiling broken at 1,000 feet, broken at 1,600 feet, temperature 43 degrees Fahrenheit (F), dew point 37 F, and a barometric pressure of 30.03 inches of mercury.

Gerald R. Ford International Airport (KGRR), Grand Rapids, Michigan: "Major announcement" planned

GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) - Managers of Gerald R. Ford International Airport will make what they call a "major announcement" Monday about air service. However, they're not saying what that announcement will be. 

 Representatives from the Regional Air Alliance of West Michigan will join airport officials for the Monday morning news conference. The alliance previously helped bring Frontier and AirTran Airlines to West Michigan.

There is speculation that Southwest Airlines, which bought AirTran last year, will begin service to West Michigan.

Seven airlines currently serve Gerald R. Ford International Airport.

WZZM 13 will have a live report at Noon on Monday and post all the information on online, as it comes in.

Story and Reaction/Comments:  http://www.wzzm13.com

Officer to receive medal for role in jet crash rescue

Nick Beane received the Virginia Beach Police Department's Citizen Life Saving Award on June 8. (Stacy Parker | The Virginian-Pilot)

 

A petty officer in the Coast Guard is scheduled to be honored for helping the downed pilot to safety and treating him following last April's jet crash in Virginia Beach. 

Petty Officer 2nd Class Nicholas Beane will receive the Meritorious Service Medal at Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads, Northwest Annex in Chesapeake on Tuesday, Feb 5 at 11:30 a.m., according to a Coast Guard press release.

Beane was off duty when the Navy F/A-18 plane crashed into the Mayfair Mews apartment complex in Virginia Beach. He was helping people evacuate the area when he discovered the downed pilot. Beane and another person cut him free of his parachute, dragged him away from the flames from the crash, and treated his wounds.

The Meritorious Service Medal is awarded to members of the military who distinguish themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service, the release said.

It is the non-combat counterpart to the Bronze Star.

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

Massive cargo plane gets the goods to Austin Straubel

 

ASHWAUBENON — Landing their AN-124 cargo plane at Austin Straubel International Airport on Saturday was a piece of cake for the Russian flight crew. They had an actual runway. 

 “They are some of the best airplane pilots you can find. Landing here for them is like going to a shopping mall,” said Frank Scheibner, president and CEO of Hansa Meyer Global Transport USA. “They fly to some of the toughest places in the world. Sometimes, they land on dirt.”

The Antonov AN-124 is the world’s second-largest mass produced airplane and third-largest operating cargo plane. It is big, and on Saturday was a big hit at Austin Straubel, where dozens of people lined security fences to watch the enormous airplane deliver mechanical assemblies for the USS Milwaukee littoral combat ship under construction at Marinette Marine.

“He landed so short, I couldn’t believe it. It was impressive,” said Al Timmerman, CEO of Jet Air Group, which coordinated the unloading of parts and refueling of the aircraft.

The AN-124 did a half-circle around the metro area, landed from south to north, then taxied to the apron near the airport security office, its four large engines stirring snow behind. It is taller and has a wider wingspan than Air Force One, another big plane that’s been to Austin Straubel on a number of occasions, though is slightly shorter.

Max Tugel of Ledgeview just missed the landing. He flew into Austin Straubel shortly after the AN-124 touched down, but joined other rubberneckers along the fence to watch the plane’s crew pop open the nose hatch shortly after getting clearance from customs.

“That’s interesting. A Russian airplane flying parts for the American military,” he said.

It took about 31/2 hours to unload the cargo.

Curt Smits of Titletown Express had three semitrailers waiting to haul the assemblies north.

“One piece is 70,000 pounds,” Smits said.

The AN-124 is a mechanical wonder. Originally built for the Russian military to provide the same capabilities as the American Lockheed C5 Galaxy and Boeing C17 Globemaster, the AN-124 is a completely self-sufficient airplane, Scheibner said. It can be loaded from either end, has an on-board overhead crane capable of lifting up to 30 tons of cargo, and the front can be lowered to allow easier access. This plane had a crew of 23.

“That’s the plane to do this kind of stuff,” said Scheibner, whose Houston-based company was in charge of getting the assemblies to Green Bay.

The AN-124 holds 70,000 gallons of jet fuel. Jet Air will provide 45,000 gallons for its return trip, which will be straight through to Europe. The trip to Ashwaubenon required a refueling stop at Gander, Newfoundland, because of the weight it was carrying.

Timmerman ordered five tanker-loads of jet fuel for the An-124. Passenger planes of the types that use Austin Straubel refuel with about 1,000 gallons, he said.

It took Timmerman two weeks to plan Saturday’s event. In addition to having enough fuel, cranes were need for moving assemblies from the plane and semitrailers to put them on. He had to have a forklift big enough for the task and hotel rooms for the flight crew. The fixed based operator has done this sort of thing before, but never on this scale.

Jet Air provided all the big things the job required, but didn’t forget the little ones either: fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies delivered to workers on the flight line.

The plane is scheduled to take off at 2 p.m. today.

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