A new committee wants to attain the old goal of getting Gary/Chicago International Airport recognized as Chicago's "third airport" by taking off in a new direction.
The joint city/airport public-private partnership committee that wants to find a private operator for the airport met for the first time Friday.
"We all know and recognize the Gary airport has been an underperforming asset for the region and we would like to change that," said committee chairman David Bochnowksi at the meeting at the airport administration building.
Bochnowski explained the committee has been charged with finding a way to land a private company to oversee the day-to-day operations of the airport and make the kind of investments the airport badly needs to build business.
"We are not engaged in the sale of the airport," Bochnowski said. "The airport will continue to be publicly held by the city."
The committee has been charged with reporting its recommendations to the city and airport within 60 days.
Airport consultant John Clark, of JClark Aviation, told the board of pressing needs at the airport beyond the current $166 million runway expansion project. Those include resurfacing its main runway, an update of its master plan and building out its cross-wind runway.
He pointed out the airport currently takes in about $300,000 less a year than it needs to sustain operations.
And Clark was not calculating the public subsidies currently needed to operate the airport.
The airport will levy $1.5 million in property taxes this year for its general fund and $1.4 million for its building fund. The Airport Development Zone also takes in more than $4 million per year from a tax increment financing district on the city's west side.
"One challenge quite frankly is without self-sufficiency it's hard to see how that funding will occur," Clark said.
The board also heard by speaker phone from David Narefsky, a partner at the Meyer Brown law firm in Chicago, who has advised municipalities nationwide on public-private partnerships.
Narefsky is currently advising the city of Chicago on a developing privatization deal for Midway International Airport. His firm was also involved in the long-term lease deals for the Chicago Skyway and Indiana Toll Road.
Narefsky will be providing the committee with examples of airport public-private partnerships that can lead to airport growth and economic development around it.
The committee on Friday also took care of basic housekeeping items such as a meeting schedule, resolving to meet every two weeks.
Story and Reaction/Comments: http://www.nwitimes.com
February 22, 2013
William P Hobby (KHOU), Houston, Texas: Rapist wanted for attacks near airport
The first assault occurred on December 31, 2012 at approximately 8:30am. According to Crime Stoppers, a 22-year-old woman and a friend exited a METRO bus at a stop near the intersection of Glencrest and Airport Boulevard. As they were walking, a Hispanic male driving a green Ford Mustang approached the women and offered them a ride.
The victim's friend was driven to a business near the corner of Airport Boulevard and Monroe, and she got out of the car. The victim requested to be driven to a business near the intersection of Airport Boulevard and Hansen, however the suspect refused, and parked the car at an abandoned building on the 8900 block of the Gulf Freeway.
There, the suspect engaged the child safety locks to prevent the victim's escape. The suspect hit the woman in the face and proceeded to sexually assault the victim while choking her. After the assault, the suspect released the victim from the vehicle and fled.
In a second assault, on February 8, 2013, the same suspect approached a 28-year-old woman walking along the 8900 block of Airport Boulevard. The suspect asked the woman to accompany him to a nearby hotel, and the victim got in his car. Driving past the hotel, the suspect pulled into the parking lot of an abandoned warehouse adjacent to an operating Post Office. There, the suspect struck the victim several times, and choked her while engaging in a sexual assault. The victim fought back, and was able to escape the suspect's vehicle through the driver's side door. She fled the area partially clothed, and was rescued by a concerned citizen at a nearby convenience store.
The same suspect is believed to be responsible for both assaults. He is described as a Hispanic male between the ages of 36 and 42, 5'8"-5'9" tall and weighing between 170 and 180 pounds. At the time of the assaults, the suspect had medium length hair, a mustache and a dark brown complexion. Witnesses report that the suspect speaks with a Spanish accent.
On the date of the first assault the suspect wore a brown plaid shirt and blue jeans. During the second assault he wore a white t-shirt and light blue jeans. A composite sketch of the suspect is attached.
The suspect's vehicle is described as a green Ford Mustang bearing partial plates BL714--. The vehicle has damage on the right rear panel near the driver's side tail light.
Crime Stoppers will pay up to $5,000 for any information called in to the 713-222-TIPS (8477) or submitted online at www.crime-stoppers.org that leads to the filing of felony charges or arrest of the suspect(s) in this case. Tips can also be sent by text message. Text TIP610 plus your tip to CRIMES (274637). All tipsters remain anonymous.
Story and Photo: http://abclocal.go.com
Chief of Embattled Boeing Steers Clear of the Spotlight
Updated February 22, 2013, 3:43 a.m. ET
By MONICA LANGLEY
The Wall Street Journal
CHICAGO — The cutting-edge jetliners Boeing Co. had bet its future on sat grounded, unsettling images of passengers on escape chutes splashed across TV, when Chief Executive Jim McNerney sent handwritten apologies to the chairmen of the airlines whose 787 Dreamliner batteries went up in smoke.
Around the same time last month, he discreetly persuaded the CEOs of General Motors and General Electric to lend Boeing their best electrical experts, and quietly met with the head of the Federal Aviation Administration.
With his storied company facing the biggest crisis of his eight-year tenure, Mr. McNerney is wagering that it is better to disappear behind the scenes to try to fix the problem than to be out front reassuring the public.
"I'm the one who has to stand up with absolute confidence when Boeing proposes a solution to enable this technology for the world," he said during an exclusive interview in his Chicago office. "And the only way I know how is to dive in deeply with the people doing the scientific and technical work."
The company is expected to submit a proposal to the FAA on Friday seeking approval for fixes that Boeing hopes will return the planes to the skies, and plans to meet with Japanese air-safety authorities next week. The proposal sets an ambitious timetable calling for passenger flights to resume as early as mid-March.
The stakes couldn't be higher.
"This airplane is our near- and medium-term future, and ultimately speaks to our reputation and our brand," Mr. McNerney said during one of two interviews in which he detailed what he and his senior executives have been doing since the crisis erupted. His desk was covered with detailed drawings of Dreamliner systems, which he turned facedown.
Boeing continues to build five 787s per month, even though it can't deliver or get fully paid for any of the planes—which list for about $200 million—until the Dreamliner is recertified to fly. In a meeting Wednesday at the Everett, Wash., assembly plant, Mr. McNerney told his senior executives: "We'll have a lot of 787s stacking up around here if we don't get this done sooner rather than later."
At the same time, Boeing's airline customers, who have been forced to cancel hundreds of flights, are increasing the pressure on the chief executive to detail plans to bring their Dreamliners back into service.
The lithium-ion-battery meltdowns have been a public-relations debacle for the company. Two 787s started smoking, and passengers on one of them escaped on emergency slides after landing in Japan. Airline-safety officials in the U.S. and Japan displayed burned-up lithium-ion batteries and regulators world-wide grounded the entire fleet. It was the FAA's first jetliner grounding since 1979.
Mr. McNerney has taken some flak for not doing more to inform investors and the public what he has been doing to solve the problem. "He's not been front and center when there's a lot of fear that this battery problem could be more than a minor glitch," said aviation consultant Richard Aboulafia, vice president of Teal Group. "When you launch only one new jet a decade, you need someone in the public eye taking personal control, rather than raising more questions about how long until the 787 planes will fly."
Boeing's board has been supportive of its CEO's approach. "Jim is doing exactly what he should be doing," said lead director Kenneth Duberstein. "He is out front right now with the constituencies that matter—the customers, the regulators, the employees and the suppliers."
Mr. McNerney, who is 63 years old, came to Boeing in 2005 after running 3M Co. He was raised in a family of five children, and his father was CEO of Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Mr. McNerney had been a varsity pitcher at Yale University and fraternity brother of former President George W. Bush. After earning a Harvard M.B.A., he worked in marketing at Procter & Gamble and management consulting at McKinsey & Co., then moved up the ranks at General Electric, where he ran several divisions, including one that built airplane engines. After losing the horse race to succeed Jack Welch as GE's chief executive, he moved to 3M and became a Boeing director.
When Boeing brought him in as chief executive, it was reeling from corruption probes, the loss of defense contracts, weakness in its commercial-jet business and the resignation of two consecutive CEOs. The defense business represented half of Boeing's revenue. To build the airliner business, Mr. McNerney pushed the development of the 787 Dreamliner. It was designed to be a game-changing passenger jet—more fuel-efficient than competitors, with a lightweight frame made of composite materials and an electrical system using powerful lithium-ion batteries.
Orders poured in, and last year Boeing surpassed Europe's Airbus as the leading aircraft manufacturer in the world by number of planes ordered and delivered—the first time it held the top spot in a decade.
The Dreamliner was plagued with delays, which Boeing chalked up to design changes and production outsourcing. Nevertheless, Mr. McNerney presided over a DreamTour last spring, including a black-tie gala at Reagan National Airport in Washington. By early January, 50 planes had been delivered.
"I was beginning to feel better," Mr. McNerney recalled. "And then—bang."
On Jan. 7, Mr. McNerney was told to turn on the television in his office. He saw a Dreamliner owned by Japan Airlines at the gate at Boston's Logan Airport. Smoke was coming out of the cargo area and firefighters were rushing to the empty plane. He got on the phone with Ray Conner, his commercial-airplane head, and chief technology officer John Tracy. They suspected "foreign object debris" or the 787's electrical panels, which had experienced two in-flight incidents in December.
The National Transportation Safety Board sent investigators. When Boeing's engineers were allowed aboard the next day, they saw firsthand that the fire was limited to the lithium-ion-battery unit.
Mr. McNerney said he was surprised: "We had tested the hell out of" the battery, he said.
Mr. McNerney spearheaded the company's probe, but other executives spoke publicly. The Dreamliner's chief engineer, Mike Sinnett, held conference calls with analysts, investors and the media. Mr. Conner attended a news conference with Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and FAA chief Michael Huerta announcing a joint review of the 787 systems by the agency and Boeing. Mr. McNerney issued a statement pledging company support and cooperation, adding that Boeing stands "100% behind the integrity of the 787."
Over the next week, Mr. McNerney and his team reviewed the prior battery testing. The batteries, each with eight cells, had shown no problems over 2.2 million cell-hours of operation, both on the ground and during 50,000 flight hours. The team devised a plan to assess the electrical system. Mr. McNerney set up a private meeting to brief the FAA chief. Separately, Mr. McNerney spoke to board members and customers.
On Jan. 15, Mr. McNerney got home at 6:30 p.m., set out some fish he planned to bake and changed into workout clothes. Suddenly, his cellphone started vibrating with a string of messages: "Another battery fire." "Smell in cockpit." "Smoke in electric bay." "Plane diverted in Japan."
He called Mr. Conner and told him: "The battery problem isn't a one-off anymore."
The fish stayed uncooked as he worked the phones and watched news reports of All Nippon Airways passengers descending slides after an emergency landing in western Japan.
The following day, Mr. McNerney slipped into Mr. Huerta's FAA office, unnoticed by journalists. The meeting swiftly turned grim as it became clear the FAA likely would halt all 787 flights.
In Chicago the next day, Mr. Tracy, the chief technology officer, told Mr. McNerney that "nothing that happened posed a risk to the plane or the passengers," according to both men.
Mr. McNerney banged his hands on his desk. "Do you understand the meaning of what we're dealing with here?" he recalled saying. The issue isn't just "electrochemistry in a battery…It's about the safety and confidence in our planes and our brand. And it can't happen again."
Mr. McNerney called his counterparts at GE, GM and other companies to ask for help from their top battery and electrical experts. "I wanted to make sure the world's technical experts were focused on this problem with us, because ultimately the credibility of our solution will depend not only on us," but would need their "imprimatur," he said recently.
He recalled telling one of his daughters he couldn't attend her horse show because "this is a tough problem for Dad right now." An avid ice-hockey player, he skipped his team's trip to Minneapolis for the annual pond-hockey national championship.
On Jan. 25, he traveled to Washington for the annual formal dinner of the Alfalfa Club, a group of political and business leaders. Mr. McNerney, head of the Business Roundtable, a group of top CEOs, told various attendees that Boeing was working hard to solve the problem.
He faced investors and analysts on a Jan. 30 conference call to discuss fourth-quarter financial results. He told them the operating performance was strong and that Boeing was moving to increase 787 production to 10 per month, from five, and to develop two more Dreamliner versions. He deflected questions about the potential fallout of the battery problems, saying: "I can't predict the outcome, and I'm not going to. We're in the middle of an investigation."
Some listeners weren't satisfied. "Investors weren't looking for him to reveal the details of investigation, but were certainly looking for a discussion of the what-if's," said Carter Leake, aerospace analyst for BB&T Capital Markets. "Investors were left twisting in the wind without any visibility to the timing or cost of the ultimate fix."
A Boeing spokesman said that its guidance assumed no impact from the 787 groundings and that it would update investors "as necessary." Boeing's share price has held fairly steady through the crisis, closing Thursday at $76.01 in New York Stock Exchange trading.
As the crisis dragged into its third week, Mr. McNerney flew to Seattle to check on progress at Boeing's commercial-aircraft unit. At his hotel suite on Feb. 4, he recalled, he grilled his team for three hours, pressing for "high analytical probabilities" on the likely cause and for "multiple layers of protection" for the plane.
The next morning, he visited the nearby Everett production facility, where two Dreamliner war rooms, called "Root Cause/Corrective Action" and "Return to Flight," had been set up. In one room there was a "fault tree" of possible triggers for the battery failures. Of the 88 initial branches, fewer than six branches were circled in red, orange or yellow as likely causes. He studied a graph showing temperature compared with voltage. "Why aren't you more focused here?" he asked.
The war rooms also focused on potential equipment modifications, such as on battery inputs and containers. Mr. McNerney asked about laboratory testing, then proceeded to the plant floor, where he squeezed his 6'2" frame into the small electric bay of one 787 to see how a redesigned battery unit would fit.
Before leaving the plant, he pulled aside Messrs. Conner and Tracy and said, "Good progress, but turn up your game. You understand that, right?"
Two weeks ago, Boeing began officially notifying customers about delays on Dreamliner deliveries.
This week, Mr. McNerney is facing the possibility that investigators may never find the root cause of the battery meltdowns. But he said the team has grown confident it has identified "all probable causes."
On Wednesday, Mr. McNerney reviewed the final details of the modified battery and new safeguards Boeing plans to propose to the FAA on Friday. It is seeking permission to conduct test flights to validate the changes, which could eventually lead to the resumption of regular flights.
Airlines forced to cancel flights and postpone the opening of new routes are growing impatient. The parent company of United Airlines, for example, said Thursday it is keeping its 787s from nearly all flight schedules through June 5, but remains hopeful it can start a new Denver-Tokyo service with the jet in May.
Mr. McNerney just approved plans to have Boeing repair crews ready to be dispatched around the world to install modified batteries and make other changes—as soon as the FAA gives the word.
Source: http://online.wsj.com
By MONICA LANGLEY
The Wall Street Journal
CHICAGO — The cutting-edge jetliners Boeing Co. had bet its future on sat grounded, unsettling images of passengers on escape chutes splashed across TV, when Chief Executive Jim McNerney sent handwritten apologies to the chairmen of the airlines whose 787 Dreamliner batteries went up in smoke.
Around the same time last month, he discreetly persuaded the CEOs of General Motors and General Electric to lend Boeing their best electrical experts, and quietly met with the head of the Federal Aviation Administration.
With his storied company facing the biggest crisis of his eight-year tenure, Mr. McNerney is wagering that it is better to disappear behind the scenes to try to fix the problem than to be out front reassuring the public.
"I'm the one who has to stand up with absolute confidence when Boeing proposes a solution to enable this technology for the world," he said during an exclusive interview in his Chicago office. "And the only way I know how is to dive in deeply with the people doing the scientific and technical work."
The company is expected to submit a proposal to the FAA on Friday seeking approval for fixes that Boeing hopes will return the planes to the skies, and plans to meet with Japanese air-safety authorities next week. The proposal sets an ambitious timetable calling for passenger flights to resume as early as mid-March.
The stakes couldn't be higher.
"This airplane is our near- and medium-term future, and ultimately speaks to our reputation and our brand," Mr. McNerney said during one of two interviews in which he detailed what he and his senior executives have been doing since the crisis erupted. His desk was covered with detailed drawings of Dreamliner systems, which he turned facedown.
Boeing continues to build five 787s per month, even though it can't deliver or get fully paid for any of the planes—which list for about $200 million—until the Dreamliner is recertified to fly. In a meeting Wednesday at the Everett, Wash., assembly plant, Mr. McNerney told his senior executives: "We'll have a lot of 787s stacking up around here if we don't get this done sooner rather than later."
At the same time, Boeing's airline customers, who have been forced to cancel hundreds of flights, are increasing the pressure on the chief executive to detail plans to bring their Dreamliners back into service.
The lithium-ion-battery meltdowns have been a public-relations debacle for the company. Two 787s started smoking, and passengers on one of them escaped on emergency slides after landing in Japan. Airline-safety officials in the U.S. and Japan displayed burned-up lithium-ion batteries and regulators world-wide grounded the entire fleet. It was the FAA's first jetliner grounding since 1979.
Mr. McNerney has taken some flak for not doing more to inform investors and the public what he has been doing to solve the problem. "He's not been front and center when there's a lot of fear that this battery problem could be more than a minor glitch," said aviation consultant Richard Aboulafia, vice president of Teal Group. "When you launch only one new jet a decade, you need someone in the public eye taking personal control, rather than raising more questions about how long until the 787 planes will fly."
Boeing's board has been supportive of its CEO's approach. "Jim is doing exactly what he should be doing," said lead director Kenneth Duberstein. "He is out front right now with the constituencies that matter—the customers, the regulators, the employees and the suppliers."
Mr. McNerney, who is 63 years old, came to Boeing in 2005 after running 3M Co. He was raised in a family of five children, and his father was CEO of Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Mr. McNerney had been a varsity pitcher at Yale University and fraternity brother of former President George W. Bush. After earning a Harvard M.B.A., he worked in marketing at Procter & Gamble and management consulting at McKinsey & Co., then moved up the ranks at General Electric, where he ran several divisions, including one that built airplane engines. After losing the horse race to succeed Jack Welch as GE's chief executive, he moved to 3M and became a Boeing director.
When Boeing brought him in as chief executive, it was reeling from corruption probes, the loss of defense contracts, weakness in its commercial-jet business and the resignation of two consecutive CEOs. The defense business represented half of Boeing's revenue. To build the airliner business, Mr. McNerney pushed the development of the 787 Dreamliner. It was designed to be a game-changing passenger jet—more fuel-efficient than competitors, with a lightweight frame made of composite materials and an electrical system using powerful lithium-ion batteries.
Orders poured in, and last year Boeing surpassed Europe's Airbus as the leading aircraft manufacturer in the world by number of planes ordered and delivered—the first time it held the top spot in a decade.
The Dreamliner was plagued with delays, which Boeing chalked up to design changes and production outsourcing. Nevertheless, Mr. McNerney presided over a DreamTour last spring, including a black-tie gala at Reagan National Airport in Washington. By early January, 50 planes had been delivered.
"I was beginning to feel better," Mr. McNerney recalled. "And then—bang."
On Jan. 7, Mr. McNerney was told to turn on the television in his office. He saw a Dreamliner owned by Japan Airlines at the gate at Boston's Logan Airport. Smoke was coming out of the cargo area and firefighters were rushing to the empty plane. He got on the phone with Ray Conner, his commercial-airplane head, and chief technology officer John Tracy. They suspected "foreign object debris" or the 787's electrical panels, which had experienced two in-flight incidents in December.
The National Transportation Safety Board sent investigators. When Boeing's engineers were allowed aboard the next day, they saw firsthand that the fire was limited to the lithium-ion-battery unit.
Mr. McNerney said he was surprised: "We had tested the hell out of" the battery, he said.
Mr. McNerney spearheaded the company's probe, but other executives spoke publicly. The Dreamliner's chief engineer, Mike Sinnett, held conference calls with analysts, investors and the media. Mr. Conner attended a news conference with Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and FAA chief Michael Huerta announcing a joint review of the 787 systems by the agency and Boeing. Mr. McNerney issued a statement pledging company support and cooperation, adding that Boeing stands "100% behind the integrity of the 787."
Over the next week, Mr. McNerney and his team reviewed the prior battery testing. The batteries, each with eight cells, had shown no problems over 2.2 million cell-hours of operation, both on the ground and during 50,000 flight hours. The team devised a plan to assess the electrical system. Mr. McNerney set up a private meeting to brief the FAA chief. Separately, Mr. McNerney spoke to board members and customers.
On Jan. 15, Mr. McNerney got home at 6:30 p.m., set out some fish he planned to bake and changed into workout clothes. Suddenly, his cellphone started vibrating with a string of messages: "Another battery fire." "Smell in cockpit." "Smoke in electric bay." "Plane diverted in Japan."
He called Mr. Conner and told him: "The battery problem isn't a one-off anymore."
The fish stayed uncooked as he worked the phones and watched news reports of All Nippon Airways passengers descending slides after an emergency landing in western Japan.
The following day, Mr. McNerney slipped into Mr. Huerta's FAA office, unnoticed by journalists. The meeting swiftly turned grim as it became clear the FAA likely would halt all 787 flights.
In Chicago the next day, Mr. Tracy, the chief technology officer, told Mr. McNerney that "nothing that happened posed a risk to the plane or the passengers," according to both men.
Mr. McNerney banged his hands on his desk. "Do you understand the meaning of what we're dealing with here?" he recalled saying. The issue isn't just "electrochemistry in a battery…It's about the safety and confidence in our planes and our brand. And it can't happen again."
Mr. McNerney called his counterparts at GE, GM and other companies to ask for help from their top battery and electrical experts. "I wanted to make sure the world's technical experts were focused on this problem with us, because ultimately the credibility of our solution will depend not only on us," but would need their "imprimatur," he said recently.
He recalled telling one of his daughters he couldn't attend her horse show because "this is a tough problem for Dad right now." An avid ice-hockey player, he skipped his team's trip to Minneapolis for the annual pond-hockey national championship.
On Jan. 25, he traveled to Washington for the annual formal dinner of the Alfalfa Club, a group of political and business leaders. Mr. McNerney, head of the Business Roundtable, a group of top CEOs, told various attendees that Boeing was working hard to solve the problem.
He faced investors and analysts on a Jan. 30 conference call to discuss fourth-quarter financial results. He told them the operating performance was strong and that Boeing was moving to increase 787 production to 10 per month, from five, and to develop two more Dreamliner versions. He deflected questions about the potential fallout of the battery problems, saying: "I can't predict the outcome, and I'm not going to. We're in the middle of an investigation."
Some listeners weren't satisfied. "Investors weren't looking for him to reveal the details of investigation, but were certainly looking for a discussion of the what-if's," said Carter Leake, aerospace analyst for BB&T Capital Markets. "Investors were left twisting in the wind without any visibility to the timing or cost of the ultimate fix."
A Boeing spokesman said that its guidance assumed no impact from the 787 groundings and that it would update investors "as necessary." Boeing's share price has held fairly steady through the crisis, closing Thursday at $76.01 in New York Stock Exchange trading.
As the crisis dragged into its third week, Mr. McNerney flew to Seattle to check on progress at Boeing's commercial-aircraft unit. At his hotel suite on Feb. 4, he recalled, he grilled his team for three hours, pressing for "high analytical probabilities" on the likely cause and for "multiple layers of protection" for the plane.
The next morning, he visited the nearby Everett production facility, where two Dreamliner war rooms, called "Root Cause/Corrective Action" and "Return to Flight," had been set up. In one room there was a "fault tree" of possible triggers for the battery failures. Of the 88 initial branches, fewer than six branches were circled in red, orange or yellow as likely causes. He studied a graph showing temperature compared with voltage. "Why aren't you more focused here?" he asked.
The war rooms also focused on potential equipment modifications, such as on battery inputs and containers. Mr. McNerney asked about laboratory testing, then proceeded to the plant floor, where he squeezed his 6'2" frame into the small electric bay of one 787 to see how a redesigned battery unit would fit.
Before leaving the plant, he pulled aside Messrs. Conner and Tracy and said, "Good progress, but turn up your game. You understand that, right?"
Two weeks ago, Boeing began officially notifying customers about delays on Dreamliner deliveries.
This week, Mr. McNerney is facing the possibility that investigators may never find the root cause of the battery meltdowns. But he said the team has grown confident it has identified "all probable causes."
On Wednesday, Mr. McNerney reviewed the final details of the modified battery and new safeguards Boeing plans to propose to the FAA on Friday. It is seeking permission to conduct test flights to validate the changes, which could eventually lead to the resumption of regular flights.
Airlines forced to cancel flights and postpone the opening of new routes are growing impatient. The parent company of United Airlines, for example, said Thursday it is keeping its 787s from nearly all flight schedules through June 5, but remains hopeful it can start a new Denver-Tokyo service with the jet in May.
Mr. McNerney just approved plans to have Boeing repair crews ready to be dispatched around the world to install modified batteries and make other changes—as soon as the FAA gives the word.
Source: http://online.wsj.com
Athens/Ben Epps (KAHN), Athens, Georgia: Closing of airport tower would raise safety, economic concerns
The air traffic control tower at Athens-Ben Epps Airport is on a list of control towers at smaller airports throughout the country that could close if federal budget cuts set to go into effect March 1 aren’t modified by Congress and the White House as the deadline looms.
If the Athens-Ben Epps tower is closed, airport operations, including the commercial passenger service provided by SeaPort Airlines to Nashville, Tenn., won’t be adversely affected, at least in a technical sense, according to Airport Director Tim Beggerly.
There would, however, be some safety concerns, Beggerly noted. Athens-Ben Epps Airport is at least somewhat unique among airports in terms of the traffic it handles, he said. At any given time, according to Beggerly, it’s possible that a chartered 100-passenger jet and a two-seat propeller-driven training aircraft will be taking off or landing, and air traffic controllers provide the needed expertise for ensuring adequate separation and other factors critical to the safety of both aircraft and their passengers.
There would also be some economic concerns if the tower is closed, Beggerly said, noting that the approximately half-dozen air-traffic controllers who work there, not to mention the people who maintain the tower’s equipment and even the people who clean the facility, would lose their jobs.
Currently, the Athens airport’s tower is staffed for just half the day, Beggerly said. From 8 p.m. until 8 a.m. daily, which includes times that SeaPort Airlines is operating flights into and out of the airport, the facility is “uncontrolled.”
During those hours, Beggerly explained, commercial and private pilots land and take off following a set of standard procedures, including communicating their intentions over a common radio frequency.
Should the tower close, Beggerly said he didn’t expect that circumstance to have an adverse effect on SeaPort Airlines’ presence in Athens. SeaPort provides air service to Nashville — a connecting point for larger airlines — under the terms of a federally subsidized Essential Air Service contract. Similar EAS contracts ensure commercial air service in a number of communities across the United States.
According to media reports, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood said Friday that the across-the-board budget cuts contemplated in the so-called federal “sequester” will mean trimming $600 million from the Federal Aviation Administration’s budget this year. In anticipation of those cuts, the FAA has developed a list of 200 airport control towers from which the agency could choose as many as 100 for closure.
In addition to the Athens-Ben Epps tower, six other Georgia airport towers — in Albany, Columbus, Macon and at three small metropolitan Atlanta airports — are on the FAA list.
Athens-Ben Epps Airport is one of nine commercial airports in the state. Outside of Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and the Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport, Athens-Ben Epps Airport is the second busiest among the remaining seven commercial airports in the state, Beggerly said.
Story and Reaction/Comments: http://onlineathens.com
If the Athens-Ben Epps tower is closed, airport operations, including the commercial passenger service provided by SeaPort Airlines to Nashville, Tenn., won’t be adversely affected, at least in a technical sense, according to Airport Director Tim Beggerly.
There would, however, be some safety concerns, Beggerly noted. Athens-Ben Epps Airport is at least somewhat unique among airports in terms of the traffic it handles, he said. At any given time, according to Beggerly, it’s possible that a chartered 100-passenger jet and a two-seat propeller-driven training aircraft will be taking off or landing, and air traffic controllers provide the needed expertise for ensuring adequate separation and other factors critical to the safety of both aircraft and their passengers.
There would also be some economic concerns if the tower is closed, Beggerly said, noting that the approximately half-dozen air-traffic controllers who work there, not to mention the people who maintain the tower’s equipment and even the people who clean the facility, would lose their jobs.
Currently, the Athens airport’s tower is staffed for just half the day, Beggerly said. From 8 p.m. until 8 a.m. daily, which includes times that SeaPort Airlines is operating flights into and out of the airport, the facility is “uncontrolled.”
During those hours, Beggerly explained, commercial and private pilots land and take off following a set of standard procedures, including communicating their intentions over a common radio frequency.
Should the tower close, Beggerly said he didn’t expect that circumstance to have an adverse effect on SeaPort Airlines’ presence in Athens. SeaPort provides air service to Nashville — a connecting point for larger airlines — under the terms of a federally subsidized Essential Air Service contract. Similar EAS contracts ensure commercial air service in a number of communities across the United States.
According to media reports, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood said Friday that the across-the-board budget cuts contemplated in the so-called federal “sequester” will mean trimming $600 million from the Federal Aviation Administration’s budget this year. In anticipation of those cuts, the FAA has developed a list of 200 airport control towers from which the agency could choose as many as 100 for closure.
In addition to the Athens-Ben Epps tower, six other Georgia airport towers — in Albany, Columbus, Macon and at three small metropolitan Atlanta airports — are on the FAA list.
Athens-Ben Epps Airport is one of nine commercial airports in the state. Outside of Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and the Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport, Athens-Ben Epps Airport is the second busiest among the remaining seven commercial airports in the state, Beggerly said.
Story and Reaction/Comments: http://onlineathens.com
Wittman Regional (KOSH), Oshkosh, Wisconsin: Airport tower could be closed if federal budget cuts proceed
WASHINGTON -- Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood warned Friday of massive delays in flights and the closing of 100 smaller air-traffic control towers as part of automatic spending cuts scheduled March 1.
Because of furloughs for air-traffic controllers, LaHood said flights from New York to San Francisco could be delayed 90 minutes. He says once airlines understand how flights are delayed, they will begin canceling flights.
He said the control towers at the 100 smallest airports will be closed, from a list including those in Boca Raton, Fla., Joplin, Mo., and Hilton Head, S.C.
"These are harmful cuts with real-world consequences that will cost jobs and hurt the economy," LaHood said from the White House briefing room.
Airport towers in Wisconsin impacted by the reductions includes Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh; Central Wisconsin Mosinee; Chippewa Valley Regional Eau Claire; Kenosha Regional Kenosha; Southern Wisconsin Regional Janesville; La Crosse Municipal La Crosse; Lawrence J. Timmerman Milwaukee; Wittman Regional Oshkosh; Waukesha County.
LaHood, a former Republican member of Congress, urged lawmakers to approve a compromise for $85 billion in spending cuts that are scheduled to hit every agency March 1. Republican lawmakers have opposed President Obama's proposal to close tax loopholes in combination with targeted spending cuts to avoid the across-the-board spending cuts.
The full effect of flight delays and cancellations will be felt by April 1, LaHood said.
LaHood had warned lawmakers that Federal Aviation Administration workers would face furloughs of one day every two weeks through the end of September. But his comments Friday escalated the severity of warnings about what will happen.
LaHood says discussions were starting Friday with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association to eliminate midnight shift duty at 60 airports across the country.
Doug Church, spokesman for the union, says travelers will feel the impact of the cuts throughout spring and summer, with fewer flights and increased delays.
"The impacts of sequestration will be serious," Church says. "Because these cuts must be across the board, FAA employees could face furloughs, including for air traffic controllers and other safety professionals."
LaHood said members of Congress should expect an backlash from the traveling public.
"Their phones are going to start ringing," LaHood says of lawmakers hearing from travelers. "Nobody likes a delay. Nobody likes waiting in line."
LaHood says safety remains the department's top priority. But because of staffing fewer air-traffic controllers, he says flights will be delayed and reduced.
"We don't have to have this kind of calamity in air service in America," LaHood says.
The Transportation Department plans to close 100 airports that have 150,000 flights or fewer each year, if automatic spending cuts go into effect as scheduled March 1.
Decisions on which ones will be closed will come out of meetings the FAA has with air-traffic controllers and airlines.
Following is a list of 200 airports from which the department says it will select 100 whose towers will be closed by April 1.
BFM Mobile Downtown Mobile, Ala.
DHN Dothan Regional Dothan, Ala.
TCL Tuscaloosa Regional Tuscaloosa, Ala.
ASG Springdale Municipal Springdale, Ark.
FSM Fort Smith Tower Fort Smith, Ark.
FYV Drake Field Fayetteville, Ark.
ROG Rogers Municipal-Carter Field Rogers, Ark.
TXK Texarkana Regional-Webb Field Texarkana, Ark.
GEU Glendale Municipal Glendale, Ariz.
GYR Phoenix Goodyear Goodyear, Ariz.
IFP Laughlin/Bullhead International Bullhead City, Ariz.
RYN Ryan Field Tucson, Ariz.
APC Napa Tower Napa, Calif.
CCR Concord Tower Concord, Calif.
CMA Camarillo Tower Camarillo, Calif.
EMT El Monte Tower El Monte, Calif.
FUL Fullerton Municipal Fullerton, Calif.
HHR Jack Northrop Field/Hawthorne Municipal Hawthorne, Calif.
LVK Livermore Tower Livermore, Calif.
MER Castle Atwater, Calif.
OXR Oxnard Oxnard, Calif.
PMD Palmdale Regional/USAF Plant 42 Palmdale, Cali f.
POC Brackett Tower La Verne, Calif.
RAL Riverside Municipal Riverside, Calif.
RNM Ramona Ramona, Calif.
SAC Sacramento Executive Sacramento, Calif.
SCK Stockton Tower Stockton, Calif.
SDM Brown Field Municipal San Diego, Calif.
SMO Santa Monica Tower Santa Monica, Calif.
SNS Salinas Municipal Salinas, Calif.
SQL San Carlos San Carlos, Calif.
STS Charles M. Schultz-Sonoma County Santa Rosa, Calif.
VCV Southern California Logistics Victorville, Calif.
WHP Whiteman Los Angeles, Calif.
WJF General William J. Fox Airfield Lancaster, Calif.
BJC Broomfield Tower Westminster, Colo.
FTG Front Range Denver, Colo.
BDR Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Bridgeport, Conn.
DXR Danbury Municipal Danbury, Conn.
GON Groton-New London Groton (New London), Conn.
HFD Hartford-Brainard Hartford, Conn.
HVN Tweed-New Haven New Haven, Conn.
OXC Waterbury-Oxford Oxford, Conn.
ILG Wilmington Tower New Castle, Del.
APF Naples Municipal Naples, Fla.
BCT Boca Raton Boca Raton, Fla.
CRG Craig Municipal Jacksonville, Fla.
EVB New Smyrna Beach Municipal New Smyrna Beach, Fla.
FMY Page Field Fort Myers, Fla.
FPR St. Lucie County International Fort Pierce, Fla.
HWO North Perry Hollywood, Fla.
ISM Kissimmee Gateway Orlando, Fla.
LAL Lakeland Linder Regional Lakeland, Fla.
LEE Leesburg International Leesburg, Fla.
OCF Ocala International-Jim Taylor Field Ocala, Fla.
OMN Ormond Beach Municipal Ormond Beach, Fla.
OPF Opa-Locka Executive Miami, Fla.
ORL Orlando Executive Orlando, Fla.
PGD Punta Gorda Punta Gorda, Fla.
SGJ Northeast Florida Regional St. Augustine, Fla.
SPG Albert Whitted St. Petersburg, Fla.
SUA Witham Field Stuart, Fla.
TIX Space Coast Regional Titusville, Fla.
VQQ Cecil Jacksonville, Fla.
ABY Southwest Georgia Regiona l Albany, Ga.
AHN Athens-Ben Epps Athens, Ga.
CSG Columbus Metropolitan Columbus, Ga.
FTY Fulton County-Brown Field Atlanta
LZU Gwinnett County-Briscoe Field Lawrenceville, Ga.
MCN Middle Georgia Regional Macon, Ga.
RYY Cobb County-McCollum Field Atlanta
JRF Kalaeloa (John Rodgers Field) Kapolei, Hawaii
ALO Waterloo Tower Waterloo, Iowa
DBQ Dubuque Regional Dubuque, Iowa
SUX Sioux Gateway Sioux City, Iowa
IDA Idaho Falls Regional Idaho Falls, Idaho
LWS Lewiston-Nez Perce County Lewiston, Idaho
PIH Pocatello Regional Pocatello, Idaho
SUN Friedman Memorial Hailey, Idaho
TWF Joslin Field-Magic Valley Regional Twin Falls, Idaho
ALN St. Louis Regional Alton/St. Louis, Ill.
ARR Aurora Tower Sugar Grove, Ill
BMI Central Illinois Regional at Bloomington-Normal Bloomington-Normal, Ill.
DEC Decatur Decatur, Ill.
DPA Dupage West Chicago, Ill.
MDH Southern Illino is Carbondale/Murphysboro, Ill.
MWA Williamson County Regional Marion, Ill.
SPI Springfield Tower Springfield, Ill.
UGN Waukegan Regional Chicago/Waukegan, Ill.
BAK Columbus Municipal Columbus, Ind.
BMG Monroe County Bloomington, Ind.
GYY Gary/Chicago International Gary, Ind.
HUF Terre Haute International-Hulman Field Terra Haute, Ind.
LAF Lafayette Tower West Lafayette, Ind.
MIE Delaware County Regional Muncie, Ind.
FOE Forbes Field Topeka, Kan.
GCK Garden City Regional Garden City, Kan.
HUT Hutchinson Municipal Hutchinson, Kan.
IXD New Century AirCenter Olathe, Kan.
MHK Manhattan Regional Manhattan, Kan.
OJC Johnson County Executive Olathe, Kan.
TOP Philip Billard Municipal Topeka, Kan.
LOU Bowman Tower Louisville, Ky.
OWB Owensboro-Daviess County Owensboro, Ky.
PAH Barkley Regional Paducah, Ky.
CWF Chennault International Lake Charles, La.
DTN Shre veport Downtown Shreveport, La.
LCH Lake Charles Regional Lake Charles, La.
MLU Monroe Regional Monroe, La.
NEW Lakefront New Orleans
BAF Barnes Municipal Westfield/Springfield, Mass.
BVY Beverly Municipal Beverly, Mass.
EWB New Bedford Regional New Bedford, Mass.
LWM Lawrence Municipal Lawrence, Mass.
ORH Worcester Regional Worcester, Mass.
OWD Norwood Memorial Norwood, Mass.
ESN Easton/Newnam Field Easton, Md.
FDK Frederick Municipal Frederick, Md.
HGR Hagerstown Regional-Richard A. Henson Field Hagerstown, Md.
MTN Martin State Baltimore, Md.
SBY Salisbury-Ocean City Wicomico Regional Salisbury, Md.
ARB Ann Arbor Municipal Ann Arbor, Mich.
BTL W.K. Kellogg Battle Creek, Mich.
DET Coleman A. Young Municipal Detroit
JXN Jackson County-Reynolds Field Jackson, Mich.
MKG Muskegon County Muskegon, Mich.
SAW Sawyer International Marquette, Mich.
ANE Anoka County-Blaine Airport (Janes Field) Minneapolis
FCM Flying Cloud Eden Prairie, Minn.
MIC Crystal Tower Crystal, Minn.
STC St. Cloud Regional St. Cloud, Minn.
BBG Branson Branson, Mo.
COU Columbia Regional Columbia, Mo.
JEF Jefferson City Memorial Jefferson City, Mo.
JLN Joplin Regional Joplin, Mo.
STJ Rosecrans Memorial St. Joseph, Mo.
GLH Mid Delta Regional Greenville, Miss.
GTR Golden Triangle Regional Columbus/West Point/Starkville, Miss.
HKS Hawkins Field Jackson, Miss.
HSA Stennis International Bay St. Louis, Miss.
MEI Key Field Meridian, Miss.
OLV Olive Branch Olive Branch, Miss.
TUP Tupelo Regional Tupelo, Miss.
GPI Glacier Park International Kalispell, Mont.
HLN Helena Regional Helena, Mont.
EWN Coastal Carolina Regional New Bern, N.C.
HKY Hickory Regional Hickory, N.C.
INT Smith Reynolds Winston Salem, N.C.
ISO Kinston Regional Jetport at Sta llings Field Kinston, N.C.
JQF Concord Regional Concord, N.C.
GRI Central Nebraska Regional Grand Island, Neb.
ASH Boire Field Nashua, N.H.
CDW Essex County Fairfield, N.J.
TTN Trenton Mercer Trenton, N.J.
AEG Double Eagle II Albuquerque, N.M.
HOB Lea County Regional Hobbs, N.M.
ROW Roswell International Air Center Roswell, N.M.
SAF Santa Fe Municipal Santa Fe, N.M.
BGM Binghamton Tower Johnson City, N.Y.
FOK Francis S. Gabreski Westhampton Beach, N.Y.
IAG Niagara Falls International Niagara Falls, N.Y.
ITH Ithaca Tomkins Regional Ithaca, N.Y.
POU Dutchess County Wappingers Falls, N.Y.
RME Griffiss International Rome, N.Y.
CGF Cuyahoga County Cleveland
MFD Mansfield Tower Mansfield, Ohio
OSU Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio
TZR Bolton Field Columbus, Ohio
YNG Youngstown-Warren Regional Vienna, Ohio
ADM Ardmore Municipal Ardmore, Okla.
LAW La wton-Fort Sill Regional Lawton, Okla.
OUN University of Oklahoma Westheimer Norman, Okla.
PWA Wiley Post Oklahoma City, Okla.
SWO Stillwater Regional Stillwater, Okla.
WDG Enid Wooding Regional Enid, Okla.
LMT Klamath Falls Klamath Falls, Ore.
OTH Southwest Oregon Regional North Bend, Ore.
PDT Eastern Oregon Regional at Pendleton Pendleton, Ore.
SLE McNary Field Salem, Ore.
TTD Portland-Troutdale Portland, Ore.
CXY Capital City Harrisburg, Pa.
IPT Williamsport Regional Williamsport, Pa.
LBE Arnold Palmer Regional Latrobe, Pa.
LNS Lancaster Lancaster, Pa.
PNE Northeast Philadelphia Philadelphia
RDG Reading Regional-Carl A. Spaatz Field Reading, Pa.
CRE Grand Strand North Myrtle Beach, S.C.
FLO Florence Regional Florence, S.C.
GYH Donaldson Center Greenville, S.C.
HXD Hilton Head Hilton Head Island, S.C.
MKL McKellar-Sipes Regional Jackson, Tenn.
MQY Sm yrna Smyrna, Tenn.
NQA Millington Regional Jetport Millington, Tenn.
ACT Waco Regional Waco, Texas
BAZ New Braunfels Municipal New Braunfels, Texas
BPT Jack Brooks Regional Beaumont, Texas
BRO Brownsville/South Padre Island International Brownsville, Texas
CLL Easterwood Field College Station, Texas
CNW TSTC Waco Waco, Texas
CXO Lone Star Executive Houston
FWS Fort Worth Spinks Fort Worth, Texas
GGG East Texas Regional Longview, Texas
GKY Arlington Municipal Arlington, Texas
GPM Grand Prairie Municipal Grand Prairie, Texas
GTU Georgetown Municipal Georgetown, Texas
HYI San Marcos Municipal San Marcos, Texas
RBD Dallas Executive Dallas
SGR Sugar Land Regional Houston
SSF Stinson Municipal San Antonio
TKI Collin County Regional at McKinney Dallas
TYR Tyler Pounds Regional Tyler, Texas
VCT Victoria Regional Victoria, Texas
OGD Ogden-Hinckley Ogden, Utah
PVU Provo Municipal Provo, Utah
HEF Manassas Regional/Harry P. Davis Field Manassas, Va.
LYH Lynchburg Regional/Preston Glenn Field Lynchburg, Va.
ALW Walla Walla Regional Walla Walla, Wash.
MWH Grant County International Moses Lake, Wash.
OLM Olympia Regional Olympia, Wash.
PAE Snohomish County Airport (Paine Field) Everett, Wash.
RNT Renton Municipal Renton, Wash.
SFF Felts Field Spokane, Wash.
TIW Tacoma Narrows Tacoma, Wash.
YKM Yakima Air Terminal/McAllister Field Yakima, Wash.
CWA Central Wisconsin Mosinee, Wis.
EAU Chippewa Valley Regional Eau Claire, Wis.
ENW Kenosha Regional Kenosha, Wis.
JVL Southern Wisconsin Regional Janesville, Wis.
LSE La Crosse Municipal La Crosse, Wis.
MWC Lawrence J. Timmerman Milwaukee, Wis.
OSH Wittman Regional Oshkosh, Wis.
UES Waukesha County Waukesha, Wis.
CKB North Central West Virginia Bridgeport, W.Va.
HLG Whe eling Ohio County Wheeling, W.Va.
HTS Tri-State Milton J. Ferguson Field Huntington, W.Va.
LWB Greenbrier Valley Lewisburg, W.Va.
PKB Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Parkersburg, W.Va.
CYS Cheyenne Regional/Jerry Olson Field Cheyenne, Wyo.
Story and Reaction/Comments: http://www.thenorthwestern.com
Exhibition held for centenary of Montrose airfield
A special exhibition will be opened tomorrow at the start of the
celebrations to the mark the 100th anniversary of the establishment of
Britain’s first operational military airfield on the Angus coast.
The Royal Flying Corps set up its first air station at Montrose on 26 February, 1913. And an exhibition, charting the history of the airfield - “Montrose’s Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines” - will be officially opened at the air station’s museum by Councillor Helen Oswald, the Provost of Angus, who will be accompanied by RAF airmen from 2 Squadron – the first squadron to be based at Montrose
Councillor Oswald said: “It is a true honor to be asked to be asked to open this exhibition. In Angus, we are rightly proud of the ancient history of our county but this is an opportunity to celebrate our more recent – but equally fascinating - history by commemorating the pilots and aircraft of Montrose Air Station.
“The pilots, aircraft and support staff of Montrose Air Station, and the debt we owe them for their sacrifices in the lead up to and during both World Wars, should be remembered at all times – and especially throughout 2013, the 100th anniversary of the air station.”
Alan Doe, chair of Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre, said: “This exhibition will provide a fascinating insight into the history of Montrose Air Station, Britain’s first operational military airfield.
“The station was set up by the Royal Flying Corps’ 2 Squadron in February 1913 and was one of the main training centers for Britain’s World War l and World War ll pilots, as well as being a major air station during both World Wars.
“Montrose Air Station played a highly-significant part in the history of flight and the First and Second World Wars but it was at risk of being forgotten. However, thanks to the efforts of our dedicated team of volunteers and funding from, amongst others, Heritage Lottery Fund and Angus Council, Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre now tells the story of the base, the men and women who were stationed there and the aircraft that flew in the skies above Montrose when the station was operational.”
He added: “This exhibition launches our program of special events commemorating 100 years of Montrose Air Station. Over the next few months, we expect thousands of people from across the UK and beyond to come along to Montrose Museum and to visit Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre.”
The exhibition features personal letters from pilots who trained at the base to their loved ones, original RAF uniforms and accounts of Spitfires flying off across the North Sea to protect Britain from German bombers.
It also features a diorama providing a miniature 3D aerial view of Montrose Air Station as it was in 1940 and the cross from the grave in France of a British pilot who trained at Montrose and was killed in action in 1917.
During the First World War Montrose was primarily used as a training base for pilots heading for the Western Front and served as a fighter squadron base and training facility during the Second World War.
The bodies of many of the pilots who died on training flight are buried in Montrose’s cemeteries and the the airfield is reputed to be one of the most haunted place in Britain. It is said to be haunted by the ghost of Lieutenant Desmond Arthur of the Royal Flying Corps, who was killed in 1913 when his biplane crashed at nearby Lunan Bay.
Three years ago an old radio at the museum - filled with cobwebs and with no power and no aerial - began broadcasting “phantom” speeches by Winston Churchill and music by the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the Allies’ favorite band during the Second World War.
Story: http://www.scotsman.com
The Royal Flying Corps set up its first air station at Montrose on 26 February, 1913. And an exhibition, charting the history of the airfield - “Montrose’s Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines” - will be officially opened at the air station’s museum by Councillor Helen Oswald, the Provost of Angus, who will be accompanied by RAF airmen from 2 Squadron – the first squadron to be based at Montrose
Councillor Oswald said: “It is a true honor to be asked to be asked to open this exhibition. In Angus, we are rightly proud of the ancient history of our county but this is an opportunity to celebrate our more recent – but equally fascinating - history by commemorating the pilots and aircraft of Montrose Air Station.
“The pilots, aircraft and support staff of Montrose Air Station, and the debt we owe them for their sacrifices in the lead up to and during both World Wars, should be remembered at all times – and especially throughout 2013, the 100th anniversary of the air station.”
Alan Doe, chair of Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre, said: “This exhibition will provide a fascinating insight into the history of Montrose Air Station, Britain’s first operational military airfield.
“The station was set up by the Royal Flying Corps’ 2 Squadron in February 1913 and was one of the main training centers for Britain’s World War l and World War ll pilots, as well as being a major air station during both World Wars.
“Montrose Air Station played a highly-significant part in the history of flight and the First and Second World Wars but it was at risk of being forgotten. However, thanks to the efforts of our dedicated team of volunteers and funding from, amongst others, Heritage Lottery Fund and Angus Council, Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre now tells the story of the base, the men and women who were stationed there and the aircraft that flew in the skies above Montrose when the station was operational.”
He added: “This exhibition launches our program of special events commemorating 100 years of Montrose Air Station. Over the next few months, we expect thousands of people from across the UK and beyond to come along to Montrose Museum and to visit Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre.”
The exhibition features personal letters from pilots who trained at the base to their loved ones, original RAF uniforms and accounts of Spitfires flying off across the North Sea to protect Britain from German bombers.
It also features a diorama providing a miniature 3D aerial view of Montrose Air Station as it was in 1940 and the cross from the grave in France of a British pilot who trained at Montrose and was killed in action in 1917.
During the First World War Montrose was primarily used as a training base for pilots heading for the Western Front and served as a fighter squadron base and training facility during the Second World War.
The bodies of many of the pilots who died on training flight are buried in Montrose’s cemeteries and the the airfield is reputed to be one of the most haunted place in Britain. It is said to be haunted by the ghost of Lieutenant Desmond Arthur of the Royal Flying Corps, who was killed in 1913 when his biplane crashed at nearby Lunan Bay.
Three years ago an old radio at the museum - filled with cobwebs and with no power and no aerial - began broadcasting “phantom” speeches by Winston Churchill and music by the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the Allies’ favorite band during the Second World War.
Story: http://www.scotsman.com
Star Helicopters Offers Oscar-Worthy Flyover Tour
Los Angeles, CA – Star Helicopters offers an extra long, 110-minute helicopter tour called The Oscar, for visitors seeking a truly unforgettable way to see Los Angeles. The tour takes riders farther north, south and west than any other tour company in the area.
The Oscar is a private tour that encompasses all of Los Angeles. It would take two full days to see the same sights by land. It combines all other Star Helicopters tours, making it the longest and most comprehensive of all of their offerings. The tour starts in the middle of Los Angeles and flies north, then south along the shore, and west around the San Pedro Bay. Other tour options include the Director’s Cut, Malibu Grandeur, the Sneak Preview, the Star VIP, the Hollywood Tour, and Soarin’ the Shore.
In addition to the helicopter tours, Star Helicopters offers a variety of pilot and flight training programs in the Los Angeles area, as well as aerial photography, plane spotting, movie production, agricultural services, charters and air taxi services. It is truly a one-stop-shop for everything that can take place in the air. And of course, safety is a priority. “We hold ourselves and our pilots to the highest safety standards. Our company and all of our pilots have a perfect zero accident and zero Incident flight safety record,” said a Star Helicopter spokesman.
About Star Helicopters
Star Helicopters was founded in 2009 and has continually expanded since then. The company started with two pilots, but now operates with eight helicopters and eight pilots. It is the largest helicopter company in the metro Los Angeles area, and stands by its strict attention to customer service and safety. For more detail please visit, www.star-helicopters.com.
Burnett County Airport (KRZN), Siren, Wisconsin: Aerobatics to be added to 2013 air show
SIREN—In an effort to double the size and scope of the annual air show event at the Burnett County Airport in July, organizers are adding an aerobatics routine to the mix.
"This facilty is an asset to the entire county — we need to get people out here to see what we have," Dave Basten told the county's infrastructure committee last week.
Basten is a charter member of Northwoods Flyers, the county's EAA chapter.
"We've always had a breakfast and airplanes in the past," he continued. "We are just trying to expand on that."
He said by expanding the show, it would be beneficial for the county.
For the July 27, 2013 event, Basten said a full slate of activities is being planned.
"We'll have the classic planes like we've always had but we trying to get a B25 and a P51, military planes, here," Basten explained. "We had them lined up for last year, but they couldn't make it."
He said the war planes are a big hit at other air shows.
"Just seeing that B25 land will draw people," he remarked.
In addition to classic and war planes, he hopes to have an air ambulance on hand as well a helicopter which will offer free rides plus remote-controlled aircraft.
"The guy who did the helicopter rides last year says this is the second-best place he goes," Basten exclaimed.
The air show is looking to attract non-airplane enthusiasts as well.
"The agriculture association does the breakfast — last year they fed 500," Basten said. "We are also going to have a 5K trail run which will end at the hangar where they serve breakfast."
In addition, organizers hope to display some classic cars.
"If they don't like planes, they can look at cars," he said of potentials show-goers.
The Northwoods Flyers sponsor the fly in and the breakfast.
"This year we will be paying for the performers (aerobatics)," he said.
Airport manager Jeremy Sickler said the airport will have to be closed for the duration of the aerobatic portion of the air show.
That wasn't an issue as much as the insurance.
"While the county's umbrella insurance policy would cover the fly in and the breakfast, we are going to need an insurance rider for the aerobatics," Basten explained. "The one quote we have received was for $1,500."
The committee later authorized $1,500 in leftover funds from the airport's 2012 budget to cover the rider.
Story and Photo: http://www.presspubs.com
"This facilty is an asset to the entire county — we need to get people out here to see what we have," Dave Basten told the county's infrastructure committee last week.
Basten is a charter member of Northwoods Flyers, the county's EAA chapter.
"We've always had a breakfast and airplanes in the past," he continued. "We are just trying to expand on that."
He said by expanding the show, it would be beneficial for the county.
For the July 27, 2013 event, Basten said a full slate of activities is being planned.
"We'll have the classic planes like we've always had but we trying to get a B25 and a P51, military planes, here," Basten explained. "We had them lined up for last year, but they couldn't make it."
He said the war planes are a big hit at other air shows.
"Just seeing that B25 land will draw people," he remarked.
In addition to classic and war planes, he hopes to have an air ambulance on hand as well a helicopter which will offer free rides plus remote-controlled aircraft.
"The guy who did the helicopter rides last year says this is the second-best place he goes," Basten exclaimed.
The air show is looking to attract non-airplane enthusiasts as well.
"The agriculture association does the breakfast — last year they fed 500," Basten said. "We are also going to have a 5K trail run which will end at the hangar where they serve breakfast."
In addition, organizers hope to display some classic cars.
"If they don't like planes, they can look at cars," he said of potentials show-goers.
The Northwoods Flyers sponsor the fly in and the breakfast.
"This year we will be paying for the performers (aerobatics)," he said.
Airport manager Jeremy Sickler said the airport will have to be closed for the duration of the aerobatic portion of the air show.
That wasn't an issue as much as the insurance.
"While the county's umbrella insurance policy would cover the fly in and the breakfast, we are going to need an insurance rider for the aerobatics," Basten explained. "The one quote we have received was for $1,500."
The committee later authorized $1,500 in leftover funds from the airport's 2012 budget to cover the rider.
Story and Photo: http://www.presspubs.com
Forks Airport (S18), Washington: Drag races OK'd for next five years
FORKS — The growls and roars of fast cars piloted by daring drivers can continue to erupt at Forks Municipal Airport for up to five drag-racing weekends annually through 2017, the Federal Aviation Administration has decided.
Seven years after it began, the West End Thunder drag-racing series has been approved for the next five years, with races set to roll the weekends of July 6-7, Aug. 17-18 and Sept. 14-15.
FAA policy prohibits grant-obligation airports such as Forks Municipal Airport from closing for non-aviation uses but had granted exceptions and provided a temporary permit last year while it reviewed the city's application.
The FAA informed the city of its decision, which was to approve airport shutdowns for no more than five weekends each calendar year, in a Feb. 13 letter to Mayor Bryon Monohon.
“I'm very excited,” Monohon said Thursday.
On racing weekends, “people are in the restaurants, people are in the hotels, people are shopping in the stores,” he said.
“But the most important thing is the sense of vibrancy and life.”
Race organizer Cary Bourm, president of the West End Thunder drag-racing club, said it took two years to complete the application to the FAA, which has gone back and forth on approving the events.
The FAA first granted an exception to its rule in 2006.
“We thought 50 people would show up, and we had 800 the first time without even advertising,” Bourm recalled.
The FAA extended the exception through 2009, then denied the request for 2010, and then told the city, which owns the airport, and the club that the 2011 races would be the last season.
But the federal agency ended up granting a temporary permit for 2012 while it reviewed the application.
“Recently, [the] FAA developed an assessment tool to determine if the temporary closure of an airport for non-aeronautical events is in the best interest of civil aviation,” Stanley Allison, assistant manager for the Seattle Airports District Office, said in the Feb. 13 letter.
Airport tenants and the city submitted documents to the agency, and the city responded to the FAA's follow-up questions.
“Based on the information provided, we approve the temporary closure of [Forks Municipal Airport] for automobile racing for the remainder of 2013 through 2017,” Allison said in the letter.
Bourm credited Forks City Attorney-Planner Rod Fleck, the Port of Port Angeles and the office of U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Bothell, for assisting with the application and on negotiations with the FAA.
“It makes us very happy,” Bourm said Thursday.
“Now, we can plan ahead and maybe make it a little bit better.”
Bourm said each race draws from 500 to 1,200 spectators, along with up to 105 race cars and 40 show cars.
But attendance gradually has dropped, and organizers have been running out of helpers to assist in setting up the events on the Thursday and Friday nights before the races.
“It started out bigger, but I think it's slowly dying down,” Bourm said.
The lack of help “is our main problem,” he added.
“We're getting burned out.
“You work 12 or 14 hours a day and go home and then work on that, it's pretty hard.”
Set-up volunteers can phone 360-374-6409 or 360-640-1366 for more information.
The FAA is allowing the races under 10 conditions.
They include the agency being supplied with a copy of the $2 million liability insurance policy that covers the events and which West End Thunder has purchased.
The club also must buy a liquid that improves race-car traction — and that costs $800 a barrel.
All that effort has created a loyal following to the kind of event where people see folks they haven't seen for a while and where visitors from all over the world show up, Bourm said.
“We get people from Europe who stop by and look,” Bourm said.
“It's a social event.”
With any community, “you've got to have this feeling that something is going on and that it's a place you want to be,” Monohon said.
“It gives folks a constructive, family-oriented event that is here in town that they don't have to drive off to do somewhere else.”
In addition, for the men and women who take an active part — Bourm's wife, Melene, races — the event is “a labor of love,” Monohon said.
The races also have become a prime fundraising locale for West End nonprofit organizations that set up food booths and other concessions, Monohon said.
“Anytime you are pulling people together, it's a beneficial thing, and this is certainly one of those.”
General admission to a race is $10, and children younger than 12 are admitted free.
For more information on the drag-racing series, visit www.westendthunder.com.
Story and Photo: http://www.peninsuladailynews.com
Seven years after it began, the West End Thunder drag-racing series has been approved for the next five years, with races set to roll the weekends of July 6-7, Aug. 17-18 and Sept. 14-15.
FAA policy prohibits grant-obligation airports such as Forks Municipal Airport from closing for non-aviation uses but had granted exceptions and provided a temporary permit last year while it reviewed the city's application.
The FAA informed the city of its decision, which was to approve airport shutdowns for no more than five weekends each calendar year, in a Feb. 13 letter to Mayor Bryon Monohon.
“I'm very excited,” Monohon said Thursday.
On racing weekends, “people are in the restaurants, people are in the hotels, people are shopping in the stores,” he said.
“But the most important thing is the sense of vibrancy and life.”
Race organizer Cary Bourm, president of the West End Thunder drag-racing club, said it took two years to complete the application to the FAA, which has gone back and forth on approving the events.
The FAA first granted an exception to its rule in 2006.
“We thought 50 people would show up, and we had 800 the first time without even advertising,” Bourm recalled.
The FAA extended the exception through 2009, then denied the request for 2010, and then told the city, which owns the airport, and the club that the 2011 races would be the last season.
But the federal agency ended up granting a temporary permit for 2012 while it reviewed the application.
“Recently, [the] FAA developed an assessment tool to determine if the temporary closure of an airport for non-aeronautical events is in the best interest of civil aviation,” Stanley Allison, assistant manager for the Seattle Airports District Office, said in the Feb. 13 letter.
Airport tenants and the city submitted documents to the agency, and the city responded to the FAA's follow-up questions.
“Based on the information provided, we approve the temporary closure of [Forks Municipal Airport] for automobile racing for the remainder of 2013 through 2017,” Allison said in the letter.
Bourm credited Forks City Attorney-Planner Rod Fleck, the Port of Port Angeles and the office of U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Bothell, for assisting with the application and on negotiations with the FAA.
“It makes us very happy,” Bourm said Thursday.
“Now, we can plan ahead and maybe make it a little bit better.”
Bourm said each race draws from 500 to 1,200 spectators, along with up to 105 race cars and 40 show cars.
But attendance gradually has dropped, and organizers have been running out of helpers to assist in setting up the events on the Thursday and Friday nights before the races.
“It started out bigger, but I think it's slowly dying down,” Bourm said.
The lack of help “is our main problem,” he added.
“We're getting burned out.
“You work 12 or 14 hours a day and go home and then work on that, it's pretty hard.”
Set-up volunteers can phone 360-374-6409 or 360-640-1366 for more information.
The FAA is allowing the races under 10 conditions.
They include the agency being supplied with a copy of the $2 million liability insurance policy that covers the events and which West End Thunder has purchased.
The club also must buy a liquid that improves race-car traction — and that costs $800 a barrel.
All that effort has created a loyal following to the kind of event where people see folks they haven't seen for a while and where visitors from all over the world show up, Bourm said.
“We get people from Europe who stop by and look,” Bourm said.
“It's a social event.”
With any community, “you've got to have this feeling that something is going on and that it's a place you want to be,” Monohon said.
“It gives folks a constructive, family-oriented event that is here in town that they don't have to drive off to do somewhere else.”
In addition, for the men and women who take an active part — Bourm's wife, Melene, races — the event is “a labor of love,” Monohon said.
The races also have become a prime fundraising locale for West End nonprofit organizations that set up food booths and other concessions, Monohon said.
“Anytime you are pulling people together, it's a beneficial thing, and this is certainly one of those.”
General admission to a race is $10, and children younger than 12 are admitted free.
For more information on the drag-racing series, visit www.westendthunder.com.
Story and Photo: http://www.peninsuladailynews.com
Chico Air Museum gets first airworthy aircraft
CHICO -- The newest plane at the Chico Air Museum is very different than the others.
This new plane makes museum members wildly excited because of its firsts. It is the first operational plane acquired by the museum, which had it flown from New Mexico to Chico.
Because it can fly, it will enable museum members to achieve another first — fly to and participate in other communities' air shows.
There's one more first, but it's an unknown at this point — the first time the public will see the plane.
The Swiss-made Pilatus P-3 is tucked into a private hangar at the Chico Municipal Airport. It has not made it among the other planes in the museum's outdoor yard.
"It's in such beautiful shape that we're going to protect it until the weather is a sure thing," according to museum president Norm Rosene.
How the plane came to Chico is one of Rosene's new favorite stories. He credits Chico aircraft broker Dan Jay, who heard its owner was trying to get rid of it, along with another plane.
Always quick on the uptake when it comes to possible acquisitions, Rosene followed up immediately.
Knowing a plane like this — airworthy and in great shape — would be a plum acquisition for any air museum, Rosene worked quickly to convince the owner that Chico would be a worthy destination.
The Pilatus was a training aircraft for the Swiss Air Force, crafted in the late 1950s. It was designed for night flying, aerobatics and instrument flying, according to the museum's fact sheet.
"This is one of 86, and only 18 are still flying," Rosene noted.
The donation was made, and a couple of weeks later, Rosene and a pilot were heading to New Mexico, where they checked out the plane with air and ground testing, and then headed west.
It hadn't been flown in 10 years, but it had received detailed attention. "Leads like this fizzle out. It never happens. But this time, everything fell into place. It unfolded incredibly quickly."
Rosene also wrote a personalized letter that talked about the role of Chico Air Museum and the dedication of members, to convince the owner.
"For a museum of our size, a mid-size one, we depend on short reaction time and enthusiasm about getting everything done to get the aircraft. To hear that we'd gotten it was unbelievable."
There's no air show penciled on the museum's calendar yet, but Rosene doesn't believe it'll be long.
While flying a beautiful plane is a perk, being part of an air show will help attract visitors to Chico, he said.
Other members of the air museum's membership will be trained to fly the Pilatus, and will be able to handle air show appearances as well, Rosene said.
"This is a way to promote the airport, the city and the museum. People look for places like this to go for a day or weekend."
What makes the acquisition even sweeter to the air museum folks is its lineage.
"This is the great-grandfather to the plane currently being used by the Air Force as a trainer," Rosene said.
The museum is looking for a permanent hangar for the aircraft.
To see the other 10 planes, the museum is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 170 Convair Ave. at the Chico Municipal Airport.
The other planes are: Lockheed P2V-7, Lockheed T-33, Antonov AN-2, Aero Vodochody L-29, Luscombe 8A, Vonhune HP 11A Glider, Taylor Titch air racer, Dragonfly experimental, Hummel Bird experimental, Pietenpol Air Camper, and McDonald Douglas F-15A.
Story and Photo: http://www.chicoer.com
This new plane makes museum members wildly excited because of its firsts. It is the first operational plane acquired by the museum, which had it flown from New Mexico to Chico.
Because it can fly, it will enable museum members to achieve another first — fly to and participate in other communities' air shows.
There's one more first, but it's an unknown at this point — the first time the public will see the plane.
The Swiss-made Pilatus P-3 is tucked into a private hangar at the Chico Municipal Airport. It has not made it among the other planes in the museum's outdoor yard.
"It's in such beautiful shape that we're going to protect it until the weather is a sure thing," according to museum president Norm Rosene.
How the plane came to Chico is one of Rosene's new favorite stories. He credits Chico aircraft broker Dan Jay, who heard its owner was trying to get rid of it, along with another plane.
Always quick on the uptake when it comes to possible acquisitions, Rosene followed up immediately.
Knowing a plane like this — airworthy and in great shape — would be a plum acquisition for any air museum, Rosene worked quickly to convince the owner that Chico would be a worthy destination.
The Pilatus was a training aircraft for the Swiss Air Force, crafted in the late 1950s. It was designed for night flying, aerobatics and instrument flying, according to the museum's fact sheet.
"This is one of 86, and only 18 are still flying," Rosene noted.
The donation was made, and a couple of weeks later, Rosene and a pilot were heading to New Mexico, where they checked out the plane with air and ground testing, and then headed west.
It hadn't been flown in 10 years, but it had received detailed attention. "Leads like this fizzle out. It never happens. But this time, everything fell into place. It unfolded incredibly quickly."
Rosene also wrote a personalized letter that talked about the role of Chico Air Museum and the dedication of members, to convince the owner.
"For a museum of our size, a mid-size one, we depend on short reaction time and enthusiasm about getting everything done to get the aircraft. To hear that we'd gotten it was unbelievable."
There's no air show penciled on the museum's calendar yet, but Rosene doesn't believe it'll be long.
While flying a beautiful plane is a perk, being part of an air show will help attract visitors to Chico, he said.
Other members of the air museum's membership will be trained to fly the Pilatus, and will be able to handle air show appearances as well, Rosene said.
"This is a way to promote the airport, the city and the museum. People look for places like this to go for a day or weekend."
What makes the acquisition even sweeter to the air museum folks is its lineage.
"This is the great-grandfather to the plane currently being used by the Air Force as a trainer," Rosene said.
The museum is looking for a permanent hangar for the aircraft.
To see the other 10 planes, the museum is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 170 Convair Ave. at the Chico Municipal Airport.
The other planes are: Lockheed P2V-7, Lockheed T-33, Antonov AN-2, Aero Vodochody L-29, Luscombe 8A, Vonhune HP 11A Glider, Taylor Titch air racer, Dragonfly experimental, Hummel Bird experimental, Pietenpol Air Camper, and McDonald Douglas F-15A.
Story and Photo: http://www.chicoer.com
Sequestration could affect Thunderbirds at EAA AirVenture
OSHKOSH (WITI) — The Air Force Thunderbirds are scheduled to appear at EAA this year for the first time ever. But with sequestration looming, that’s now in question.
Darin Bolton doesn’t miss the world’s greatest aviation celebration. He’s a big military fan who likes the fighter planes and the bombers.
The Thunderbirds is one attraction Bolton was looking forward to.
“I have not had a chance to see the Thunderbirds since the ’80s,” Bolton said.
The Air Force Thunderbirds flight demonstration team is scheduled to appear at AirVenture this July. But AirVenture officials are closely watching sequestration talks in Washington. Concerned the Thunderbirds could fall victim to the looming federal budget cuts.
“The way we are approaching this is a plan A and plan B,” AirVenture VP of Attractions Jim DiMatteo said.
DiMatteo says plan A is the Thunderbirds arrive as scheduled.
“Plan B is essentially, if sequestration does not get resolved and the military does pull out in totality then we have that plan being worked on,” DiMatteo said.
It’s not just AirVenture that could be affected. Budget cuts have already hit the National Guard. A spokesperson says the guard stopped doing fly-overs for community events.
DiMatteo also says the sequester could affect government sponsored exhibits and demonstrations and even FAA staffing for AirVenture.
“It’s too early to tell what will happen. They might come, they might not come, they might perform, they might not perform,” DiMatteo said.
DiMatteo also says fans of the air show have no reason to be concerned it won’t be another world class event.
“That’s not going to dilute our show at all. We are very excited about what is coming in 2013,” DiMatteo said.
Story and Video: http://fox6now.com
February 20, 2013
Pickerington, Ohio: Aviation club hopes to build model aircraft 'airstrip'
A model aviation club hopes to find a landing spot in Pickerington if the city and the club can work out a facility use agreement in the future.
City Development Services Director Joe Henderson made a presentation to the City Parks and Recreation Board Jan. 14 in behalf of the Pickerington Model Aviation Club, which is an organization of aeronautical enthusiasts who regularly fly their high-end model airplanes in demonstrations and competitions throughout central Ohio.
Henderson said the group contacted city officials about the possibility of procuring suitable land in which to build and operate an airstrip.
"At this point we were just having conversations with a gentleman who is active in this club and is looking for potential locations to be able to fly radio-controlled model aircraft in the greater Columbus area," Henderson said.
"He believes Pickerington could be a great fit," said Henderson, who added such an activity has the potential to provide a boost to the local economy.
"This potential club would bring a unique opportunity to our residents and surrounding neighbors," Henderson said.
"(It) seems those who participate in this hobby invest a lot of time and money into it and could bring a strong economic impact to the area."
Henderson told the Parks and Recreation Board the group is looking to purchase or lease five or more acres of land in preferably a less populated area of the city because the planes are relatively noisy.
City Councilman Chris Schweitzer said the model aircraft require a unique skill set to operate.
"Some of these things can go about 100 mph," Schweitzer said. "They're phenomenal."
Schweitzer said the chief organizer of the proposed venture is Jeff Fluegeman, who owns NutritionX, a chain of retail nutritional supplement stores in Columbus.
Schweitzer said Fluegeman submitted a proposal outlining the club's needs and the ways that it "can work with local government and commercial entities to develop space for modelers."
Fluegeman, a certified flight instructor, said he is simply passionate about aviation.
He said model aviation enthusiasts would bring both their passion and dollars to Pickerington if a suitable site can be located.
"It's a passionate group of pretty successful people," Fluegeman said.
"It's a little sub-community. When you do an event it generates a lot of money.
"There is an event held in Plain City that makes (that city) a lot of money."
He said an event typically draws several hundred people that stay in area hotels and frequent area restaurants.
Fluegeman said the private club would be open to a 10- or 20-year lease or purchase of "useless" land, which means land that holds no other commercial value.
"We don't want it near people, it has to be commercial type space," Fluegeman said.
He said the club wants to build on central Ohio's rich and enduring history in aviation and he envisions the club having an educational impact on the community as well.
"Pickerington Model Aviation Club members can work with schools and other community organizations to promote aviation and spark interest in science and technology education."
Fluegeman said, with the right pieces in place, the club will take flight in Pickerington.
"It's all about planning," he said.
"It needs to be set up to succeed. If it's not made to succeed, I don't want to do it, (but) if you build it, trust me, I can get it to work."
Source: http://www.thisweeknews.com
City Development Services Director Joe Henderson made a presentation to the City Parks and Recreation Board Jan. 14 in behalf of the Pickerington Model Aviation Club, which is an organization of aeronautical enthusiasts who regularly fly their high-end model airplanes in demonstrations and competitions throughout central Ohio.
Henderson said the group contacted city officials about the possibility of procuring suitable land in which to build and operate an airstrip.
"At this point we were just having conversations with a gentleman who is active in this club and is looking for potential locations to be able to fly radio-controlled model aircraft in the greater Columbus area," Henderson said.
"He believes Pickerington could be a great fit," said Henderson, who added such an activity has the potential to provide a boost to the local economy.
"This potential club would bring a unique opportunity to our residents and surrounding neighbors," Henderson said.
"(It) seems those who participate in this hobby invest a lot of time and money into it and could bring a strong economic impact to the area."
Henderson told the Parks and Recreation Board the group is looking to purchase or lease five or more acres of land in preferably a less populated area of the city because the planes are relatively noisy.
City Councilman Chris Schweitzer said the model aircraft require a unique skill set to operate.
"Some of these things can go about 100 mph," Schweitzer said. "They're phenomenal."
Schweitzer said the chief organizer of the proposed venture is Jeff Fluegeman, who owns NutritionX, a chain of retail nutritional supplement stores in Columbus.
Schweitzer said Fluegeman submitted a proposal outlining the club's needs and the ways that it "can work with local government and commercial entities to develop space for modelers."
Fluegeman, a certified flight instructor, said he is simply passionate about aviation.
He said model aviation enthusiasts would bring both their passion and dollars to Pickerington if a suitable site can be located.
"It's a passionate group of pretty successful people," Fluegeman said.
"It's a little sub-community. When you do an event it generates a lot of money.
"There is an event held in Plain City that makes (that city) a lot of money."
He said an event typically draws several hundred people that stay in area hotels and frequent area restaurants.
Fluegeman said the private club would be open to a 10- or 20-year lease or purchase of "useless" land, which means land that holds no other commercial value.
"We don't want it near people, it has to be commercial type space," Fluegeman said.
He said the club wants to build on central Ohio's rich and enduring history in aviation and he envisions the club having an educational impact on the community as well.
"Pickerington Model Aviation Club members can work with schools and other community organizations to promote aviation and spark interest in science and technology education."
Fluegeman said, with the right pieces in place, the club will take flight in Pickerington.
"It's all about planning," he said.
"It needs to be set up to succeed. If it's not made to succeed, I don't want to do it, (but) if you build it, trust me, I can get it to work."
Source: http://www.thisweeknews.com
February 19, 2013
Planes carrying model pilot far: Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne student performed for Dubai’s crown prince
Swikar Patel | The Journal Gazette
IPFW student Joe Smith poses with his radio-controlled planes inside the garage of his Fort Wayne home.
FORT WAYNE – IPFW engineering student Joe Smith rode in his first passenger plane just before winter break at the age of 18.
He flew his first plane at the age of 14. But the planes Smith flies are radio controlled, and he’s pretty good at it. At least, the crown prince of Dubai thinks so.
Dubai was where Smith was headed on his first plane ride after the prince of the large city in the United Arab Emirates saw a video of Smith and extended an invitation to him to fly during a large event. He spent two weeks there with his father on an all-expense-paid trip in November.
Even though Smith doesn’t think he can turn his hobby into a career, it’s working out well for him now. He’s making extra money for college and getting opportunities like traveling to Dubai.
Smith said that as a teenager, he was involved in a model engine club in New Haven with his dad. When Smith was about 14, he persuaded his dad to get out the model planes his dad had flown 20 years earlier. Just a year later, Smith flew a radio-controlled plane in a contest and took first place.
“That really put me on the board,” he said.
At 18, Smith is still at it. He’s won that same contest three times and secured sponsorships from 18 companies to test and help design new products and gadgets.
For a contest, Smith performs a choreographed routine set to four or five songs. Judges look for a variety of maneuvers and how well they sync with the music.
About a year ago, Smith submitted a video of a performance for another contest. He was chosen as one of the top two fliers, landing him a performance demonstration in South Carolina.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, known to Smith simply as Hamdan, also saw Smith’s video performance. Hamdan, the crown prince of Dubai, emailed Smith to invite him to Dubai for a performance.
“I thought it was some spam, so I didn’t reply,” Smith said of his initial thoughts on the email.
Hamdan sent another email a week later and told Smith he would pay for him to build a plane and for it to be shipped to Dubai. The next day, a $5,000 deposit was made into Smith’s PayPal account, an online payment service for individuals and companies. The deposit changed Smith’s mind.
“I figured if it was a scam he was getting the bad end of the deal,” Smith said.
Hamdan also invited Smith and a guest for a two-week stay in Dubai during the World Parachuting Championships, where Smith would fly the plane he built for contestants and spectators. Smith said Hamdan went to great lengths to ensure the event was the best it could be in the hopes of hosting it in Dubai again next year.
Three weeks later, the plane Smith built was tested and shipped to Dubai, along with accompanying equipment required to fly the plane. And at the end of November, Smith and his dad boarded a plane for a 15-hour flight headed for Dubai.
While there, Smith said he had “a lot of new experiences,” including having his own personal driver. He said traveling to the Middle East wasn’t as much of a culture shock as he expected. Everyone spoke English, and people were incredibly welcoming, he said.
Smith flew the plane he built for the occasion during downtime in the drop zone where parachutists land. He said the size of the area made him a little nervous.
Usually, for the size of the plane he was flying he would have a large area with half a mile of open space in all directions. In Dubai, he flew his plane in an area about the size of a football field, with people surrounding the area.
“But there were no problems. All the equipment worked properly,” he said. “They loved it.”
Sometimes when Smith tells people about his flying hobby, he gets weird looks. He said most people envision a small plane made out of foam from a large chain retailer.
“Throughout high school, (I got) that weird reaction like, that’s kind of lame,” he said. “But then I show people videos and that changes people’s reaction to what I do.”
And some of Smith’s classmates may not even know that this hobby took him to the Middle East.
Although Smith calls it a hobby, he said when he’s not in school and the weather is conducive to flying – little wind and no precipitation – he’s out at his grandparent’s house in Churubusco flying or working on his planes or upcoming performances.
Currently, Smith is preparing for a big contest in Muncie in July but is still in the early stages of choosing the music he will use to fly. He said he will work on his performance for several months leading up to a contest.
And through his sponsorships, he also has the opportunity to test products and electronic equipment used to fly the planes.
Smith said he’s not sure what field he will pursue with a degree in electrical engineering, or whether it will be related at all to flying or radio-controlled devices.
“It’s not a hobby you can make enough money on,” he said. “Flying right now, it’s just paying for college. And a car.”
Story: http://www.journalgazette.net
February 18, 2013
Albany, Georgia: Model plane flyers grounded for now
WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports
ALBANY, GA (WALB) - A group of Albany radio control plane enthusiasts plan to go to the City Commission to ask permission to fly their hobby planes at Hilsman Park. Police ordered the group to stop flying their radio control planes at the city park after neighbors complained about the noise.
But the group says their planes are not that loud, and they want to find a compromise with the neighbors.
The flyers say the park is a convenient area for them, and especially for one of their members that's an important factor in his being able to practice his hobby.
For Randall Belt, who was paralyzed in a tree accident 13 months ago, it's a big part of his life. "I love doing it, because it gets me out of this chair. It gives me something to do that I can do. The things I used to do I can't do anymore."
But this month Albany Police ordered Belt and Frank Mosher and other friends to stop flying their planes at Hilsman Park. A group of neighbors signed a petition saying the planes were a nuisance.
Albany City Commissioner Roger Marietta said "He said the planes would fly over the neighbor's houses and make a whining noise."
The neighbors and the flyers disagree on a couple of points. The neighbors say the planes are very loud, and the pilots were flying every afternoon and on weekends, hours at a time. The pilots say it's not that loud, and they fly a much shorter time period.
Frank Mosher said "Total, we fly maybe a half hour at a time in the evenings. So I don't see how it could be that big of a problem."
Belt said "They are a little loud when you are right up on it. But when it's 100 to 200 feet in the air, you can barely hear it flying."
Belt has a small car, and can't fit his airplane and wheelchair inside, so the park is a convenient place for him to pursue his hobby. He would like to compromise on what time and how long he could fly, and will ask the city commission to give him and his friends a chance to not be a nuisance.
Marietta said "It's always down to that balancing of right. I think it's always something government inevitably gets involved with. Let's hope it doesn't go to the Supreme Court or something."
For Belt and his friends, they just want to use the public park for their hobby. Belt and his friends were told they would be charged with disorderly conduct if they flew their planes again at Hilsman Park.
They're asking the neighbors to compromise with their group, to see if the two sides can find a middle ground. The flying group will ask to be put on the agenda for an upcoming city commission meeting to ask city leaders to mediate with neighbors.
Story and Reaction/Comments: http://www.walb.com
ALBANY, GA (WALB) - A group of Albany radio control plane enthusiasts plan to go to the City Commission to ask permission to fly their hobby planes at Hilsman Park. Police ordered the group to stop flying their radio control planes at the city park after neighbors complained about the noise.
But the group says their planes are not that loud, and they want to find a compromise with the neighbors.
The flyers say the park is a convenient area for them, and especially for one of their members that's an important factor in his being able to practice his hobby.
For Randall Belt, who was paralyzed in a tree accident 13 months ago, it's a big part of his life. "I love doing it, because it gets me out of this chair. It gives me something to do that I can do. The things I used to do I can't do anymore."
But this month Albany Police ordered Belt and Frank Mosher and other friends to stop flying their planes at Hilsman Park. A group of neighbors signed a petition saying the planes were a nuisance.
Albany City Commissioner Roger Marietta said "He said the planes would fly over the neighbor's houses and make a whining noise."
The neighbors and the flyers disagree on a couple of points. The neighbors say the planes are very loud, and the pilots were flying every afternoon and on weekends, hours at a time. The pilots say it's not that loud, and they fly a much shorter time period.
Frank Mosher said "Total, we fly maybe a half hour at a time in the evenings. So I don't see how it could be that big of a problem."
Belt said "They are a little loud when you are right up on it. But when it's 100 to 200 feet in the air, you can barely hear it flying."
Belt has a small car, and can't fit his airplane and wheelchair inside, so the park is a convenient place for him to pursue his hobby. He would like to compromise on what time and how long he could fly, and will ask the city commission to give him and his friends a chance to not be a nuisance.
Marietta said "It's always down to that balancing of right. I think it's always something government inevitably gets involved with. Let's hope it doesn't go to the Supreme Court or something."
For Belt and his friends, they just want to use the public park for their hobby. Belt and his friends were told they would be charged with disorderly conduct if they flew their planes again at Hilsman Park.
They're asking the neighbors to compromise with their group, to see if the two sides can find a middle ground. The flying group will ask to be put on the agenda for an upcoming city commission meeting to ask city leaders to mediate with neighbors.
Story and Reaction/Comments: http://www.walb.com
Hamilton, Mississippi: Man Survives and Walks Away From Plane Crash
Authorities say his plane went down Friday night in Mississippi.
He not only walked away from the crash, he walked ten miles to a local restaurant to get help.
It was just an ordinary Saturday for Jessica Cantrell and her co-workers at Lacky's restaurant. That is until a strange man walked through the door.
"Brianne and I were standing in here and we were making tea and he came running past us to the back of the kitchen. We thought he was here to see somebody and then we all ended up out front and everybody was asking everybody like if we knew him and none of us knew him," said Cantrell.
After they realized something was wrong, restaurant owner Kenneth Lacky spoke to a very disoriented Ricky Ford.
"And the man was like 'Well, my plane crashed.' And he was like 'What do you mean your plane crashed?' He's like 'No, my girlfriend broke up with me.' He kept giving different stories, so we really didn't know which one it was," said Lacky.
"He was trucking it, because when he got here, he walked straight in and he sat down, then he took off walking when he thought he had to leave again until Kenneth got him back here," said Cantrell.
When authorities arrived Cantrell and her co-workers ford really did have a very rough night.
"The cops started talking to him, asking if he had any weapons or anything. When they were walking out they told us he was classified as a missing person," said Cantrell.
She says it's a miracle that he not only survived the crash, but walked through the woods and swamp with hardly any injuries.
The workers at Lacky's are happy Ricky Ford's plane crash survival story had a miraculous ending.
Authorities say Ford landed in Louisville, Mississippi to fuel up, but he was not able to get fuel and took off.
Shortly after that, his plane crashed in Hamilton.
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating.
Watch Video: http://www.wcbi.com
Story and Video: http://www.ksdk.com
Cirrus hiring ramps up for new light personal jet
DULUTH — Cirrus
Aircraft is on a hiring spree as the development of its Vision Jet moves
into high gear toward the targeted 2015 delivery date.
About 50 people have been hired in Duluth in the past six months to fine-tune the new light personal jet, Cirrus spokesman Todd Simmons said.
Most hired are engineers, technicians and designers.
That brings the number of Cirrus employees in Duluth and Grand Forks, N.D., up to about 570, with nearly 500 in Duluth — including virtually all of the jet program positions, Simmons said.
Many more will be needed as the jet program is accelerated.
“We’re hiring, without question,” Simmons said.
The Cirrus website suggests more than 60 additional specialists are being sought. It lists about 30 positions for engineers, drafters, technicians, planners and designers with the SF-50 Vision Jet Program, with some of them involving multiple hires.
It’s a big difference from a year ago, when the Vision Jet program had slowed for lack of capital after several years of development. But when new owners China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co. invested nearly $100 million to bring the new light jet to market, that put the program back on track.
Promotion of the Vision Jet then geared up again with public demonstrations of the prototype. The single-engine personal jet will seat five adults and two children and feature advanced technology, avionics and luxury features similar to Cirrus’ piston-powered planes. It will fill the gap between high-performance propeller planes and light-business jets.
Orders for the Vision Jet are up to 525, the vast majority getting in before the price tag rose from $1.72 million to $1.96 million on July 1.
“I don’t expect to add a whole lot more,” Simmons said of the orders. “We’ve got enough orders out there. That’s quite a lot of planes to build.”
He said a comprehensive update on the Vision Jet will be made in a few weeks.
Other manufacturers have tried and failed to bring a similar owner/pilot personal jet to market, including Piper Aircraft. Cirrus could face direct competition from Diamond Industries, which is developing the Diamond D-Jet, a personal jet that will seat five people.
Its development also stalled when funding dried up during the economic downturn that hit the aviation industry hard. But the development of the Diamond Jet has since resumed.
Aviation industry analyst Richard Aboulafia has said the company that first fills a niche in the low end of the light-jet market will have an advantage, especially if it doesn’t have competition. He doubted the market was big enough for two companies with small personal jets.
“Cirrus isn’t in a race,” Simmons said. “It’s important that Cirrus gets their plane right. We have to build a plane that’s right for our customers. That’s more important than to worry about competitors. That’s the way we look at bringing a jet to market.”
Source: http://www.sctimes.com
About 50 people have been hired in Duluth in the past six months to fine-tune the new light personal jet, Cirrus spokesman Todd Simmons said.
Most hired are engineers, technicians and designers.
That brings the number of Cirrus employees in Duluth and Grand Forks, N.D., up to about 570, with nearly 500 in Duluth — including virtually all of the jet program positions, Simmons said.
Many more will be needed as the jet program is accelerated.
“We’re hiring, without question,” Simmons said.
The Cirrus website suggests more than 60 additional specialists are being sought. It lists about 30 positions for engineers, drafters, technicians, planners and designers with the SF-50 Vision Jet Program, with some of them involving multiple hires.
It’s a big difference from a year ago, when the Vision Jet program had slowed for lack of capital after several years of development. But when new owners China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co. invested nearly $100 million to bring the new light jet to market, that put the program back on track.
Promotion of the Vision Jet then geared up again with public demonstrations of the prototype. The single-engine personal jet will seat five adults and two children and feature advanced technology, avionics and luxury features similar to Cirrus’ piston-powered planes. It will fill the gap between high-performance propeller planes and light-business jets.
Orders for the Vision Jet are up to 525, the vast majority getting in before the price tag rose from $1.72 million to $1.96 million on July 1.
“I don’t expect to add a whole lot more,” Simmons said of the orders. “We’ve got enough orders out there. That’s quite a lot of planes to build.”
He said a comprehensive update on the Vision Jet will be made in a few weeks.
Other manufacturers have tried and failed to bring a similar owner/pilot personal jet to market, including Piper Aircraft. Cirrus could face direct competition from Diamond Industries, which is developing the Diamond D-Jet, a personal jet that will seat five people.
Its development also stalled when funding dried up during the economic downturn that hit the aviation industry hard. But the development of the Diamond Jet has since resumed.
Aviation industry analyst Richard Aboulafia has said the company that first fills a niche in the low end of the light-jet market will have an advantage, especially if it doesn’t have competition. He doubted the market was big enough for two companies with small personal jets.
“Cirrus isn’t in a race,” Simmons said. “It’s important that Cirrus gets their plane right. We have to build a plane that’s right for our customers. That’s more important than to worry about competitors. That’s the way we look at bringing a jet to market.”
Source: http://www.sctimes.com
Cirrus Aircraft led market again last year
DULUTH, Minn. -- Cirrus
Aircraft led its market again last year, even though its plane shipments
remained flat and its biggest competitors showed gains.
The Duluth-based airplane manufacturer shipped 253 of its SR-20s, SR-22s and SR-22Ts in 2012, two fewer than 2011. It was the lowest number of planes delivered since 2001, according to industry numbers released recently.
Although Cirrus’ share of the single-engine piston market slipped from 35 percent to 32 percent, it still out-sold its competitors and continued to be the world leader in its category of small personal aircraft. Its SR-22/SR-22T continued to be the top-selling, high-performance plane in that category.
Its closest competitor, Cessna Aircraft Co., shipped a total of 207 of its comparable propeller planes in 2012, up from 181 in 2011. Diamond Aircraft Industries followed with 93 planes, up from 72 in 2011, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association annual shipment reports show.
Faced with declining retail sales, Cirrus would have had substantially fewer shipments if not for its successful entry into the international training fleet market.
Cirrus has sold 25 SR-20s to the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Powered Flight Program, 23 SR-20s to the French Air Force and Navy and 20 SR-20s to the Civil Aviation Flight University of China. Many of those sales showed up in last year’s numbers.
“We are seeing a shift in the mix,” said Todd Simmons, Cirrus’ executive vice president of sales and marketing. “To Cirrus’ credit, they do other markets to offset the changes in retail.”
And more fleet sales are coming, which should improve the company’s prospects for 2013.
“Other fleet delivers will be announced,” Simmons said. “The good news is that’s a growing part of our business. That is part of our business that will continue to grow.”
Down market
Still, Cirrus, along with the industry in general, continues to feel the effects of the economic recession that sent the industry into a tailspin.
The 2012 industry shipment summaries released by GAMA were a mixed bag. Worldwide, piston-powered airplane shipments were down nearly 2 percent, turboprops up 10 percent and business jets down 3.4 percent. Industry-wide, shipments were slightly up and billings slightly down.
Richard Aboulafia, an aviation analyst for the Teal Group outside Washington, D.C., believes the industry has not only hit bottom but has been stuck there quite a while.
“What you have is a delay in recovery rather than signs of future trouble,” he said. “It’s just taking so long for people to feel less nervous about making big investments or lending people money.”
But if the economic recovery is sustaining, he believes general aviation will turn a corner.
“When the economy finally recovers … this industry will take off,” said GAMA president and CEO Pete Bunce during a webcast.
But more economic bumps could be near.
If sequestration — blanket cuts to federal programs — happens next month, the impact on the general aviation industry will be severe, Bunce said.
Maintaining the lead
With the economic recession, Cirrus’ annual shipments dramatically declined from a 2006 high of 721 during the industry’s heyday. Cirrus has weathered the downturn by cost cutting, selling more fully loaded planes, reaching out to international markets and becoming more efficient.
“The difference today is Cirrus is a far more efficient business at lower numbers, because we made changes in the business,” Simmons said. “We’re being more profitable at lower volume levels.”
In 2012, Cirrus’ quarterly deliveries steadily increased, ending with its strongest quarter in four years.
“We’re off to the best start since 2008,” Simmons said. “So we’re optimist about 2013.”
That optimism is partly due to Generation Five, Cirrus’ redesigned SR-22 and turbocharged SR-22T models, which can now accommodate a fifth person. Its parts and systems were re-engineered and redesigned, along with use of stronger construction materials, aerodynamic improvements, improved flight performance and an improved airframe parachute system, a hallmark of Cirrus planes.
Aboulafia said continuing upgrades and innovations are important.
“New product development and resources are always crucial,” he said.
Cirrus officials expect Generation 5 introduced in January will cause a rebound in retail sales.
“The reason we are enthusiastic for 2013, we are bringing something new to the market, and the market is reacting very favorably,” Simmons said.
Such investment in its piston-powered planes, as well as its Vision light jet under development, he said, will help Cirrus maintain its market lead.
Source: http://www.prairiebizmag.com
The Duluth-based airplane manufacturer shipped 253 of its SR-20s, SR-22s and SR-22Ts in 2012, two fewer than 2011. It was the lowest number of planes delivered since 2001, according to industry numbers released recently.
Although Cirrus’ share of the single-engine piston market slipped from 35 percent to 32 percent, it still out-sold its competitors and continued to be the world leader in its category of small personal aircraft. Its SR-22/SR-22T continued to be the top-selling, high-performance plane in that category.
Its closest competitor, Cessna Aircraft Co., shipped a total of 207 of its comparable propeller planes in 2012, up from 181 in 2011. Diamond Aircraft Industries followed with 93 planes, up from 72 in 2011, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association annual shipment reports show.
Faced with declining retail sales, Cirrus would have had substantially fewer shipments if not for its successful entry into the international training fleet market.
Cirrus has sold 25 SR-20s to the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Powered Flight Program, 23 SR-20s to the French Air Force and Navy and 20 SR-20s to the Civil Aviation Flight University of China. Many of those sales showed up in last year’s numbers.
“We are seeing a shift in the mix,” said Todd Simmons, Cirrus’ executive vice president of sales and marketing. “To Cirrus’ credit, they do other markets to offset the changes in retail.”
And more fleet sales are coming, which should improve the company’s prospects for 2013.
“Other fleet delivers will be announced,” Simmons said. “The good news is that’s a growing part of our business. That is part of our business that will continue to grow.”
Down market
Still, Cirrus, along with the industry in general, continues to feel the effects of the economic recession that sent the industry into a tailspin.
The 2012 industry shipment summaries released by GAMA were a mixed bag. Worldwide, piston-powered airplane shipments were down nearly 2 percent, turboprops up 10 percent and business jets down 3.4 percent. Industry-wide, shipments were slightly up and billings slightly down.
Richard Aboulafia, an aviation analyst for the Teal Group outside Washington, D.C., believes the industry has not only hit bottom but has been stuck there quite a while.
“What you have is a delay in recovery rather than signs of future trouble,” he said. “It’s just taking so long for people to feel less nervous about making big investments or lending people money.”
But if the economic recovery is sustaining, he believes general aviation will turn a corner.
“When the economy finally recovers … this industry will take off,” said GAMA president and CEO Pete Bunce during a webcast.
But more economic bumps could be near.
If sequestration — blanket cuts to federal programs — happens next month, the impact on the general aviation industry will be severe, Bunce said.
Maintaining the lead
With the economic recession, Cirrus’ annual shipments dramatically declined from a 2006 high of 721 during the industry’s heyday. Cirrus has weathered the downturn by cost cutting, selling more fully loaded planes, reaching out to international markets and becoming more efficient.
“The difference today is Cirrus is a far more efficient business at lower numbers, because we made changes in the business,” Simmons said. “We’re being more profitable at lower volume levels.”
In 2012, Cirrus’ quarterly deliveries steadily increased, ending with its strongest quarter in four years.
“We’re off to the best start since 2008,” Simmons said. “So we’re optimist about 2013.”
That optimism is partly due to Generation Five, Cirrus’ redesigned SR-22 and turbocharged SR-22T models, which can now accommodate a fifth person. Its parts and systems were re-engineered and redesigned, along with use of stronger construction materials, aerodynamic improvements, improved flight performance and an improved airframe parachute system, a hallmark of Cirrus planes.
Aboulafia said continuing upgrades and innovations are important.
“New product development and resources are always crucial,” he said.
Cirrus officials expect Generation 5 introduced in January will cause a rebound in retail sales.
“The reason we are enthusiastic for 2013, we are bringing something new to the market, and the market is reacting very favorably,” Simmons said.
Such investment in its piston-powered planes, as well as its Vision light jet under development, he said, will help Cirrus maintain its market lead.
Source: http://www.prairiebizmag.com
General Dynamics lays off 29 workers in Springboro, Ohio
SPRINGBORO — General Dynamics Corp. has laid off 29 workers from its munitions plant on South Pioneer Boulevard, the company said Monday.
The defense contractor attributed the layoffs to a delay in an order for mortar fins from the U.S. Army. The 240,000-square-foot plant makes rocket motor tubes for the U.S. Army’s Hydra 70-air-to-ground rockets. The plant also produces liners and cartridges for 40mm ammunition rounds and components to its 60mm-120mm mortar rounds.
“Because of an unexpected delay in the U.S. Army’s 2013 order for 60mm and 81mm mortar fins, General Dynamics had to lay off 29 Springboro-operations employees today (Feb. 18),” said Karl Johnson, a spokesman for General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products. “We anticipate recalling the affected employees once the order is received.”
Johnson said the company is working with state unemployment officials to determine what benefits are available to employees, who were first notified of the layoffs Thursday. Affected employees did not report to work today, he said.
General Dynamics acquired the plant in August, seeing the facility as a good fit for the company. That’s still the case, Johnson said.
The acquisition was seen as a way for General Dynamics to consolidate its supply chain. The Springboro plant can perform metal forming, heat treatment, machining and coating, all under one roof. About 95 percent of the material it uses is aluminum.
“That still applies to the business,” Johnson said. “We have more products than the mortar fins. The Hydra is still an important part of the business.”
Johnson could not say when the Army’s order for mortar fins is expected or when workers may be recalled.
Asked if further layoffs are possible due to defense cuts or automatic across-the-board “sequestration” cuts, Johnson said, “We have no plan for further layoffs.”
When the company acquired the plant, it said 187 people worked there. Today, after the layoffs, the employee count stands at approximately 135. Johnson said “workload fluctuations” lowered the number of workers to about 165 before the layoffs.
This is the first round of layoffs General Dynamics has had at the facility, Johnson said.
Story and Reaction/Comments: http://www.daytondailynews.com
The defense contractor attributed the layoffs to a delay in an order for mortar fins from the U.S. Army. The 240,000-square-foot plant makes rocket motor tubes for the U.S. Army’s Hydra 70-air-to-ground rockets. The plant also produces liners and cartridges for 40mm ammunition rounds and components to its 60mm-120mm mortar rounds.
“Because of an unexpected delay in the U.S. Army’s 2013 order for 60mm and 81mm mortar fins, General Dynamics had to lay off 29 Springboro-operations employees today (Feb. 18),” said Karl Johnson, a spokesman for General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products. “We anticipate recalling the affected employees once the order is received.”
Johnson said the company is working with state unemployment officials to determine what benefits are available to employees, who were first notified of the layoffs Thursday. Affected employees did not report to work today, he said.
General Dynamics acquired the plant in August, seeing the facility as a good fit for the company. That’s still the case, Johnson said.
The acquisition was seen as a way for General Dynamics to consolidate its supply chain. The Springboro plant can perform metal forming, heat treatment, machining and coating, all under one roof. About 95 percent of the material it uses is aluminum.
“That still applies to the business,” Johnson said. “We have more products than the mortar fins. The Hydra is still an important part of the business.”
Johnson could not say when the Army’s order for mortar fins is expected or when workers may be recalled.
Asked if further layoffs are possible due to defense cuts or automatic across-the-board “sequestration” cuts, Johnson said, “We have no plan for further layoffs.”
When the company acquired the plant, it said 187 people worked there. Today, after the layoffs, the employee count stands at approximately 135. Johnson said “workload fluctuations” lowered the number of workers to about 165 before the layoffs.
This is the first round of layoffs General Dynamics has had at the facility, Johnson said.
Story and Reaction/Comments: http://www.daytondailynews.com
Spitfire enthusiast spends 28 YEARS building 'perfect' replica of plane flown by his friend during World War Two
A spitfire enthusiast has spent 28 years building a life-size version of the famous fighter plane from scratch.
Terry Arlow, 56, built the 'perfect' replica of a Spitfire Mk. IX, the same one flown by his friend Tony Cooper during World War Two, despite having no engineering skills, after landing on a plan for the aircraft.
He was inspired by the 1969 war film Battle of Britain when a youngster. But it took eight years alone to secure the plans from the RAF museum in Hendon.
In 1990, Mr Arlow set about building the famous fighter and scoured Europe for parts.
With the help of his family, father-of-four Mr Arlow hand-crafted the plane from aluminum and spare parts salvaged from other Spitfires.
Mr Arlow, from Lowestoft, Suffolk, said: 'It was like a jigsaw puzzle. I had to make all the parts from bare materials and then piece them together.
'It has literally taken tens of thousands of hours to make. It has been non-stop really over the 28 years.
'My life has revolved around the project. You're never away from it. Even in my spare time I'd be studying books and doing research to make sure it looked perfect.'
Mr Arlow used aluminum to hand craft each individual part - including the fuselage, wings and tail - while sourcing original parts for the cockpit and detail.
The finished article - completed in 2010 - was so spot on, friend and former RAF pilot Tony Cooper was amazed by the level of detail.
Mr Cooper flew the Spitfire Mr Arlow based his model on, which had the registration number MK 805, on 38 operational missions during WWII.
During his time in the RAF Mr Cooper, who is now 97, served with the 64 Fighter Squadron and was stationed at Harrowbeer
The Spitfire MK 805 became the personal airplane of F/Lt. Cooper and inscribed 'Peter John III', as it was the third Spitfire to carry the name of his son who was born two months before it entered service on July 5, 1944.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk
Terry Arlow, 56, built the 'perfect' replica of a Spitfire Mk. IX, the same one flown by his friend Tony Cooper during World War Two, despite having no engineering skills, after landing on a plan for the aircraft.
He was inspired by the 1969 war film Battle of Britain when a youngster. But it took eight years alone to secure the plans from the RAF museum in Hendon.
In 1990, Mr Arlow set about building the famous fighter and scoured Europe for parts.
With the help of his family, father-of-four Mr Arlow hand-crafted the plane from aluminum and spare parts salvaged from other Spitfires.
Mr Arlow, from Lowestoft, Suffolk, said: 'It was like a jigsaw puzzle. I had to make all the parts from bare materials and then piece them together.
'It has literally taken tens of thousands of hours to make. It has been non-stop really over the 28 years.
'My life has revolved around the project. You're never away from it. Even in my spare time I'd be studying books and doing research to make sure it looked perfect.'
Mr Arlow used aluminum to hand craft each individual part - including the fuselage, wings and tail - while sourcing original parts for the cockpit and detail.
The finished article - completed in 2010 - was so spot on, friend and former RAF pilot Tony Cooper was amazed by the level of detail.
Mr Cooper flew the Spitfire Mr Arlow based his model on, which had the registration number MK 805, on 38 operational missions during WWII.
During his time in the RAF Mr Cooper, who is now 97, served with the 64 Fighter Squadron and was stationed at Harrowbeer
The Spitfire MK 805 became the personal airplane of F/Lt. Cooper and inscribed 'Peter John III', as it was the third Spitfire to carry the name of his son who was born two months before it entered service on July 5, 1944.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk
Taylorcraft BC12-D, N94973: CRASH VICTIM - Community Benefit
A small Tama County town showed up in a big way to support the family of a man who died following a plane crash last year.
Max Morrison was a passenger in a plane that crashed near Clutier last November.
The plane’s pilot Bill Konicek died in the accident.
Morrison was air lifted to Iowa City where he died from his injuries earlier this year. This weekend, the community showed support for the Morrisons, the same way they did for the Koniceks, by holding a benefit.
Max loved to help others according to wife, Sue, “He was always visiting people in the hospitals and nursing homes. He liked helping people.”
So after Morrison was injured in a plane crash, the town of Traer wanted to help.
Morrison later died from his injuries and the benefit in his honor grew.
“Max was just an integral part of our community,” explained family friend, Carri Holst, “always helping out so we wanted to turn around and help max and his family with this benefit.”
More than 600 people attended the benefit. That’s more than a third of Traer’s population.
It’s the power of a small town.
“Days like this it’s very nice. Everybody knows everybody and rallies behind each other,” said Max’s son, Mike.
The crowd included a very special guest, US Navy EOD technician Taylor Morris.
Taylor’s grandfather, Sid, was a friend of Max Morrison. Taylor and Max had also met.
“I was talking to Max a bit while he was in the hospital you know because I spent a lot of time in the hospital too,” explained Taylor Morris.
Taylor lost portions of his arms and both legs in May while serving in Afghanistan and continues to recover at Walter Reed Medical Center.
“There’s a lot of stuff I’m doing kind of extra-curricular that I count as recovery time. You know, walking around going to see different things and all that. Just trying to get back into life a little bit, getting out of the hospital and just getting out there.”
Taylor did just that when out and walking around in an event to honor a man known for “a moustache, a smile and a hug,” according to Carri Holst.
“It represents what Max was all about. He was always coming at you with a smile and a hug and of course his signature mustache so that was just a good way for the family to remember him.”
He was a man who touched the hearts of many.
He also helped bring a small, independent film to Tama County. A Place for Heroes was filmed in Traer and Clutier and is due to be released later this year.
The film’s crew says it never would have happened without Morrison’s help.
Thanks to sister station, KWWL.
http://whotv.com
NTSB Identification: CEN13FA078
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, November 28, 2012 in Clutier, IA
Aircraft: Taylorcraft BC12-D, registration: N94973
Injuries: 1 Fatal,1 Serious.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On November 28, 2013, about 1100 central standard time, a Taylorcraft BC12-D, N94973, struck power lines on approach to an unimproved airstrip at Clutier, Iowa. The pilot was fatally injured and the passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed. The local flight originated from Traer (K8C6) Municipal Airport, Traer, Iowa, at an undetermined time.
Preliminary information from the Tama County Sheriff indicates the airplane was on approach to an unimproved airstrip near the intersection of R Avenue and 245th Street. The pilot had flown into this airstrip on previous occasions, but had not done so recently. When the field was used as an airstrip, the power lines were buried. Recently, the power lines were erected. It is not known if the pilot was aware of the erection of the power lines.
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