Thursday, August 08, 2013

Pilot nets 1,000 flights with Air Evac team

 
Courtesy photo 
Lewisburg Air Evac Lifeteam pilot John Lovell receives his 1,000th flight wings from Senior Director of Flight Operations Tony Bonham.



John Lovell, a pilot for the Lewisburg Air Evac Lifeteam base, recently celebrated a major milestone in his career — his 1,000th flight. 

Lovell joined Air Evac Lifeteam in 2004 after serving for 25 years in the U.S. Army. He flew in Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom.

Lovell retired out of Ft. Campbell, Ky., and heard about Air Evac Lifeteam from other military pilots.

“It sounded like an interesting job,” Lovell said. “Air Evac is a good company, and I enjoy the interaction with the patients and their families.”

Lovell and his wife, Tammy, have three children. The couple lives in Spring Hill.

Air Evac Lifeteam, an air medical service, provides rapid access to definitive health care for those who live in medically underserved areas. Flight crews, consisting of a pilot, flight nurse and flight paramedic, are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to respond to the scene of an emergency, or provide transportation between medical facilities.

Air Evac Lifeteam currently operates 114 bases in 15 states. For more information, visit http://www.lifeteam.net or search for the team on Facebook.

Story and Photo:   http://columbiadailyherald.com

New Jersey man fined $32K for illegal GPS device that disrupted Newark Liberty International Airport (KEWR) system

NEWARK — The Federal Communications Commission has fined a Readington man nearly $32,000 after concluding he interfered with Newark Liberty International Airport’s satellite-based tracking system when he used an illegal GPS jamming device in his pickup truck to hide his whereabouts from his employer.

Disrupting satellite signals can hinder air traffic controllers’ ability to receive accurate information about a plane’s location in the air and on the runway.

In what is known as a notice of apparent liability posted on its website last Friday, the FCC imposed the civil penalty on Gary Bojczak, who lives in the Whitehouse Station section of Readington in Hunterdon County.

Bojczak does not have a listed phone number and could not be reached for comment. A LinkedIn page for a man with the same name says he has been a chief engineer for a construction firm.

The FCC said in its notice that its enforcement division received a complaint last August from the Federal Aviation Administration that the satellite-based tracking system at Newark Liberty was experiencing interference.

Known as a ground-based augmentation system, or GBAS, the tracking system uses satellite navigation technology to provide aircraft with precise location information to aid in takeoffs, landings and movements around the airport. System interference blocks the transmission of that data.

An investigator from the FCC’s enforcement division went to Newark Liberty on Aug. 4, 2012. Using radio monitoring equipment, he located a red Ford F-150 pickup on airport property that was emanating signals within a restricted frequency band used by the augmentation system.

“The signals emanating from the vehicle were blocking the reception of GPS signals” used by the air traffic control system, the FCC said in its notice.

“Mr. Bojczak claimed that he installed and operated the jamming device in his company-supplied vehicle to block the GPS … system that his employer installed in the vehicle,” the FCC decision stated.

Bojczak surrendered the jamming device, the agent shut it off and the signal ceased, according to the decision.

Satellite technology, now common, is widely viewed as the future of air traffic control. Proponents say it allows jets to take off, land and taxi at airports more closely, yet more safely and efficiently, thanks to precise data on their location and movement. Satellite technology is the basic component of the FAA’s planned NextGen national air traffic control system to replace an antiquated radar-based system. Implementation of NextGen is a multiyear, multibillion project in its infant stages.

In 2008, Newark Liberty became the first airport in the country to adopt satellite technology to help improve on-time performance, under an agreement between the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport, and the hub’s largest carrier, Continental Airlines (now United Airlines). Houston’s Bush International Airport has begun using a similar system, developed by Honeywell.

Interference from GPS systems in vehicles traveling along the New Jersey Turnpike near the airport have caused problems for the system in the past, even forcing its suspension at one point, said Mary Clark, a spokeswoman for United Airlines.

“The Port Authority, Honeywell and FAA invested considerable resources to discover the source of GPS interference and have made adjustments to the system to overcome the impacts of these devices passing by on the turnpike,” Clark said in a statement.

Referring to last August’s case, she said the incident “occurred on the airport in close proximity to the equipment and caused it to go ‘offline’ as designed.”

Clark said last night that no flights were ever in danger.

The use of onboard GPS devices to track the movement of company vehicles is increasingly common, said Jeff Bader, president of the Association of Bi-State Motor Carriers, a regional trucking group.

“It’s the wave of the future,” Bader said.
 

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

New mechanic at Huntington Municipal Airport (69V), Utah

A recent visit to the Huntington Airport indicated there are a number of interesting activities going on there. One of those activities at the airport is the repair and maintenance of five airplanes flown in from the Salt Lake valley by airplane owners this past week to be repaired and maintained by Scott Wilson. A good share of the work that is done at the airport is done on planes flown in from the Salt Lake Valley. 

Leon Defrieze the Emery County Airport manager invited Wilson to take on the task of the maintaining and repair of airplanes at the airport. Because Wilson is at the Huntington Airport, plane owners bring airplanes from around the area here to be worked on.

Wilson an aircraft and power maintenance engineer is an AP an IA and a commercial pilot. Wilson maintains all of the planes on the field. He has the ability to inspect a plane, overhaul a plane and re-certify the plane as being airworthy.

Wilson would like to see the airport expanded with more and bigger hangars. Also he would like to see companies that would share aircraft costs with part ownership of airplanes. Perhaps a twin engine turboprop plane so executives do not have to drive to Salt Lake to fly somewhere in the Western part of the United States.

Wilson spends his winters in Africa flying turboprop planes and maintaining them.

Wilson is looking to purchase some property around Huntington. His wife works in the Salt Lake valley and he lives in a trailer when he is maintaining aircraft at the Huntington Airport.

One of the airplane owners Dan McCullough from Salt Lake said he liked the Huntington Airport because it was less congested, less expensive, less hassle than the airports on the Wasatch front and a very nice facility.

McCullough flew here July 11 at night. As he approached the Huntington Airport he keyed his radio microphone and the airport and runway lights came on. He found gasoline for his airplane is convenient and using a credit card he could get gas at any time. The courtesy car was handy for local shopping and going for meals at the Castle Cafe. There are available restrooms with hot and cold water, a refrigerator, a shower and couches in the pilots lounge. This is a real nice facility. The pavilion at the airport with the benches and a barbecue pit nearby was a nice addition.

McCullough said the airport needs more hangars as a revenue source. Airplane owners do not want their expensive plane sitting out in the weather. They would rather pay rent on a hangar and protect their airplane.

McCullough was at the airport doing maintenance and repair on his own plane in the large hangar under the supervision of Wilson.


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

Magic Valley Regional Airport (KTWF), Twin Falls, Idaho

Twin Falls, Idaho ( KMVT-TV / KTWT-TV ) The Magic Valley Regional Airport Advisory Board is looking for a new city board member.

The position is for a term of three years.. And the person must live in Twin Falls.

The Airport Board meets at the airport on the first Tuesday of each month.

They discuss issues and share ideas with the Airport Manager concerning the operation and development of the airport.

Those interested need to complete an application and return it to the airport by August 21st.

2 walk away uninjured after plane problems at Tucson International Airport (KTUS), Arizona



TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) - 

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of a small plane's landing problems at Tucson International Airport Thursday.

Airport officials said the  Cessna 310 was landing when its right landing gear collapsed just after 7:15 a.m.

Airport Fire was able to get the two passengers off the plane safely and without injuries.


Source:   http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com

Report: New York Power Authority spent $400k on pilots, aviation director

ALBANY — The New York Power Authority spent nearly $400,000 on pilots and an aviation director during the 2012 fiscal year while maintaining its own plane, according to a report Thursday from the state Comptroller’s Office.

The White Plains-based authority has three full-time pilots on staff and spent an additional $155,000 on two travel department workers last year, the report found. The authority has also “made use of chartered air services and contracted for temporary pilot services” despite owning its own plane, according to the Comptroller’s Office.

At the same time, the authority continues to subsidize New York's budget, with a $90 million payment headed from NYPA to the state's coffers this year, bringing the total to more than $1.2 billion over the last decade.

Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli on Thursday questioned whether the authority, which provides low-cost power from its 16 power plants to mostly businesses and utilities, could do more to help ratepayers by focusing on its core mission.

“New Yorkers pay some of the highest electricity rates in the country and need the rate relief that NYPA could provide if it appropriately focused its resources,” DiNapoli said in a statement.

A spokeswoman from the Power Authority declined to provide immediate comment.

In the past, the authority has defended its need to have a plane because they need to travel to power plants around the state, which includes the state's largest power-generation station -- a hydropower plant near Niagara Falls.

Aircraft owned by NYPA has received significant scrutiny over the years, including an unusual arrangement in the late 1990s and early 2000s that allowed for the shared ownership of a plane by the authority and State Police.

After a Comptroller's Office audit questioned the arrangement in 2001, the aircraft was transferred to the State Police in 2006.

In 2007, a second plane was sold to a private entity, and a new plane was purchased for a "reported contract value" of $6.4 million, according to the report. Then-Attorney General Andrew Cuomo launched an investigation in 2008 over the use of NYPA aircraft and why it was used to transport governors and top police officials.

DiNapoli's office also questioned the authority's payroll.

In all, 35 percent of the authority’s workers earn more than $100,000 annually, according to the report. Statewide, 14 percent of public authority staffers earn that much.

NYPA employs 1,636 full- and part-time employees with a total payroll of $146.3 million, according to the report.

Source:   http://www.pressconnects.com

Commonwealth 185 Skyranger, N67045: Accident occurred August 08, 2013 in Burlington, Washington

http://registry.faa.gov/N67045 

http://www.flickr.com/photo

NTSB Identification: WPR13CA364 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, August 08, 2013 in Burlington, WA
Aircraft: COMMONWEALTH 185, registration: N67045
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.

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

On August 8, 2013, about 1300 Pacific daylight time, a Commonwealth 185 Skyranger, N67045, nosed over during landing at Skagit Airport, Burlington, Washington. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The private pilot was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage to the tail and wings. The local personal flight departed Burlington about 1200. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. 

The pilot reported that he made a three-point landing on runway 29. During the landing roll, a wind gust picked up the left wing, which lifted the left main wheel off the ground. The left main wheel then touched down hard, and the airplane swerved aggressively to the left. The airplane departed the asphalt surface, and nosed over when it contacted the adjacent grass.
=========

BURLINGTON — A  single-engine plane coming in for a landing at Skagit Regional Airport around 1 p.m. Thursday ended up upside down next to the runway after getting blown off-course by a crosswind, according to Chad Clark, chief of field services for the Skagit County Sheriffs. 

 An initial report from Glen Kirk, the Port of Skagit’s on-scene incident commander, noted the plane’s pilot was the only occupant and suffered no known injuries. The plane did not catch fire.

Sara Young, manager of projects, planning and environmental services for the port, said the pilot is a local and rents a hangar at the airport. She said the aircraft was new to this particular pilot.


http://www.goskagit.com





BURLINGTON, Wash. —

A single-engine small plane flipped while landing at an airport west of Burlington Thursday afternoon.

 Only the pilot, who was not hurt, was aboard the plane.

 Authorities said the Cessna flipped when it caught a crosswind as it was landing at the Skagit Regional Airport.

 The plane appeared to have landed in a grassy area adjacent to the runway.

 Video from Chopper 7 showed the plane had been righted and was being towed away.


Source: http://www.kirotv.com

Chatham Municipal Airport (KCQX), a community asset

GUEST COMMENTARY
By James Ford
The Cape Codder

Posted Aug 08, 2013 @ 01:17 PM


CHATHAM —

As a private pilot and a Cape Cod resident I would like to voice my support for the continued operation of Chatham Municipal airport without restriction.

It has come to my attention that you have recently been contacted by local residents who live in the vicinity of the airports approach/departure path regarding noise and safety concerns.

I am always amazed that property owners who purchase homes near existing airports complain when during the "busy" season things get busy. I am sure these same people complain about tourists blocking up the grocery store, the roads and the beach.

The complaints usually revolve around noise and safety, while there is always some noise associated with a healthy airport, that same noise is indicative of economic activity that keeps the community vital.

General Aviation has a very good safety record as is documented by the AOPA's Air Safety Foundation in the annual Nall report (http://www.aopa.org) You are much more likely to be injured or killed in your car or bath tub than by having an airplane hit your house or land on you.

The assertion that there is no organized flight path or that the lack of a control tower somehow makes Chatham Airport unsafe illustrates a misunderstanding of the training all pilots receive. Pilots are taught procedures for announcing their location in the traffic pattern, to land into the wind and to "see and avoid" other traffic. We practice things like aborted landings to make sure when we need to perform them we do so with confidence and consistency

Every two years, pilots go through competency reviews called the Bi-Annual Flight Review to maintain the privileges of their license.  Additionally, pilots must have a physical exam by a certified doctor to remain legal to fly every one to five years depending on the class of license they hold.

If the concern is strictly safety we should be advocating recurring training and testing for automobile licenses since the vast majority of vehicle accidents occur in the U.S. on roadways not airways

Given that we live on a peninsula that sticks 35 miles into the Atlantic Ocean I would suggest we should value the airports we have and encourage their use. They represent the lifeline we all depend on when a disaster strikes. If the bridges were to be damaged or the Pilgrim Nuclear Facility had a problem we would all be grateful for the presence and operation of this general aviation airport providing a place for relief supplies to arrive and safe evacuation.

I would encourage you all to review the number of fatal accidents at Chatham Municipal Airport compared against the number of fatal automotive accidents in Chatham.

Personally, I feel much safer using an airplane to travel over a crowded interstate.

I encourage anyone who has concerns about General Aviation to contact the AOPA and explore the actual facts regarding the occurrences.  I would also suggest comparing those risks to both pilots and the general public to the rates of accidents in other areas of our daily lives

James Ford lives in Orleans.

Read more: http://www.wickedlocal.com

Man recovering after being struck by helicopter blade

A man is in a Edmonton hospital after being hit by a helicopter blade while carrying out geological work north of La Loche, Sask.

On Tuesday morning, the man was one of three people arriving at an exploration site near Forrest Lake.

The helicopter, an AS-350, touched down on a soft muskeg heli-pad.

According to the Transportation Safety Board, the man and one of his colleagues then exited the craft while the rotor-blades were still spinning.

The man walked to the cargo bay, and then around to the front of the helicopter where he was hit.

Chris Krepski of the Transportation Safety Board says it appears the front skids of the helicopter may have sunk down into the soft ground, causing it to be lower than it normally would have been.

Teddy Clarke, chief of the Clearwater River Dene Nation and the owner of Big Bear Contracting, the company doing the work, says medical help was summoned immediately.

"From talking to his wife and from talking to other people who are in Edmonton, he is actually doing pretty good considering the incident he was involved with," says Clarke.

He says his company emphasizes safety in the field and it's unfortunate the incident occurred.

A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Labor Relations and Workplace Safety says they are also reviewing the incident.


Source:   http://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca

Manager shares goals for airport: Clay Center Municipal (KCYW), Kansas

 
Brett Dance


Clay Center Municipal Airport manager Brett Dance told those at Wednesday’s Chamber Coffee forum the airport is busy with spray plane activity and he has big plans for the airport. 

“Our main goal is try to get people back to the airport,” Dance said. “With the help of the city, we’re redoing the FBO (fixed-based operation) ... Basically, our main goal at the airport is to make a place that people want to come to.”

That includes ongoing construction in the main hangar and lobby to make it “a nice place for pilots to relax and stop in for fuel” and a new courtesy car for pilots.

Heinen Brothers Agra Services, the company leasing the airport, would like to build another T-hangar north of the runway. Currently there is space for about a dozen planes in the existing hangars and a few spots for tie-downs. Dance said the airport could attract pilots from Manhattan because there is a three- to four-year waiting list for hangars at the Manhattan airport.

However, the new airport operators aren’t doing a number of operations that were offered when the airport was operated by Mike Spicer, including:


FUEL:
The automatic fuel pumps have not yet been installed and currently no fuel is being sold at the airport because the pumps that were there have been removed.

Dance said Heinen Brothers are about three weeks away from having the pumps installed which will be able to accept credit cards at the pump and pilots will be able to access them 24 hours a day.

FLIGHT LESSONS: No one is taking flight lessons at the airport since the new managers took over. Dance also confirmed there are also no pilots in training, though he said Heinen Brothers is “breaking in” a new spray pilot at the airport.

Dance added the company is trying to bring in other people to use the airport, including members of a sky-diving club at Kansas State University. Members of the club seem interested, he said.

AIRCRAFT MECHANIC: There is no aircraft mechanic at the municipal airport as of now.

Dance said annual maintenance and other repairs are offered through a mechanic in Manhattan and said he is trying to convince a student who’s a mechanic to offer his services in Clay Center.

Manager using airport for spray business


Heinen Brothers, to whom the city awarded the FBO-contract, took over operation of the municipal airport on June 1. Since then, the company and other spray pilots have used the airport as a base for their spray operations, which primarily cover north and eastern Kansas, but also southern and western Nebraska and four other states.

“What we do is primarily spray fungicide on corn, wheat, beans.” Dance said. “A lot of time what we’re doing is mostly two-gallon work with these airplanes.”

The wet weather and a later Spring has made this year a busy year for spray pilots. Normally spray pilots get a couple weeks off between spraying corn and spraying beans, but this year they’ve gone “straight from corn to beans” and now are spraying late season corn and early season beans, Dance said.

“It’s going pretty well,” he said. “Really, it’s been pretty busy and it will stay busy for the next couple of weeks. Either because of the moisture or the late start, we’re running a couple weeks behind.”

The main hangar now houses Dance’s spray plane, a big yellow Air Tractor with a 500-gallon capacity and fuel endurance of about three hours.

Dance described the plane as very up to date, with a computer system that tracks where the spray goes, accounting for not only the path the plane takes, but also for wind and other factors. The system is similar to the same systems used in ground rigs, Dance said.

Heinen Brothers get a lot of business by word of mouth, through co-ops, and also through spray contracts in other states, Dance said.

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

Engineer recommends growth in airport plan: Clay Center Municipal (KCYW), Kansas

T-Hangar inspection
Councilman Dennis Ouellette, left, airport manager Brett Dance and Mayor Jimmy Thatcher inspect the condition of a T-hangar at the municipal airport in a tour of the airport in July.


The firm preparing the city’s master plan for the airport presented the first two chapters to the city’s Property and Rec Committee Thursday and gave the city two options -- one that would prepare for growth and the other would keep things the same. 

 Mayor Jimmy Thatcher expressed opposition to any option that would require land acquisition because of how that would affect property bordering the airport.

Brad Waller of Benesch Engineering, called the decision to plan for growth at the airport “a political decision.” The first chapter of the plan details existing inventory at the airport and the second chapter details future plans. The second chapter, a forecast of what the city expects the airport to do in the next five years, is what the Federal Aviation Administration would look at in granting any additional funds to expand the airport, Waller said.

The most controversial part of the proposed five-year master plan for the airport is to re-install lighting and re-mark the runway to make it 200 feet shorter in 2015 in order to meet FAA guidelines without having to purchase neighboring land.

The city is faced with either expanding the physical runway to 4,500 feet as recommended or to shorten the usable length of the current 4,200 foot runway to 4,000 feet.

On Wednesday Waller said his firm recommends the city plan for growth and to meet the FAA and TSA’s recommendation of 4,500 feet of runway needed to land B-2, the category of aircraft which includes EagleMed (air ambulances).

However, he added there’s “nothing wrong” with the city choosing to not expand the runway and to shorten it to meet the FAA guidelines for approaches (areas where planes start to land and take off).

As of now, a 4,000-foot, 60-foot wide, runway is accepted as the minimum length of runway to land the EagleMed and other B-2 category aircraft. The existing runway is 4,200 feet long by 75 feet wide.

Six months ago when his firm started on the master plan, Waller brought to the city his concerns about whether the runway will be long enough to land air ambulances in the future.

Mayor Thatcher said the city’s options are to either shorten the runway or buy right-of-way where a farmer irrigates cropland. Unless something keeps the air ambulances from being able to land, Thatcher said he saw no reason why the city should expand the runway.

“If emergency air can land right now, it makes no sense to eminent domain this property,” Thatcher said, adding he preferred to move the approaches back by re-marking the runway.

However, councilman Butch Hess said “sometimes eminent domain is necessary.”

Despite his reservations about runway expansion, Thatcher also said early in the discussion that the plan could be drawn up to include runway expansion, but that doesn’t mean to city has to do it. He advised the Property and Rec Committee “to chew on this awhile” before bringing it to the full council.

Council members asked about other components in the airport master plan, including lighting and fencing. Both are good ideas that should be included in the plan, Waller said. The fencing, however, is typically a low priority and constantly is moved back as the plan is updated, Waller said. Benefits to fencing include keeping wildlife off the runway and reducing the threat of terrorism, he said.

The Property and Rec Committee also reviewed the farm lease for part of the airport property, which needed to be updated because farmable acreage has been reduced from 100 to 91 acres and because the lessee, Don Martin, wants to plant alfalfa there.



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

East Hills holds aircraft pollution meeting

Special Representative for Federal Aviation Administration Affairs Rob Lebowitz (left) and East Hills Mayor Michael Koblenz (right) give their presentation on air traffic pollution stemming from JFK Airport’s 22L route.


East Hills residents gathered at the village theater Monday to discuss noise and air pollution issues from stemming from planes approaching John F. Kennedy International Airport using the 22L route that pass through village airspace. 

In a presentation from Village of East Hills Mayor Michael Koblenz and Rob Liebowitz, the village’s special representative for Federal Aviation Administration affairs, residents were informed of increase of JFK’s increased use of the 22L route in the last decade as well as the appropriate methods for filing a complaints to FAA and state officials.

According to Liebowitz and Koblenz’ presentation, 42.9 percent (7,743 of 18,048 total planes) of all airline arrivals in June flew over village airspace using the 22L runway, up from 31.9 percent of arrivals in June 2012. In addition, 39.3 percent of overnight flights in January 2013 used the 22L route as well.

Flights passing over East Hills tend to use a stepped approach of leveling off at 2,000 feet, Liebowitz said, which requires an additional engine thrust to maintain altitude and creates noise pollution.

Liebowitz and Koblenz also said that the 22L runway is being used even when wind direction suggests it should not be, and is used during overnight hours despite an agreement between the FAA and Port Authority not to.

The village has possible solutions in mind, like rerouting air traffic over the ocean and onto other runways when possible, evenly distributing planes to different runways so air traffic isn’t as consistent and the use a continuous descent approach that requires less engine thrust.

Liebowitz and Koblenz suggested residents write letters to elected officials and file complaints with the FAA, and provided those in attendance with forms and Internet links to do so.

Liebowitz’ said records supplied to him by the FAA showed that the FAA received only two complaints in June from East Hills residents, which was disputed by many in attendance.

Many residents, he said,  have likely dialed the Town of North Hempstead’s 311 line, which circulates the complaints to town officials but does not always forward them to the Port Authority.

“311 somebody either answers your call, they don’t have a Web forum and presumably they’re going to forward your information to the Port Authority,” Liebowitz said. “By filling out this form, we know it’s being registered and we know it’s being handled by a third-party company the Port Authority has contracted with.”

Liebowitz and Koblenz said residents should contact the Port Authority directly and write letters to Sen. Charles E. Shumer (D-NY) and Rep. Steve Israel (D-Dix Hills), who Koblenz said have the political power to institute the solutions the village seeks.

“Those are the people who can call in the FAA and say ‘what are you doing?’ and have special hearings. But they’re not doing that yet because we’re not loud enough yet,” Koblenz said. “We only have a handful of people saying we have a problem. We’re not big enough. We’re not strong enough. So we need to be heard and we have to get other communities involved as well, and that’s not so easy.”

Koblenz said aircraft noise is not a new problem for East Hills, saying he has been writing letters of complaint to the FAA since 1999.

On July 16, Koblenz met with Israel as well as officials from the Federal Aviation Administration and village officials from across the North Shore at Old Brookville’s Village Hall to discuss the flow of air traffic on Long Island, and in the last few weeks the village has sent e-mails to residents urging them to write letters to state officials expressing their air traffic concerns.

Koblenz has also urged residents in attendance at board of trustees meetings in recent months to write letters voicing their discontent with the noise to Israel and state Sen. Jack Martins (R-Mineola), and the village created an aircraft noise abatement committee at its May 20 meeting to direct residents’ complaints.

Koblenz said he has also circulated a letter to all other village mayors in the town of North Hempstead to increase support, but was told his own village should take the initiative in combating the FAA.

Liebowitz said the village had considered submitting a formal letter with signatures from residents, but he’s found that residents who submit individual letters tend to receive individual responses in return.

One resident in attendance suggested the village create a mobile app to submit mass quantities of complaints to the FAA that would also be sent to village officials for record keeping.

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

Summer's Flight

KTBS.com - Shreveport, LA News, Weather and Sports 

By Brian Fowler 
 
You're on the runway............the airplane starts to roll......and roll....and roll.... .are we going to taxi to our destination today, you're thinking, or will we be taking off at some point?

It's like trying to spin something through molasses versus water. Its easier to do it through the water cause it's less dense.

On a typical day, a take off roll will seem like its taking longer than it should.

Aircraft have to work a little harder this time of year.  The air is thinner, or less dense, so it makes for a more difficult time.    The props and engines of an aircraft try to cut through the air and lift off the ground.  That's why you may notice that it takes just a little longer on the runway this time of year.

Flying can be a mental test - for passengers, pilots, and students alike.  Meet local flight instructor daniel lafon, of tubreaux aviation.  He'll help us clear the air, as it were.


I've been flying now for about seven years and light instructing for the past three years.

He knows all about how summer heat effects the aviation community and those of us that buzz around the country from time to time.


During the summertime, the sun is heating the ground up a lot more than what we're used to. We can feel that. As the earth gets heated, it heats the air around it and it causes that air to rise. It's just like boiling a pot. That water it starts to boil and flow up. The same thing is happening in the air. It starts to boil and the air is rising. The rising air is what we call turbulence.

Ahh yes....turbulence...Usually a factor in mountainous areas, but around here we, we can feel it too, mainly during the summertime.

That heat causes turbulence.  No matter how good a pilot you got. They're gonna get through some summertime bumps until hopefully you get up high enough where you get away from that turbulence.

The rising air causes those bumps you feel.  It's kinda like riding in a boat on a windy day.  Imagine each of those waves or swells being rising heat or turbulence. Each one you hit with the boat will give you a jolt.  That's what's happening in the air.

That air is hotter so its less dense. And the performance of the airplane is dependent on the density of the air. Whether its the amount of lift being produced by the winds, whether its the amount of horse power or thrust being produced by the engine itself.

Behind me here is a Cessna 172. This is what we're gong to be flying in today. We're going to experience that long take off roll. We're also going to experience that turbulence you feel this time of year at cruising altitude.

So here we go....Daniel checks the airplane first.  It's standard procedure so that you don't find out your plane has problems while you're in the air.

And off we go to an altitude of around twenty-five hundred feet.

We're taking off around 6:30 pm....so the air had a chance to cool down a little.  


We're experiencing a few bumps right now. As you head into the evening, the air tends to become a little more stable. But during the day, certainly a different story.

In fact....have you ever noticed that when you fly in the evening, or especially early morning....its not such a bumpy ride?


Its the coolness. You know the sun's been down all night so its about the coolest part of the day you can get. It creates the most stable-calm conditions. It makes for very smooth enjoyable flights.

Story, Video and Photo:  http://www.ktbs.com

Beechcraft B90 King Air, Direct Aviation LLC, N821DA: Accident occurred October 22, 2012 in Sturtevant, Wisconsin

NTSB Identification: CEN13LA023 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, October 22, 2012 in Sturtevant, WI
Probable Cause Approval Date: 09/30/2013
Aircraft: BEECH B90, registration: N821DA
Injuries: 1 Minor, 1 Uninjured.

NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The pilot reported that the airplane floated during the landing flare, touched down long, bounced, and went off the end of the runway. The airplane struck two ditches before coming to rest on a road. The pilot stated that he should have recognized that braking action would be significantly reduced with the possibility of hydroplaning, that pulling the power levers to the stops before touchdown induced a lag in realization of reverse thrust, and that he should have executed a go-around when the airplane floated before landing. No mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane were reported. Heavy rain was reported about the time of the accident at a nearby airport.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's decision to continue the landing after touching down long and on a wet runway that reduced the airplane’s braking capability, which resulted in an overrun.

On October 22, 2012, about 1845 central daylight time, a Beech B90 airplane, N821DA, collided with a fence and a ditch when it overran runway 8R (2,272 feet by 38 feet, asphalt) while landing at the Sylvania Airport (C89), Sturtevant, Wisconsin. The commercial pilot was not injured and his passenger received minor injuries. The airplane sustained damage to its fuselage and both wings. The airplane was registered to Direct Action Aviation LLC, and was operated by Skydive Midwest. The accident flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The flight originated from the Jackson County Airport-Reynolds Field (JXN), Jackson, Michigan, about 1800.

The pilot reported that the landing approach was normal and when the airplane crossed the runway threshold it floated and he pulled the engine power levers to the stops. He stated that although he did not remember the airplane bouncing, his passenger told him that it had. He pulled the power levers to reverse, but there was no immediate reverse thrust. He applied brakes and felt the airplane accelerate. He recognized that he would not be able to stop the airplane on the remaining runway and attempted to steer it to the north. The airplane left the runway, impacted two ditches and came to rest on a highway. The pilot stated that he should have recognized that braking action would be significantly reduced with the possibility of hydroplaning, that pulling the power levers to the stops before touchdown induced a lag in realization of reverse thrust, and that he should have executed a go-around when the airplane floated before landing. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane.

At 1853, weather conditions reported at the Kenosha regional Airport (ENW), located 6 miles south of the accident site, included heavy rain.

NTSB Identification: CEN13LA023
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, October 22, 2012 in Sturtevant, WI
Aircraft: BEECH B90, registration: N821DA
Injuries: 1 Minor,1 Uninjured.

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

On October 22, 2012, about 1845 central daylight time, a Beech B90 airplane, N821DA, collided with a fence and a ditch when it overran runway 8R while landing at the Sylvania Airport (C89), Sturtevant, Wisconsin. The commercial pilot was not injured and his passenger received minor injuries. The airplane sustained damage to its fuselage and both wings. The aircraft was registered to Direct Action Aviation LLC, and was operated by Skydive Midwest. The accident flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The flight originated from the Jackson County Airport-Reynolds Field (JXN), Jackson, Michigan, at an unconfirmed time.

RACINE COUNTY — The proposed flying suspension for the Racine area pilot who crashed his plane on Interstate-94 last October has been reduced, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The suspension of pilot Keith George’s commercial pilot certificate has been reduced from a proposed 180 days to 60 days, FAA spokesperson Elizabeth Cory said in an email Thursday morning.

On Oct. 22 of last year, during a return trip from Michigan with his girlfriend, the Beech B90 airplane piloted by George overshot the first part of the runway at Yorkville’s Sylvania Airport, continuing across a ditch and onto the Interstate, according to the FAA report.

An investigation by the agency determined that weather conditions during the flight, including heavy rain and low visibility, would have required instruments with which the particular airplane was not equipped.

Several witnesses in the area during the time also reported conditions that were not above minimum standards for a pane like the one flown by George, including a captain from American Airlines who was flying from New York to Chicago at the time and remembered a brief discussion with a co-pilot about why a plane like George’s would be flying through the weather conditions at the time.

Following an investigation, the FAA proposed suspending George’s commercial pilot certificate for 180 days. However, he challenged that proposal. George's case has since been settled and he is currently undergoing a 60-day suspension of his commercial pilot certificate.

Story:   http://journaltimes.com

Ethics in focus, airport manager fired: Sikorsky Memorial (KBDR) Bridgeport, Connecticut

In light of the recent scandal at the Sikorsky Memorial Airport – where  taxpayers paid for a $400,000 private driveway – Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch wants to implement a new way to monitor employees’ conflicts of interest.

Earlier this summer it was discovered John Ricci, the airport manager at Sikorsky Airport, had helped secure a city contract for past business partner Manuel Moutinho, a multi-millionaire developer, to build a $400,000 private driveway to Moutinho’s mansion, located on airport property.

Finch announced Ricci’s termination late last week, citing “reckless and intentional misconduct.” Now department heads and employees will be required to annually fill out conflict of interest forms when it comes to city contracts. With the forms, Finch said he hopes the city will have the “strongest ethics standards in the state.”

Ricci has reportedly said the city knew of his relationship with Moutinho prior to the contract.

The driveway deal was a part of the long-awaited agreement between Bridgeport and the town of Stratford to extend the crash safety zone at the airport, which is located on property owned by Stratford. At the time of the announcement, the Federal Aviation Administration agreed to pay for 90 percent of the $20 million project.

With federal money involved, FBI officials are now investigating whether the funds were used appropriately. 

Source:  http://westfaironline.com

Airport Authority finishes year in the black: Eastern WV Regional/Shepherd Field (KMRB), Martinsburg, West Virginia

 MARTINSBURG - The Eastern Regional Airport Authority ended its fiscal year $5,988 in the black.

"Revenues are up, but expenses are up," Airport Authority Chairman Rick Wachtel said.

The authority finished the fiscal year that ended June 30 with revenues of about $267,157, which was $31,957 over what was projected.

About $37,517 of the revenues were matching grants or reimbursements from the West Virginia Aeronautics Commission and the Federal Aviation Administration for money that had already been expended, which must be recorded as revenues.

Also, a bank account was closed out and the remaining balance of $6,857 was transferred to the authority's general account, which shows up as revenues.

There was a net gain of $12,542 in hangar rentals for the year. The largest amount was rentals for the so-called Howard Hangars, which the Airport Authority recently purchased from a private owner.

Landing fees came in at $740 below budget, and fuel flowage fees were $2,180 below budget.

With leasing the airport terminal's restaurant to Joanne Cooke of Gourmet Cooke for catered events, the restaurant rent came in $4,270 over budget.

The big difference in revenues is the land leases the Airport Authority has with Action Aviation and Aviation Solutions.

Action Aviation, which owns the former Sino-Swearingen aircraft assembly plant in the Airport Authority's business park, owes the entire year's payment of $10,033.

Aviation Solutions, which owns the former Tiger aircraft assembly plant in the business park, owes $14,757 of its $21,082 lease for the year. The company also owes lease payments from the year before.

"If all the leases were paid, the revenues would be about $40,000 more," Wachtel said.

After an executive session, authority members voted unanimously to sue both companies to collect the back payments.

Authority member Steve Cox said this might be a good time to look at what the Airport Authority charges for its services.

"With expenses continuing to go up, we might want to make adjustments, especially if we have to take over maintenance of two hangers," he said, referring to the Action Aviation and Aviation Solutions properties.

According to the lease agreements, if the companies default on their payments, the Airport Authority can take ownership of the properties in lieu of the delinquent payments.

Cox asked that a survey be taken of what other airports are charging and the issue be discussed at the authority's September meeting.

On the expenses side, the Airport Authority's costs were up $25,969 over projections for a total of $261,169.

The authority's two electric accounts were up a net of $1,772; gas and diesel fuel were up about $300; and general maintenance was up about $850.

Equipment repairs were $4,205 over what was budgeted, because of increased expenses to keep the authority's aging maintenance trucks, mowing and snow removal equipment operating, Joyce McDonald, administrative assistant, said after the meeting.

Airfield light repairs cost $6,381 more than was expected, because runway lights had to be replaced after they were hit by airplanes, McDonald said.

And terminal repairs and supplies came in $4,593 over budget, because the kitchen for the terminal restaurant had to be upgraded for Gourmet Cooke's catering service, McDonald said.

Legal expenses were under budget by $2,135 and the annual audit was $1,128 under budget.

Various insurances, such as liability, workers' compensation, pensions and health, were over budget by $3,522.

Story and Comments/Reaction:  http://www.journal-news.net

I’m the ‘red baron’!

 
 Richard Goodwin has been revealed as the Vale’s mystery aerobatics pilot. 




 



 The fearless flyer nicknamed the ‘red baron’ after performing spectacular stunts in the skies above several Vale villages has revealed his identity. 

 Richard Goodwin, aged 51, contacted the Journal after his daredevil activities hit the headlines last week.

The pilot from Malvern saw his aerobatics called into question by residents in a number of villages including Fladbury and Throckmorton, who were unhappy with the noise his performances create and he offered them his apologies.

But he was pleased to hear that others had enjoyed the displays.

Mr Goodwin has been hitting the heights in his Pitts S2S biplane, which he stripped and rebuilt almost from scratch, to practice for his nerve-shredding displays at a string of upcoming shows including the Clacton Airshow and the Malvern Autumn Show.

As part of his routine Mr Goodwin performs a spectacular array of stunts including loop-the-loops and vertical climbs and falls.

Speaking to the Journal this week he said: “I apologize for any noise and certainly don’t want to upset anyone. It takes a lot of practice in order to perform these aerobatics. It can be very disorientating and you hit up to +7G and -5G. Your body is experiencing up to seven times its own weight The manoeuvres include the ‘tower of power’. You run in at 200 miles an hour and pull up into a vertical.

Then you roll several times and the plane comes to a stop and begins to travel backwards.”

The commercial pilot, who fought in the Gulf War with the RAF and now flies with the British Aerobatics Association, added: “I used to be in the Royal Air Force and I flew the Tornado GR1 in the first Gulf War.

During my training I had some success in aerobatics and that is where my love for it began.

“I got the Pitts S2S and I have built and developed it on my own and am now getting into some of the bigger air shows with it.

“I displayed at the Cosford Airshow, until that point I had been struggling but afterwards people have seen the plane and realised it is a bit special.

”It is a big achievement. A portion of my fee goes to SSAFA (Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association). A charity that I am proud to support.”

For more information on Mr Goodwin’s work, or to book a display visit richgoodwin-airshows.com.


Story and Photo:   http://www.cotswoldjournal.co.uk

No-notice night jump by Mile-Hi raises grumbling in Longmont: Mile Hi Skydiving at Vance Brand Airport (KLMO), Colorado

 
Mile-Hi Skydiving's Twin Otter plane took to the skies late Friday night. According to Vance Brand Municipal Airport manager Tim Barth, Mile-Hi did not alert the city or neighbors of the airport that there would be nighttime skydiving on Friday. 
( RICHARD M. HACKETT )



LONGMONT -- An unannounced nighttime skydive Friday by Mile-Hi Skydiving has stirred up both neighbors and Longmont officials, saying they should have been told. 

 "This was something we had an agreement on with the owner of Mile-Hi, that he would at least notify us," Councilman Gabe Santos said late Tuesday. "I saw it as a business acting in good faith, to try to alleviate some concerns of the surrounding residents. I'm very disappointed that that agreement is pretty much brushed to the side."

Airport manager Tim Barth said there had never been a formal agreement, but that Mile-Hi had usually told him in advance of night jumps as a courtesy. The city would then circulate the information, both to warn those who disliked the noise and to alert those who might enjoy watching the jump.

This time, Barth said, Mile-Hi didn't alert anyone -- including him.

"It's not a rule or a regulation or a requirement that they notify us," Barth said Wednesday. "But it would have been a nice courtesy call to let folks know."

Mile-Hi owner Frank Casares was out of town Wednesday and could not be reached for comment. Disputes between Mile-Hi and some of its neighbors over claims of excessive noise have been frequent.

In an email to the City Council, Barth said he met with Casares on Sunday about the night skydive and that the owner said he had decided the notifications no longer had a point.

"Frank stated that he sees no reason he should continue going above and beyond for the same 15 to 20 people who continually call the airport, the council and his business," Barth wrote Monday. "Frank feels he is going to bear the brunt whether people are notified or not. Frank believes he is already trying, or has tried to nobody's satisfaction, of appeasing the folks who are arduously opposed to his skydiving business."

The jump, which some said went past midnight, led to other emails besides Barth's.

"I was in the basement when I first heard Frank last night," resident John Bowker wrote to the council Saturday. "Basement, as in 'below the ground.' He had inserted himself into the sound track of the movie I was watching. Hard to imagine that the dialog could be interfered with from one small, irrelevant engine that is 2.5 miles away. Yet it does."

"If there was a bar making this much late night noise, it would be shut down," wrote resident Mark Zentner on Friday. He added in a follow-up email Saturday that "I have no problem with the airport in general. I have a huge problem with a single business that is allowed to make such noise so late at night."

Noise abatement is recommended but not required at Vance Brand Municipal Airport. In the past, the Federal Aviation Administration has said that Longmont can't single out one business at the airport to limit hours or days of operation and that noise reduction procedures have to be voluntary so that pilots can adjust for conditions.

Councilman Brian Bagley suggested Tuesday that a written understanding with Mile-Hi might be in order. Although the city can't require anything, he said, it could try to negotiate with Mile-Hi to take some steps, such as warning of night jumps or restricting Sunday hours.

"We can't yell at them," he said. "We can't scream at them. We can't force them. But we might want to offer them a carrot."

Santos said he'd like to sit down with Mile-Hi and at least get the night notifications back again.

"I think it's vital that we have this," Santos said. "I'm a little upset with the owner of Mile-Hi right now."

Story, Photo and Comments/Reaction:   http://www.timescall.com

Cessna 172L Skyhawk, C-FQTR,: Accident occurred August 06, 2013 in Cache Creek Hills, west of Kamloops, BC










The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has released pictures of the crash scene that killed a 16-year-old pilot near Kamloops Tuesday as they continue to investigate the crash.

The body of Lorne Perreault was found at the scene Wednesday after search and rescue crews spotted the wreckage in the Cache Creek Hills.

Operators of a Kamloops flight school say they believe Perreault may have been performing unauthorized manoeuvres minutes before his single-engine Cessna crashed.

Perreault, who had logged about 100 hours of experience, including cross-country flying, was confined to staying within 20 kilometres of the Kamloops airport, but he was found 50 kilometres away.

Investigators are looking into the cause of the crash and are trying to determine whether there were environmental factors involved.




Operators of a B.C. flight school say a 16-year-old pilot had abandoned his flight plan in the minutes before the single-engine plane crashed west of Kamloops.

Lorne Perreault, 16, was flying a solo flight as part of his training towards a private pilot license. The Cessna 172 was reported missing on Tuesday. The wreckage and Perreault’s body were found Wednesday evening. 

David Cruz, the director of TylAir Aviation where Perreault was a student, says the pilot had abandoned a strict flight plan that set a 20-kilometre radius around the Kamloops airport. The plane was found 55 kilometres west of Kamloops in the Cache Creek Hills. 

"This is indeed a tragedy that truly words cannot express -- the shock that event has brought on not only the family but everyone else involved,” Cruz said.

Cruz also says the Cessna had completed a mandatory full maintenance check on July 12, and although a cause of the crash has not been determined, Cruz believes mechanical issues will not be a factor.

He also confirms the teen had logged nearly 100 hours of flight time before the crash and was considered an experienced student well on the way to obtaining his private pilot's license.

The Transportation Safety Board has sent two investigators to the crash site in the hopes of determining why the plane crashed.



This is a plane used by TylAir Aviation Ltd. flight school, photographed by KTW during the company's recent open house. 
ALLEN DOUGLAS PHOTO/KTW



The body of Lorne Perrault, the 16-year-old student pilot who went missing this week in a Cessna 172 after taking off from Kamloops Airport, has been found.

Perrault apparently crashed in the hills near Cache Creek, about an hour from Kamloops.

Perrault was training for his pilot's license and had almost 100 hours of flying experience when he took off on a solo flight on the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 6.

Lt.-Commander Desmond Jones of the Joint Task Force Pacific/Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Victoria said Perrault and the plane were found at about 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 7.

Jones said a Royal Canadian Air Force Buffalo aircraft found an aircraft crash site in the Cache Creek Hills.

An RCAF Cormorant helicopter lowered two search and rescue technicians to the site and they confirmed the aircraft was the one that was being sought.

Jones said Perrault did not have any vital signs, noting the Cormorant helicopter transported the body back to Kamloops Airport, where the coroner pronounced the teenager's death.

Jones said Perrault family's is asking for privacy.

The federal Transportation Safety Board is expected to investigate the cause of the crash.

Perrault took off from Kamloops Airport in the four-seater training plane on Tuesday, Aug. 6, at 10:30 a.m. for what was supposed to be about a two-hour flight, performing exercises in the area near Kamloops Lake.

"He was cleared by his instructor to go out into this area and not venture off from there," said David Cruz of TylAir. Aviation Ltd., the flight school at which Perrault was training.

"Once those exercises were complete with the circuits, he was to return at 12:45 p.m. yesterday [Aug. 6]. When he was not at the tarmac at 12:45 p.m., the company immediately dispatched two planes to search for him in the area he was supposed to be."

When the planes failed to locate either plane or pilot, the school called in Coast Guard Search and Rescue, which dispatched Buffalo aircraft and search helicopters.

While the search was still active, Cruz told KTW there was no obvious explanation for the plane's disappearance.

"These planes are required to fly at a higher altitude, at a safe altitude, so that there is no challenge with any type of obstacles in the vicinity," he said.

"The practice area where he was instructed to perform his exercises was right above the lake, so there was no obstructions in the near vicinity.

"The weather conditions were near-perfect, for lack of a better word, yesterday in the morning when he departed. So, we're unsure at this time what has caused him not to return."

Perrault was an experienced flyer with 70 to 80 trips under his belt, more than 30 hours of solo flight time and all the licensing required to fly a plane.

"He had extensive knowledge of how to fly a plane," Cruz said.


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

State police, Lynchburg Fire Department train with helicopters



Virginia State Police personnel practiced hoisting and rappelling skills from a Bell 407 helicopter Wednesday morning in Lynchburg. 

 Members of the Lynchburg Fire Department were invited to take part in the exercise at the Fire Training Center off Airport Road. Battalion Chief Jason Campbell said firefighters may need these skills in certain rescue situations.

"We could be rappelling if someone was in an area that was hard to get to," he said.

Campbell said this was the department's first time teaming up with state police for the training. Some state police officers undergo helicopter training at least twice a year, according to First Sgt. Perry Bashoof.

Bashoof said troopers sometimes rappel from helicopters in wilderness rescues or evacuations amid natural disasters.

Story and Photos:   http://www.newsadvance.com

Allegan starts project to add airport hangars: Padgham Field (35D), Michigan

 
An overhead view highlights (in magenta) the location of the new hangars. The top edge of the photo faces north. 
(Background courtesy Google Maps) 
~


Work is underway at Allegan’s Padgham Airfield to construct a new 10-unit hangar.

The nearly $477,000 project was funded primarily through federal aviation grants matched by 5 percent state funding and 5 percent city funding.

The project will put the new hangars next to the set of similar hangars built at the airport 10 years ago.

Bauer Construction Group LLP of Hudsonville won the hangar and pavement apron project with its low bid of $451,478.75

Engineering costs through the city’s engineering firm, Prein & Newhof of Grand Rapids, total $25,500.

The public can lease the hangars for $240 monthly for newer hangars, $135 monthly for older ones. The lease revenue is used to pay off the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development low-interest loan used to construct the hangars.

The hangars now under construction will house, according to airport manager Aaron Haskin, a majority of single-prop airplane designs; two of the 10 will fit larger, multi-engine planes.

When the project was discussed at a special meeting in April, council member Rick Day asked if there was demand for new hangars.

While city finance director Tracey Stull said there were currently four vacant hangars, Haskin said they were in the older hangars.

“People are interested in the newer ones, and those are full,” Haskin said. “I think people would come to (new ones).”

Council members also discussed in April options to fund the project. Including this year’s allocation, federal money saved up for it only totaled approximately $326,000. State and city matching money only put project funding at approximately $361,000, leaving the city well short.

Prein & Newhof engineer Jim Cook told council members that federal funding would likely provide another $150,000 in funding next year.
Above, (facing roughly west northwest) on Thursday, Aug. 1, excavation is already underway for a new 10-unit T-hangar at Allegan’s Padgham Airfield. (Photo by Ryan Lewis)

With that in mind, the city had two options—aside from abandoning the project:

1. To use other money to cover the more than $100,000 gap in funding and be reimbursed with the federal money later; or

2. To reduce the scope of the project and only build six of the 10 units in the hangar.

“The way airport funding works, as part of the national airport system, Allegan gets about $150,000 of federal money each year,” he said. “Airports submit (and update) 10-year (development) plans and you’re allowed to carry forward the money for four years.”

Cook said the $451,000 bid compared well to similar projects elsewhere in the state, as prices for steel and concrete had gone up.

Federal funding from 2014 and 2015 had originally been designated for constructing a new airport terminal.

Cook said, however, that eligibility requirements for the federal money were changing and might affect how it could be spent. He suggested changing that project to an expansion of the existing building.

Cook said, “You could put in new restrooms, a pilot lounge. That added space would give you a pretty functional terminal and you could do it for less than $300,000”—freeing up money to repay the city for the hangar project.

Haskin said the airport was otherwise in good shape, including its runways and lights.

Stull said lending money to the project was simply a cash-flow issue.

“I think we can do it,” she said. “I actually think it’s a good idea. The (hangar lease) revenue will come back to us. As long as I’m aware of it, I can plan it out.”

Cook said the federal money had regularly come in since 1982. Unfortunately, there was no guarantee for it.

“Who knows what Congress will do?” he said.

He also noted that building only part of the project would likely be affordable with current money, but expanding it later would not necessarily be inexpensive given how construction prices can change.

Council members approved the spending plan for the full, 10-unit hangar May 13. After reimbursement, the city estimates it will have contributed approximately $20,000 in matching funds.

Bauer was awarded the bid at the city council’s May 28 meeting.

Story and Photos:  http://www.allegannews.com

The lure of wings: Wings Over Wine Country Air Show at Charles M. Schulz - Sonoma County Airport (KSTS), Santa Rosa, California

A bevy of P-51 Mustang fighters, including the “Lady Jo,” above, will dominate the skies during the annual Wings Over Wine Country air show at the Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport on August 17-18. 
(Wings Over Wine Country)
~



You may have noticed that local airports normally don't draw large crowds of spectators. So why do 20,000 people turn out every year for the Wings Over Wine Country air show

It's because these planes aren't everyday passenger carriers. These aircraft come soaring out of history and into the present, roaring right over your head. In fact, you might see them in the Sonoma County skies from nearby even if you don't go to the air show.

“You'll see up to 17 P-51s flying overhead,” said Wayne Seamans, the event's chairman this year, “and it's going to be an amazing sight. People turn out to see the P-51s. It's a unique aircraft.”

The P-51 Mustang, a fighter plane introduced in 1942 and used in World War II and the Korean conflict, will be the star of the show Aug. 17-18 at the Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport.

“The P-51 is a beautiful airplane. It had a vast superiority in combat,” said pilot Lynn Hunt, who will fly a P-51 in the air show.

“It had an extremely long range, which endeared it to bomber pilots, because the Mustang fighter escort would stick with the bombers all the way to Germany and back,” he said.

Plans call for a B-25 Mitchell bomber to fly with the P-51s at Wings Over Wine Country, Seamans said.

“The B-25 is a medium-sized bomber, not as big as the B-17 or the B-24, but it's obviously much bigger than the fighters, and it's fun to watch it fly,” he added.

Aeronautics fans find the “war birds” fascinating, not for their destructive capacity, but for the rapid technological advancement they represented at the time, spurred by the pressure of war, Hunt explained.

“These airplanes, when they were first introduced, were on the cutting edge of technology,” Hunt said. “And I don't have an issue with their military past. I look at the incredible job they did to keep this country free.”

In all, there will be about 30 different planes flying during the two-day Wings Over Wing Country show, as well as exhibits, demonstrations, children's activities, food and wine.

“We'll have the Pratt & Whitney R-4360, largest piston engine ever made, on display,” Seamans said. “It's 20 times the size of a car engine, and it was used in bombers from the '50s to '80s. It's mounted on a stand, but it runs. It's a little loud.”

Enthusiasts find that the vintage aircraft fire their imaginations, Seamans said.

“Airplanes allow you to go places you couldn't go otherwise,” he said. “Humans don't have wings.”

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

Archeologist to give talk on historic plane crash sites

Submitted photo 
 Lisa Daly at the 1944 Cape St. George crash site.


Lisa Daly is an aviation archaeologist currently completing her doctorate degree at Memorial University.

She has been working on historic aviation sites around Newfoundland and Labrador since 2007, with most of her work focused on Second World War aviation sites around Gander and Goose Bay.

She has included other areas of historic aviation, such as assisting her supervisor in collecting photographs and memories of the Hindenburg over Newfoundland.

Last summer she had the opportunity to work in the Bay St. George area and said she enjoyed it immensely. She and a small team of researchers, guided by Don Cormier, rediscovered the wreck of the 1946 American Overseas Airlines crash.

This aircraft crashed on Oct. 3, 1946, into Hare Hill (now known as Crash Hill) moments after departing Harmon Airfield, and with 39 fatalities – making it became the worst commercial air disaster in the world at the time.

On that first visit, archaeologists did a preliminary survey of the site and had it classed as a provincial archaeology site.

A visit was paid to the site of the 1944 C-54 crash at Cape St. George. The site was recorded, and steps are being undertaken to have it established as a provincial archaeology site.

Ms. Daly will be giving a public talk about the two crash sites at the Regional Museum of Art and History in Stephenville, starting at 7 p.m., tonight, Aug. 8.

This talk will feature some of the history and archaeology of the sites, allowing for many the first glimpse of a historically important, but tragic, moments in aviation history.

To see some of Ms. Daly’s academic papers, go to http://mun.academia.edu/LisaMDaly. People can follow her Twitter, @planecrashgirl, for updates on historic aviation work being done in the province.

Story and Photo:  http://www.thegeorgian.ca