Sunday, November 03, 2013

Beechcraft 36 Bonanza: Accident occurred November 03, 2013 at Yampa Valley Airport (KHDN), Hayden, Colorado

  A sudden and strong gust of wind sent a private plane in the process of landing about 600 feet off the runway at Yampa Valley Regional Airport on Sunday afternoon, but the pilot and passengers all emerged safe.





Steamboat Springs — A sudden and strong gust of wind sent a private plane in the process of landing about 600 feet off the runway at Yampa Valley Regional Airport on Sunday afternoon, but the pilot and passengers all emerged safe. 

Yampa Valley Regional Airport Manager Dave Ruppel said the day’s complex winds were a factor, based on the pilot’s report after the crash.

“It was a private plane coming in, based out of Steamboat. The winds were bad enough at Steamboat that they came out to Hayden, and he was just making a normal approach to the runway,” Ruppel said. “He was just touching down and got hit by a big wind gust, lost control and ran through the grassy areas, across the taxiway and down through a fence.”

The single-engine plane was a Beechcraft Bonanza, and it sustained significant damage. It came to rest just in front of a marshy area off the runway. The passengers were able to get out on the wing and, according to Ruppel, “didn’t even get muddy.”

“It was one of those days where mostly the wind was blowing right down the runway at pretty high speed, and every once in a while, we’d get some pretty strong gusts at more of a cross angle,” he said. “From what the pilot said, that’s what caught him. Smaller planes have a hard time overcoming something like that. It won’t have quite as much impact for big commercial airliners because they have enough weight they can overcome it.”

In fact, a commercial flight took off on time soon afterward, as soon as the runway was checked for debris. The runway only was closed for several minutes.

Ruppel said the National Transportation Safety Board would be at the site Monday to investigate.

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

U.S. Wants Broad Divestitures From US Airways, AMR: WSJ

The Wall Street Journal

By  Brent Kendall and  Jack Nicas


Nov. 3, 2013 6:49 p.m. ET

U.S. antitrust authorities want to see a broad package of divestitures from AMR Corp. and US Airways Group Inc.as part of any deal to settle the government's challenge to their merger plan, people familiar with the matter said.

The people said talks are under way between the two sides three weeks before a trial of the antitrust challenge is set to open in Washington.

The Justice Department's antitrust suit, which sought to block the merger of AMR's American Airlines and US Airways, argued that the deal would harm consumers by reducing air service and increasing fares. It listed more than 1,000 routes on which regulators believed competition would suffer.

The opening of settlement talks suggests that the government isn't taking an absolute stand against the deal, and that a trial isn't a certainty. At the same time, however, the airlines might resist the broad concessions that the government is seeking.

A person familiar with the Justice Department's thinking said department lawyers insist that any settlement should include divestitures at key airports throughout the U.S. The department believes that the two airlines would need to divest assets at those airports to ensure that their merger wouldn't limit consumer choices on nonstop and connecting flights or harm consumers by raising fares, this person said.

The airlines are prepared to give up slots at Reagan National Airport outside Washington, where US Airways is already the dominant carrier, and make some divestments at other U.S. airports, two people familiar with the negotiations said last week. A person familiar with the process said Sunday that the airlines' settlement proposal would include divestments at other U.S. airports besides Reagan National.

Some of the busiest U.S. airports have limited room for competitors to expand, either because takeoff and landing slots are limited or because there aren't enough gates. LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy International airports in New York are among those with limited slots, while airports in Chicago and Los Angeles have limited gate space.

Another asset in limited supply is permission to fly to some international destinations. US Airways recently obtained rights to offer service to São Paulo, Brazil.

If combined at their current size, AMR and US Airways would vault past United Continental Holdings Inc. and Delta Air Lines Inc.  to become the largest carrier in the world by traffic. AMR and US Airways say the merger would offer fliers more choice and a bigger route network.

The Justice Department's suit challenging the merger warned against overconcentration in the U.S. air-travel market if the deal went ahead as planned, because it would leave the U.S. with just four airlines controlling more than 80% of the domestic market.

Both sides have said they are prepared to go to trial, which is scheduled to begin Nov. 25.
 

Source:  http://online.wsj.com

Coast Guard recovers two people from plane crash in Bahamas

MIAMI — An aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Fla., recovered two men who were a part of a plane crash early Sunday afternoon in the vicinity of Staniel Cay, Bahamas.

Coast Guard District Seven watchstanders received a report from the Federal Aviation Administration of a downed twin engine aircraft. A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter launched in response of the report and arrived on scene and located two men ashore.

The men were recovered and transported to Nassau, Bahamas.

There were no reports of any injuries and the cause of the crash is under investigation.

New Airplane-Gadget Rule Reopens Debate on Yakking: Should Airline Passengers Be Able to Make Voice Calls While Airborne?

The Wall Street Journal

By Jack Nicas and  Andy Pasztor


Nov. 3, 2013 8:04 p.m. ET

Federal approval to use electronic devices throughout flights has revived a related debate over whether airline passengers should also be able to make voice calls while airborne.

Under the Federal Aviation Administration's new guidelines, fliers can use tablets, e-readers and even smartphones from gate to gate, but those devices must be switched to "airplane mode," disabling cellular connections.

The FAA has said it doesn't have safety concerns about the in-flight use of cellphones. Instead, the agency is complying with the Federal Communications Commission's ban on cellular connections in flight, designed to avoid interference with cell towers on the ground.

The same FAA advisory group that recommended lifting most restrictions on electronic devices also considered the pros and cons of allowing fliers to talk on cellphones in the cabin. But partly because the FAA determined voice communication was outside the committee's jurisdiction, they punted to the FAA and the FCC to discuss the ban on in-flight cellular connections.

The report, approved by the committee's 28 members, including airline officials, union representatives and device makers, said the issue was too important to be ignored and urged the FAA to "consult" with the FCC about lifting its ban.

Fliers appear split on whether voice calls should be allowed. A survey of more than 1,600 U.S. adults included in the FAA advisory group's report shows that 51% of respondents felt negatively toward in-flight phone calls, while 47% felt positively. When asked what, if anything, should be banned during flights, 61% said phone calls, more than double the response for the No. 2 answer: alcohol.

Customers told JetBlue Airways Corp. that "the cabin environment would be polluted with the additional noise," JetBlue spokeswoman Jenny Dervin said. "While we'd probably be able to support that technology, it's really up to the customer."

Delta Air Lines Inc. spokesman Paul Skrbec said, "We have tons of research for many, many years that says customer don't want other customers on the phone on the plane."

The FAA advisory group's report said that "voice communication in the small, confined space of an airplane cabin" raises thorny privacy and other social issues, which could result in "interpersonal friction between" passengers.

U.S. rules already permit calls on planes equipped with Wi-Fi, using services such as Skype and Viber that enable devices to make phone calls through Internet, rather than cellular, connections. The FAA reiterated last week that this is allowed.

But airlines and the companies that provide in-flight Wi-Fi ban these services. Carriers said they believe their fliers overwhelmingly reject allowing in-flight phone calls.

The FAA advistory group said that in-flight calls are far more accepted abroad, with one survey showing that 68% of international fliers said they approve of phone calls on board.

In July 2012, the FAA completed a survey of foreign-aviation regulators that allowed such services and found that none of the authorities "reported any cases of air rage or flight-attendant interference related to passengers using cellphones."

Some international carriers have invested in picocell technology, an onboard station that connects fliers' phones to cell towers on the ground, to enable passengers to make in-flight phone calls.

Foreign carriers cease this service over U.S. airspace, "but there is growing interest in continuing operation when over the U.S.," the advisory group's report said.

Talmon Marco, chief executive of Viber Media Inc., said he has used his company's mobile app to make voice calls through the onboard Wi-Fi on international airlines without problem. When Mr. Marco made a call during a Delta flight last year using Viber via Wi-Fi, though, a flight attendant asked him to end the call. Following a debate about the airline's policy, he said, airport police escorted him off the plane after it landed.

"This is a cultural thing, not a safety or security thing," he said. "People should be able to use phones. There's no difference between an airline and a bus."

Some industry experts question the ultimate size of the market for in-flight voice communication. Christopher Baugh, founder and president of satellite-consulting firm Northern Sky Research, said that "data is a must-have for passengers, voice is not." Mr. Baugh predicted that "there is absolutely going to be a pushback" if it appears that cellphone conversations may be allowed to proliferate in airliner cabins.

"You can be sure a lot of people would object strongly to voice communications" on airplanes, said Roger Rusch, another satellite consultant.

The FCC said it hasn't yet discussed the ban with the FAA. An FAA spokeswoman said, "The FAA defers to the FCC on this issue ... though the FAA would work with the FCC to facilitate any changes they make." She also pointed out that a FCC representative was on the FAA advisory committee.

For now, U.S. carriers must craft policies to implement the new FAA rules for in-flight device use, for one, determining what constitutes a larger item that must be stowed during takeoff and landing. That is a complicated task given the increasingly complex world of devices. Some laptops today are smaller than some tablets, for instance.

JetBlue, which along with Delta on Friday became one of the first U.S. airlines to allow passengers to use devices from gate to gate, told its cabin crews that passengers must stow devices they can't easily hold in one hand.

Delta said that passengers must stow any device heavier than 2 lbs. but that attendants are generally telling fliers they must stow laptops but can use tablets and e-readers. An 11-inch Apple Inc. MacBook Air, one of the lightest laptops on the market, weighs 2.4 lbs.

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA also noted that it would be difficult for attendants to tell whether passengers have their devices in airplane mode. Delta and JetBlue said that while they're educating customers about the FCC's ban on in-flight cell connections, they don't plan to ensure every passenger is complying.

"We can say, 'Please make sure your devices are in airplane mode,' but we don't have to police that," Ms. Dervin of JetBlue said.

Many passengers had hated and disobeyed the old rule, but that wasn't the biggest headache for cabin crews. Airlines for America, a trade group, said that in 2011 and 2012, alcohol-related incidents accounted for more than three times as many passenger-misconduct reports as failure to obey device rules.

Source:  http://online.wsj.com

Stinky drops draw residents’ ire: 'Flying excrement' has Pudong residents fuming about the mess

Shanghai Pudong International Airport had started investigating possible leaks in airplane septic tanks after residents in the Luchaogang community in Pudong New Area complained about human waste falling from the sky when planes fly over, local media reported Sunday.

A resident surnamed Zhou said that he first thought it was just rain, but discounted that notion after he got a whiff of the stinky fluid, according to a news report aired on Shanghai Television Station (STV).

He said he had been hit by the suspicious fluid, which falls all over the neighborhood, including on residents' cars and hanging laundry.

The STV report showed video of yellow drops on vehicles in the community, which sits under a busy air route. Planes fly over every five to 10 minutes during morning rush hour, which resident said was usually the time the drops appear.

Experts said that it's possible for chemically treated human waste to leak from a plane's septic tank. The liquid freezes when a plane is flying at a high altitude, but it falls like rain when the plane is flying low, the Xinmin Evening News reported.

Pudong airport said it could not rule out the possibility that the phenomenon is caused by a leaky septic tank.

The problem has been reported before. Residents of a town near the Auckland Airport in New Zealand complained in 2011 that their homes had been splattered with brown stuff that smelled like feces, according to ONE News.


Source:   http://english.peopledaily.com.cn

Coolest Airport Landing: Catalina Airport (KAVX), Avalon, California

 
"Landing Hot for Catalina Island Airshow"   October 26, 2013

Grumman American Avn. Corp. AA-5B, N1550R: Accident occurred November 03, 2013 at Catalina Airport (KAVX), Avalon, California

AIRCRAFT ON LANDING WENT OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY, CATALINA AIRPORT, AVALON, CA


http://registry.faa.gov/N1550R


 SANTA CATALINA ISLAND, Calif. (KABC) -- A small plane crashed at an airport in Catalina Island Sunday afternoon, injuring four people aboard. 

 FAA officials said a single-engine Grumman AA-5 aircraft landed long at the airport and went off the end of the runway around 3:15 p.m.

No one was killed. No fire was reported.

Most of the people on board suffered back injuries. One victim was treated for a leg injury. All were airlifted to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center.

Catalina Airport sits on top of a cliff.

It's unknown whether the plane was in the process of landing or taking off at the time of the crash.

Story and Comments/Reaction:  http://abclocal.go.com


Four people escaped with minor injuries from a light plane that crashed or had some other sort of mishap on Catalina Island today, a Los Angeles County Fire Department supervisor said.

County fire supervisor Miguel Orenelas said a light plane had come off a runway at the Airport In The Sky on Santa Catalina Island. It was not known if the plane was landing or taking off.

The four people on board suffered minor injuries, Orenelas said, and were being treated at the scene. A helicopter was also dispatched.

The incident was reported at 3.07 p.m.

Airport In The Sky is a small airport used by general aviation aircraft. It sits atop on a plateau on a 1,600-foot-high mountain, about 10 miles from the only city in the Channel Islands, Avalon.  


--City News Service

Fort Collins-Loveland Municipal Airport (KFNL), Colorado: Area economic development strategy in the works - A group will work to create a long-term vision for the airport

Next year, the Fort Collins-Loveland Municipal Airport will mark 50 years since opening, but city and business leaders from across the area have only recently begun to explore what kind of airport Northern Colorado has, what it should be and how it can help shape the region.

And the conversation may never have been sparked without Allegiant Air's abrupt decision to end service at the airport one year ago.

"It opens up the conversation," airport director Jason Licon said. "The cities are looking at evaluating what their vision is for the airport."

An airport area economic development strategy was included early this year as a goal for the Loveland City Council in 2013, but because interest stretches beyond Loveland, the city of Fort Collins is now a partner.

A group that will research and provide guidance to the two cities began meeting in September and includes about a dozen business and community leaders and is led by Loveland Economic Development Director Betsey Hale and Loveland Public Works Director Keith Reester. Over the course of several informational meetings, they've brought in economic development staff from neighboring municipalities, including Fort Collins and Windsor.

"The airport has been out in that area for a long time," Loveland Economic Development Director Betsey Hale said. "I think it might be time to make the airport an economic development priority in Northern Colorado."

Regional Asset

The key word in the strategy that's being developed, Loveland City Manager Bill Cahill said, is "area." The airport area has been defined up to County Road 30 to the north, Boyd Lake Avenue and the Southern Pacific Railroad to the west, east of Interstate 25 to County Road 5 to the south, Crossroads Boulevard, abutting but not including Centerra.

"What happens at the airport is going to drive what's around it," Cahill said.

Currently, what happens at the airport amounts to $129 million a year in derived economic activities, according to a recently released statewide study conducted by the Colorado Department of Transportation, Division of Aeronautics. The figure includes payroll, employment and estimates of visitor spending and the re-circulation of spending.

"Airports are an important asset to the community and not a lot of folks realize how it might impact them, directly or indirectly," Licon said.

Most people think of airports in terms of commercial travel. But while it's true that Allegiant's departure took a significant financial hit on the airport, with one-third of operating revenue lost and the annual contributions from the two governing agencies doubled -- $177,500 for 2013 and 2014 -- Licon said that impact on the region remains significant.

"Something people don't fully understand is that our action level has increased since Allegiant left," Licon said.

There are still commercial flights -- albeit not scheduled service that results in grants from the Federal Aviation Administration -- and the airport also serves as a vital hub for corporate travel as well as medical transportation, flight instruction and more.

"That's just part of what we do," Licon said of commercial service. "There's not one focus that we're looking at, but there is a lot of focus into getting a carrier again."

As the airport continues to market itself, one of the items that will likely be addressed in an economic development strategy is a former business model that relied on the commercial air carrier.

Crafting a Vision

Though the team working on the airport economic development strategy is still in the infancy stages, Hale is positive about the direction the group will provide to the airport steering committee and, eventually, to city councils for Fort Collins and Loveland.

"What we've been able to do is convene a very engaged group to put together a vision," Hale said.

Infrastructure additions, cosmetic improvements and the governance structure of the airport have all been brought up in initial sessions. The group is tasked with looking long-term, and Cahill said that broader community involvement will also be sought as part of the strategy development.

"We want to look 10 to 20 years out and ask, 'what can our airport be to serve the area best?'" Cahill said.


Source:   http://www.reporterherald.com

Swearingen SA227-AC Metro III, CP-2754, Aerocon: Accident occurred November 03, 2013 at Riberalta Airport (RIB), Bolivia

Lista de heridos (Injured)

1.- Oscar Adrés Tacata Sossa
2.- Alejandra Azad Lazo
3.- Leslie Pérez Gil
4.- Zenón Peréz Ramírez
5.- Jenny Gutiérrez Farah
6.- Cecilia Tapia Salinas ( copiloto)
7.- Kevin Roca Alpire ( Piloto)
8.- Jorge Ernesto Morán Cruz
9.- Jackeline Ruiz Suárez
10.- Luis Alberto Suárez Velarde


Fallecidos (Deceased)
1.- Fernando Chacón
2.- Daniel Ishita Guarena
3.- Herlan Rodríguez
4.- Rober Suárez Vargas
5.- Shirley Ojopi Carrillo
6.- Maria Georgia Saucedo
7.- Rosio Álvarez Azad (menor de seis años)
8.- Rodrigo Molina Peñaloza



LA PAZ (Reuters) - A Bolivian plane carrying 18 people crashed on Sunday while trying to land during bad weather in the north of the Andean country, killing eight passengers and injuring the others on board, the director of a local hospital told Reuters.

Heavy rain was falling as the small turboprop plane operated by local airline Aerocon tried to land in Riberalta, in Beni department near the Brazilian border, according to witnesses.

The plane took off from Trinidad, Beni's capital, Aerocon said earlier on Sunday, without providing a death toll.

Eighteen people were on board, according to the director of the Riberalta hospital, Jose Luis Pereira.

"(There were) 16 passengers and the pilot and copilot, of whom 10 survived and eight died," he told Reuters. "The pilot and the copilot are in the gravest situation ... Seven (bodies) are (so) charred, we can't identify them."

A photo on the website of local newspaper La Razon showed smoke billowing from a propeller lying on the grass.

President Evo Morales said he had ordered "a deep investigation" into the accident and "drastic sanctions on the company."


 
People gather around a Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner aircraft of Bolivian airliner AEROCON that crashed on its approach to the Riberalta airport.

Aircraft on landing, gear collapsed: Lone Star Executive Airport (KCXO), Conroe, Texas

A Cessna 310 made an emergency landing Sunday morning at the Lone Star Executive Airport as the result of a landing gear malfunction. 

 “They departed from Conroe with the intention to do some pattern work, basically practice take offs and landings,” said Lynn Lunsford, Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson.

The front end landing gear did not retract, at which point the pilot notified the tower that it would make an emergency landing. Upon landing, the plane’s front landing gear collapsed, causing the front end of the plane to hit the ground.

According to the report by the Montgomery County Hospital District, the plane was “carrying 110 gallons of fuel and two souls.”

No one was injured in the incident, though the plane sustained damage. The hard landing resulted in a fuel spill at the airport, but the Conroe Fire Department cleaned the spill. The plane is registered to John Gauntt of Conroe and Robert Covington.

The FAA will investigate the cause of the malfunction.


Source:    http://www.yourhoustonnews.com

CONROE, TX (KTRK) -- A small plane had to make an emergency landing Sunday in Conroe after its nose gear became damaged.

It happened around 10:45am. Officials said two people were on board the twin engine Cessna when it possibly hit a bird.

As the pilot tried the land at Conroe's Lone Star Executive Airport, the nose of the plane and its propellers hit the ground.

No one was hurt, and emergency crews were able to contain a minor fuel leak.

Source:   http://abclocal.go.com

80% emergency landings are due to medical reasons

MUMBAI: Indian carriers operate 13,000-odd domestic and international departures in a week and one out of these ends in an emergency landing.

Going by the data, one emergency landing per week would have presented a scary picture if these had been on account of the condition of the country's aircraft fleet. But the figures reveal that in the past one year over 80 percent of such landings were carried out because of medical emergencies involving onboard passengers.

Data collected by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation show that between August 2012 and August 2013, a total of 46 emergency landings were carried out by Indian carriers in the country and abroad. Out of this, 38 were because of medical emergencies and the rest were due to technical problems with the aircraft.

Of all Indian carriers, only Air India did four emergency landings because of technical reasons and four because of passenger-related medical emergencies on board. In the case of all the rest, the number of emergency landings done to help a passenger in distress outnumbered those done because of an aircraft in trouble.

"There was a time when the term, emergency landing, conjured up an image of an aircraft in distress with its passengers braced for a hard touch down. That is hardly the present day scene what with an increase in number of senior citizens, infants and even unwell passengers taking flight," said a medical practitioner at Mumbai airport, requesting anonymity. With increase in life expectancy, the number of senior citizens on board flights is only bound to rise and the trend will only grow stronger.

For instance, on August 09, a 67-year old Air India passenger suffered a cardiac arrest on board a Mumbai-Bangalore flight. So minutes after take-off, the aircraft did an emergency landing back into the city and the passenger was revived by the airport's medical team. About two weeks earlier, on July 21, an IndiGo flight from Mumbai to Chennai returned to the city after an infant suddenly took ill. The pilot sought an emergency landing, but the child died on arrival. The same day on another IndiGo flight, a senior citizen fell unconscious soon after the aircraft took off from Mumbai. In this case too the aircraft returned and did an emergency landing, but the passenger was declared dead on arrival in Mumbai.

Another indicator of the change is the fact that Mumbai airport currently has 43 Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs), while a decade ago it did had none. These AEDs, the largest number any Indian airport has, are placed at different locations including the inter terminal coaches, said a Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd (MIAL) spokesperson.

13 out of 38 medical emergency landings involved flight diversion

The trend brings financial consequences as well as out of the 38 medical emergency landings done, 13 were flight diversions. "Flight diversions increase expenditure on account of fuel, it upsets the schedule of other flights lined up in the day, it is bad for passengers with connecting flights to board," said a top official, with a private airline, requesting anonymity. "There are two types of passengers, those who do not reveal their medical condition to the airline as they would be deemed unfit to fly and others, who are generally fit to fly but because of the stress involved in flying, an existent medical condition, known or unknown aggravates and lands them in trouble," he said.

Passenger cabins are maintained at a pressure equivalent to that found at 7000 to 8000 feet which means less oxygen to breathe, dry cabin air because of lower humidity and all this coupled with restricted movement for hours can mean trouble for some passengers.

The global airline and medical industries have been clued into this trend for a while now. A study done in 2009 by Critical Care, an international peer-reviewed clinical medical journal analysed 10,189 medical flight reports and it revealed syncope (medical term for fainting, passing out) (53.5%), gastrointestinal disorders (8.9%), cardiac conditions (4.9%), fear of flying (4.3%) and generalized pain (4.1%) as being the five most frequent diagnoses on board flights. "The most frequent diagnosis causing flight diversion were myocardial infarction (22.7%), apoplexy (11.3%) and epileptic seizures (9.4%)," it said.

Airlines in India too have registered this trend. During a medical emergency on board, it is the commander who takes a call on whether to continue with the flight or to land at the nearest airport available so as to help the passenger in distress. Under the conventional practice , the cabin crew informs the commander about the condition of the passenger concerned. If there is a doctor on board the flight, the commander gets a better understanding of the state of the passenger which makes it easier for him/her to decide on the next course of action.

Certain private carriers like Jet Airways have taken the guess work out of the commander's job by subscribing to a service (called MedLink) that helps pilots take a studied call on the course of action to be taken during a medical emergency. Said a Jet Airways commander: "During a medical emergency, we call the doctor on ground and give him information about the passenger." Like the sequence of events giving details about the symptoms, problems experienced by the passenger, what remedial measures were taken, how did the passenger respond, the age, medical history of the passenger etc.

"With this information, the doctor studies the case instructs on the steps to be taken to handle the emergency, which includes their suggestion on whether the flight should be diverted or not," he added.


Source:  http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

PZL-Mielec M-18A Dromader, Rebel Ag, VH-TZJ: Accident occurred October 24, 2013 in Ulladulla, Australia

NTSB Identification: WPR14WA029 
 Accident occurred Thursday, October 24, 2013 in Ulladulla, Australia
Aircraft: PZL OKECIE M18, registration:
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. The foreign authority was the source of this information.

On October 24, 2013 about 1000 local time, a PZL M18A Dromader aircraft, Australian registration VH-TZJ, collided with terrain near Ulladulla, Australia. The airplane was substantially damaged and the pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as an agricultural flight under the pertinent civil regulations of the government of Australia.

The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Australia. This report is for information purposes only and contains only information released by the Government of Australia. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from:

Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB)

P.O. Box 967, Civic Square

Canberra A.C.T. 2608

Australia

Tel: +612 6274 6054

Fax: +612 6274 6434

www.atsb.gov.au



 
43 year old father of three David Black, from Trangie in the state's central west, died when his water bomber came down in the Charleys Forest area on October 24. 
 

AUSTRALIAN Transport Safety Bureau investigators have confirmed a water bomber that crashed fighting the Wirritin fire in the Budawang Ranges west of Ulladulla last month broke up in mid-flight.

The ATSB is investigating the fatal accident involving a M18 Dromader aircraft at about 10am on October 24, in which 43-year-old pilot David Black from Trangie was killed.

For several days the accident site had been inaccessible due to rugged terrain, high winds, low cloud and nearby bushfires.

Following the efforts of the Rural Fire Service, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, and the NSW Police, a team of five ATSB investigators, including a materials specialist, were able to examine the aircraft wreckage on site last Wednesday.

The examination found that the left wing had separated at the joint between the outer wing and the centre wing sections.

The ATSB team examined the joints closely to determine the failure mode that resulted in the in-flight separation of the wing.

Preliminary examination indicated that the left outer wing lower attachment lug had fractured through an area of pre-existing fatigue cracking in the lug lower ligament.

The fatigue cracking reduced the structural integrity of the fitting to the point where operational loads produced an overstress fracture of the remaining lug material.

M18 Dromader aircraft have a cantilever wing that is anchored at one end with no mid-span supports.

The examination was completed on Thursday with several components removed from the accident site for further examination at the ATSB’s Canberra facilities.

They included both sections of the separated lower main spar lug and the remainder of the lower main spar attachment point (left wing); the entire upper main spar attachment point (left wing); part of the rear spar attachment point (left wing) and the entire lower main spar attachment point (right wing).

Following M18 Dromader accidents in the United States involving in-flight wing separation in September 2000, the US Federal Aviation Administration issued Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2000‑18-12.

This AD required repetitive inspections of the centre wing to outer wing attach joints for “cracks in the lugs, corrosion in the main holes, and ovalisation of the main holes”.

On October 19 2000, the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) issued the same basic inspection requirements every 500 hours in service or every 12 months, whichever came first.

The wings of Mr Black’s aircraft were last inspected on August 8, 2013 and up to October 17, the aircraft had accumulated about 110 hours in service since the last wing inspection.

A preliminary investigation report will be released to the public by November 24.
See your ad here

A funeral service for Mr Black has been held at Forbes in the Central West with hundreds of people attending to pay their last respects.

The Rural Fire Service has honoured Mr Black with a posthumous Commissioners Commendation For Service. 

Source:  http://www.southcoastregister.com.au

PZL-Mielec M-18A Dromader, Rebel Ag, VH-TZJ 

In-flight breakup involving PZL Mielec M18A Dromader aircraft, VH-TZJ, 37 km west of Ulladulla, NSW on 24 October 2013 Investigation number: AO-2013-187 

http://www.atsb.gov.au

Mansfield Municipal Airport (1B9), Massachusetts: Runway Getting Cleaned Up

The Mansfield Municipal Airport's runway 4/22 is having some trees cleared after Selectmen already approved improvements for the main runway.

Selectmen unanimously voted to allow the Airport Commission to have the trees from the airport's grass covered runway which runs perpendicular to the Fruit Street entrance. The motion was approved in perpetuity, meaning the commission will be able to have trees cleared in the future without the permission of the selectmen.


Most of the trees that need to be cleared are on town property except for a few on private land, but the commission is talking to the owner about cutting them down. The commission will most likely dig up the tree stumps and plant grass. 

Source:   http://mansfield-ma.patch.com

Hong Kong Airlines' 'deviations' a concern, says Anthony Cheung

Secretary for Transport and Housing Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung has expressed concern that Hong Kong Airlines faced seven "deviations from regulations" recently, saying that "even one incident is too many".

He also said that the Civil Aviation Department had demanded an explanation from the airline on why the deviations happened. The department has also demanded improvements from the airline.

The Civil Aviation Department confirmed that the budget airline experienced seven deviations from regulations from August to mid-September, but a spokeswoman said that none of the deviations posed safety threats, as many were only "technical infringements".

Apple Daily reported yesterday that the budget airline faced seven aviation "incidents" from August to mid-September. On August 8, the airline's pilot on board a flight to Bangkok mistook the runway clearance of another plane as its own. The plane crossed the red stop line but the situation was immediately rectified by the air traffic controllers in Chek Lap Kok.

On 16 September, another pilot on board a plane to Nanjing was originally instructed to climb to 9,000 feet.

The plane was later instructed not to do so because there was conflicting traffic at that level. But the pilot did not observe the instruction and was observed to be at the higher level.

"What I think is that even one incident is too many. [Airlines] should follow the rules strictly as this is about aviation safety," Cheung said after attending a road safety event.

"Hong Kong has adopted very strict international air traffic regulations…any deviation from the regulations needs to be reported to the Civil Aviation Department."


This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as Concern from top over HK Airlines incidents


Source:  http://www.scmp.com

Norwalk-Huron County (5A1), Norwalk, Ohio: Airport supporter concerned about debris on taxiways... Airport president: It's been addressed

A local airport supporter is fed up with debris on the taxiways at the Huron County Airport.
Dan LeClair, president of the Friends of the Huron County Airport group, voiced his displeasure recently via email about trucks leaving debris on the taxiways. The trucks have been on the property dumping in fill at the airport pond.

"Upon exiting the pond location, these trucks are using the taxiways and leaving debris -- dirt clumps, mud, stones, etc. -- they pick up in their tires near the pond onto said taxiways as they depart the facility," LeClair said.

Airport board president Don Frankenfield said he was familiar with the situation, though, he hadn't seen LeClair's email.

A story about this subject was published recently in the Norwalk Reflector.


Source:  http://www.norwalkreflector.com

Air India told to pay Rs 8 cr to Mangalore crash pilot’s family

 
Captain Zlatko Glusica and grandson


Air India will have to pay around Rs 8 crore to the family of Captain Zlatko Glusica, the pilot of the Air India Express Boeing 737 that crashed in Mangalore on May 22, 2010, killing 158 people. The Labor Court in Mumbai, while rejecting the national carrier's claims that Glusica's case couldn't be considered for compensation as he wasn't an Indian national, ordered Air India to deposit $7.45 lakh (Rs 4.63 crore) as per the workmen compensation package, besides 50 per cent of the compensation amount as penalty for delaying the payment, and 12 per cent interest per annum on the compensation amount from the date of accident till the date of depositing the amount.

AI ignored family's requests Glusica's family, based in Belgrade, wrote to the Air India officials on many occasions, following which they moved the Labour Court, saying they got nothing while families of the first officer and crew members of the ill-fated flight were paid the workmen compensation — which has to be paid to officials who die on duty (Relatives of Mangalore crash pilot seek Rs 5-cr, MM, March 8).


The workmen compensation is based on the pilot's age and salary. Capt Glusica was 55 years old, and his salary was $11,000 a month. Hence $5,500 (half of his salary drawn) has to be multiplied by 135.56 (a figure specified by the Workmen Compensation Act as per his age), to arrive at the compensation amount.

In one of India's worst aviation tragedies, flight IX 814 commanded by Glusica took off from Dubai with 160 passengers and a six-member crew on board. It over-shot the runway at the Mangalore airport while landing, fell over a cliff, and caught fire, leaving only eight survivors.

The government announced interim compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the deceased's families, and Rs 2 lakh to the injured, but no compensation was paid to Glusica's family.
An inquiry committee report, which was made public two years after the crash, blamed Glusica — a British national of Serbian origin — saying the accident was caused by the pilot's failure to "discontinue an un-stabilised approach and persisting with the landing".

The Labour Court, however, pulled up the airline for not compensating Glusica's family. "The legal heirs of the deceased had contacted the opponent (Air India) through email and the opponent has not brought the issue to any fruitful result. The opponent has advanced interim compensation amount to the extent of Rs 10 lakh in other cases, but has not done so in this case for the reasons best known to them," the court said.

'Our family was disrespected' While Air India officials were not available for comment, Glusica's son Alexander said the court had "honoured the family's dignity". He said, "Money can't bring back our father, at least his soul will now rest in peace now. Air India has been disrespectful to his family. We have been informed about the time that may be taken in appeals, but at least the Indian court has honoured the dignity of our lives."


Advocate Yashwant Shenoy, constituted attorney of the Glusica family, said the debt-ridden Air India did itself no favours by ignoring the family's communication. "The family approached Air India on several occasions regarding compensation, but the Air India officials never had the time to look into the rightful claims," he said.


Source:   http://www.bangaloremirror.com

NTSB Identification: DCA10RA063
Accident occurred Saturday, May 22, 2010 in Manglaore, India
Aircraft: BOEING 737, registration:
Injuries: 158 Fatal,7 Serious,1 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. The foreign authority was the source of this information.

On May 22, 2010 at about 6:10 am local time (0040 UTC), Air India Express flight 812 (VT-AXV), a Boeing 737-800 equipped with CFM56 engines, overran the runway into a valley during landing at the Mangalore International Airport, Mangalore, India. Of the 166 passengers and crew on board, there were 158 fatalities and 8 survivors. The airplane was substantially consumed by post-crash fire. The flight originated in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The investigation will be conducted by the Indian Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and the NTSB has designated a U.S. Accredited Representative to assist the DGCA as the State of design and manufacture.

All inquiries should be directed to:

Office of the Director General of Civil Aviation
DGCA Complex
Opposite Safdarjung Airport
New Delhi 110003
India
E-mail: das@dgca.nic.in

Airbus forges closer South African ties

By Donwald Pressly

 The European-based aircraft company, Airbus, is strengthening its linkages with the South African aviation market by investing in beneficiation processes associated with downstream industries making components for their commercial and military crafts.

Airbus in Toulouse, France, is focusing on these projects with a view to reigniting the A400M – a defense transport aircraft – program, which the South African defense department decided was too expensive four years ago.

Airbus analyst Tina Rose said Airbus – which is owned by EADS with plants in Hamburg, Toulouse, Seville and Filton near Bristol – planned to double its procurement from South Africa by 2020. It currently imports components from South Africa worth R350 million a year.

While top Airbus officials were cautious to comment about negotiations with the South African government about the possible future use of the A400M to assist with SA National Defense Force (SANDF) troop and military vehicle deployment in African countries, it is the company’s view that the aircraft was essential to fulfil South Africa’s continental peacekeeping obligations.

In his medium-term budget policy statement Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan allocated almost R60m for contractual penalties incurred by Denel Aerostructures relating to the A400M cancelled contract.

South Africa announced in 2004 that it would purchase eight A400Ms at a cost of e837m (R11 billion). It cancelled them in 2009.

It is estimated that South Africa needs 300 new non-military aircraft over the next 20 years to cater for its commercial and tourist expansion on the continent.

Airbus strategic marketing and analysis executive Andrew Gordon said South Africa “is helping drive the development of aviation on the African continent with a requirement of over 300 passenger aircraft to serve the South African market by 2032”. Africa as a whole would need about 1 000 new aircraft in this time.

The company, which produces the A400M in Seville, Spain, makes much play of the fact that Denel Aerostructures produced the wing-to-fuselage fairing and fuselage top-shells.

Top-shells, machined skins of aluminum alloy positioned between the wings and the fuselage, are made up of more than 1 000 parts.

In September, the first Airbus A400M with these South African design and manufacturing contributions was handed over to the French air force, Engineering News reported.

The wing-to-fuselage fairing functions as a protective, aerodynamic shroud over sensitive equipment located in the center wing part of the A400M. It is believed to be the largest single aircraft component yet produced in South Africa, SAinfo reported.

Airbus is going out of its way to support Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies’ plan to encourage the domestic beneficiation of the country’s mineral resources.

Rose noted that Airbus had signed an agreement with the local scientific research and development organization, CSIR, focusing on titanium powder production. While it was still in the evaluation phase, it was envisaged that this would be used instead of a heavier steel on aircraft and would likely be much cheaper.

Earlier in the year, Airbus Military placed a R200m contract with Denel for the manufacturing of “ribs, spars and swords” – the inside structure of the A400M’s tail section.

Denel chairman Zoli Kunene notably described the A400M as “the most cost-efficient and versatile airlifter ever conceived and absolutely unique in its capabilities”, SAinfo reported.

A private local aeronautical engineering and manufacturing company, Aerosud – formed in 1990 by the then key designers of the Denel Rooivalk attack helicopter – manufactures the A400M’s cockpit lining, cabinet lining and the wing-tip.

In addition, Cape Town-based Cobham SATCOM supplies the aircraft’s satellite communications antennae and underlying systems. It also supplies these for the A320, A350, as well as the Boeing B737 and B747.

Plane Talking’s Linden Birns, who represents Airbus locally, pointed out that the A400M was ideally suited to the typical African peace-support missions that were undertaken by South Africa. It has a range of 3 297km with a payload of 37 tons. This puts it within easy reach from Waterkloof with Kinshasa or Nairobi. With a lesser load of 30 tons, the range jumps to 4 537km, while with a 20 ton payload, the range moves up to 6 389km. This would take it to Abu Dhabi or Cairo from Waterkloof with ease.

Didier Vernet, the head of A400M product marketing, said the craft meant “quicker deployment” – in three days 400 troops, 60 vehicles and 100 tons of equipment could be delivered to a hotspot using 10 A400Ms. South Africa is reliant on dated Hercules aircraft and hired aircraft for its current deployments in Africa.

Earlier this year SAA took delivery of its first two A320s out of a total of 20 A320 “family” aircraft ordered in 2010 from Airbus. The A320s listed price is $91.5m (about R911.9m). The A320s will replace its present fleet of 737-800s – produced by competitor Boeing – and will augment the A319s it already has in service, marking the latest phase of SAA’s fleet modernization plan.

Birns said SAA had, in addition, begun a tender process for more fuel-efficient and economic aircraft to replace its current fleet of four-engined A340-600s.

Airbus’s Michael Bausor, the A350 XWB marketing director, said his company was proposing that “a future fleet solution” be built around the A350 family of twin-engined long haul planes.

Airbus airline marketing manager Kwame Bekoe argued that this would save SAA through efficiencies arising out of commonality including shorter conversion training for pilots, cabin crew and technical personnel. Commonality refers to the similarities of the A330-200s, A319s and A320s with common spares and technical support infrastructure.

The writer was a guest of Airbus in France. 


Source:  http://www.iol.co.za

Safety probe at airline as pilots ignore orders

The Civil Aviation Department is investigating a number of incidents in which pilots of Hong Kong Airlines disregarded instructions by traffic controllers.

Secretary for Transport and Housing Anthony Cheung Bing-leung said in none of the cases was passenger safety compromised, but that even one incident is one too many.

The department yesterday confirmed a report it has asked the airline to submit a report on its safety. This was after its flights were involved in nine incidents.

They included pilots taxiing onto the runway at Hong Kong International Airport without permission and failing to follow instructions from traffic controllers between August and September.

Seven of the incidents were technical infringements committed by pilots who did not follow instructions on maintaining altitudes and directions.

Two incidents were related to pilots deviating from instructions. On August 8, the pilot misunderstood a clearance given to another flight for takeoff.

The department said the flight had entered the taxiway and was found out by air traffic controllers. "As there was no other plane on the runway, the flight was allowed to proceed for takeoff for reasons of safety," a spokeswoman said.

In another incident on August 20, a flight to Singapore wrongly interpreted an instruction from traffic controllers.

The pilots took a right turn when asked not to turn right.

Asked about the various incidents, Cheung said: "From my viewpoint, one incident is still one too many. I hope that airlines can strictly abide by guidelines as they involve the safety of flights."

Cheung said there are clear requirements stating the distance and altitudes between flights.

Between September 2012 and August this year, the department recorded 20 incidents in which pilots did not follow instructions.

A spokeswoman for Hong Kong Airlines said last night that they have always put flight safety as top priority, adding that the incidents mentioned were either caused by weather conditions, similar flight numbers and other factors.

She stressed the incidents posed no flight safety implication, and that it has already submitted an improvement report to the department.


Source:   http://www.thestandard.com.hk

Winter waiting expected at Jackson Hole Airport (KJAC), Wyoming

JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) — Jackson Hole Airport officials are warning travelers to show up three hours early for their midday weekend flights this coming winter.

Airport director Ray Bishop says security wait times may increase because too many planes taking off right around the noon hour.

About 1,300 people are expected to be flying out of Jackson between noon and 1:30 p.m. on winter Saturdays.

Bishop says that's well over double the hourly capacity of Jackson's security screening system.

He tells the Jackson Hole News & Guide (http://bit.ly/18uFd8G ) that passengers who show up an hour and a half before a midday weekend flight may miss their flight.

Bishop says there should be no problems on the other days of the week.

___

Information from: Jackson Hole (Wyo.) News And Guide, http://www.jhnewsandguide.com



http://www.chron.com

Lockheed-Martin to open major subsidiary in Israel: VP says defense giant plans to seek local companies for purchase, employ hundreds and enter domestic civilian security market

Defense giant Lockheed-Martin plans to open a major subsidiary in Israel that will employ hundreds of people, while simultaneously looking to purchase Israeli companies and integrate itself into the Israeli economy, according to a Sunday report.

Lockheed-Martin announced earlier this year that it intended to open a facility in Israel specializing in information technology, but, according to Executive Vice President Patrick Dewar, work is to begin immediately on expanding that project into a full-fledged subsidiary of the tech defense giant, Maariv reported.

Dewar, who is currently visiting Israel, said over the weekend that the company, in addition to building a branch for IT and cyber protection, will seek to expand cooperation with Israeli defense companies and to work in the domestic security market.

The company already has deep ties with Israel’s defense industry and is a major supplier of planes and technology to the Israeli Air Force. Most recently, in 2010, the IAF ordered 20 F-35 stealth jet fighters in a multi-billion dollar contract.

In June of this year, Lockheed-Martin announced that, in conjunction with Israeli company Bynet Data Communications, it was competing in a not-yet-awarded tender to build a new technology campus for the IDF Intelligence Corp. in the Negev, and in April, Israel Aerospace Industries, Israel’s major defense company, won a bid to build and supply the wings for Lockheed’s F-35 fighter series.

In October, the Pentagon announced it had selected a helmet for the F-35 manufactured by Israeli firm Elbit Systems together with Rockwell Collins.


Source:  http://www.timesofisrael.com

Oduahgate: Battle shifts to manufacturers of armored vehicles

The House of Representatives Committee on Aviation is seeking more information on the controversial N255million BMW armored vehicles from its manufacturers.

The information is expected to throw light on areas considered grey by the committee in its ongoing probe of the purchase of the vehicles by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

It was gathered that the committee has already reached out to the manufacturers.

Investigation showed that some members of the House Committee have been mandated to verify certain discrepancies in the purchase deal such as the manufacture date and the chassis numbers of the vehicles.

Specifically, the committee wants to establish whether the vehicles were rolled out in 2008 or 2012.

One of the retrieved vehicles was said to have aged when the House Committee members went on inspection, fueling speculations of underhand dealing.

It was also gathered that four different chassis numbers purportedly belonging to be those of the vehicles need to be verified.

The chassis numbers are: DW68011; DW68044; DW68032; and DW68047.

It was gathered that the chassis number of one of the retrieved cars does not tally with the document presented by Coscharis Motors.

A source in the committee said: “We are already reaching out to the manufacturer of the vehicles to ascertain the fact-sheet at our disposal. We have noted some contradictions in the documents in our custody.

“Fortunately enough for us, we inspected the vehicles and wrote down their chassis numbers. Yet, there are some discrepancies. So, it became imperative for us to take photographs of what we saw.”

Responding to a question, the source added: “We may continue our sitting on Monday and we hope to end our work on or before Thursday.”

Wildlife hazard assessment to take place at Telluride Regional Airport (KTEX), Colorado

As part of a new set of regulations from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) the Telluride Regional Airport will be hiring a consultant to do a wildlife assessment of the airport.

The assessment is required at all public use airports, and the FAA has offered grants for the work to be done. TEX has been awarded a $125,000 FAA grant and the airport is looking to hire a consultant biologist to do the work. The project is expected to take about a year to complete once a consultant has been chosen. TEX could use the assessment to create a wildlife management plan.

TEX is classified as a public use airport, and according to an FAA advisory, the information will help identify any wildlife hazards.

Richard Nuttall, airport manager at TEX, said there haven’t been any big issues with wildlife at TEX in the past due in part to a wildlife fence. But he added that he would have to wait and see what comes back from the biologist.

“It’s a requirement that some airports have to do,” Nuttall said. “And so they gave a grant for that, and we’ll be going out to consult a biologist to do the assessment. It’s completed over a 12-month period, and they’ll give us a report on anything that we need to do, or not do.”

To pick the consultant, Nuttall said a request for proposals would go out. Once bids come in from contractors, TEX will select someone based on their qualifications and fees.

The FAA advisement cites numerous other FAA reports and sources which detail how airports can better deal with wildlife. Some of the sources explain how airports should report wildlife running into aircraft or how they should identify dangerous wildlife attractions near airports.   

The advisement states that wildlife biologists selected to conduct the hazard assessments or training based on wildlife management plans need to have professional training and relevant experience. Biologists need to have the appropriate education and they need to be able to instruct airport employees on how to carry out any wildlife plans that are implemented.

If a wildlife management plan were implemented at TEX, airport staff would need to review their training on an annual basis. However, the plan itself would depend on the environment at TEX and any wildlife issues that might be discovered.

Source:   http://www.telluridenews.com

Plans unfolding to revive stalled aviation technology park

EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP - Road signs have arrows pointing to buildings that don't exist. Where those buildings are supposed to be is vacant property in the middle of the woods. Scattered throughout the site are makeshift dirt roads blocked by barricades and "Keep Out" signs that warn trespassers they will be prosecuted. This is how the old Next Generation Aviation Research and Technology Park looks now - little more than empty land between Delilah Road and Amelia Earhart Boulevard next to Atlantic City International Airport (KACY).

Plans exist, however, to revive the stalled project now that Richard Stockton College has taken charge and renamed it the Stockton Aviation Research and Technology Park. The words "Next Generation," commonly known as "NextGen," have been dropped from the title to emphasize Stockton's influence, although the entry signs to the research park still bear the old name.

Since Stockton took over in September, staffers have been working to complete a land lease and other agreements needed to finally start construction on the park's first building, a laboratory for the Federal Aviation Administration.

"It's complex. There has been a lot of work on it so far. I believe we're closer to getting it done," Ron Esposito, the park's executive director, said of the lease agreement.

Altogether, seven buildings are proposed, offering a total of 400,000 square feet of office and research space. Esposito, however, declined to speculate when work would begin on the first building. He acknowledged there would be no construction this year.

One of the outdated entry signs to the park underscores the delays the project has encountered. It promises that "construction begins early 2011" on one of the buildings.

The research park has had a difficult history since it was first proposed in October 2005 as a way to create 2,000 high-tech local jobs related to the FAA's national NextGen program. NextGen is supposed to modernize the nation's air traffic control network by switching from an old-fashioned system based on radar to a modern one that uses satellites.

On the federal level, NextGen has been slow to roll out. Billions of dollars in federal funds have been announced for the project, but only a fraction of the money has been released.

Still, Esposito said, he believes that both the FAA's part of the project and local efforts to capitalize on NextGen will coalesce to help create jobs and a better air traffic control system.

"I think the NextGen project is a very important project for the FAA and for the flying public in terms of efficiency and safety," he said. "I still think the idea of a research park presents a tremendous opportunity for this area."

Apart from NextGen, the park's mission is expected to be widened to include other aviation-related programs. Esposito said he has been talking to several aviation companies about possibly becoming tenants. An incentive for private tenants is the park's location next to the FAA's William J. Hughes Technical Center, the federal government's premier facility for aviation research and development.

The research park also has teamed with Stockton and Atlantic City International Airport as part of New Jersey's bid to become one of six testing sites across the country for unmanned aircraft systems. Esposito said the development of unmanned aircraft has potential for farming and other civilian uses, not just as military "drones."

In addition to the private tenants, Stockton President Herman Saatkamp has made it known he hopes to bring in other colleges and universities to partner in the research park for academic study and research, Esposito said.

Stockton's involvement has already given the project greater financial security. Starting in 2014, the college will fund most of the operating budget, Esposito said. If the research park ever develops a funding surplus, money would go back to Stockton to help support the college's operations, according to the new three-year agreement placing Stockton in charge.

"The college's backing provides the Aviation Research and Technology Park with a sense of stability that will enable this important project to move forward," Saatkamp said in a statement. "With Stockton's support, the park can advance the aviation sciences as Stockton develops aviation-related educational programs and research."

Stockton has replaced the South Jersey Economic Development District as the research park's parent organization. Under its former leadership, the district incurred more than $1 million in debt while heading the project.

The district's former executive director, Gordon Dahl, was ousted last year amid allegations he concealed the financial condition of the agency and gave himself unauthorized pay raises. Dahl responded with a breach-of-contract lawsuit that denies the allegations. The district has countersued Dahl.

Talks continue for the transfer of a lease held by the South Jersey Economic Development District for FAA land needed to develop the aviation park. Simultaneously, the park is negotiating to assume the obligations of a $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. The grant money has already been spent for infrastucture improvements at the site.

Up to this point, construction has been limited to installing the park's utility lines, clearing land and building the entry road between Delilah Road and Amelia Earhart Boulevard near the airport.

One major aspect of the park's development is securing $3 million in funding from the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, a state agency that uses money from the Atlantic City casino industry for housing projects and economic development.

Esposito said the CRDA funding will finance construction of an FAA lab, but the money is being held until the land lease is transferred. Some of the CRDA funds will be used to buy the park's architectural plans from the South Jersey Economic Development District.


Source:  http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com

Wild Boars Paralyze Airport in Polish Capital

WARSAW, November 3 (RIA Novosti) – Poland's busiest airport was paralyzed for half an hour on Saturday when two wild boars were spotted on the runway, local officials have said.

Six planes were unable to land at Warsaw’s Frederic Chopin Airport between 6:40 and 7:10 p.m. local time as “two boars were on the runway.” After the animals were chased off, the planes were cleared for landing.

An airport spokesman said the boars had apparently come from the nearby woods. Similar incidents involving animals, including foxes, had been earlier reported at the Polish airport.

Experts have recently warned of an increasing threat to local citizens from the country’s soaring wild boar population. In a move to protect citizens, authorities in Warsaw ordered some 300 wild boars to be taken to the south of the country, local media reports said in February.

Source:   http://en.ria.ru

Female drivers (of planes): men don't trust them...but women passengers are even more wary

Male prejudice against women drivers appears to extend into plane cockpits as well, according to a survey.

And in another blow for equality, the poll showed women were even more wary of female pilots than men.

Overall, 51% of people admitted they were less likely to trust a woman pilot than a male one, the survey by travel agent Sunshine revealed.

In addition, 26% said the sex of the pilot did not matter, while 14% said they were less likely to trust a male pilot.

Of those less than keen to have a woman at the controls, 32% felt "male pilots were more skilled", while 28% reckoned female pilots would be no good under pressure.

A total of 10% said they would be less likely to trust a female pilot as their previous cockpit crews had been all-male and they did not know what to expect.

Of those not happy with a man flying the plane, 44% said they believed male pilots would be "too hot-headed in a crisis" while 23% thought male pilots might be "too easily distracted".

Sunshine managing director Chris Clarkson said: "To see that more than half would be less likely to trust a female pilot was absolutely astounding.

"Clearly, many Britons have stereotypes that they need to get rid of.

"If pilots become fully qualified and are given their licence, they are perfectly capable of flying a plane and getting you to your destination safely, regardless of whether they are male or female."

A total of 2,367 Britons (1,195 men and 1,172 women) were surveyed. All had been on a holiday abroad in the last 12 months which involved taking a flight.


Source:  http://www.heraldscotland.com

Geese, ducks run afoul of Wahoo Municipal Airport (KAHQ), Nebraska

Geese and ducks from nearby Lake Wanahoo are creating a potential air safety hazard at the Wahoo Municipal Airport. 

No collisions have been reported, but the Wahoo Airport Authority is taking steps to ensure the safety of pilots who fly in and out of the small airport on the northeast edge of Wahoo in Saunders County.

"I would consider it a lot more than a nuisance," said Airport Authority Chairman Pat Burke, who has seen gaggles of geese on the north and south ends of the runway.

The migratory birds come from Lake Wanahoo, a 640-acre reservoir that opened in April 2012 and is just west of the airport. For some reason geese prefer the well-mowed, grassy areas near the runways.

"With an airport, the grass is kept down. That's where they like it," Burke said.

John Miyoshi, general manager of the Lower Platte North Natural Resources District which developed the lake along with the City of Wahoo and Saunders County, said geese like to graze on short grass.

He said they've had a hard time creating grassy areas around the lake because geese pull out seedlings by the roots.

The migratory birds flock to the airport right before harvest and then avoid it afterward so it is not a year-round problem, Burke said.

"I don't know how bad it was before the lake opening," Burke said, who came on the board in 2010. "It's something that's happened over the last few years."

Burke said the airport authority wants to avoid any bird-plane collisions like the one that crippled a U.S. Airways passenger jetliner in 2009. The aircraft lost power in both engines — after possibly striking birds — and the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing in the Hudson River in New York.

"If it was a goose, it could take a (small) plane down," he said.

The airport authority is working with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, which oversees the lake and state recreation area, to come up with a plan to keep geese away from the airport in the fall.

Miyoshi said the NRD also is concerned about the problem and is going to follow the advice of Game and Parks biologists on what should be done.

"They are the experts in running parks and wildlife management areas," he said.

The NRD has not counted the migratory fowl, but Miyoshi said during fall migration, large numbers of ducks and geese can be seen in and around the lake daily.

Vehicles have been used so far to scare the geese away, with limited success. Burke said the airport authority would like to use shotguns, loaded with blanks, to scare the birds. If that doesn't work, live ammunition will be used as a last resort.

The airport authority can't use firearms now because the airport is within the city limits of Wahoo and local ordinances do not allow firearms of any kind to be discharged. Talks are underway to give the airport authority an exception to the law.

"Right now we're trying to get ready for next year," Burke said.

    
Source:   http://journalstar.com