Tuesday, June 30, 2015

U.S.C.G. Air Station Traverse City makes medical rescue on Beaver Island



TRAVERSE CITY -- Guardsmen with Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City made a lifesaving rescue Tuesday on Beaver Island.

An 86-year-old woman who was on the island needed immediate medical attention and so the Coast Guard came in to save her.

The cloudy weather conditions made it nearly impossible for a plane to get into the airport and a boat would have taken too long to get the woman to the main land, so the Coast Guard used a helicopter to rescue her.

“Things went smoothly, we worked as a good crew,” said aviation survival technician, Derek Johnson.

Around 2 p.m. a full crew of two pilots, a rescue swimmer and a flight mechanic rescued an 86-year-old woman who needed immediate medical attention on Beaver Island.

“These are the kinds of situations that helicopter pilots think about with the low ceilings, how are you going to fly the aircraft, how are you going to keep the aircrew safe and the aircraft safe,” said Air Station Traverse City public affairs officer Pablo Smith. “So you have to plan it out and know how to handle the aircraft in different situations.”

Medical evacuations aren't common for guardsmen in Traverse City. Within the last year they've only had about five, but cloudy weather conditions made it difficult for anyone else to get onto the island.

“In this particular situation the weather at Beaver Island and the nature of the stress of the patient prevented them from being taken by boat to mainland and it was difficult for an aircraft to get into the island to extract the patient to the hospital so we used our low level flying route to get into the airport at Beaver Island,” said Smith.

“The ceiling started coming down so it was pretty challenging weather to get into Beaver Island,” said Johnson.

They said it's important they train for these situations because it can make the difference between life and death.     

“If the situation is where we're the only ones that can get in there we need to know how to do it safely so we train for it and we got it done to make sure we know how to do it right,” said Smith.

The woman was taken to Munson Medical Center but her condition at this time is unknown.

Source:  http://www.upnorthlive.com

Lawyers for Families of Germanwings’ Victims Say Compensation Offer Too Low: Lawyers say they will contest Lufthansa’s Offer

The Wall Street Journal 
By ULRIKE DAUER And  NATASCHA DIVAC
June 30, 2015 1:28 p.m. ET



FRANKFURT—Lawyers representing some of the families of those killed in the Germanwings crash on Tuesday criticized Deutsche Lufthansa AG’s offer of compensation, calling it far below an appropriate level.

Lufthansa has offered the families of German victims €25,000 per passenger ($27,880), plus €10,000 for each immediate next of kin, to cover immaterial damage. That brings the total minimum compensation per victim to €85,000, including the €50,000 Lufthansa offered each family to cover material costs immediately after the crash.

The airline also put aside larger sums in the form of trusts for the future needs of victims’ families.

The March crash killed 150 people, including Germanwings co-pilot Andreas Lubitz, who prosecutors say deliberately crashed the plane in the French Alps. The plane was en route to Düsseldorf from Barcelona, with predominantly German and Spanish passengers on board.

Lawyers for the victims’ families criticized the compensation as inadequate. Elmar Giemulla, a Berlin-based lawyer who represents 34 German families, said he would contest it.

“Lufthansa has made a completely unacceptable offer,” he said. “The €10,000 should be a six-digit figure.”

Christof Wellens, who represents another 31 German and non-German families, also called the offer insufficient. He also plans to challenge it and will look into legal possibilities if Lufthansa declines to negotiate. There were people of various nationalities on board, including U.K. and U.S., opening the possibility of pursuing cases outside Germany, he said.

Lufthansa stressed that the €25,000 and €10,000 sums cover only immaterial damages, such as pain and suffering. It would settle material needs individually, possibly on top of the €50,000 paid after the crash, and in compliance with the German victims compensation act.

Lufthansa’s offer may also apply to non-German victims whose claims will be settled according to German law. Claims by Spanish victims will be settled based on Spanish law, Lufthansa said. It is still unclear how victims with other nationalities will be treated.

“It is still open whether for U.K. or U.S. victims their national legislation applies,” said Michael Niggemann, chief lawyer of Lufthansa.

Compensation for families following airplane crashes fluctuate widely, depending on the country and circumstances. In the U.S., settlements are generally higher than in Europe.

Lufthansa said it would set up a €7.8 million fund to support the education of the children of victims. A further €6 million is available for individual needs, with payments to be determined by a board of trustees. In addition, Lufthansa will set up memorial sites in four locations.

Lufthansa in April set aside around $300 million in connection with the crash. It said that amount was based on preliminary assessments and can be adjusted. It includes compensation payments to passengers’ relatives, the hull insurance value of the aircraft, accident support and investigation service at the crash site, and legal support and assistance.

The payment for the destroyed aircraft will be handled by a separate consortium of insurers.

Lufthansa defined next of kin as parents, biological and adopted children, spouses or significant others with a shared address. However, it wouldn’t rule out that brothers or sisters of victims could be entitled to damage payments.

—Sarah Sloat contributed to this article.

Original article can be found here:  http://www.wsj.com

SIU Aviation Wins Its First All-Women's Air Race

Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Jessica Reed, left, and Stephanie Armstrong, right, with their trophies and the plane the two used to win the All Women’s Cross Country 2015 Air Race Classic, June 22-25.



SIU-Carbondale's nationally recognized aviation program achieved another milestone this weekend.

For the first time in program history, an SIU team won the All Women's Cross Country 2015 Air Race Classic.

Senior Jessica Reed and assistant instructor Stephanie Armstrong won both the collegiate and overall title in the 39th annual event.

After the Flying Salukis won the national collegiate championship in May, Armstrong told us it's wonderful that females have a chance to succeed in a male-dominated industry.

The Air Race Classic covered nearly 2,200 nautical miles with nine legs. Scores are based on a plane's projected versus actual timed performance. The event continues a tradition started with the 1929 Women's Air Derby, where famed aviator Amelia Earhart and 19 other female pilots flew from Santa Monica, California to Cleveland, Ohio.

Reed flew about 85 percent of the event; Armstrong handled navigation and communications.

Fifty-four teams competed for the overall title, including 17 collegiate teams.

A second SIU team made up of Sarah Demkovich, a graduate assistant from Algonquin, and Emily Frasca, a May 2015 graduate in aviation management from Champaign, was 24th overall and seventh in the collegiate division.

Source:  http://news.wsiu.org

Frederick, Maryland: Woman places third in airplane race

Robin Hadfield, left and Lin Caywood departed the Frederick Municipal Airport June 19. The women piloted Caywood's plane and finished in third place in the 39th Annual Air Race Classic, a 2,529 mile airplane race.



After 2,530 miles and stops in almost every state east of the Mississippi River, a Frederick woman took home third place in the 39th annual Air Race Classic.

Lin Caywood flew her plane across the finish line just before noon on June 24, only 2 1/2 days into the four-day race.

“We think we made some good decisions,” Caywood said of her team, reflecting on their journey.

Caywood and co-pilot Robin Hadfield, of Canada, were worried that bad weather would cause trouble during the race, but it was all smooth sailing despite a tornado warning after they landed in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

After long stretches of flying in a stifling aircraft, the team was most impressed by the enthusiastic and supportive hospitality from the people at every stop they made.

“They really went over the top to make us welcome,” said Caywood, a member or the Sugarloaf Chapter of the Ninety-Nines International Organization of Women Pilots.

In Hickory, North Carolina, they were greeted by cheering crowds and mascots from local sport teams, and Union City, Tennessee, won the prize for best stop during the race as they offered manicures and pedicures, shirts and flip-flops, and barbecue for the teams. Caywood and her co-pilot decided not to linger at this stop and flew to the next, which was a good decision considering the bad weather that plagued some of the teams behind them.

Although Hadfield started flying planes in 1979, this was her first time in the Air Race Classic. She said she has wanted to do it for years.

“It's the type of thing where you really have to go with your knowledge,” Hadfield said of flying in the race. “Try not to second-guess yourself and be confident in your own decision-making.”

Hadfield said she enjoyed the race and the camaraderie among the women competing from different chapters of the Ninety-Nines International Organization of Women Pilots.

“You learn a lot from it,” Hadfield said. “There's a lot of young girls bonding with older women, 18-year-olds and 70-year-olds. It's a lot of fun.”

Hadfield said she plans to recruit more women for the race when she lands back in Canada.

Source: http://www.fredericknewspost.com

Cary, Algonquin women among pilots who flew in 2015 Air Race Classic

Krystal Felderman (left) of Cary and teammate Casie Schaffer are seen in Fairhope, Alabama, after participating in the Air Race Classic, an annual transcontinental air race for female pilots.



Two local women began their summers by traveling to various parts of the country, and as young pilots who participated in this year’s Air Race Classic, they flew themselves.

A nonprofit organization, Air Race Classic Inc., coordinates an annual transcontinental air race for female pilots.

This year’s collegiate section included two McHenry County natives, 20-year-old Krystal Felderman of Cary and 21-year-old Sarah Demkovich of Algonquin. The two, from different schools and separate teams, recently finished the race and are headed home this week.

Felderman, who grew up listening to stories about her great uncle who was a fighter pilot during World War II, said her interest in aviation led her to Quincy University, where she just finished her sophomore year. She said this was the first time her school sent a team to the Air Race Classic.

“We placed 32 out of 56 teams, so we didn’t place as high as we thought,” Felderman said. “But I still loved it. In the classroom, you never get the experience to go cross-country and experience different terrains and different weather.”

The route – about 2,400 miles in length, according to the organization’s website – had teams start in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and end in Fairhope, Alabama, with stops in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri and other states in between.

For Felderman, flying over the Appalachian Mountains was the best part of the multi-day trip.

“That was amazing to see,” she said.

Demkovich, a graduate student and flight instructor at Southern Illinois University, described the various factors pilots had to consider while racing.

For one, the teams were not racing against each other, but, essentially, against the best speed of their own plane.

“[At the beginning], a timer measures the best performance of our plane, when we’re at full throttle,” Demkovich said. “Then [the rest of the race], you’re basically racing against your own plane.”

While flying from one take-off location to the next destination, teams should think about things such as where the weight of their luggage should be to optimize gravitational energy, Felderman said.

Being able to evaluate weather conditions obviously is an extremely important factor, too, Demkovich added.

“On our last leg to Fairhope, Alabama, we hit some significant storm weather,” the SIU grad student said. “We know how storms grow very quickly. ... We had to deviate our flight path around a pretty large cell.”

Demkovich and her teammate placed 24th out of the 56 teams. While it was more “middle of the run” than what they were hoping to achieve their first time participating, she appreciated the race as a rare learning experience nonetheless.

“Doing cross-country racing is a challenge in itself,” she said. “You learn more about the weather and more about different terrains, so whether you came in first or last, you still learn something new.”

Source:  http://www.nwherald.com

Cessna TR182 Turbo Skylane RG, N739WW: Accident occurred June 30, 2015 at Rio Vista Municipal Airport (O88), California

DUANE A. ALLEN: http://registry.faa.gov/N739WW


NTSB Identification: GAA15CA150
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, June 30, 2015 in Rio Vista, CA
Aircraft: CESSNA TR182, registration: N739WW
Injuries: 1 Minor, 2 Uninjured.

NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The pilot reported that during the landing touch down the airplane porpoised, and he elected to abort the landing. The flight instructor stated that the pilot raised the flaps, retracted the landing gear, and pulled back the power at the same time. The airplane descended and impacted the runway. The airplane then veered off the runway to the left and slid until the airplane impacted a canal, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage.

The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.




A plane with three people on board crashed into a ravine near a Solano County airport Tuesday morning, officials said.

Everyone on aboard the single-engine Cessna 182 was able to walk away, but the plane sustained heavy damage, Rio Vista Public Works Department director David Melilli said.

The crash happened around 11 a.m. and the Rio Vista Municipal Airport.

Solano County sheriff's Sgt. Jackson Harris said a student and flying instructor were on board.

Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Lynn Lunsford said the plane went down under unknown circumstances and ended up in a canal. 

One of three people on board suffered a minor injury, Lunsford said.

The investigation into the crash is ongoing.

Source: http://www.nbcbayarea.com

RIO VISTA, Calif. (KCRA) —A plane with three people on board crashed Tuesday into a ravine near the Rio Vista airport, officials said.

The single-engine Cessna 182 went down about 11 a.m. and was found in a canal near the Rio Vista Municipal Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Agency.

Two of the three people were not hurt. The third person suffered a scrape from the crash, but was doing fine, emergency officials said.

The plane went down under unknown circumstances, and an investigation into the crash is ongoing.

No one on the ground was hurt.

Source:  http://www.kcra.com

RIO VISTA (CBS13) – A plane has reportedly crashed at the Rio Vista Airport.

Around 11 a.m., for unknown reasons, the single-engine Cessna 182 with tail number N739WW went into a canal near Rio Vista Airport, according to a statement from FAA spokesperson Ian Gregor.

None of the three people who were in the plane at the time were injured.

Women pilots adding 'girl power' to Aerosim Flight Academy

Fresh off their participation in the Air Race Classic, Lauren Thompson (left) and Kelsey Brown (far right) let us into their world at Aerosim Flight Academy in Sanford.
~



SANFORD -- 

"When I started flying, I started hating to drive!"

And with that, we got a pretty good idea that pilot Lauren Thompson is hooked on aviation. For the third year, she competed in the Air Race Classic - a 10-state, 4-day race considered the pinnacle of women's air racing. Her co-pilot is Kelsey Brown, who made her race debut.

The women didn't place as well as they wanted to, but they still get to look forward to a congratulations reception for the ground team and sponsors in mid-July.

The duo met in ground school, where they both became flight instructors.

Before that, Brown majored in French Literature, of all things. But she always knew she didn't want a 9-to-5.

"I kept saying that," she said, "and my folks kept saying, 'Well, you know what has all of those options?' And I kept saying, 'No no, no no,'" thinking she'd probably never fly as a career.

But all it took was one, 1-hour introductory flight. Her passion and obsession built up even more after completing her first solo flight.

"I remember everything being quiet and then all of a sudden, I hear this kind of singing," she recalled. "And then I realized I was the one singing. And it was this realization of, Oh, you are actually doing this right now. And I just thought that was the coolest thing ever."

The women led us through a pre-flight safety check during a recent visit to Aerosim Flight Academy, the only flight school originally owned and operated by airlines Comair Airlines and Delta Air Lines. In its 26 years of operation, the academy has issued more than 20,000 licenses and certificates.

"It's not a car," Brown said, showing me how to check for the purity of the fuel by removing a sample from inside the wing. "If you have a problem, you can't pull over on the side of the road and get assistance."

"It's just awesome, just to be flying," Thompson added. "You look down and just realize, Wow. The views you have, the sunsets, the sunrises are incredible. Just getting to see that and a different perspective, I couldn't ask for a better job."

Meanwhile, up next for the public is a "Be a Pilot" open house and career expo. That's happening at Aerosim Flight Academy in October. For information, contact Aerosim at (407) 330-7020.

Aerosim Flight Academy:  https://www.afa.edu

Source:  http://www.mynews13.com