Airbus Helicopter AS350B3e, Air Methods Corp., N390LG: Fatal accident occurred July 03, 2015 in Frisco, Colorado

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

NTSB Identification: CEN15MA290 
Nonscheduled 14 CFR Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Accident occurred Friday, July 03, 2015 in Frisco, CO
Probable Cause Approval Date: 05/09/2017
Aircraft: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS INC AS350B3E, registration: N390LG
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 2 Serious.

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

The NTSB's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/AccidentReports.aspx. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-17/01.

On July 3, 2015, about 1339 mountain daylight time, an Airbus Helicopters AS350 B3e helicopter, N390LG, registered to and operated by Air Methods Corporation, lifted off from the Summit Medical Center Heliport, Frisco, Colorado, and then crashed into a parking lot; the impact point was located 360 feet southwest of the ground-based helipad. The pilot was fatally injured, and the two flight nurses were seriously injured. The helicopter was destroyed by impact forces and a postcrash fire. The flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 on a company flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
Airbus Helicopters' dual-hydraulic AS350 B3e helicopter's (1) preflight hydraulic check, which depleted hydraulic pressure in the tail rotor hydraulic circuit, and (2) lack of salient alerting to the pilot that hydraulic pressure was not restored before takeoff. Such alerting might have cued the pilot to his failure to reset the yaw servo hydraulic switch to its correct position during the preflight hydraulic check, which resulted in a lack of hydraulic boost to the pedal controls, high pedal forces, and a subsequent loss of control after takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to perform a hover check after liftoff, which would have alerted him to the pedal control anomaly at an altitude that could have allowed him to safely land the helicopter. Contributing to the severity of the injuries was the helicopter's fuel system, which was not crash resistant and facilitated a fuel-fed postcrash fire.

Flight Nurse Matt Bowe grinned as Colorado Grand Community Liaison Eddie O'Brien presented him a $15,000 check for a memorial park, in memory of Patrick Mahany, who died in a Flight For Life helicopter crash last summer.

~

Colorado Grand Communtiy Liason Eddie O'Brien and Flight Nurse Matt Bowe hugged after the grant was presented. Bowe is back in uniform after surviving a July helicopter crash.

~

The Colorado Grand pledged donations to several Summit County nonprofits this year, giving out a total of $443,000 in proceeds across western Colorado communities.

This year, in addition to several annual grants, the program is also pledging $15,000 to help fund a memorial park at the crash site of the Lifeguard Two Flight For Life helicopter. The July 3 crash took the life of pilot and decorated Vietnam veteran Patrick Mahany, and seriously injured flight nurses David Repsher and Matt Bowe.

“We have been giving Flight For Life grants since the very beginning,” Colorado Grand spokesman Eddie O’Brien said. “This is a celebration of life. What a terrific loss we had when we lost Patrick.”

Plans for the pocket park are being drafted, with Norris Design selected as the landscape architects for the project. O’Brien noted that in addition to the bidders, several locals have offered their time and services to help realize the memorial.

“We took the single bid, and the other bidders have said they still want to be involved in this,” O’Brien said. “The landscape designers are donating time… This is a wonderful group.”

Julie Kelble, who is chairing the park committee, said they planned to put the memorial park off of the rec path by the hospital, overlooking the crash site. The committee has been meeting since September, and hopes to open the park to the public on July 3, 2016.

 Julie Kelble, who is chairing a committee to build the memorial park, looks at a photo of Patrick Mahany. The decorated Vietnam veteran and Flight For Life pilot perished in a helicopter crash last July.

A STORIED HISTORY

The Colorado Grand, created in 1989 by automotive enthusiast Bob Sutherland, has raised more than $4 million to date. Funds are raised through entry fees and donations for the annual car tour, which features five days of vintage (pre-1960s) sports and racecars driving through Colorado’s mountain towns.

Inspired by the Mille Miglia in Italy, the event took a turn of its own in bringing the cars through scenic mountain towns, and looking for ways to give back in turn.

Every year, the event gives funds to the Robert D. Sutherland Memorial Foundation to support bipolar-disorder therapy through a University of Colorado clinic, granting $40,000 this year.

The event also pledged a $150,000 donation to the Colorado State Patrol foundation, to help subsidize the Fallen Officers Fund, the Hardship Fund and the Tuition Scholarship Fund.

Colorado Grand presented a $4,000 grant to the Colorado Mountain College Foundation, to support GED and ESL scholarships in Summit County.

“We have this tremendous relationship with (Colorado State Patrol),” Flight Nurse Peter Werlin said. “They’ve been with us through our tragedy, and we’ve been with them through their tragedies.”

Flight For Life and Colorado State Patrol receive grants from the Colorado Grand annually. In past years, the Grand has helped fund the Flight For Life Hangar at St. Anthony’s Summit Medical Center, named after Sandy Signman and Gary McCall who died in a Lifeguard Two crash landing on Huron Peak in 1994.

“The board members continue to support Flight For Life and take pride in building the hangar,” O’Brien said. “It was a community effort that built the hangar; the community ‘owns’ the hangar.”

The Colorado Grant also gave $12,000 to Court-Appointed Special Advocates of the Continental Divide (CASA). The funds will be used to support child advocacy in court, as well as training volunteers.

The Family and Intercultural Resource Center received $7,000 for parenting and fatherhood classes.

Colorado Grand also gave several grants to local nonprofits on Thursday, including the Family and Intercultural Resource Center (FIRC), Colorado Mountain College, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), and the League for Animals and People of the Summit (LAPS).

The FIRC received $7,500 for parenting and fatherhood classes, and CMC will have an additional $4,000 to support GED and ESL programs in Summit County. CASA was granted $12,000 to fund child advocacy operations and volunteer training. In addition, LAPS was granted $4,000 to support a medical fund for low-income Summit County pet owners.

“These guys just come and pour money into our communities,” Werlin said.

Story and photo gallery:  http://www.summitdaily.com

In total, the Colorado Grand pledged more than $443,000 to Colorado nonprofits this year.

~

NTSB Identification: CEN15FA290
Nonscheduled 14 CFR Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Accident occurred Friday, July 03, 2015 in Frisco, CO
Aircraft: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS INC AS350B3E, registration: N390LG
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 2 Serious.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On July 3, 2015, at 1339 mountain daylight time, an Airbus Helicopter Inc. (formerly American Eurocopter) AS350B3e helicopter, N390LG, impacted the upper west parking lot 360 feet southwest of the Summit Medical Center helipad (91CO), Frisco, Colorado. A post-impact fire ensued. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The helicopter was registered to and operated by Air Methods Corp and the flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 on a company flight plan. The airline transport pilot was fatally injured and two flight nurses were seriously injured. The public relations flight was en route to Gypsum, Colorado.

According to Air Methods the helicopter was flying to the American Spirit of Adventure Boy Scout Camp near Gypsum, Colorado, for a public relations mission. Multiple witnesses observed the helicopter lift off from the ground-based helipad, rotate counterclockwise, and climb simultaneously. One witness estimated that the helicopter reached an altitude of 100 feet before it started to descend. The helicopter continued to spin counterclockwise several times before it impacted a parking lot and an RV to the southwest of the Flight for Life hangar and helipad. The helicopter came to rest on its right side, was damaged by impact forces, and was charred, melted, and partially consumed by fire.

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

NTSB Identification: CEN15MA290 
Nonscheduled 14 CFR Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Accident occurred Friday, July 03, 2015 in Frisco, CO
Probable Cause Approval Date: 05/09/2017
Aircraft: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS INC AS350B3E, registration: N390LG
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 2 Serious.

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

The NTSB's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/AccidentReports.aspx. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-17/01.

On July 3, 2015, about 1339 mountain daylight time, an Airbus Helicopters AS350 B3e helicopter, N390LG, registered to and operated by Air Methods Corporation, lifted off from the Summit Medical Center Heliport, Frisco, Colorado, and then crashed into a parking lot; the impact point was located 360 feet southwest of the ground-based helipad. The pilot was fatally injured, and the two flight nurses were seriously injured. The helicopter was destroyed by impact forces and a postcrash fire. The flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 on a company flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
Airbus Helicopters' dual-hydraulic AS350 B3e helicopter's (1) preflight hydraulic check, which depleted hydraulic pressure in the tail rotor hydraulic circuit, and (2) lack of salient alerting to the pilot that hydraulic pressure was not restored before takeoff. Such alerting might have cued the pilot to his failure to reset the yaw servo hydraulic switch to its correct position during the preflight hydraulic check, which resulted in a lack of hydraulic boost to the pedal controls, high pedal forces, and a subsequent loss of control after takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to perform a hover check after liftoff, which would have alerted him to the pedal control anomaly at an altitude that could have allowed him to safely land the helicopter. Contributing to the severity of the injuries was the helicopter's fuel system, which was not crash resistant and facilitated a fuel-fed postcrash fire.

The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident. 

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration  AVP-100; Washington, District of Columbia 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Denver, Colorado
Airbus; Grand Prairie, Texas
Turbomeca; Grand Prairie, Texas
Air Methods Corporation; Denver, Colorado 
OPEIU - Local 109; Denver, Colorado 
BEA

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf 

Docket And Docket Items - National Transportation Safety Board:
https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms

NTSB Identification: CEN15MA290
Nonscheduled 14 CFR Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Accident occurred Friday, July 03, 2015 in Frisco, CO
Aircraft: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS INC AS350B3E, registration: N390LG
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 2 Serious.

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

The NTSB's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/AccidentReports.aspx. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-17/01.

On July 3, 2015, about 1339 mountain daylight time, an Airbus Helicopters AS350 B3e helicopter, N390LG, registered to and operated by Air Methods Corporation, lifted off from the Summit Medical Center Heliport, Frisco, Colorado, and then crashed into a parking lot; the impact point was located 360 feet southwest of the ground-based helipad. The pilot was fatally injured, and the two flight nurses were seriously injured. The helicopter was destroyed by impact forces and a postcrash fire. The flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 on a company flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.

Dave Repsher at home.

Dave Repsher

Dave Repsher

FRISCO, Colo. (CBS4) – They were powerful steps, not taken lightly.

Dave Repsher has been through the most painful of treatments — for burns. This week, he walked out of a hospital to go home after more than a year of inpatient treatment.

Repsher is the Flight For Life nurse who barely survived the crash of a helicopter near the St. Anthony Summit Medical Center on Fourth of July weekend last year. The helicopter, with a mechanical problem, lifted off, then crashed only a few feet away.

A lawsuit by the families claims the helicopter had a malfunction in its tail rotor. Repsher was burned over 90 percent of his body.

The crash killed pilot Patrick Mahany. One other nurse was on board, Matt Bowe. His injuries were less severe than Repsher’s and he’s returned to work.

The battle to overcome the damage from burns has been a daily fight. His wife Amanda has been by his side. Repsher is a hero in the community; known for the many times he helped others. He has a reputation as a tough guy, burnished by his love of the outdoors and hockey.

The community gave back. Fundraising efforts in the community to help Repsher and his wife brought in money. A hockey tournament run by the charity Dawg Nation Hockey Foundation at Copper Mountain early this year brought in more.

Repsher’s medical issues are not resolved, but he’s home. He and Amanda walked out of the hospital hand-in-hand.

Repsher did it under his own power.

Source:   http://denver.cbslocal.com

PATRICK EDWIN MAHANY, JR.

DEC. 8, 1950 - JULY 3, 2015

AIR METHODS CORP:  http://registry.faa.gov/N390LG

FAA  Flight Standards District Office:  FAA Denver FSDO-03

NTSB Identification: CEN15FA290
Nonscheduled 14 CFR Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Accident occurred Friday, July 03, 2015 in Frisco, CO
Aircraft: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS INC AS350B3E, registration: N390LG
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 2 Serious.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On July 3, 2015, at 1339 mountain daylight time, an Airbus Helicopter Inc. (formerly American Eurocopter) AS350B3e helicopter, N390LG, impacted the upper west parking lot 360 feet southwest of the Summit Medical Center helipad (91CO), Frisco, Colorado. A post-impact fire ensued. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The helicopter was registered to and operated by Air Methods Corp and the flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 on a company flight plan. The airline transport pilot was fatally injured and two flight nurses were seriously injured. The public relations flight was en route to Gypsum, Colorado.

According to Air Methods the helicopter was flying to the American Spirit of Adventure Boy Scout Camp near Gypsum, Colorado, for a public relations mission. Multiple witnesses observed the helicopter lift off from the ground-based helipad, rotate counterclockwise, and climb simultaneously. One witness estimated that the helicopter reached an altitude of 100 feet before it started to descend. The helicopter continued to spin counterclockwise several times before it impacted a parking lot and an RV to the southwest of the Flight for Life hangar and helipad. The helicopter came to rest on its right side, was damaged by impact forces, and was charred, melted, and partially consumed by fire.

   

  

Influx of passengers at Monterey Regional Airport (KMRY), Monterey County, California

MONTEREY, Calif. -

"It actually is more for safety than it is for anything else," said Monterey Regional Airport Executive Director Mike LaPier.

The runway safety project, which was mandated by the FAA, is complete. Now airport officials prepare for an influx of passengers for the holiday season and those traveling to the Super Bowl.

"Well it's a convenient airport first of all. It's not too busy, getting in and out, getting the proper services. They're all right here and it's very easy. It's pretty simple to navigate through so we think that's an advantage,” said Mike LaPier.

And while it's still uncertain how many people book commercial flights into Monterey for the big game February 7th, Executive Director Michael LaPier said there will undoubtedly be more traffic than usual. 

"We know that we are going to see a number of large corporate jets and private jets and aircrafts that will be here that will take advantage of the Monterey area and all it has to offer," said Mike LaPier.

The 80 mile drive to Levis Stadium for Super Bowl 50 doesn't hurt either.

"If you fly into Monterey you're staying out of all the congestion in the bay area and you have a nice drive in and out," said Monterey Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jody Hansen.

With less than two months till the big game the chamber of commerce will begin putting up banners encouraging people to fly and stay in Monterey.

"Oh it's going to be busy. I think with the excitement about the Super bowl 50 a lot of people will be looking for places to stay you know nearby then extend their stays. And that's what we're hoping to encourage," said Hansen.

"The week after is also the AT&T pebble beach classic so we think there's going to be a heavy amount of traffic here for that period of time," said LaPier.

Source:  http://www.kionrightnow.com

U.S. and Mexico Agree to Liberal Air-Service Treaty: Deal still requires ratification by Mexican Senate

The Wall Street Journal
By SUSAN CAREY And  LAURENCE ILIFF
Updated Dec. 18, 2015 6:53 p.m. ET


The U.S. and Mexico reached a liberal air treaty that would clear the way for airlines on both sides of the border to set their own prices and fly any routes they choose between the two nations with unlimited frequency.

The treaty, signed Friday by Transportation ministers from the two countries after two years of negotiations, still must be ratified by the Mexican senate. Officials from both nations said that if implemented it would increase traffic and enhance competition, benefitting fliers.

The accord “lays the groundwork to take advantage to the maximum of the boom in the airline industry happening in both countries,” said Gerardo Ruiz Esparza, Mexico’s transportation and communications minister. The treaty encourages code-sharing among U.S. and Mexican carriers and would boost the overall number of fliers between the nations, Mr. Ruiz Esparza said.

Thomas Engle, U.S. State Department deputy assistant secretary for transportation affairs, said the agreement eliminates rules that limited service to just two or three airlines from each country on about 30 cross-border routes. The enhanced competition “should help keep fares affordable,” Mr. Engle said.

Mexico was one of the largest countries with which the U.S. lacked a modernized air accord. Others include Russia and China. The U.S. currently has 118 so-called “Open Skies” air treaties with foreign governments. Although U.S. officials said the Mexico accord doesn’t follow that model, they said it removes all the barriers in the current, restrictive U.S.-Mexico agreement.

The treaty wouldn’t eliminate all hurdles. The main airport in Mexico City, Benito Juárez International Airport, is congested and airlines must have slots—take-off and landing appointments—to access that facility. Mr. Engle said the rights in the new treaty allow an unlimited number of carriers to apply to serve routes, but he acknowledged that airport requires slots, as do a few in the U.S., making them difficult to breach for new entrants.

Still, U.S. carriers that serve Mexico, including United Continental Holdings Inc. and JetBlue Airways Corp., applauded the tentative treaty. American Airlines Group Inc., the leading U.S. carrier to Latin America, said it anticipates improving service to Mexico once the new accord is in place.

Delta Air Lines Inc. said it expects expanded opportunities along with its partner Grupo Aeromexico SAB, Mexico’s flag airline. Delta, which has had a code-sharing agreement with Aeromexico since 1994, currently owns or has options for about 17% of the Mexican carrier, and last month said it intends to increase that stake to 49%.

Delta and Aeromexico in March applied for U.S. government permission for antitrust immunity so they could operate a tight joint venture in which they would share revenue and jointly set schedules and prices. That application is still being reviewed, said Susan Kurland, the U.S. Transportation Department’s assistant secretary for aviation and international affairs.

Top executives from major Mexican airlines attended the signing ceremony at the Mexican Embassy in Washington, D.C.

Volaris Chief Executive Enrique Beltranena said in an interview that he expects the Mexican Senate to ratify the agreement when legislators take up the matter in February. He said the treaty opens up two interesting routes that Volaris will take a look at: Mexico City to New York and Mexico City to Houston. Volaris currently has 21 U.S. destinations.

Aeromexico praised the agreement in newspaper ads Friday, saying it would allow Mexican airlines to form alliances with U.S. counterparts like its proposed one with Delta that would “improve service and lower prices.”

Aeromexico flies to 17 U.S. cities. Together with Delta, it claimed nearly a quarter of U.S.-Mexico air passengers in the year’s first eight months, according to Mexico’s civil aviation agency.

Rivals complained this fall that a deeper Aeromexico-Delta alliance would seal the Mexican carrier’s dominance in the cross border market. One carrier, Interjet, pulled out of the national airlines chamber in October to protest its supposed bias in favor Aeromexico.

Interjet said it considers the accord “very positive and necessary given the transformations and needs of the current market.”

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

CityJet sale talks with Intro believed to be almost sealed

CityJet executive chairman, Pat Byrne, right, at a Berlin aviation conference where the aircraft deal with Superjet International was announced in October, with Superjet International boss, Nazario Cauceglia. CityJet has 15 firm orders and 16 options

Negotiations by CityJet owner Intro Aviation to exit its investment in the Dublin-based airline are close to being finalized, it's believed.

The German owner has been in talks since the spring about selling the carrier, it's understood, with speculation having mounted once founder Pat Byrne returned to the airline as executive chairman in February.

If the negotiations are successfully concluded in coming weeks, it's believed that Intro will no longer be a shareholder in CityJet, which has recently embarked on an ambitious expansion plan. CityJet declined to comment.

There has been a significant amount of activity at the airline since Mr. Byrne's return, with the executive chairman having effectively driven the changes, it's believed.

It's highly unlikely that he would continue to run CityJet without having a stake in it. Intro Aviation is thought to be in talks with an investor connected to the aviation industry.

The carrier, sold by Air France-KLM to Intro Aviation last year, recently placed firm orders for 15 Sukhoi Superjet aircraft and took options on 16 more.

That order is worth over $1bn at list prices. The Superjets will be used to replace the existing CityJet fleet and expand services.

Under the Superjet agreement, the aircraft are being bought by UK-based aviation financing and leasing firm Falko. It will then lease the jets to CityJet.

Earlier this year CityJet inked a sale and leaseback of its existing fleet of Avro BAE jets with Falko.

CityJet also secured a major deal with Scandinavian carrier SAS to operate a regional service on its behalf.

As part of that contract, CityJet acquired 100pc ownership of SAS subsidiary Blue1. The Irish airline also placed an order for up to 14 Bombardier aircraft that will be used to operate the service for SAS.

Intro Aviation is believed to have paid nothing for CityJet when it acquired it last year, while Air France-KLM also wrote off tens of millions of euros in debts owed by CityJet to the parent, and also indemnified it against ongoing litigation in France.

Source:  http://www.independent.ie

Two hangars completed at Pitt-Greenville Airport (KPGV), Greenville, Pitt County, North Carolina

Hangar 24 is 120 feet by 115 feet with a 36 foot by 36 foot unfinished office space.

The Pitt-Greenville Airport has completed construction of two new corporate hangars that officials hope will be the start of east coast hub for corporate aircraft.

The Airport Authority expects to receive the keys to the two new hangars today and will then immediately get to work to improve the access road to the hangers and a security fence around the hangar area.

The hangars will generate revenue for the airport and the area three ways, according to Jerry Vickers, executive director of the Pitt-Greenville Airport Authority.

The first is from leasing the hangars, the second is selling fuel to the planes, and the third is through tax revenue for Greenville and Pitt County.

Once the access road and fencing are repaired, which is scheduled to be completed by the end of March, the authority could begin leasing out the hangars at a cost of $8 per square foot, although if a company were to sign a three-year lease, it would likely receive a discount on the lease.

“The fuel is a big revenue raiser,” Vickers said. “The more of them, the thirstier they are, and we like it.”

If planes make their home at the airport, they must register and pay taxes in Greenville and Pitt County, so that brings additional revenue to the tax coffers.

Hangar 22 at the airport is 150 feet by 75 feet with 12 feet by 20 feet of finished office space.

The type of aircraft the airport attempts to attract for the larger hangar is in the $30 to $36 million range.

“This is the kind of tide that raises all kinds of boats,” Vickers said.

The planes that the airport hopes will lease the hangars do not have to be from local corporations. While the plane and the pilot may be based in the Greenville area, the corporation might be located in another state, Vickers said.

If the plane is needed for a trip, the pilot would begin the flight in Greenville, fly to the location where the corporation is located, pick up the passengers and fly them to their destination. At the end of the trip, the pilot would would fly back to Greenville to store the plane until the next trip.

“One aircraft we’re working to get is from a company in Charlottesville [Virginia],” Vickers said.

“We’ve got a lot of prospects; two that are really looking good,” he said. “We only need two.”

Hangar 22 at the airport is 150 feet by 75 feet with 12 feet by 20 feet of finished office space.

The first hangar, Hangar 22, is 150 feet by 75 feett with a 16 feet by 20 feet finished office space. The second hangar, Hangar 24, is 120 feet by 115 feet with a 36 foot by 36 foot unfinished office space and an epoxy floor.

The Airport Authority Board of Directors approved a $2 million budget for the hangars and it approved $1,996,220 to pay for construction and engineering. It had an additional $7,462 in change orders that it expects to pay for a projected shortfall of $3,682.

The Authority applied for two grants for the access road rehabilitation and security fencing improvements and reimbursement of hangar site development costs. It expects to receive a state grant for $336,300 for those two expenses, with $81,736 going to access road rehabilitation and $57,743 for security improvements.

“The city and the county will be happy with this grant as well because that reduced the payback period,” Vickers told the board on Wednesday.

After it receives $196,821 for the site development reimbursement, the total projected costs is expected to be $1,806.861.

Source:  http://www.reflector.com

Air Odisha Bhubaneswar-Sambalpur flights to begin by December 30

Bhubaneswar, Dec 18:

Having completed the trial run between Bhubaneswar and Sambalpur successfully this afternoon, Bhubaneswar based air charter company Air Odisha Aviation Private Limited (AOAPL) plans to start commercial air services between the cities by December 30.

“The trial run of the flight was successful. We have been given a green signal by DGCA to start operating our commercial flights. We are trying to start the flight services between Sambalpur and Bhubaneswar by December 30,” said Trideb Rout, Director of the Air Odisha Aviation Private Limited.

“The flight services would be offered six days a week from Monday till Saturday and there would be one flight daily between the two cities. Initially the launching price of the ticket would be kept between Rs 2000 to Rs 2500 and they would be made available at both airports and online,” he added.

The direct flight between Bhubaneswar to Sambalpur would bring down the travel time down to 50 minutes. The timing of the flight, however, is yet to be finalized.

“We are trying for a suitable time so that flyers from Western Odisha can get an easy connecting flight to Delhi or Mumbai from Biju Patnaik International Airport of Bhubaneswar. Besides, in the long term we are planning to start direct flight services to Rourkela and Jharsuguda as well,” said Rout.

As per information provided by the company, the single-engine short-haul Cessna 208 Caravan regional airliner took off from Bhubaneswar at about 12.15 PM today and successfully landed in Rourkela at about 2.20 PM. It again took off from Rourkela at about 3 PM and landed in Sambalpur after twenty minutes.

The Biju Patnaik International Airport headquartered airliner had long been vying to start the services but got the nod from DGCA only recently.

Source: http://odishasuntimes.com

Beech 95-B55 (T42A) Baron, N555TK: Incident occurred December 18, 2015 at Hayward Executive Airport (KHWD), Hayward, Alameda County, California

Date: 19-DEC-15 
Time: 00:25:00Z
Regis#: N555TK
Aircraft Make: BEECH
Aircraft Model: 55
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: Unknown
Activity: Personal
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Oakland FSDO-27
City: HAYWARD
State: California

AIRCRAFT LANDED AND THEN GEAR COLLAPSED UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, HAYWARD, CA.
 
http://registry.faa.gov/N555TK

HAYWARD (KRON) — A plane crash has been reported at the Hayward Airport Friday afternoon, according to firefighters.

Hayward fire said the pilot and the passenger did not sustain any injuries from the crash. 

This occurred on the landing, but it is unclear exactly what went wrong.

Source:  http://kron4.com

Iqaluit Humane Society needs new airline deal to fly dogs to Ottawa: Shelter worried it may have to euthanize after flight schedule change ends deal with Canadian North

Two airlines are in discussion with the Iqaluit Humane Society to find a way to continue flying unwanted dogs to Ottawa and adoptive homes in the south.

The humane society has a partnership with a shelter in Gatineau, Que., to take dogs when the Iqaluit shelter becomes overcrowded.

Only two airlines have scheduled flights between Iqaluit and Ottawa: Canadian North and First Air.

For the past four years Canadian North has been sponsoring the shelter by flying dogs south, free of charge. But upcoming changes to airline's flight schedule in January means that arrangement will no longer work out.

As of Jan. 11, Canadian North's southbound flight arrives in Ottawa at 8:25 p.m.

"What it means for the dogs is that they've got no one there at the cargo office to pick them up. They're not open by the time the flight gets in, it gets in too late," said Iqaluit Humane Society president Janelle Kennedy.

"It's not that they wouldn't still send the dogs or that they wouldn't have the space."

The Iqaluit Humane Society got the news in an email sent by Canadian north Dec. 9.

"It was a great run to be able to keep our daytime flight until the end of the year, however, I just received word that as of January 11, 2016, we are back to our evening flight from Iqaluit to Ottawa. I hope that 'the other airline' will be able to assist with transport of the pets in 2016," wrote Gail Quinn, Canadian North's manager of sponsorship's and events.

Canadian North has a codeshare agreement with First Air, meaning a customer booking a ticket with one airline may end up flying with the other, depending on the time of the flight. The agreement is under review by the Canadian Competition Bureau.

The shelter in Iqaluit typically takes in 25 dogs a month.

"When you run out of space, you have to make decisions," Kennedy said.

"We've been priding ourselves as being a no-kill shelter and we really don't want to have to go that route."

Shipping costs can be expensive – a 100 pound dog could cost as much as $500 to transport, said Kennedy.

"If we have to pay cargo bills, we'd never afford it. It's extremely expensive as everybody knows."

Deal in the works

When CBC contacted Canadian North, it said it had been in discussions with the shelter to figure out a work-around to ensure the program would continue to run.

"We're happy to present an offer to the Iqaluit Humane Society and we hope we can keep working together with them. We're proud to support this," said Canadian North spokesperson Kelly Lewis.

Lewis wouldn't get into specifics of how the arrangement would work.

"We've provided all the details to them on this and we'll certainly be waiting hearing back from them on it."

The shelter's president said it is reviewing the offer, as well as offers from First Air to send dogs to Ottawa.

"We know it's a big commitment but it's life or death for these animals," Kennedy said.

Story and photos:  http://www.cbc.ca

Opinion: Island Airlines and Cape & Islands Air Freight

Island Airlines crash lands 

We propose a new law, or at least a strict new business regulation, that requires any for-profit commercial enterprise that serves the public interest to give at least 30 days notice before closing its doors.

Today's culprit: Island Airlines and Cape & Islands Air Freight, which closed down without warning at Barnstable Municipal Airport last Friday. 

Increased ferry service to the island was partly to blame for the company's closure.

Noah Karberg, public information coordinator for Nantucket Memorial Airport, said the loss of Island Airlines and its freight arm was a blow to residents, visitors and businesses there.

“They were the main air taxi provider,” he said. “And we are concerned about freight. They were a crucial link, a lifeline for spare parts" and other necessities.

Bringing in another airline to pick up the slack isn’t easy, he said. Island Airlines and its freight company used a separate hangar, had its own parking lot, and a system for securely moving goods from its planes to its facilities and then to customers. All of that is off limits until bankruptcy proceedings are resolved.

Now the two airports are scrambling to find alternatives, and Cape Air is working hard to help.

“We knew something was afoot,” said airport Manager Roland “Bud” Breault. “We knew for a while that they’ve been having some financial difficulties.”

If that is the case, the airport should have planned for the possibility of an overnight shutdown. And if Islands Air really cared about the Cape and Nantucket communities, it would have worked with the airports, Cape Air and other partners to better prepare to fill the gap.

Source: http://www.capecodtimes.com/OPINION

Durango-La Plata County Airport (KDRO) reports busy November: Taxiway rehabilitation project to start in spring

The Durango-La Plata County Airport had a busy November, and American Airlines increased its service to help meet the demand.

The number of people leaving on a plane from Durango was up 5 percent in November to 13,706 compared to 13,051 during the same period last year.

“We’re back to a growing trend again,” said aviation director Kip Turner.

The airport saw several months of decline this year. The total number of people boarding planes, also called enplanements, is down 2.1 percent from 164,949 to 160,520 so far for the year. The drop is mainly due to Frontier Airlines’ cutting its seasonal flights to Durango this year.

Frontier did not provide flights to Durango in November last year, so the new numbers clearly reflect the additional service American is providing to Durango.

If American had not added capacity to Durango, the airport could have seen much steeper declines in enplanements.

In November, 2,932 passengers flew American Airlines to Dallas, an increase of 47 percent over last year. Overall seat capacity for the month was up 15.5 percent.

“Airlines don’t add seat capacity unless you have a strong market,” Turner said.

The Dallas route is an ongoing success story for the airport because in 2013 American provided only seasonal flights to and Dallas and now it has a daily flight to and from the Texas city and two daily flights to and from Phoenix, Turner said.

“It’s something to get excited about,” he said.

The airport is preparing for several major construction projects to handle growth.

In the spring, the airport will start a taxiway rehabilitation project. It was expected to start in 2015, but was delayed because some federal grant funding was not available until September, Turner said.

The work will take place mainly at night and is not expected to disrupt flights, he said.

The airport also is preparing for construction of a new airport terminal on the east side of the runway. The project, estimated to cost $85 million in its first phase, will require a vote of the people to approve funding. It is expected to be on the ballot in November.

The airport advisory commission is talking about changing the airport’s name to better reflect the regional service it provides.

But this process is in its infant stages, Turner said. 

Source: http://www.durangoherald.com