Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Single-engine planes ferrying goods

Bajura, March 29

Airline companies with single-engine domestic aircraft have turned into carriers transporting goods and commodities to remote districts after the government banned single-engine aircraft from carrying passengers citing safety reasons.

The government had decided to bar single-engine aircraft from carrying passengers after a pilot and co-pilot died and nine other passengers were injured when a single-engine Air Kasthamandap aircraft met with an accident in Kalikot earlier.

The decision has mostly affected Air Kasthamandap, Goma Air and Makalu Air, as Air Kasthamandap has one such aircraft while Goma and Makalu airlines have two such aircraft each.

All single-engine aircraft are currently being used to ferry goods and commodities to rural districts like Humla, Dolpa and Bajura, informed Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal Nepalgunj senior officer Mahendra Bahadur Singh.

The aircraft companies have also fixed the fare for ferrying goods. They charge Rs 50, 85 and 100 per kg of the goods they ferry to Bajura, Dolpa and Humla districts, respectively.

The government decision to ban single-engine aircraft, however, also has a negative side. “Earlier when those planes were allowed to carry passengers, getting a ticket wasn’t as difficult as it is now,” said Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal Kolti chief Mohan Giri.

Original article can be found here: https://thehimalayantimes.com

Military-style police Hummer stolen from Coleman A. Young Municipal Airport (KDET), Detroit, Michigan



DETROIT (WJBK) - Someone used the quiet of Easter Sunday to steal a major piece of equipment from the Detroit police.

A military style Humvee was stolen from the department's hangar at Coleman A. Young Municipal Airport.

Maurice Robinson was stunned to see someone dumped the stolen Detroit police military style vehicle in basically his back yard.

"You have to be pretty brave to do that," he said.

US Border Patrol spotted the stolen vehicle in the alley on Marlborough on Detroit's east side.

"I looked and I saw the Hummer just sitting there," Robinson said. "The next thing I know, there is 15 to 20 cars (and) they had everything blocked off."

Police say someone swiped the Hummer from the parking lot at the Detroit Police Aviation Hangar at City Airport sometime Sunday night. A sergeant noticed it was missing Monday morning.

Border patrol spotted the hot Humvee in a field Monday afternoon. It wasn't torched or stripped. Detroit police's auto theft unit believes someone took it for a joy ride and then abandoned it.

The Humvee is now being processed for fingerprints as they try to determine who stole it.

As officers were investigating the stolen DPD Humvee they found another stolen vehicle - a 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe in a nearby garage - or at least what is left of it.

"They dump a lot of stuff down here," said Robinson. "They dump tires; they dump a lot of stuff in this same area right here."

Why? because abandoned houses mostly make up Marlborough Street and Robinson says he was happy to see police in his neighborhood. He just wishes it was more often.

"What can you do," he said. "You can complain but until something is done, this is what it is."

Story and video:  http://www.fox2detroit.com

The Transformation Of GE's Evendale Campus

Lead Engineer Matt Hausfeld sits in the control room for the tests GE Aviation is running on its engines.

Manager Pete Petrocelli runs the new A20 test cell.


GE Aviation has transformed its wartime jet engine plant into a state-of-the-art facility with the ability to design and test lightweight composite materials for commercial jet engines of the future. In the process, the company has invested $144 million in 2014-2015 and says it will invest another $356 million by 2020.

Plant Manager Tim Meyers told reporters Tuesday, "The vision here is trying to make a campus that's collaborative, innovative, full of technology that's testing our latest engines, that's developing our latest materials."

The latest materials involve CMCs, or ceramic matrix composites. They are lighter than metal and can take extreme heat. This way the airplane can be more fuel efficient since the engine doesn't have to spend as much time cooling itself.

The percentage of CMCs in GE jet engines is still very small because there are thousands of parts. But there will be five different CMC parts in the GE9x (due out in 2018) including parts in the compressor (inner and outer liner), high-pressure turbine (stage 1 and 2 nozzles and stage 1 shrouds). There is one CMC part in the LEAP engine (the second newest engine) and none before that.

The CMC FastWorks Lab is researching and developing additional applications.

The Evendale campus now has the ability to test separate sections of what it builds. The A20 cell focuses on the combustor, the engine part where fuel is ignited and creates thrust. According to manager Phil Petrocelli, the test cell "is very impressive and unique with pressure and temperature capable of getting to 1500°F and 1,000 psi, at an airflow of 120 pounds a second."

In the control room, test engineers and aircraft representatives can watch the tests. And customers can get data, including information from 500 test articles.

GE Aviation and its partner companies have 36,000 engines in service today. That is expected to grow to 46,000 by 2020.

More than 7,000 people work at GE Aviation in Greater Cincinnati, with another 2,000 employees in Dayton and Peebles.

According to GE Aviation, annual revenues have more than tripled, exceeding $25 billion in the past 20 years.

Story, photo gallery and video:  http://wvxu.org

A Phantom Plane: Small aircraft flies 'very low' over Trump cottages in Bedminster Township, Somerset County, New Jersey

Suspicious Incident
March 26th

At approximately 1100hrs, Bedminster Police were informed of a plane that was flying very low over the cottages at Trump National Golf Course.

The officer arrived on scene and did not observe any planes in the area. 

Security stated that one small white plane without a tail number did approximately 3 passes over the cottages at a very low altitude over the course of 20 minutes.

The officer then responded to the Somerset Airport and spoke to the employee who stated approximately 15-20 planes flew out of the airport today. 

She stated that it is illegal to not have a tail number visible.

The employee stated she would ask the pilots upon their return if any of them were in the airspace over Trump National Golf Course and call the Police of any that were.

NOTE: We are required by the Rules of Court to include herein a statement explaining that the charges are merely an accusation and that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Editor's Note: These criminal charges are mere accusations. Each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Original article can be found here:   https://www.tapinto.net

BEDMINSTER TWP. – An unidentified, small white plane was seen flying “very low” over cottages at the Trump National Golf Club on Lamington Road – where Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has been known to stay – on Saturday, March 26, according to police.

At about 11 a.m., police were informed that a plane without a tail number made about three passes over the cottages at a very low altitude over the course of 20 minutes. A responding officer did not see any planes in the area.

Police then contacted the nearby Somerset Hills Airport on Airport Road and were told by an airport employee that about 15 to 20 planes flew out of the airport that day. The employee reported that it is illegal to not have a tail number visible on the plane, police said.

The employee informed police that she would ask pilots upon their return if any of them were in the airspace over Trump National and to call police if they were.

Trump, who owns the golf course, is currently the front-runner for the GOP nomination for president. He and other members of his family have reportedly received threats in recent weeks.

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

Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Bombardier CRJ7: Incident occurred March 28, 2016 in Richmond, Virginia

Date: 28-MAR-16
Time: 17:08:00Z
Regis#: ASQ5136
Aircraft Make: BOMBARDIER
Event Type: Incident
Damage: Unknown
Activity: Commercial
Flight Phase: UNKNOWN (UNK)
Aircraft Operator: ASQ-Atlantic Southeast Airlines
Flight Number: ASQ5136
FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Richmond FSDO-21
City: RICHMOND
State: Virginia

ATLANTIC SOUTHEAST AIRLINES FLIGHT 5136 BOMBARDIER CRJ7 AIRCRAFT, REGISTRATION NOT REPORTED, DURING FLIGHT EXPERIENCED A BIRDSTRIKE AND SUSTAINED UNKNOWN DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE, NO INJURIES, LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT, RICHMOND, VA.

Parents of Marine Killed in Osprey Crash in Hawaii Sue

Lance Cpl. Matthew Determan 


The parents of a Marine killed in the crash of an Osprey hybrid aircraft in Hawaii last year have sued the aircraft's manufacturers and unnamed government agencies.

The lawsuit accuses Boeing Corp., Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. and Eaton Aerospace of negligence and recklessness.

The airplane-and-helicopter hybrid aircraft crashed at a military base outside Honolulu with 21 Marines and a Navy corpsman on board. Two Marines were killed, including Lance Cpl. Matthew Determan, 21, of Ahwatukee, Arizona.

His parents, Michael and Charlesa Determan, filed the lawsuit in federal court in Honolulu on Monday. Other defendants include unnamed government agencies and individuals the plaintiffs say they're unable to identify until attorneys are able to examine documents and interview witnesses.

Boeing and Bell Helicopter spokesmen referred requests for comment to the Marine Corps.

Marine Corps spokeswoman Capt. Sarah Burns said in a statement the Marines are committed to ensuring their aircraft are safe and that aircrew who fly them are thoroughly trained. She said the Marines diligently investigate mishaps.

In November, a Marine Corps investigation found the MV-22 aircraft flew in sandy or dusty conditions for an extended period before its engine stalled. The stalled left engine then put the Osprey in an unavoidable freefall.

The probe said the pilots didn't violate any regulations or flight standards, but investigators found a proper risk assessment should have prompted the pilots to choose a different flight path or landing site to avoid dust or sand.

Investigators have recommended changes to help pilots make better decisions in similar situations.

The Osprey can take off and land like a helicopter, allowing it to go almost anywhere. Yet it can also fly as far and as fast as an airplane, giving it longer range than a traditional helicopter.

Determan was a member of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit based at Camp Pendleton in California. His aircraft had taken off from a Navy ship 100 miles offshore, and was flying to Oahu to drop off Marines for training on land, when it crashed.

Original article can be found here:   http://abcnews.go.com

Mooney M20K, N36PE, Southeast Nuclear Electronics LLC: Incident occurred March 28, 2016 in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee

Date: 28-MAR-16
Time: 21:55:00Z
Regis#: N36PE
Aircraft Make: MOONEY
Aircraft Model: M20K
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: Unknown
Flight Phase: TAXI (TXI)
FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Memphis FSDO-21
City: MEMPHIS
State: Tennessee

AIRCRAFT ON TAXI, GEAR COLLAPSED, MEMPHIS, TN

SOUTHEAST NUCLEAR ELECTRONICS LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N36PE

Piper PA-28R-200 Arrow II, N54TA: Incident occurred March 29, 2016 near Raleigh-Durham International Airport (KRDU), Wake County, Raleigh, North Carolina

http://registry.faa.gov/N54TA

Date: 29-MAR-16
Time: 12:56:00Z
Regis#: N54TA
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Aircraft Model: PA28R
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: Unknown
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Greensboro FSDO-39
City: RALEIGH
State: North Carolina

AIRCRAFT FORCE LANDED ON A HIGHWAY NEAR RALEIGH-DURHAM AIRPORT, RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA.

Bill Woody


RALEIGH, N.C. — A Raleigh pilot who landed his plane on Interstate 540 near Leesville Road Tuesday morning said the experience is not going to keep him from flying in the future.

No injuries were reported Tuesday morning when William Woody's single-engine airplane made what authorities called a "textbook" emergency landing on I-540 in north Raleigh.

According to radio traffic between Raleigh-Durham International Airport and Woody,, the plane had no oil pressure shortly after taking off from RDU at about 8:51 a.m.

RDU cleared Woody to fly back to the airport. Three minutes later, at 8:54, Woody declared an emergency. A minute after that, he told officials he had lost the engine and would not make it back to the runway.

"I wound up informing the tower that I would be unable to make the runway, declared an emergency, and told them I was going to have to put it down on the highway," Woody said.

Just before 9 a.m., commuters on westbound I-540 saw the plane land off the shoulder of the highway.

Woody was not hurt, according to RDU. The plane was a 1975 Piper Arrow, a single-engine plane registered to Woody.

Woody, who has been flying for about three years, said he woke up Tuesday morning intending to go on a practice flight to Virginia and then return home.

"I just had a bunch of repairs done on the airplane and figured it's a nice day to go for a flight," he said.

As the plane began to experience issues, Woody said he was able to remain calm and focus on the procedures he learned during the training to obtain his pilot's license. As he approached I-540, he said his main focus was on maintaining the correct speed and lining the plane up with the road for a safe landing. One of the most important lessons Woody recalled was that, in the event of a highway landing, a pilot should lower the plane slowly so drivers have time to react.

"I wasn't thinking about the drivers because I trusted that if I'm coming in about the same speed as the drivers are driving, that they'll be able to see me and I'm trusting the training to put me on the ground safely," he said.

Woody said that many drivers told him they saw the plane approaching the interstate and slowed down or stopped to make room for him.

"I'm very fortunate that they did that because it could have been a lot worse," Woody said.

After the plane landed, many drivers also exited their vehicles to make sure Woody wasn't hurt.

Eric Curry, with Wake County's emergency management department, said Woody was sitting on the wing of the plane when emergency responders arrived at the scene.

"According to the firemen, they credit the pilot for making such a difficult landing without causing any harm or injuries," Curry said. "This was a textbook landing."

Woody said the plane landed on the road before sliding sideways into the grassy shoulder. Authorities said there were no fuel leaks following the incident.

Authorities shut down the westbound lanes of I-540 following the incident. The highway was cleared at about 2:15 p.m.

Raleigh-Durham International Airport officials tweeted about the incident, saying that local law enforcement agencies were assisting with the investigation. Air traffic at the airport, which is in Morrisville, was not affected.


Story, video and photo gallery:  http://www.wral.com




RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – A small plane landed on the shoulder of Interstate 540 near Leesville Road in Raleigh Tuesday morning and officials credit the pilot with making a “textbook” landing, preventing injury to himself and others.

During a news briefing Tuesday morning, Andrew Sawyer with Raleigh-Durham International Airport Authority said shortly before 9 a.m., a single-engine aircraft took off from RDU. Shortly after departure, Sawyer said the pilot radioed back and reported having mechanical issues and asked for an emergency landing.

In radio traffic released by LiveATC.net, pilot Bill Woody reported “almost no oil pressure at this time” soon after taking off.

After Woody reported the oil pressure had dropped to zero, he told air traffic control he is going to land on the road.

“I see the freeway, I see the lake. I’m going to try to coast in as close as I can to the runway, but I might be landing on the freeway,” Woody said.

Sawyer said the pilot was given clearance to land on any runway he needed to and that emergency vehicles were on standby.

“Not gonna make the runway. I’m going to have to go down on the freeway,” the pilot said.

Shortly after the radio call, Sawyer said they were made aware that the plane had landed along I-540.

The plane could be seen off to the side of the road on a North Carolina Department of Transportation camera during the morning commute.

“You train for that. Weirdly. You spend when you learn to fly, you spend maybe 10 learning to take off, 10 hours learning about theory and you spend some time learning to land. And you spend the majority of the time learning emergency procedures,” Woody said. “The thought that went through my mind was I didn’t think I’d have to do this in real life but we practice for that all the time.”

Woody, a software developer, moved from Los Angeles about a year ago.

The incident impacted traffic in the westbound lanes as emergency crews and law enforcement officers were on scene.

Raleigh police said Woody was the only person on board at the time of the incident.

The plane is a fixed single-engine PA-28R-200 manufactured by Piper, according to registration records. Registration records list the co-owner as Bill Woody.

Wake County Spokesman Eric Curry said when emergency crews arrived on the scene, Woody was sitting on the wing of the plane. EMS checked him out and he appeared to be OK.

Curry categorized the landing as “textbook” in regards to the situation. Curry, as well as emergency crews, credited the pilot with making such a difficult landing without causing harm to himself or any drivers on I-540 Tuesday morning.

As protocol, the FAA is investigating the incident.


Story, video and photo gallery:  http://wncn.com



RALEIGH -- A small plane came down on Interstate 540 at the Leesville Road exit just before 9 a.m. Tuesday morning.

Officials at Raleigh-Durham International Airport said the pilot of the fixed wing single-engine Piper radioed in a mechanical problem and requested to return to RDU shortly after taking off from the airport.

The pilot told officials that his plane had no oil pressure and his engine cut out just before he made an emergency landing on the highway.

"I'm going to try to get as close to the runway as I can, but I might be putting it down on the freeway ... Not going to be able to make the runway. I'm putting it down on the freeway over here."

The aircraft ended up on the median of I-540 right at the Leesville exit.

The plane suffered a bent propeller and other damage, but no fire and leaks were reported.

The pilot was not injured. When officials arrived at the scene, they found him sitting on the wing, and credited him with making a difficult "textbook" landing along the interstate.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration's website, the plane is registered to a Raleigh couple.

Traffic was backed up in the area. Authorities had 540 westbound closed at Creedmoor and Leesville and were detouring drivers.

Federal investigators are working to determine what happened.

Story, video and photo gallery:  http://abc11.com




RALEIGH, N.C. — No injuries were reported Tuesday morning when a single-engine airplane made what authorities called a "textbook" emergency landing on Interstate 540 near Leesville Road in north Raleigh.

According to radio traffic between Raleigh-Durham International Airport and the pilot, the plane had no oil pressure shortly after taking off from RDU at about 8:51 a.m.

RDU cleared the pilot to fly back to the airport. Three minutes later, at 8:54, the pilot declared an emergency. A minute after that, the pilot told officials he had lost the engine and would not make it back to the runway.

Just before 9 a.m., commuters on westbound I-540 saw the plane land off the shoulder of the highway.

The pilot was not hurt, according to RDU. The plane is a 1975 Piper Arrow, a single-engine plane registered to William Woody, of Raleigh.

Eric Curry, with Wake County's emergency management department, said the pilot was sitting on the wing of the plane when emergency responders arrived at the scene.

"According to the firemen, they credit the pilot for making such a difficult landing without causing any harm or injuries," Curry said. "This was a textbook landing."

When asked how he was able to make the landing, the pilot simply replied "good training"

It's unclear if the plane landed on the highway first and then slid onto the shoulder. Authorities said there were no fuel leaks following the incident.

Authorities shut down the westbound lanes of I-540 following the incident. The highway was cleared at about 2:15 p.m.

Raleigh-Durham International Airport officials tweeted about the incident, saying that local law enforcement agencies were assisting with the investigation. Air traffic at the airport, which is in Morrisville, was not affected.

Andrew Sawyer, a spokesman for RDU, said airport emergency responded to the scene to assist local law enforcement agencies. He said the Federal Aviation Administration would investigate the cause of the plane's problems and then remove the plane from the shoulder of I-540.

Sawyer said that could happen as early as Tuesday afternoon.

"The aircraft will be removed and take back to the airport," he said.

Story, video and photo gallery:  http://www.wral.com

Authorities give update on I-540 plane landing: http://www.wral.com/video




RALEIGH --  A single-engine airplane with mechanical trouble made an emergency landing on Interstate 540 north of Raleigh-Durham International Airport on Tuesday morning, multiple agencies reported.

State troopers, Raleigh police, Wake County sheriff’s deputies rushed to the highway near the Leesville Road exit about 9 a.m.

Police closed I-540 westbound at Leesville Road to keep vehicles away from the plane, a Piper PA-28R-200 Arrow II.

There were no reports of injuries.

Information from controllers indicated that the plane is owned by a Raleigh resident, William Woody.

The plane stopped on the right shoulder of the interstate with its engine facing the pavement.

The pilot had told controllers that the plane lost oil pressure.

It was not immediately know who was piloting the aircraft.

Story, video and photo gallery: http://www.newsobserver.com














Hughes 369D, N721RP, Haverfield International Inc: Accident occurred March 26, 2016 in Jamestown, Stutsman County, North Dakota

HAVERFIELD INTERNATIONAL INC:   http://registry.faa.gov/N721RP

FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Fargo FSDO-21


NTSB Identification: GAA16CA168
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, March 26, 2016 in Jamestown, ND
Probable Cause Approval Date: 06/15/2016
Aircraft: HUGHES 369, registration: N721RP
Injuries: 1 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 he was performing a practice autorotation with a power recovery, and was the sole occupant in the helicopter. He reported that the power was introduced at 200 feet above ground level (AGL) and he entered the flare at too low of an altitude. The tail rotor system impacted the soft ground adjacent to the planned landing area. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom, the tail rotor driveshaft assembly, and the tail rotor system. 

The pilot verified that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

The Federal Aviation Administration has published Advisory Circular (AC) 61-140 Autorotation Training (2013). This AC discusses the flare portion for autorotation training and states in part:

Every autorotational flare will be different depending on the existing wind conditions, airspeed, density altitude, and the aircraft gross weight. 

This AC also discusses common errors during autorotation training and states in part:

Improper flare (too much or not enough).

Flaring too low or too high (AGL).

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's excessive descent rate while flaring during a practice autorotation with a power recovery, which resulted in an impact with terrain.

Zodiac 601 XL, N601B: Accident occurred March 29, 2016 at Lake Country Regional Airport (W63), Clarksville, Virginia

http://registry.faa.gov/N601BZ

FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Richmond FSDO-21


NTSB Identification: GAA16CA167
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, March 29, 2016 in Clarksville, VA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 05/03/2016
Aircraft: SEWELL WILLIAM K ZODIAC 601, registration: N601BZ
Injuries: 1 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 takeoff the airplane began to drift to the left immediately after rotation. The pilot further reported that he applied right aileron, but the drift continued and the airplane's left main landing gear struck a tree within a tree line about 100 feet to the left of the runway. After the impact, the airplane sank further into the trees and came to rest slightly nose high and left wing down.

The fuselage, both wings, and horizontal stabilizer were substantially damaged. 

The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff, which resulted in the airplane drifting to the left of the runway and impacting trees.




Bill Sewell of Chase City was not injured following an early afternoon crash of his plane at the Lake Country Regional Airport in Clarksville on Tuesday.

He was alone in the plane at the time of the crash.

“I was taking off and the plane drifted to the left. My wheels hit the trees [a little more than mid-way down the runway] and stalled the plane,” causing it to crash, Sewell said. Once the left landing gear became enmeshed in the trees, his forward momentum stopped, causing the aircraft to roll over into the treetops.

Sewell said the plane came to rest with one wing tilted downward, barely six feet from the ground. This allowed him to climb out of the cockpit and slid down the wing to safety.

As a safety precaution, police and fire were called to the scene.

“The plane is pretty much totaled,” said Sewell. He called it an experimental home-built model that he constructed from a kit in 2007. He has a newer plane, also an experimental home-built model, but that one was down for servicing, according to Sewell.

A pilot for 15 years, this is Sewell’s first crash — and he said hopefully his last.

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

Mooney M20J, N1146L, GRW Enterprises LLC: Incident occurred March 28, 2016 in Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kansas

Date: 28-MAR-16
Time: 13:12:00Z
Regis#: N1146L
Aircraft Make: MOONEY
Aircraft Model: M20J
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: Minor
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Wichita FSDO-64
City: WICHITA
State: Kansas

AIRCRAFT LANDED GEAR UP, WICHITA, KS

GRW ENTERPRISE LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N1146L

United pilot charged with running prostitution ring appears in court

Bruce Wayne Wallis, a 51-year-old United Airlines pilot, appears in Houston court Monday, March 28, 2016 on charges of aggravated promotion of prostitution and engaged in criminal activity.

Eastex Aero, a flight school, is shown Thursday, March 24, 2016, in Porter. A United Airlines pilot has been accused of running several brothels out of Houston office buildings and an apartment complex. He paid the women as employees of his flight school in Porter.



A United Airlines pilot appeared in court Monday on charges of running a string of brothels across the Houston area.

Bruce Wayne Wallis, 51, who was arrested last week on charges with aggravated promotion of prostitution and engaging in criminal activity in what officials said included about a half-dozen brothels in Galleria-area apartments and northwest Houston office buildings with six to 10 women working at each site.

Tracie Tanner, a 37-year-old Rosenberg woman accused of being Wallis' top lieutenant, also appeared in state District Judge Jim Wallace's court.

Both face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if convicted.

In a brief statement outside of the Harris County courthouse, Dan Cogdell, a lawyer for Wallis, scoffed at the allegations.

"This the latest prosecution of the worlds' oldest profession, but it's hardly the crime of the century," he said.

Lawyers for Tanner raised the spectre that she had been forced to work with Wallis, but stopped short of calling her a victim in the case.

"She's in a very scary place right now," said defense attorney Mark Metzgar. "We're still investigating."

Wallis, who arrived in court with a handful of lawyers, did not speak as he strode in and out of the courthouse in front of a dozen TV cameras and reporters. United Airlines said Wallis is no longer flying while the charges are pending.

Tanner, who seemed disoriented, sat in a different part of the courtroom and told strangers who asked about the media that she was very upset.

"Since being arrested, I went through the worst 48 hours of my life," she said.

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

Disabled Boise veteran flies again, first to enjoy new program

Lee Roberson, left assists pilot Scotty Crandlemire as they flew together over the Treasure Valley. It was the first time in a decade that the retired Air Force helicopter pilot had flown in a private plane.



Lee Roberson got a thrill last week when he flew over his childhood home in Wilder.

Roberson, 61, a former helicopter pilot for the U.S. Air Force, hadn’t been up in a private plane for at least 10 years. He hadn’t flown by himself for two decades since losing his pilot’s license due to a disability that left him confined to a wheelchair. He resides at the Idaho State Veterans Home, 320 Collins Road in Boise.

“My dad loved to fly and losing his pilot’s license to his disability was really tough for him,” daughter Chelsea Tuttle said. “Having the opportunity to not just go up in a plane again, but to take over the controls and fly over his home — where he used to do flyovers when he was stationed at Mountain Home — was absolutely priceless.”

Meridian pilot Scotty Crandlemire took Roberson up Wednesday in the initial flight for a program entitled Elevate Our Veterans. Crandlemire began flying in 1984, when he was stationed with the Air Force in England. The program is a way, Crandlemire said, to thank veterans for their service and to make them feel appreciated.

Ed Priddy of Meridian provided the 1966 Cessna P-206B plane used for the hourlong flight that began and ended at the Nampa Municipal Airport.

“Mr. Roberson was a treat to fly with,” said Crandlemire, who works in sales and pilot services for Cascade Aircraft Management in Caldwell. “You could see it in his face and eyes.”

Roberson, who was initially stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base, retired in 1997 after 20 years of service. He was a lieutenant colonel when a medical discharge ended his career. He had also served at Elgin AFB in Florida; Kadena AFB in Okinawa, Japan; Kirkland AFB in Albuquerque, N.M.; and McClellan AFB in Sacramento, Calif.

He flew Huey and Blackhawk helicopters during more than 35 missions, Tuttle said. He was licensed as a commercial helicopter pilot for both visual conditions and using instrument panels. He was also licensed as a private pilot for single-engine airplanes.

His parents, Alvin and Alice Roberson, still live in the home where Roberson grew up in Wilder. His mother came outside and waved when the plane carrying her son flew overhead.

Tuttle secretly fed Crandlemire information to guide the plane to Wilder without Roberson catching on. The pilot described it as a “tearful moment” when they flew over the home several times and Roberson saw his mother waving.

“The ear-to-ear smile as he was being loaded into the aircraft was rare and so special to see, but the quiet reverence during the flight was an even better indicator of just how much the flight meant to him,” Tuttle said. “To experience that kind of freedom after so many years was priceless.”

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

Chinese Aircraft Manufacturer to Build Safer Planes Using Big Data, Cloud Technology

A Chinese aircraft manufacturer has come up with an idea on how to build safer airplanes using big data and cloud technology, amid global concerns on how to reduce safety risks caused by unusual human behavior and how to recover and analyze data from air crashes, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

"The time for revolution in aviation safety has come," Wei Ye, executive director and president of the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) America Corporation told Xinhua on Friday, March 25.

The announcement came as the Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety of France recently confirmed that a co-pilot of the German budget airline Germanwings had been suffering from depression and deliberately caused the plane to crash a year ago.

The same is true in the case of Airbus 320, which crashed in southern France on March 24, 2015 while en route from Barcelona to Duesseldorf, and resulted in the death of 150 people on board, the report said.

Using a big data-based computer, COMAC America Corporation is studying the concept of "unmanned flight with human supervision" which operates without influence from outside in a closed environment, thereby minimizing the risks caused by human factors.

"Without the influence of pilots' emotions and mishandling, a computer-piloted plane is safer than a manned one," Ye said.

According to COMAC, planes of the future will be piloted by computers equipped with a hard-drive with big data that contains flight routes, weather information, and emergency processing programs, while the future "pilot" will depend on flight data of 200 pilots accumulated in 20 years. While the hard drive is inserted into the cockpit, human pilots can monitor the flight in a separate compartment.

The company said that the concept, which could become the future trend in civil aviation, might be tested on unmanned cargo flights first.

Meanwhile, research and development is being conducted by COMAC to improve an airline's ability to keep track of a flying plane since it is often difficult to determine the cause of a plane crash, locate the crash site and conduct a timely rescue if the plane's black box is missing.

The report cited the case of flight MH370, in which recently two pieces of debris, consistent with parts on a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777, were reportedly found in Mozambique. However, the accident that happened two years ago could still be one of the most mystifying crashes in modern civil aviation history as the black box is still missing.

With the European Union announcement in Dec. 2015 on new requirements for closer tracking of an aircraft in the sky and improved traceability of the black box aboard, COMAC is developing "Harbinger," a comprehensive emergency recording and tracking system that it has started two years ago to complement the black box system.

The "Harbinger" would take away the flight data in the black box and record the last few minutes of the crash before it is ejected from the tail of a plane when it is about to crash. Shortly after the ejection, it will transmit data to a satellite and keep a backup of the data.

The company said that the "Harbinger" is equipped with a soft-landing system to protect itself on landing, whether on the sea or land, and send signals for people to locate it.

The report said that the patent for the project has been applied in both the U.S. and several other countries, while the company has manufactured parts for testing.

The company is also planning to develop new functions in rapid wireless data transmission by partnering with FTS Technologies Inc., a California-based Internet connectivity solution provider.

To enhance an aircraft's "self-awareness" of its life, experts at the company are reportedly studying "smart life health management" of aircraft, which will enable them to calculate the service life of the large-scale complex system of an airplane through a special algorithm to be able to obtain safety data of the system before take-off.

COMAC is also developing an online aviation consulting platform to connect global engineering resources, which it plans to launch in the second half of this year.

"This platform is expected to transform the traditional model of research, development and technical services," Ye said.

Original article can be found here:  http://en.yibada.com

Piper Comanche 180, N55UA: Accident occurred March 26, 2016 in Homestead, Miami-Dade County, Florida





















AIRCRAFT: 1959 Piper PA-24-180 Comanche N55UA, s/n: 24-667

Last Annual Inspection was performed 02/01/2016 at Total Time 2,953.88, Tach Time 1,846.47.  
                                                              
ENGINE: Lycoming O-360 A1A , s/n: L-1176-36

Engine log records the last Annual Inspection on 02/01/16 at Engine Total Time 2,117.85, TSMOH 305.77. 

EQUIPMENT:
                         
TXPDR NARCO AT50 s/n 44212
NAV/GS KING KN53, s/n 2675 p/n 066-1067-00
ENC AK350, s/n 49035
ADF KING KR-86, s/n 7283
VHF KING KY97A, s/n 33203
COM TKM MX11, s/n 3902
LORAN KING 8002
           
 DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT:  During an attempt to hand crank the propeller, the engine started and N55UA moved across the ramp and into a chain link fence.

 DESCRIPTION OF DAMAGES:   See attached photos. Damage includes but may not be limited to the following:   

Propeller is damaged & engine experienced sudden stoppage
Both wings have substantial damage.
The flywheel is damaged
Nose bullet is damaged

LOCATION OF AIRCRAFT:  Homestead General Aviation X51.  Roberts Air South, 28701 S.W. 219Th Avenue, Homestead, FL 33030

Read more here:  http://www.avclaims.com

http://registry.faa.gov/N55UA

NTSB Identification: GAA16CA162
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, March 26, 2016 in Homestead, FL
Probable Cause Approval Date: 06/01/2016
Aircraft: PIPER PA24, registration: N55UA
Injuries: 1 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 he shut down the engine to reposition the airplane prior to finishing the run-up. Upon attempting to restart the engine, the airplane's battery charge was low and the engine would not start. The pilot further reported that he set the parking brake, and hand propped the engine. The airplane's engine started and the airplane began to move without the pilot on board. The airplane impacted the airport's perimeter fence, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings. 

According to the pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

The pilots decision to hand prop the airplane's engine without securing the airplane, resulting a runaway airplane and collision with a fence.