Transportation Safety Board frustrated with lack of action on decades-old requests to record flight data in small aircraft

It may seem obvious to follow and record what happens in an aircraft, but few small air carriers do it, as it’s not required by Transport Canada.

Great Slave Helicopters is one of the few using a lightweight flight recorder.

“You could also say that this is an aircraft version of a dash-cam, but it’s also measuring more than just video,” said Fai Yuen, who is in charge of developing a program to use the data collected by the Appareo Vision 1000 hardware.

An October 2016 plane crash near Kelowna, B.C. brought the issue of lightweight flight recorders back into the spotlight. Four people died, including former Alberta Premier Jim Prentice.

At the time, the Transportation Safety Board investigators said a lack of flight recordings were hampering their search for a cause.

They said it again when a Mount Royal University plane crashed near Calgary in February killing two people.

The issue may also be brought up if a missing aircraft flying from Lethbridge, Alta. to Kamloops, B.C. is every found.

Lightweight flight recorders can capture everything from cockpit audio to flight data, which can be played back from one of three separate recordings on the device.

While the typical black boxes in airliners are used in big aircraft, a solution for smaller aircraft hasn’t been developed until recently.

One obstacle to industry take-up in smaller airlines and personal aircraft is a lack of regulation.

The other is price, with installation per unit pegged at USD$10,000 to $15,000.

That may seem prohibitive, but Yuen says when you consider the hourly cost of a chopper to be between $1,000 and $2,500 to fly, it’s not.

“It roughly works out to $2 a flight hour to run these devices.”

The Transportation Safety Board’s Jon Lee says there are a couple of reasons why the TSB is hoping more aircraft have lightweight flight recorders.

“Not only help us in our work to identify why accidents happen, but also in a proactive measure in flight operation,” Lee told Global News.

But it wasn’t a new request from the TSB.

It first recommended updates to cockpit and flight data recorders more than 25 years ago in 1991 and renewed calls with a similar ask in 2013 as technology improved.

In a news release after the October 2016 crash, the TSB urged Transport Canada “to take advantage of the new low-cost flight recording technology to advance safety.”

So far the TSB says none of its suggestions, including the most recent in 2013, have resulted in changes.

“We’re getting a little frustrated with the lack of action on Transport Canada’s part in addressing this recommendation,” Lee said.

Global News asked Transport Canada officials why it’s taken so long to act on lightweight flight recorders, but it didn’t answer our questions.

The government also turned down our request for an interview with Transport Minister Marc Garneau.

Story and video: http://globalnews.ca

Colorado startup lands dozens of orders for the supersonic airliner it's developing

Five airlines have ordered 76 planes from Boom Supersonic, giving the Centennial-based company developing a new supersonic passenger airliner some good news to announce Tuesday from the Paris Air Show.

Boom also unveiled the completed designs of its demonstration airplane meant to prove its technology to fly passengers on long routes at 1,451 mph.

Boom Technology's XB-1 test plane -- a smaller jet than the supersonic passenger plane it plans to build.

“We now have everything required to build history’s first independently developed, supersonic aircraft — the funding, technical design, and manufacturing partners,” said Boom CEO and founder Blake Scholl.

The startup’s passenger plane is designed to fly 2.2 times the speed of sound, making New York City to London flights just over three hours long.

But first it’s building the XB-1 Demonstrator aircraft, known internally as the “Baby Boom,” which will fly testing out the General Electric engines, Honeywell avionics, Tencate carbon fiber and 3D-printed components from Stratasys.

Boom is assembling the XB-1 at its headquarters at Centennial Airport in Arapahoe County.

The company, a graduate of the Silicon Valley startup accelerator YCombinator, first made its project public last year.

Richard Branson’s Virgin Airlines pre-ordered 10 supersonic aircraft from Boom. The startup on Tuesday said that’s pre-orders have now grown to a total of 76 aircraft ordered by five airlines. The airlines collectively paid Boom tens of millions of dollars that isn’t refundable, the company said.

The airlines were not identified. Boom plans future events where the airline identities will be revealed, the company said.

The XB-1 Demonstrator will fly subsonic test flights locally in 2018. Boom plans test flights to follow that will break the sound barrier in the skies above California’s Mojave Desert near Edwards Air Force Base, the company said.

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

Dayton air show warns about heat exhaustion at this weekend’s event

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) – Hundreds of police officers and medical personnel will be on the ground at this weekend’s Vectren Dayton Air Show to make sure the thousands of people in the crowd don’t run into any problems.

Medical and security personnel say heat-related health emergencies and missing children are the most common problems at the air show, but there are steps everyone can take to stay safe and enjoy themselves.

The event’s medical operations manager, Bill Mangas advises: “Make sure they wear light colored, loose fitting clothing, hats and sunglasses are always good, make sure they apply sunblock with an SPF of 40 or greater, and remember you’re going to have to reapply that throughout the day, and hydration’s the key to avoiding heat exhaustion”

Officials say on average around 50 people a day need some sort of medical treatment – usually due to heat exhaustion.

About five or six of that number get sent to the hospital.

The airshow will have around 100 medical staff on hand and two first aid tents.

Several ambulances and paramedics will be on stand by, from 18 fire agencies and nine law enforcement agencies.

Over the past decade, they’ve only had one arrest at the air show.

“More than anything else. We’ll have lost parents,” the air show’s public safety coordinator Roger Doctor said.

“We have the kid – he’s not lost, but the parents aren’t there. And of course when you lose your child in a large crowd – that’s something that’s pretty terrifying to parents and so we have a great protocol here.”

Story and video:  http://wdtn.com

Gefa-Flug AS-105-GD, registered to and operated by AirSign LTD as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 business flight, G-SUNA: Accident occurred June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin

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

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Milwaukee, Wisconsin 

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

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

Location: Hartford, WI
Accident Number: CEN17FA231
Date & Time: 06/15/2017, 1115 CDT
Registration: G-SUNA
Aircraft: GEFA-FLUG GMBH AS-105-GD
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Aircraft structural failure
Injuries: 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Other Work Use 

On June 15, 2017, at 1115 central daylight time, a Gefa-Flug AS-105-GD thermal airship, United Kingdom registration G-SUNA, collided with the terrain in Hartford, Wisconsin, following an inflight envelope panel failure. The commercial pilot was seriously injured, and the thermal airship was destroyed. The airship was registered to and operated by AirSign LTD, as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 business flight. Visual meteorological conditions existed near the accident site at the time of the accident, and a flight plan had not been filed. The local flight departed from the Erin Aero Airport (WN75) at 1100 and was returning to the airport when the accident occurred.

The purpose of the flight was to provide aerial advertising for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament. The accident occurred on the second flight of the day. The first flight of the day originated about 0830 and lasted 2 hours. After the first flight, the airship was fueled in preparation for the second flight. Three of the four propane tanks onboard were empty, so they were off-loaded and replaced with two full propane tanks. The pilot reported he checked the wind condition again and determined that although it was still within his flight parameters the wind would be increasing, which would make "flying more challenging." He had a goal to fly three hours that day, so he departed for the second flight, climbing to 1,000 ft. He stated the airship's no-wind forward speed is about 15 knots, and he didn't like flying in wind higher than 10 knots because it limited the airship's forward speed too much. The forward speed during the 15-minute flight was 4 to 6 knots, so he decided to land.

The pilot radioed the ground crew that he was returning because the wind was stronger than forecasted. He descended and released the 100 ft-long drop-line when he was about 150 ft above the ground (agl). He reported the line hung up on itself and did not extend the full length. The pilot reported that the Plexiglass slide panel in the gondola jammed, which had happened before, so he was not able to vent hot air from the envelope. The airship then encountered a thermal and it began to rise. The pilot thought that the increase in altitude would give him time to untangle the drop-line and unjam the Plexiglas panel. The airship leveled around 500 ft agl, at which time the pilot heard a "loud air explosion" which violently shook the airship. He looked up through the Plexiglass panel and a panel of fabric, located aft of his sitting position and the top of the envelope, was missing. Within seconds he heard up to four more air explosions but was unable to see any other missing or damaged panels as they were out of his sight range. The pilot reported the envelope began to sag and the forward speed of the airship resulted in the nose of the airship collapsing in and around the burners, which ignited the fabric. The pilot shut off the fuel to the burners and he secured his 5-point harness and tried to protect himself as best he could since he had no control over the airship as it descended on fire. After contacting the terrain, the pilot was able to get out of the gondola and crawled a short distance before the ground crew arrived and pulled him away from the wreckage.

Numerous witnesses reported seeing the airship descending for the landing, then rising before the envelope collapsed, and the airship then descending rapidly while on fire.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Commercial
Age: 49, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Balloon
Restraint Used: 5-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 08/17/2016
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 05/30/2016
Flight Time: 634.6 hours (Total, all aircraft), 316.7 hours (Total, this make and model), 607.6 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft)

The pilot held a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued commercial pilot certificate with single-engine land, multi-engine land, instrument and lighter-than-air ratings. He held a FAA issued second-class airman medical certificated dated August 17, 2016. There are no FAA pilot certificates for thermal airships.

In addition, the pilot held a commercial pilot license issued by the United Kingdom (UK) Civil Aviation Authority. The license included ratings for hot air balloons, Gp A hot air airships pressurized (up to 160,000 CuFt/4550Cu/m volume), free balloons hot air filled, and free balloons hot air Group A.

The pilot reported having made 117 airship flights for a total flight time of 316.7 hours. 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: GEFA-FLUG GMBH
Registration: G-SUNA
Model/Series: AS-105-GD
Aircraft Category: Blimp
Year of Manufacture: 
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate:
Serial Number: 0010
Landing Gear Type: None
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 09/22/2016, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1984 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 325 Hours
Engine Manufacturer: Rotax
ELT:
Engine Model/Series: 582UL
Registered Owner: AIRSIGN LTD
Rated Power: 65 hp
Operator: AIRSIGN LTD
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

The airship and gondola were manufactured by the Gefa Flug GMBH in Germany, in 2004, and Gefa Flug GMBH is no longer in business. The current type certificate holder and manufacturer is Cameron Balloons Ltd. in Bristol, UK. The airship had a UK Certificate of Airworthiness issued on July 30, 2015.

The operator stated that they maintained the UK registration on the airship, because the United States does not have a certification category for thermal airships. If they had registered it in the United States, it would have been issued an experimental airworthiness certificate and they would not have been able to use it for hire. The most recent UK Airworthiness Review Certificate was issued on September 21, 2017.

The airship was maintained by a FAA Designated Airworthiness Representative (DAR). Work done on the envelope would be reviewed and signed off by a repairman on behalf of the British Balloon and Airship Club. The repairman reported he either had to see the repair or have proof that the repair was correct before signing off on the repair. The last entry in the envelope and engine/gondola logbooks was an annual inspection on September 22, 2016. The owner of the airship stated there was a tear in the bottom of the envelope earlier in the year which was repaired by the DAR. There was no record of the repair in the logbook and the repairman in the UK stated he was not aware of the tear or repair. This area of the envelope was destroyed in the fire.

The envelope was constructed from a coated nylon fabric with rip-stop load tapes along the entire length of the envelope. The envelope is an enclosed structure except for the keel opening above the pilot's seat which can be opened and closed using the sliding Plexiglas panel on the roof of the gondola and the pressure relief valves. The envelope forms an empennage with both vertical and horizontal fins. The vertical fin (rudder) can be deflected up to 45° in each direction. The airship was equipped with a rudder assist system. The gondola was connected to the envelope by four carabineer clips, one on each corner of the gondola, and snap hooks that were sewn into the envelope and hook. The envelope contained a manually operated rip panel in the empennage and two pressure relief valves at each end of the gondola. The pressure relief valves have elastic cords that stretched under pressure to allow air to escape if the envelope pressure is too great.

The gondola had a stainless-steel tubular frame. The front of the gondola was covered with a Plexiglass windscreen. The gondola had a 4-place tandem seating configuration. The pilot flies the airship from the front right seat. In the case of the accident airship, the two rear seats could not be occupied because the pilot normally carried four propane tanks, two of which restricted the rear seats. The roof of the gondola contained the Plexiglass panel that the pilot can slide to control the temperature within the envelope. The double burner was mounted on top of the frame above the sliding Plexiglass panel. The pusher engine was mounted on the rear of the gondola frame.

Engine power was provided by a liquid cooled Rotax 582 engine linked to a high-thrust, low-noise carbon fiber propeller. A fabric scoop behind the propeller directed airflow to pressurize the envelope and to provide oxygen to the burners.

The burner system was a V-configuration consisting of two burners which were fueled by liquid propane.

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: UES, 911 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 15 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1045 CDT
Direction from Accident Site: 155°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 5000 ft agl
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 7 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: /
Wind Direction: 270°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: /
Altimeter Setting: 29.83 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 25°C / 19°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Hartford, WI (WN75)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Hartford, WI (WN75)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1100 CDT
Type of Airspace: Class E

The pilot reported that he checked the weather conditions on the morning of the accident using multiple websites including Intellicast, BlastValve, and Ryan Carlton; and by releasing weather balloons. He determined that the wind condition was not favorable for flight, but the wind speed was forecasted to decrease, so he delayed the flight. About 0800, he determined that the wind condition was favorable. He confirmed the decreased wind by releasing another weather balloon, using the websites previously mentioned, and ForeFlight.

The Waukesha County Airport (UES) was the closest official weather station, located 15 miles southeast of the accident site, and was equipped with an Automated Weather Observing Station (AWOS).

At 104515, UES AWOS reported wind from 270° at 7 knots.

At 1145, UES AWOS reported wind from 300° at 10 knots gusting to 15 knots.

The airship flight manual states:
The max. wind speed on takeoff site shall not exceed 12 knots for an experienced pilot and, as recommended, 8 knots for an inexperienced pilot.

WARNING: Flights in thermal or thundery conditions are not permitted. 

Airport Information

Airport: Erin Aero Airport (WN75)
Runway Surface Type: N/A
Airport Elevation: 1000 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Unknown
Runway Used: N/A
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width:
VFR Approach/Landing: None

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: In-Flight
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: On-Ground
Total Injuries: 1 Serious
Latitude, Longitude: 43.243333, -88.368611 

The gondola came to rest on its left side in a hay field. The tubular steel structure, firewall, burners, engine, and propeller were intact, but burned. The Plexiglass and aluminum structures were destroyed by the fire. The steel cables that attach the gondola to the envelope remained attached at the gondola. All three of the propane tanks exploded in the postimpact fire.

The aft end of the envelope remained intact with the forward end of the envelope having been destroyed by fire. The remaining envelope was laid out for examination. The rudder lines were located attached to the rudder surface. The forward portion of both rudder lines were destroyed. There were several tears in the envelope along hoop tapes (LB) 9, 10, and 11, and between gores 29 and 3 and 6. The location of the tears were near the crown of the envelope just forward of the gondola. Most of the tears were along seam lines except for one which ran down the gore 30 fabric between LB 9 and 11 The area surrounding the torn sections of fabric was destroyed by the fire.

Tests And Research

The torn section of the envelope was examined at Cameron Balloons USA on July 5, 2017. A 24-inch square of the envelope from gore 1 between LB 10 and LB 11 was cut out for grab and tear tests. This piece of fabric was then cut into 12 pieces. The test results were above the minimum allowable for the fabric. It is unknown how the exposure to the fire affected the integrity of the fabric. The stitching along the hoops tapes and patches appeared to have been done in an acceptable manner.

NTSB Identification: CEN17FA231 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, June 15, 2017 in Erin, WI
Aircraft: GEFA-FLUG GMBH AS-105-GD, registration: G-SUNA
Injuries: 1 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 June 15, 2017, at 1115 central daylight time, a Gefa-Flug AS-105-GD thermal airship, United Kingdom registration G-SUNA, collided with the terrain in Erin, Wisconsin, following an inflight envelope panel failure. The commercial pilot was seriously injured, and the thermal airship was destroyed. The airship was registered to and operated by AirSign LTD, as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 business flight. Visual flight rules conditions existed near the accident site at the time of the accident, and a flight plan had not been filed. The local flight departed from the Erin Aero Airport (WN75) at 1100, and was returning to the airport when the accident occurred.

The accident occurred on the second flight of the day. Prior to takeoff on the accident flight, the airship was fueled and two of the propane tanks were swapped out with full tanks. The airship departed for the aerial advertising flight and shortly after takeoff, the pilot radioed the ground crew that he was returning because the wind was too strong.

Following the accident, the pilot reported to law enforcement, that he was at an altitude of about 1,000 ft above ground level (agl) when he decided to return to land. He was approaching the airstrip and at an altitude of about 200 ft (agl), he encountered a thermal which increased his altitude to 500 ft. He vented the envelope to descend and heard an envelope panel tear. Seconds later, he heard another panel tear. The pilot turned off the fuel to the burners and vented the envelope, but the front section of the envelope collapsed around the burners and caught fire. The airship descended in a nose-down attitude until it impacted the terrain.

DATE: 06-20-2017

SUBJECT:   ADVERTISING BLIMP CRASH-UPDATE  17-22192, 17-22212

AUTHORITY:    SHERIFF DALE K. SCHMIDT 

The Sheriff’s Office is confirming reports that it investigated a complaint on 06-15-2017 in regards to the Airsign aircraft prior to the aircraft actually crashing.

At 8:53 am on that date, the Sheriff’s Office received a complaint from a property owner near the private airstrip where the aircraft launched. During the original call, the complainant advised that the aircraft was scaring his cattle.  He also was concerned that the aircraft may be violating permits/regulations during its operation.

Near the end of the call, the complainant asked if he could “…shoot it down?” The dispatcher advised no, and that a Deputy was on his way to meet with him.  The question was asked in a sarcastic manner, but could be construed as a vague threat.

The Deputy did meet with the complainant, advised him on his concerns and determined that he was not a threat to the aircraft.

At 11:15 am, the aircraft was seen in distress and crashed. Investigators were almost immediately assigned to locate and interview the complainant from earlier in the morning.  He was located, and during a thorough interview, denied any involvement in the aircraft crash.

Through interviews, evidence at the crash site, witnesses and other information, there is no reason to believe this person was involved, in any way, with the aircraft crash.

Additionally, from the same evidence and information, there is no reason to believe foul play is involved with the crash of the aircraft. If any new information develops, it will be investigated. 

The NTSB has an open investigation, and it is hoped they will be able to make a determination as to the cause of the crash. No reports or recordings will be released at this time.

Piper PA28-161, N35CA: Aircraft picked up heavy winds and impacted ground tail first

AIRCRAFT:   1989 Piper PA28-161; N35CA; sn 2841144

ENGINE - M&M, S/N:              Lycoming O-320-D3G sn L-9144-39-A

PROPELLER – M&M, S/N:       Sensenich 74DM6-60  sn A45301

APPROXIMATE TOTAL HOURS (estimated TT & TSMO from logbooks or other information):

ENGINE:    11,743 TT    68 SMOH       

PROPELLER:  Unk TT      68 SMOH       

AIRFRAME:      18,184 TT                               

 OTHER EQUIPMENT:   King KMA24, King KX 155, King KX155, King KT76A, King KLN 90B, King KR 86, King KN 64.

DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT:  Aircraft was picked up heavy winds and impacted the ground tail first.

 DESCRIPTION OF DAMAGES:  Damage includes, but not limited to, nose gear, LH wing and aileron, horizontal stabilator, rudder, aft fuselage crushed. 

LOCATION OF AIRCRAFT:  Air Salvage of Dallas, 1361 Ferris Rd, Lancaster TX 

REMARKS:  Sold AS IS/WHERE IS.  Logbooks date back to 2002.

Read more here:  http://www.avclaims.com/N35CA.htm

Lower Makefield, Pennsylvania, lawyers up so noisy planes pipe down at Trenton-Mercer Airport (KTTN), New Jersey

Lower Makefield has amped up its involvement in an ongoing skirmish between the Trenton-Mercer Airport in Ewing, New Jersey, and Bucks County residents across the river.

The supervisors hired a lawyer — Barbara Lichman of Buchalter Law Firm, who has a history in representing municipalities in airport-related litigation — at a recent meeting to help the supervisors determine how they should proceed in dealing with the airport. The township will pay Lichman $35,000 to $45,000.

Lichman already has contacted airport officials, writing to airport senior project manager Dale Russell that plans to expand airport operations would affect the "health, safety and welfare" of Lower Makefield residents, who she said have been "already severely impacted."

Lichman also wrote that Trenton-Mercer must iron out an environmental impact study — this would tell how the development could affect noise or nearby property values in addition to pollution — before it submits its plan to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Trenton-Mercer's plan, which is several hundred pages long, includes improvements to taxiways and a new four-gate terminal. Russell said Trenton-Mercer is aiming to send in the plan by July 1 and then conduct environmental studies before each of its projects proceed.

Not conducting such a study until after the FAA improves the master plan is a "clear violation" of the National Environmental Policy Act, wrote Lichman.

She elaborated that the airport has a "long history of ignoring" actions that could contribute to its local footprint and that the latest expansion plans are "merely the tip of the iceberg" in terms of what a present study should address.

Residents feel an impact primarily from aircraft noise, especially when planes are flying low or touching down late at night, wrote supervisor chairwoman Kristin Tyler in a second letter to Russell.

The residents group Bucks Residents for Responsible Airport Management has pursued multiple court cases against the FAA and different airlines, arguing that they started service out of Trenton-Mercer without conducting environmental studies. The most recent airline in their crosshairs was Allegiant, which received the FAA's go-ahead to operate out of the airport in November.

The group met with township officials and requested financial assistance in the Allegiant case, but officials are choosing to wait on counsel from Lichman before making a decision.

Lower Makefield contributed at least $55,000 between two previous cases BRRAM filed against airlines aiming to operate out of Trenton-Mercer — one case, against Eastwinds, successfully prompted the FAA to halt its airline operations, while the other, against Frontier, did not. Upper Makefield and Yardley also pitched in $15,000 and $2,000, respectively, in the group's case against Frontier.

Russell said the FAA is responsible for certifying airlines to operate out of Trenton-Mercer, not the airport itself. And the current master plan, he said, is just a planning document, not subject to NEPA.

"The master plan will contain an environmental overview chapter, but that's not a NEPA process — it's just not," he said.

He added that the FAA will not clear any "big, controversial" projects without an environmental study, nor will it approve any federal grant funding for them.

Russell said Trenton-Mercer also will submit an expanded noise contour map — a map that shows areas near the airport where residents experience a day-night average sound level of 65 decibels — to the FAA. Residents living within the zone might be eligible for federal noise mitigation relief, he said, though he acknowledged noise levels below 65 decibels might still be an "annoyance" for residents living outside.

Public comments and concerns are being incorporated into the airport's master plan in an appendix section, which Russell said will stay relevant as project components move forward.

"It's not like those comments are going to get thrown away because they were made during the master plan," he said. "So many are germane to what's going to happen with the terminal project."

Though the airport stopped formally accepting comment June 10, Lower Makefield shared the airport's noise reporting form on the township's website.

The form asks residents to share when airport noise disturbed them, the specific source of the noise and why the noise was bothersome.

Lower Makefield's website encourages residents to submit a complaint "every time" a flight bothers them, elaborating that airport officials "have to pay some attention" to them.

Trenton-Mercer is county-owned and one of three commercial airports in New Jersey. It averages about 70,000 aircraft operations per year that include commercial flights, private and corporate aircraft as well as military and first-responder aviation.

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

Taildraggers land with noses in air: Shelbyville Municipal Airport (KSYI), Bedford County, Tennessee

Charlie Niles talks with Shelbyville Airport Operations Tech Jason Armstrong about fueling up his 1999 RV-6.

A face only a mother could love?

In the small aircraft universe there are some pilots who are judged as haughty because of the configuration of landing gear on the planes they fly. The haughty ones, according Joe Roberts, are the pilots who fly taildraggers. It seems this group has a tendency to look down their noses at the aviators who fly planes that sit level on tricycle (or nosedragger) landing gear.

For the unitiated, taildraggers have two wheels forward and a single wheel on the back end. The taildragger landing gear configuration does result in their nose pointing upward when they're on the ground. Tricycle planes have a wheel on the nose and two set back around the wings.

Quiet landings

According to Roberts, who is with Chapter 1326 of the Experimental Aircraft Association, if there are taildraggers in the Shelbyville Airport terminal and a tricycle pilot comes in they may not speak to one another.

The snootiness associated with taildragger aviators is rooted in the fact that taildragger aircraft are more difficult to handle on landings and takeoffs. It takes a little more finesse.

"Modern trainers such as the Cessna 150, Cherokee and Cessna 172 are all too easy to fly and they do not penalize the pilot who does not fly them well," writes Anandeep Pannu in "Why You Must Fly A Taildragger." "...The characteristics that make them easy to fly include nosewheel gear ...'"

Fly-in

Roberts, whose day job is with the Shelbyville Flight Academy, his wife, Linda, and the Nashville based FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) sponsored a fly-in for taildraggers last Saturday (June 17) at Shelbyville Airport. Bob Hill, the Nashville Safety Team program manager was on-hand to conduct a safety workshop. Local aircraft mechanic Charles McGaughy of Mack Air Aviation Services, based in Shelbyville, conducted a session on the safety aspects of properly maintaining an aircraft.

As the taildraggers flew in Saturday, flight instructor Jonathan Lundberg (not Lindbergh) showed one of his student pilots, Ryan Hurt, the finer points of a red, white and blue American Champion Explorer. Lundberg flies a Decathlon, a craft built to stand the stresses of aerobatic flying.

Robby Meadows rolled up in his sun yellow 2015 Carbon Cub after a 45-minute flight from Springfield. The Carbon Cub has a top speed of 141 mph. (By road it takes about an hour and half.) Meadows loves his Cub, that weighs just 980 pounds and is pulled with a 180 hp motor. The Carbon Cub has equivalent performance to a the famous P-51 Mustang, a high performance WWII fighter plane. Meadows calls it his "dirt bike." The Carbon Cub is designed for backcountry use, it can takeoff and land in extremely short distances allowing it to get in and out of places normally suitable only for helicopters.

Charlie Niles' occupation is piloting a corporate plane. He lives in Franklin. Most of his time off is also spent in the air in his RV6 that he keeps in Shelbyville. The RV6 is considered something of a hot rod in the air. Niles was planning to attend the workshops but he was getting his plane fueled Saturday morning ready for an afternoon flight.

Frank Stephenson from Murfreesboro flew in for the Saturday morning sessions in his 1956 Cessna 172TD. 1956 was the first year the 172 was built. He's had the plane for nearly three decades. In that time, he said, he's done one engine overhaul and given the craft a new paint job.

Original article can be found here:  http://www.t-g.com

Cessna P210N Pressurized Centurion, N116DC, Curtis Leasing Corp: Accident occurred May 09, 2017 in San Vicente Tancoayalab, Mexico

http://registry.faa.gov/N116DC

NTSB Identification: CEN17WA195
Accident occurred Tuesday, May 09, 2017 in San Vicente Tancoayalab, Mexico
Aircraft: CESSNA P210N, registration: N116DC
Injuries: 1 Serious.

The foreign authority was the source of this information.

On May 9, 2017, about 1430 universal coordinated time, a Cessna P210N airplane, N116DC, impacted trees and terrain during an emergency descent near San Vicente Tancoayalab, Mexico, following lightning strikes during cruise. The pilot was seriously injured and the airplane was destroyed during the impact. The aircraft originated from the General Juan Alvarez International Airport, near Acapulco, Mexico, and was destined for the Mc Allen Miller International Airport, near Mc Allen, Texas. The accident investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil (DGAC). This report is for informational purposes only and contains information released by or obtained from the government of the Mexico.

Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from:

Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil
Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes
Providencia No. 807 - 6o piso
Colonia del Valle
Codigo Postal 03100
México, D.F.
Mexico

San Vicente Tancuayalab, S.L.P.- Cae avioneta la noche de ayer lunes 8 de mayo procedente de Acapulco, Guerrero y con destino a McAllen Texas, se desplomó cuando cruzaba el cielo aéreo de este municipio porque se quedó sin combustible, provocando lesiones en el piloto, único tripulante de la aeronave. 

Según datos recabados, la avioneta monomotor cessna 206 matrícula N116DC color blanco con franjas roja y café, tripulada por el texano Tod O. Curits de 78 años de edad, cayó muy cerca de la comunidad San Francisco Cuayalab, se desplomó aproximadamente a las 22 horas, que fue cuando perdió contacto con la torre de control de Poza Rica, Veracruz de inmediato se dio el aviso y se inició su búsqueda, siendo hasta las 7 horas de la mañana de este 9 de mayo cuando se localizó.

El propietario Tod O. Curits, originario de Texas, salió con lesiones, la fractura de una costilla, pierna y tobillo izquierdo, fue trasladado al Hospital General de Ciudad Valles.

Al lugar arribaron personal del Ejército, paramédicos y voluntarios.

https://www.codigosanluis.com

Bell 429 GlobalRanger, Ministry of Interior Slovak Republic, OM-BYM: Fatal accident occurred May 10, 2017 in Presov, Slovakia

NTSB Identification: CEN17RA191
Accident occurred Wednesday, May 10, 2017 in Presov, Slovakia
Aircraft: BELL 429, registration:
Injuries: 2 Fatal, 2 Serious.

The foreign authority was the source of this information.

On May 10, 2017, about 1430 local time, a Bell 429 helicopter, Slovakia registration OM-BYM, impacted terrain shortly after takeoff near Presov, Slovakia. There were four people on board; two people received fatal injuries and two people received serious injuries.

The accident investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the Aviation and Maritime Investigation Authority. This report is for informational purposes only.

Aviation and Maritime Investigation Authority of the Slovak Republic
M.R. Stefanik Airport
823 05 Bratislava
Slovakia
E-mail: vysetrovanie@minop.sk 

Nešťastie na východe Slovenska si vyžiadalo dve obete.  

Podľa informácií Nového Času sa na vojenskej základni vo Vyšnej Šebastovej  (okres Prešov) v stredu popoludní zrútil vrtuľník ministerstva vnútra. Na palube vrtuľníka boli dvaja policajní piloti a dvaja hasiči, ktorí mali výcvik.

Policajný vrtuľník BL429 sa zrútil zvýšky 100 metrov a 200 metrov od miesta vzletu. Štyri osoby na palube utrpeli ťažké zranenia - informovala polícia na sociálnej sieti.

Podľa informácií, ktoré získal Čas.sk, na mieste dvoch členov posádky oživovali, dvoch s ťažkými zraneniami previezli do prešovskej nemocnice. Informáciu o prevoze potvrdila hovorkyňa nemocnice Renáta Cenková. Ako informuje televízia Markíza, na následky zranení zomreli dvaja ľudia. Podľa našich informácií ide o hasiča por. Petra Toďora († 43). Druhý - šéf hasičov Prešovského okresu pplk. Radoslav Lacko - zomrel v nemocnici v Košiciach.

Do prešovskej nemocnice priviezli dvoch zranených policajných pilotov.  Kopilot je hospitalizovaný na oddelení úrazovej chirurgie - je stabilizovaný, pri vedomí, mimo ohrozenia života. Utrpel zlomeninu pravej stehennej kosti, zlomeniny pravých rebier ako aj tvárových kostí vpravo. Druhý pacient - policajný pilot - je hospitalizovaný na ARO. Je v bezvedomí, na umelej pľúcnej ventilácii. Utrpel mnohopočetné zlomeniny ľavej nohy a tvárových kostí  vľavo. Je stabilizovaný, ale v kritickom stave - uviedla  pre Čas.sk hovorkyňa prešovskej nemocnice Renáta Cenková. Obidvaja zranení sú pripravovaní na operácie.

Na miesto udalosti autom smerujú minister vnútra Robert Kaliňák a hasičský prezident Alexander Nejedlý. Všetky lety vrtuľníkov ministerstva vnútra sú dočasne pozastavené.

https://www.cas.sk

Enstrom 480B, N480W: Fatal accident occurred May 10, 2017 in Fundres, Italy

http://registry.faa.gov/N480W

NTSB Identification: ERA17WA183
14 CFR Non-U.S., Non-Commercial
Accident occurred Wednesday, May 10, 2017 in Fundres, Italy
Aircraft: ENSTROM HELICOPTER CORP 480B, registration: N480W
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

The foreign authority was the source of this information.

On May 10, 2017, about 1143 universal coordinated time,an Enstrom 480B, N480W, was destroyed during an infight break-up near Fundres, Italy. The flight departed from Bolzano, Italy, and was destined for Linz, Italy. The pilot was fatally injured.

This accident investigation is under the jurisdiction of Agenzia Nazionale per la Sicurezza del Volo.

Further information pertaining to this may obtained from:
Agenzia Nazionale per la Sicurezza del Volo
Via A. Benigni, 53
00156 Rome
Italy

This report is for information purposes and contains only information released by the government of Italy.

Preliminary Report: http://www.ansv.it/pdf

Gegen 13.30 Uhr stürzte ein Hubschrauber der US-amerikanischen Marke Enstrom Helicopter am Mittwoch aus noch nicht geklärten Gründen in eine Schlucht.

Der Privat-Hubschrauber war am Vormittag in Pisa gestartet und hatte in Bozen eine Zwischenlandung eingelegt. Gegen 13 Uhr hob der Helikopter wieder ab und flog weiter in Richtung Salzburg, als es plötzlich zu dem Unglück kam.

Der Hubschrauber stürzte in eine Schlucht, war aber bereits in der Luft in kleine Teile zerbrochen, die auf einer Wiese liegen blieben. Während des Sturzes streifte der Helikopter zudem eine Stromleitung.

Ersten Annahmen zufolge könnte ein mechanisches Problem das Unglück verursacht haben: Augenzeugen berichteten, der Hubschrauber sei bereits vor dem Absturz in Flammen gestanden.

Die Ermittler nahmen einen Lokalaugenschein vor:  die Carabinieri unter Leitung von Hauptmann Christian Spagnuolo, die Staatsanwaltschaft und der am Abend aus Rom eintreffende ENAC-Ermittler Vittorio Borsi. Die Freiwillige Feuerwehr sperrte das Gelände ab. Der Hubschrauber und die Wrackteile wurden beschlagnahmt.

https://www.stol.it

Monocoupe 90F-100, CF-JGA: Fatal accident occurred May 13, 2017 in Plattsville, Canada

Raymond Taylor 

 July 30, 1949 - May 14, 2017

CF-JGA: http://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca  

NTSB Identification: CEN17WA189
Accident occurred Saturday, May 13, 2017 in Plattsville, Canada
Aircraft: MONOCOUPE 90AF, registration:
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

The foreign authority was the source of this information.

On May 13, 2017, a Monocoupe 90F-100 airplane, C-FJGA, impacted short of the threshold at Lubitz Flying Field (CLB2), Plattsville, Ontario. The pilot was fatally injured.

This investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the government of Canada. Any further information may be obtained from:

Transportation Safety Board of Canada
e-mail: airops@tsb.bst.gc.ca
Investigator in Charge: Peter Machete
e-mail: peter.machete@bst-tsb.gc.ca

This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information released by, or obtained from, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. 



Raymond George Taylor

With great sadness, the family announces Ray’s sudden passing on Sunday, May 14, 2017, when his personal Monocoupe aircraft crashed during landing in Plattsville, Ontario.

Ray was born July 30, 1949 in Brantford, Ontario and was a resident of Woodstock, Ontario for most of his life. He is survived by his daughter, Christine Taylor-Smith and husband Paul of St. Catharines, his son, Maxwell Taylor and wife Heather of North Bay. Papa Ray will be sadly missed by his three granddaughters, Molly, Megan, and Audrey, whom he adored. He is also survived by his brother Bob Lubinsky and wife Lisa, of Barrie, two sisters Orysia Pawluk and husband Evhen of Etobicoke, Ontario and Lucia Lubinsky of Lafontaine, Ontario. Ray was well respected, and will be sadly missed by, many dear friends. He is predeceased by his parents, Maxwell and Mary Taylor of Woodstock, Joseph and Anna Lubinsky of Toronto and his brother Eric Lubinsky of Toronto. 

Ray (T.V. Man) was the owner/operator of Ray Taylor Trucking for many years. He was an avid pilot and airplane enthusiast having owned and restored several private planes. Ray’s generous personality meant he was always available to his family and friends for a helping hand, a phone call, a coffee or “Friday night” wings.

Friends will be received at the SMITH-LeROY FUNERAL HOME, 69 Wellington Street North, Woodstock on Friday, May 19 from 6-8 pm and Saturday, May 20 from 10 – 11:45 where the memorial service will be held in the chapel at noon. 

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association, or a charity of your choice, can be made in Ray’s memory. 
======

A pilot returning to a Southwestern Ontario airfield died after his small plane struck trees near the runway, an investigator said Monday. 

Investigators from the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) are working to piece together how Raymond Taylor’s single-engine aircraft went down near the Plattsville airfield over the weekend.

“We don’t have any witnesses . . . which makes things a little bit harder,” said TSB technical investigator Peter Machete.

Taylor, 67, took off from Plattsville, located northeast of Woodstock, on Saturday around 11 a.m. A receipt shows he landed at the Tillsonburg airport to refuel that afternoon, Machete said.

The Joint Rescue co-ordination center was called in to search for Taylor’s plane after it wasn’t seen again.

“It was a short flight,” Machete said of the 40-kilometre trip from Tillsonburg to Plattsville.

Searchers found the wreckage, just east of the airstrip on Township Road 12 in Blandford Blenheim Township, Sunday about 6:20 a.m.

“There’s a tree line just before the threshold of the runway,” Machete said of where the plane was discovered.

Police, paramedics and firefighters attended the crash scene, where Taylor was pronounced dead. There were no passengers in the aircraft.

Machete estimates the crash happened Saturday between 2:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.

The OPP and coroner are assisting the TSB, an independent agency that probes marine, pipeline, railway and aviation transportation accidents.

Investigators will look at every­thing from radar records and Taylor’s communications to mechanical issues and for possible leads, Machete said.

“The weather doesn’t seem to be a question but we’ll look into it as well,” he added.

Taylor was flying a 1948 Monocoupe, a two-seat light aircraft.

The Norwich Township resident had his pilot’s license in his pocket at the time of the crash, Machete said.

http://www.lfpress.com

Allegiant Air launching 8 new nonstop flights from Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (KIWA)

Low-cost airline Allegiant Air will now be taking off for eight additional destinations from Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.

The Las Vegas-based airline and airport officials announced the service expansion Tuesday morning. With the additional routes, Allegiant now offers nonstop flights to 46 destinations from the East Valley airport.

The eight new routes include flights to major Midwest destinations Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Kansas City, Louisville, Omaha and St. Louis/Belleville as well as Boise, Idaho and Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida.

“Eight new destinations are a further testament to the growing strength of the Phoenix East Valley market,” said Mesa Mayor John Giles, chairman of the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority. “Today’s announcement by our airline partner Allegiant is great news for air travelers and the East Valley economy.”

Tuesday's announcement is the biggest service expansion for Allegiant at the Mesa airport since it launched there a decade ago.

“These eight new routes show that local travelers have continued to embrace Allegiant’s unique brand of ultra-low-cost fares and nonstop service to destinations around the country,” said Lukas Johnson, Allegiant senior vice president of commercial. “We are so grateful to our loyal customers in the area for helping us grow here and are excited to offer nonstop flights to these eight cities at a fare that everyone can afford.”

More than 1.3 million passengers traveled through Gateway Airport last year and airport officials anticipate a sharp increase in passenger activity with Allegiant's eight new routes.

“Air travelers across the region have long been requesting additional airline services at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport,” said J. Brian O’Neill., executive director/CEO of the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority. “I commend Allegiant for their continued investment in the greater Phoenix market. We are committed to working hard to ensure these new flights are very successful.”

Gateway Airport also is in the midst of a handful of construction projects to enhance service at the airport.

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

Boeing Sees More Than $6 Trillion in Plane Deliveries: Plane maker raises its 20-year industry forecast to 41,030 jetliners

The Wall Street Journal
By Robert Wall
Updated June 20, 2017 10:33 a.m. ET


LE BOURGET, France— Boeing Co. has raised its 20-year industry forecast for plane deliveries to 41,030 jetliners, with their value at list prices topping $6 trillion for the first time.

Boeing, the world’s No. 1 plane maker, said Tuesday that passenger traffic is poised to grow 4.7% over the next two decades. The outlook is more bullish than one that European rival Airbus SE delivered this month, which projected 4.4% growth.

Airbus and Boeing underscored the continued demand strength, principally in the large single-aisle plane sector, with several billion dollars of deals on Tuesday, the second day of the Paris Air Show.

More than half the planes Boeing expects the industry to deliver are intended to help airlines expand. The plane maker said the rest, about 43%, will be used to replace less-efficient planes being phased out. Almost 40% of the planes will go to customers in Asia, driven heavily by booming air traffic in China.

Growth is expected to be strongest in the hotly contested single-aisle segment, where Boeing offers the 737 family of planes and Airbus the A320 variants.

Boeing’s 20-year forecast calls for 29,530 new narrow body planes to make it into customer hands. On Monday, it launched its largest single-aisle plane, called the 737 Max 10, and said it had more than 10 customers committed to buying it.

In Paris, United Continental Holdings Inc. committed to taking 100 of Boeing’s Max 10s—the planes are a conversion from an earlier model. United also bought four 777-300ER long-range jets for delivery in the coming two years.

Lessor Avolon said it signed an agreement to buy 75 single-aisle planes from the U.S. manufacturer. China Aircraft Leasing Group is buying 50 of the U.S. narrowbodies, with Ryanair Holdings PLC, Europe’s largest airline by passengers, added 10 commitments for 737s. Boeing announced further over 30 additional single-aisle and widebody planes.

Airbus signed an agreement with Delta Air Lines Inc. for 10 more A321 narrowbodies, while Latin American discount carrier Viva Air committed to take 50 single-aisle jets. CBD Aviation, which Monday bought planes from Boeing, signed for 45 Airbus narrowbodies on Tuesday. Ethiopian Airlines also agreed to take 10 more A350-900 long-range planes in a deal valued at more than $3 billion at list price.

Boeing said in its 20-year outlook that demand for widebody planes, where it offers the 787 Dreamliner and 777 models, to reach 9,130 airplanes during the 20-year forecast period. Order bookings have slowed for big twin-engine planes over recent months but Boeing said there is “a large wave of potential replacement demand beginning early in the next decade.”

Randy Tinseth, vice president of marketing for Boeing’s commercial airplanes, said orders for big planes are likely to start picking up next year or in 2019 to meet the need for widebodies from 2021.

The Boeing and Airbus outlooks are broadly similar, though the U.S. manufacturer counts smaller planes not in its rival’s outlook. One segment where the two plane makers differ is in their demand forecast for the biggest passenger planes, where Boeing offers the 747-8 and Airbus its flagship A380 superjumbo.

Boeing said demand for that size plane will be principally in the cargo segment and that fewer than 100 passenger models of that type will be delivered during the coming 20 years. Airbus says more than 1,400 such planes will be delivered, including cargo models.

Both Airbus and Boeing have been forced to cut production rates of their biggest planes because of demand softness.

Boeing has shifted its focus to big twin-engine planes that can seat more than 400 passengers. By contrast, Airbus officials insist the market for its big, four-engine plane will recover. It used this week’s Paris Air Show to unveil plans for enhancements to the plane’s sizable wing to help boost fuel efficiency 4%, in the latest in a series of design tweaks to help lure customers. So far, those efforts have yielded no tangible results.

Airbus plane head Fabrice Brégier said the plane maker was in active talks for further A380 deals, though timing of when they would be completed remained uncertain. He expressed confidence the A380 would secure further orders once demand for big planes recovers.

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