Saturday, September 16, 2017

Dynamic Aviation celebrates milestone anniversary



BRIDGEWATER, Va. (WHSV) — Dynamic Aviation marked a half a century of serving people in the Shenandoah Valley with a community celebration on Saturday.

Hundreds of people from a variety of age groups came to the company's Bridgewater facility for aircraft flights, displays on aviation history and music.

Visitors also lined up to get a look inside the very first Air Force One.

"It's been wonderful. People here have been very helpful," said Max Tahir, from Harrisonburg.

A refurbished DC-3 aircraft, known as 'Miss Virginia, was also on display. It was dedicated the night before to Maddie Shinaberry, a friend of the Dynamic Aviation family who passed away in 2016 after receiving a double lung transplant.

A portion of proceeds from the event will go to the Children's Miracle Network in Maddie's name.

Since its incorporation in 1967, Dynamic Aviation has built a client list that includes state and local governments, military intelligence and national defense agencies.

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

Football fans, would-be pilots make Ohio State University Airport (KOSU) a busier place



If you think there’s been more activity lately around Don Scott Field, or Ohio State University Airport, you’re right.

The general-aviation airport’s numbers have been rising for several years.

They got a boost just last weekend thanks to a highly anticipated Buckeye football game against the University of Oklahoma.

Airport officials estimate that traffic — 2,200 takeoffs and landings — during the four-day period before and after the Sept. 9 game was the second-highest for the airport, behind only the 2006 contest between No. 1-ranked OSU and No. 2-ranked Michigan in the ’Shoe.

“It was an extremely busy weekend for us, starting midday Friday and going through midday Sunday,” said Doug Hammon, director of the airport.

Hammon cited the game — a matchup between two Top 10-ranked teams with passionate fan bases — and the distance between the schools: too far for a comfortable drive and not connected by nonstop commercial flights.

“This was a very pleasant, nice crowd” of Oklahoma fans, said Mike Eppley, who manages the service operation at the airport on the Northwest Side. “We took care of them. We made them happy, and we sent them away very happy,” he said dryly, referring to Ohio State’s loss to the Sooners.

The OSU-Army game Saturday isn’t expected to be nearly as busy for the airport, although the airport expects that some visitors — including military officers — will be flying in for the game.

The busy weekend isn’t an anomaly for Don Scott Field.

Measured by takeoffs and landings, it’s the third busiest airport in the state behind John Glenn Columbus and Cleveland Hopkins international airports. Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport isn’t included in those figures as it’s not in Ohio.

But the steadily growing number of flights at Don Scott over the past few years reflects a couple of larger trends.

A good portion of the increased activity is linked to the university’s flight school. Enrollment has steadily increased with the news in recent years that airlines desperately need pilots. And the regional airlines, where most pilots begin their careers, have increased pay somewhat and often offer signing bonuses.

“They know they’re going to get a job offer at a regional (airline) if they complete their training and get their hours here,” said Brandon Mann, director of flight education at the airport. “It’s hard to even keep instructors now, there are so many pilot jobs to be had.”

The higher numbers also reflect overall growth in private aviation. The segment is finally getting close to a recovery from the financial crisis and its lingering effects.

“The last three or four years, we’ve seen nice month-over-month, year-over-year growth,” said Scott Liston, executive vice president of Cincinnati-based Argus International, an aviation services and data company focused on business aviation.

According to Argus, Ohio ranked 10th among U.S. states in the number of departures of business aviation aircraft in 2016. The top three states were Texas, California and Florida, all with more than 240,000 departures. After that, the numbers drop off significantly. Ohio had more than 69,000 departures.

Nationally, the latest data from Argus shows that overall private aviation activity was up 5.2 percent for August compared with August 2016. Last month was the busiest month since May 2008. That comes on top of a 3 percent increase in private flight activity in August 2016 compared with August 2015.

Virtually all aircraft types and operational categories of business aviation are seeing growth. Activity for fractional aircraft, a segment dominated by Columbus-based NetJets, is up 7 percent in the past year. NetJets accounts for nearly two-thirds of fractional market flight activity.

At its annual meeting this year, NetJets owner Berkshire Hathaway said NetJets revenue for the first quarter was up 19 percent over the previous year. NetJets spokeswoman Kristyn Wilson said the company’s total number of flights last year was still down about 15 percent from 2007, but said the company is now “more profitable (and) stable” than it was 10 years ago.

For Don Scott, more flight activity is “good for everybody,” Hammon said.

In addition to bringing in revenue that can help make the airport more self-supporting, added flights often mean added local spending on things such as food and accommodations.

Hammon said many coming to Columbus for a football game come in early to play golf, go shopping at Easton Town Center or visit attractions such as the North Market.

Story and photo gallery ➤ http://www.dispatch.com

Pittsburgh International Airport (KPIT) $1.1B overhaul: Prematurely cleared for takeoff

More than $900 million was borrowed to build the current Pittsburgh International Airport, which opened 25 years ago, to US Airways' hub specifications. That turned out to be a profound mistake when US Airways' declining fortunes led it to close its Pittsburgh hub in 2004, taking 500 daily flights and 10,000 jobs with it and leaving much of the airport unused.

Now, the Allegheny County Airport Authority insists on spending $1.1 billion on a massive overhaul that includes building a new landside terminal, renovating the existing airside terminal, eliminating the existing terminals' connecting tram, redeveloping or demolishing (for about $20 million) the existing landside terminal, and replacing the baggage-handling systems.

After a quarter-century, the airport no doubt needs work. The authority wants to eliminate the growing maintenance costs and headaches of the tram and existing baggage systems, and to “align the facility with the needs of a modern passenger experience.” But is a $1.1 billion overhaul really necessary for an airport ranked this summer by readers of Travel + Leisure magazine as the nation's sixth best?

“The plan does not include the local use of tax dollars,” the authority says, referring to revenue collected by the county and its municipalities — phrasing that leaves ample room for state and federal tax dollars. Actually, bonds are to pay most of the cost — still more borrowing, despite 25 percent of the current airport's construction debt remaining to repay as of next year.

Curiously, a breakdown showing bonds paying for 51 percent of the cost — $550 million-plus in new borrowing — disappeared from the project's website the day it was announced. Still, authority CEO Christina Cassotis maintains “the airlines are paying for this” — and uses that to justify the utter lack of public input before the authority voted for the project.

Indeed, one especially troubling aspect is this plan's presentation to the public as pretty much a done deal, albeit one sketchy on details — and by an unelected authority board with no direct voter or taxpayer accountability. The authority claims three years' work with airlines on the plan. But it was announced shortly after Amazon made known its search for a second headquarters city, to which Ms. Cassotis alluded. Taxpayers thus should question whether this project is more about an “artificial sweetener” for Amazon now than it is about air travelers' actual future needs.

All this is more than enough to give pause. Yet the authority's charging ahead, intending groundbreaking in 2019 and completion in 2023. And though it claims the budget “includes price escalations and contingencies,” it's rare that any project of such scope finishes on time and on budget. Thus, that $1.1 billion is just an initial estimate, one sure to rise.

Given Pittsburgh International's importance for Western Pennsylvania's economy and quality of life, rushing a new overhaul poses too great a risk of botching this one as badly as the last one. The airport's future should be thoroughly debated, in public and by the public, before any new overhaul goes forward.

To do otherwise prematurely clears this $1.1 billion plan for takeoff. 

Original article can be found here ➤ http://triblive.com

Great Lakes hopes to return to Scottsbluff, Utah airline among those offering competition in Essential Air Service bid

After recent problems, first with Great Lakes Aviation and then with PenAir, the Western Nebraska Regional Airport sought bids for a new carrier to service the area. Six bids were placed with the U.S. Department of Transportation. The bids were more than expected and officials around the region have said that is a good sign for Scottsbluff.

The Star-Herald will examine the companies submitting bids in stories this week. In this edition, the Star-Herald looks at SkyWest Airlines and Great Lakes Aviation.

Utah airline bids to fly Scottsbluff to Denver route

SCOTTSBLUFF – SkyWest Airlines, headquartered in St. George, Utah, has proposed to serve the Scottsbluff to Denver Essential Air Service (EAS) route with 12 roundtrip flights per week for a two-year term.

The airline has codeshare partnerships with the world’s largest network carriers, including United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and Alaska Airlines.

In its $3.1 million bid proposal, SkyWest will be associated with United Airlines and will be marketed as United Express. The agreement allows travelers to take advantage of United’s frequent flyer program for seamless booking and baggage transfers to their entire network. SkyWest has a long history in many EAS communities in the United States.

For the Scottsbluff to Denver run, the airline will fly the 50-seat Canadair CRJ200 twin engine jet. Since 2007, they’ve been named five times as the most reliable CJR200 operator in North America.

SkyWest has replaced its prop plane service in several markets and the transition has stimulated a strong jump in passenger traffic. They expect to see similar increases in the western Nebraska market.




The flight schedule features both morning and afternoon departure times from Western Nebraska Regional Airport. The flights are coordinated to facilitate seamless connections to United’s large and diverse flight schedule from the Denver market. That includes more than 5,400 daily flights to more than 370 airports.

SkyWest has a fleet of 415 aircraft and recently placed and order for 25 additional larger planes for use in its partnerships with Delta and Alaska Airlines. SkyWest currently operates more than 2.000 flights per day to 229 destinations throughout North America.

The proposal states that kind of conductivity “makes it simple for passengers to plan their travel and is a key factor in the area’s continued economic development.”

Greg Atkin, managing director for market development for SkyWest, said there are more than 400 United and United Express daily departures from Denver International Airport.

“Because of these attributes, as well as the local demand to visit Denver, we expect to see a significant increase in passenger traffic in the community.”

On June 19, 1972, SkyWest Airlines made its first flight from St. George to Salt Lake City, Utah, with a stop in Cedar City along the way. It’s grown into an air service provider offering global access to millions of travelers each month.

Along the way, Professional Pilots magazine named SkyWest the Top Regional Airline for 2000 and Aviation Week and Space Technology magazine chose them as the Best Managed Regional Airline of the Year for both 2000 and 2001. Air Transport World magazine picked SkyWest as its Top Regional Airline of the Year for 2003.

Cheyenne-based airline bids to return to Scottsbluff

SCOTTSBLUFF — Great Lakes Aviation, one of six companies that have put in bids for the Western Nebraska Regional Airport, announced its bid to be $2,767,187.

Based in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Great Lakes has provided essential air service for over 32 years throughout Midwest and Western regions of the United States. Great Lakes formerly served the Scottsbluff area until November 2016 when it was replaced by PenAir due to pilot issues and unreliability.

The Great Lakes proposal would offer three round-trip flights on Beechcraft 1900D 28 aircraft, which typically seats 19 passengers. Great Lakes would also offer two round-trip flights on EMB-120 Brasilia 6 aircraft, which seats 30 passengers as an alternative. Both bids would be for the same annual subsidy.

If Great Lakes Aviation were chosen as the carrier in Scottsbluff, passengers would have the ability to fly on other major airlines. Great Lakes has a codeshare with United Airlines, which allows passengers easy transfer to United flights as well as baggage transfer to final destinations. Interline ticketing with American Airlines, Delta Airlines and United Airlines is also offered in the proposal.




Great Lakes Aviation submitted the proposal to provide essential air transportation at Scottsbluff, Kearney and North Platte, as well as Dodge City and Liberal, Kansas, and Crescent City, California. According to their bid, Great Lakes said each market should be considered as a stand-alone proposal.

Doug Voss, CEO of Great Lakes, said fares began at $39, but the average would be at $50 each way between Scottsbluff and Denver.

The airline has several planes available to serve its needs. Voss said there are 28 1900s — 14 are in storage and 14 are flying. Great Lakes has a maintenance base in Denver and Cheyenne.

The airline was founded by Voss and Ivan Simpson on April 5, 1977, and began flying in Oct. 12, 1981, on flights between Spencer and Des Moines, Iowa. From 1992 to 2002, the airline was a large United Express “feeder” carrier, with operations in more than 100 cities. By Dec. 17, 2016, that number had reduced to 11 cities, with all flights operating under its own brand. At one time, Great Lakes was the largest EAS provider in America. Today, only four of its 11 destinations is through the EAS program.

Government restrictions in 2013 on pilots and crew caused the airline to suffer along with many other commuter airlines. Services to many airports, including Scottsbluff, were lost as cancellations mounted.

Scottsbluff was among several airlines who sought new carriers in 2016 in an attempt to rectify the situation. Voss said the situation today is still all about the pilots.

“PenAir clearly had the same issues,” he said.

Everyone is in recruitment mode, Voss said.

“We have the unique ability to hire retirees,” he said. “In Denver, there is a large number of pilots retiring from United and Frontier who will continue to live in Denver.”

Great Lakes is operating as a smaller carrier than it was five years ago and has worked on several ways to alleviate the pilot shortage. The airline will compensate pilots if they make themselves available for 15 days per month. If they assure the airline they can fly for 10, they will be provided with seniority.

“The fundamental issue for all small communities right now is pilot supply,” he said.

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

Cessna 172M Skyhawk, N9924Q: Aircraft broke loose from the tiedowns during Hurricane Irma - blown across ramp upside down








































AIRCRAFT: 1975 CESSNA C172M N9924Q, s/n: 17265868 
TTAF 7007.6 at the last annual inspection on 05/24/17
Current Tach 7017.2; Hobbs 1752.0

ENGINE: Lycoming O-320-D2J, s/n: RL-15878-39A
TSMOH 110.7 at the last annual inspection on 05/24/17
Overhauled 03/08/16 by JB Aircraft Engines.  TTSN 2150.  Tach 6896.4

EQUIPMENT: Removed and stored separately.  Condition not known or warranted.

(1) GPS - Apollo 2001 NMS
(2) NAV/COM TKM MX17DC
(1) Transponder Narco AT 165 TSO
(1) Audio Selector Panel PMA 6000
(1) DME King KN 62
(1) ADF 300 ADF R-546E

DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT:  N9924Q broke loose from the tiedowns during Hurricane Irma, and was blown across the ramp upside down at Homestead, Florida

DESCRIPTION OF DAMAGES:    Damage includes but may not be limited to the following:       
- Tail was broken in half and is separated from the fuselage
- Tail, horizontal stabilizer and elevators damaged
- Wings and fuselage are also damaged      

LOCATION OF AIRCRAFT:  Florida Air Recovery, Fort Pierce, Florida

REMARKS: INSPECTION OF SALVAGE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Salvage is sold AS IS/WHERE IS. 

Logbooks are NOT complete - no airframe logs prior to 2003. 
                     
03/08/16 - Ram STC SA2375SW-D dated November 1, 1976, amended August 28, 1987, reissuance Aug 25, 2008 and Ram Drawing No R17201-H dated December 10, 1986

Wings were removed for retrieval.

Read more here:  http://www.avclaims.com/N9924Q.html



LAKELAND — Dr. Charles Llano, a Lakeland dentist, owns a second home on Summerland Key, one of the islands hit hardest by Hurricane Irma’s assault on the archipelago south of Miami.

Llano’s getaway survived the monster storm fairly intact, so he’s spending much of his time assisting his island neighbors in need.

A private pilot with a Piper Lance PA-32 single-engine aircraft, Llano is part of a large, all-volunteer effort to airlift food, water and other supplies into Summerland Key. Their efforts dovetail with government and military operations.

Working from Lakeland’s Sun ’n Fun complex adjacent to Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, this band of volunteer pilots, amateurs and professionals alike, are united by the desire to help storm victims in the Keys, where disaster relief operations are barely underway, they said.

“One of my neighbors lost his house completely,” said Llano, who attended an early morning briefing Friday at Sun ’n Fun orchestrated by the nonprofit AERObridge. “It’s so devastating ... you just feel you can’t do enough (to help).”

Llano was joined Friday by pilots from across the country and throughout Florida, including Michael Hare, 63, a commercial pilot from Gainesville, co-owner of a Cessna Cardinal, a light, single-engine aircraft.

With the assistance of a volunteer ground crew, he loaded the small plane with boxes of ready-to-eat meals and cases of water.

“I had the day off so now I’m off to Homestead (Executive Jet Center),” Hare said. “My plan is to come back here and see how the loads (of donated goods and supplies) are coming. The whole idea is to be flexible.”

Hare’s solo flight to the southern tip of peninsular Florida will take approximately 90 minutes. Once in Homestead, volunteers will off-load the supplies and load them into one of several larger planes commissioned by AERObridge for delivery to a small, private airstrip on Summerland Key.

AERObridge is operating a second staging area at an Ocala airport, where volunteer pilots are picking up more food and supplies for delivery to the Homestead airport. The supplies, including charcoal, gasoline and personal hygiene items, are being collected through a network of suppliers that work with groups like AERObridge in times of crisis.

Individual donations are being accepted through Monday. Items needed most include non-perishable food, pet food and water. Deliveries may be dropped off from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sun ’n Fun Expo Campus Aerospace Pavilion, 4175 Medulla Road.

All delivery vehicles should place a sign on the dashboard that reads: “Drop-Off.”

“We’re ferrying in as much food and water as possible,” said Marianne Stevenson, president of AERObridge, an independent disaster relief organization that also is coordinating relief flights into St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, which was strafed by Irma’s winds.

AERObridge flights out of Lakeland began earlier this week and are expected to continue into next week.

The group’s mission is authorized by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has limited the mercy flights to Summerland Key, where first-responders and other volunteers are assisting in warehousing and distributing supplies, said Michael Burwell, who is overseeing AERObridge’s Lakeland operation.

AERObridge pilots have assisted in other ways, such as the emergency delivery of an elderly Key West resident to a Fort Lauderdale hospital, and transporting a Keys woman left homeless by the storm to Lakeland, where she was picked up by relatives.

By order of FEMA, AERObridge pilots are forbidden from bringing members of the media into the Keys, Burwell said. Pilots spotting damage from the air are saying that the devastation is widespread, he said.

“It’s heart-wrenching what’s been going on down there,” said Burwell, a resident of greater Minneapolis. “It’s devastating from what I’ve heard.”

John Parrish, 51, left his job with a commercial cleaning business in Columbia, S.C., Thursday morning to pick up a load of supplies in Ocala and fly them to Homestead in his Beechcraft Bonanza. He returned to Lakeland and was ready Friday morning to take to the air with another load.

“It’s a six-seater and I took three out so we could fit a bunch of stuff,” he said. “We just wanted to come help.”

Story and photo gallery ➤ http://www.theledger.com

Abrupt Maneuver: Piper J3C-65, N38365; accident occurred September 16, 2017 in Hanover Township, Beaver County, Pennsylvania

Main Wreckage From Front
Federal Aviation Administration

Fuselage From Left Side
Federal Aviation Administration

View From Tail
Federal Aviation Administration

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Allegheny, Pennsylvania

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


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


http://registry.faa.gov/N38365


Location: Hanover Township, PA
Accident Number: ERA17LA328
Date & Time: 09/16/2017, 1649 EDT
Registration: N38365
Aircraft: PIPER J3C
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Abrupt maneuver
Injuries: 2 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On September 16, 2017, about 1649 eastern daylight time, a Piper J3C-65, N38365, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees and terrain while maneuvering near Hanover Township, Pennsylvania. The private pilot and pilot-rated passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight that departed Herron Airport (7G1), New Cumberland, West Virginia. The airplane was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to the pilot, he and the passenger made two previous local flights that day before the accident flight. During the third flight of the day, approximately 1,000 ft above ground level, he started a left turn and the airplane rolled over into an inverted attitude. The pilot further stated, "in a bat of an eye it rolled over." He then corrected the roll and when the airplane was straight and level, he saw some tree tops. He tried to pull up, but the airplane contacted the tree tops and impacted the ground. The pilot stated there were no mechanical issues with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.

According to the pilot-rated passenger, they were flying along with friends, who were flying their airplanes. One of their friend's airplanes passed them to the left and they were going to turn left and follow it. During the turn to the left, the airplane rolled over. She further stated, "it rolled over so fast she could not believe it." They contacted some tree tops and impacted the ground. She stated there were no mechanical issues with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.

Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane had sustained damage to the forward and aft wing spar on the left wing. The right main landing gear was separated. One propeller blade was bent. The bulkhead fuel tank was ruptured. Cable continuity was established to all flight controls. 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 23, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Rear
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 02/17/2017
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 06/30/2017
Flight Time:  (Estimated) 230 hours (Total, all aircraft), 195 hours (Total, this make and model), 40 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 15 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 1.5 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft) 

Pilot-Rated Passenger Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 24, Female
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land; Single-engine Sea
Seat Occupied: Front
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 04/30/2017
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 06/30/2017
Flight Time: 127 hours (Total, all aircraft), 0 hours (Total, this make and model) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: PIPER
Registration: N38365
Model/Series: J3C 65
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1941
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 6973
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 06/10/2017, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1220 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 3200 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: CONT MOTOR
ELT: C91A installed, activated, did not aid in locating accident
Engine Model/Series: C-90-8
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 90 hp
Operator:On file 
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KPIT, 1203 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 9 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 2051 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 105°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 3800 ft agl
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 6500 ft agl
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 6 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:
Wind Direction: 120°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:
Altimeter Setting: 30.15 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 26°C / 17°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: NEW CUMBERLAND, WV (7G1)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: NEW CUMBERLAND, WV (7G1)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1630 EDT
Type of Airspace: Class G 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Minor
Latitude, Longitude: 40.523611, -80.406389 (est)

NTSB Identification: ERA17LA328
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, September 16, 2017 in Hanover Township, PA
Aircraft: PIPER J3C, registration: N38365
Injuries: 2 Minor.

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 may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On September 16, 2017, about 1650 eastern daylight time, a Piper J3C-65, N38365, was substantially damaged while maneuvering near Hanover Township, Pennsylvania. The private pilot and pilot-rated passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight that departed Herron Airport (7G1), New Cumberland, West Virginia. The airplane was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to the pilot, he and the passenger made two previous local flights that day before the accident flight. During the third flight of the day, approximately 1,000 ft above ground level, he started a left turn and the airplane rolled over. The pilot further stated, "it rolled over in a blink of an eye." He then corrected the roll and when the airplane was straight and level, he saw some tree tops. He tried to pull-up but the airplane contacted the tree tops and impacted the ground. The pilot stated there were no mechanical issues with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.

According to the pilot-rated passenger, they were flying along with friends, who were flying their airplanes. One of their friend's airplanes passed them to the left and they were going to turn left and follow it. During the turn to the left, the airplane rolled over. She further stated, "it rolled over so fast she could not believe it." They contacted some tree tops and impacted the ground. She stated there were no mechanical issues with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.

Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane had sustained damage to the forward and aft wing spar on the left wing. The right main landing gear was separated. The propeller had one blade bent. The bulkhead fuel tank was ruptured. Cable continuity was established to all flight controls.




Two men were injured when a two-seat airplane crashed Saturday afternoon in Beaver County.

The crash occurred about 4:50 p.m. in the 200 block of McKenzie Road in Hanover, county emergency officials said.

A 23-year-old Hookstown man and a 24-year-old man from Arlington, Va., were on board when the Piper J3C-65 crashed into a tree on private property, Pennsylvania State Police said.

Both men were taken to Allegheny General Hospital with moderate but non-life threatening injures, according to police. 

At the crash site, the small, yellow aircraft was positioned nose-down in the ground, and its tail was held up by tree limbs.

State police and the Federal Aviation Administration were investigating, officials said.

Original article can be found here ➤  http://www.post-gazette.com



HANOVER TOWNSHIP (KDKA) — A small plane crashed in Hanover Township on Saturday afternoon.

It happened in the 200 block of McKenzie Road around 5 p.m.

State police and Federal Aviation Administration officials were at the scene.

Two people were reportedly injured.

Original article can be found here ➤ http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com

New report says noise complaints are up at Reagan National (KDCA), Dulles (KIAD) airports



Residents from across the Washington region filed a record number of complaints about noise from flights at Reagan National and Dulles International airports in 2016 — more than four times the number recorded in the previous year, according to new data released this month.

And those tens of thousands of complaints are coming from a broader geographic area than ever before — a trend residents and some elected officials say is driven by changes the Federal Aviation Administration has made to flight paths at the region’s three major airports.

In all, airport officials logged 42,683 complaints about flights at National and Dulles in 2016, compared with just under 10,000 in 2015. As in previous years, most of the complaints were about flights at National. Noise reports for National jumped more than fourfold to 36,653 in 2016, from 8,760 in 2015. Dulles also saw a significant increase, with slightly more than 6,000 complaints in 2016, from about 1,200 in 2015.

Noise complaints also are increasing at Baltimore-Washington International Marshall Airport.

In 2015, when new flight paths were in place, complaints at BWI increased to 1,850 from just over 850 the previous year. In 2016, there were almost 2,700 complaints. As with National and Dulles, one person can be responsible for making multiple complaints.

Officials with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which manages National and Dulles airports, concede new flight patterns are partly to blame for the increase in complaints, but they contend increased resident awareness, media attention and more early-morning and late-night flights at National also have contributed to the rise.

They also note that more than half of the complaints filed came from just three individuals. One resident of Northwest Washington’s affluent Foxhall neighborhood filed 17,273 complaints about noise at National — an average of 47 a day. That far surpasses the 6,500 complaints filed by one person in 2015.

A second person in the same neighborhood filed more than 1,800 complaints.

A resident of Poolesville, Md., in western Montgomery County, who filed nearly 3,800 complaints, accounted for about 63 percent of the total complaints for Dulles.

But residents who say takeoffs and landings at National are giving them headaches and disturbing their sleep say focusing on the outsize number of complaints from three people shows that MWAA is trivializing their concerns and not committed to addressing them.

The noise problem, they say, is serious and widespread.

“They would like to marginalize the community complaints, that’s what that is,” said Janelle Wright, who lives in Potomac, Md. “Frankly, it’s a little offensive. It really shows that they’re not taking the complaints seriously.”

Complaints about airplane noise are as old as airports themselves. But in recent years grumbling has intensified as the FAA has worked to modernize the air traffic system. The goal of the program — the Next Generation Air Transportation System, or NextGen — is to replace radar navigation with a satellite-based GPS network. FAA officials say the change would allow planes to travel crowded skies safely at much closer distances. Pilots also would be able to fly more direct routes, they add.

But in some cases, the shift replaced old flight patterns with new ones. As a result, areas where airport noise had not been a problem now say they are being rattled by the sound of flights. In the D.C. region, about 4,000 aircraft operate in Washington airspace each day.

FAA officials said they are not ignoring residents’ complaints. adding that they’ve held numerous meetings with residents and local officials about the changes made as part of the transition to NextGen as well as shifts that were made to address concerns about noise in McLean and Arlington. Earlier this month, for example, FAA officials met with staff members of Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-Md.) to discuss the issue.

“The FAA is working with airports and airlines throughout the country to improve the safety and on-time performance of air travel,” said Laura Brown, an FAA spokeswoman. “These actions have noise implications. As a result, the FAA has worked closely with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) and the Maryland Aviation Administration (MAA) to address community noise complaints in neighborhoods near the three DC-area airports.”

But that’s of little consolation for residents like Wright.

Wright and her family moved to Potomac in 2014, shortly before the FAA began phasing in the new flight patterns. The family was delighted to find a home where they could hear the sounds of crickets and birds. But starting last summer, the sounds of nature began to be drowned out by jets.

“The arrivals are like a dropping bomb, the departures just a loud roar,” said Wright, a member of the Montgomery Quiet Skies Coalition, which formed to fight for changes to the flight paths.

Her neighborhood in Potomac is only one of the areas where complaints rose in 2016, according to the MWAA report. In 2014, the year before the FAA began different paths, there was one complaint. In 2016, the first full year the new routes were in place, the number rose to 43. Complaints also increased in other Montgomery County neighborhoods, including Bethesda and Cabin John. In Prince George’s County, there was an uptick in reports from Fort Washington and Accokeek.

On the Virginia side, the report showed an increase in complaints from Springfield, McLean and Great Falls in Fairfax County and in Arlington County and the city of Alexandria. However the most complaints — more than 6,400 — came from residents in the Alexandria section of Fairfax. This is the first year MWAA put complaints from the Alexandria section of the county in their own category; before, they were included in the count for the city of Alexandria.

“Between Reagan National and Dulles International airports, my constituents in Northern Virginia are greatly impacted by aircraft noise,” said Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.), who pushed to include a provision mandating a study of the affects of aircraft noise in the region in the FAA reauthorization bill.

Maryland residents won support for their cause from a bipartisan slate of high-profile backers, including the state’s two Democratic senators and its Republican governor.

Gov. Larry Hogan (R) upped the stakes last week, directing Attorney General Brian Frosh (D) to sue the FAA. Hogan’s directive came after he wrote to FAA Administrator Michael P. Huerta and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao demanding action.

In a response to Hogan last month, Huerta wrote that the concerns the governor raised have been given a “high priority” and that the agency has made some changes as a result of community input — directing pilots to climb to higher altitudes before turning, for example. However, he said it would not be possible to return to the previous flight paths and procedures.

In the District, where residents have formed the Washington, D.C. Fair Skies Coalition, a lawsuit filed in 2015 could be scheduled for oral arguments this fall.

A spokesman for Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) did not return requests for comment. But other elected officials have heard the complaints and are working with both the FAA and Virginia residents to find a solution.

Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) voiced support for the FAA’s efforts to modernize the air traffic system, but said the agency must also work with communities as they make the changes.

“No one wants to move backward, and I for one have been saying for years that we need to act quicker in implementing NextGen modernization,” Warner said in a statement. “However, the FAA cannot operate in a vacuum. They need to start listening to impacted communities before they make these route changes, and I have urged the FAA and the Airports Authority to work on some modest changes that would take into account these noise concerns.”

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