Thursday, February 15, 2018

Imperial Oil Ltd warns faulty avgas could pose fuel gauge interference

CALGARY — Imperial Oil Ltd. is warning regulators and customers that aviation gasoline shipped from its Edmonton-area refinery could cause interference with aircraft fuel gauge sensors.

The company says in a release that a product quality problem was discovered earlier this week at its Strathcona refinery and all shipments of “avgas” were immediately halted.

However, it says there were potential quality problems with fuel shipped since December 28, resulting in a request to distributors to immediately stop selling the product. It says it has warned Transport Canada about the situation.

Imperial said it is not aware of any safety issues as yet related to the fuel. It said its fuel warning does not extend to aircraft that use jet fuel, also known in the industry as “Jet A.”

Spokesman Jon Harding said avgas is mainly used in smaller planes but couldn’t provide detail on how much fuel may be affected or where it was distributed.

Downstream vice-president Jon Wetmore said an investigation into the cause of the issue is ongoing and more information will be released as the situation evolves.

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



Boundary Bay’s small aircraft are stuck on the ground after news that some of its fuel has been contaminated.

Boundary Bay is one of six airports in the Lower Mainland that received a delivery of low quality aviation fuel (known as avgas) from the Strathcona Refinery near Edmonton. According to Pitt Meadows Regional Airport Manager George Miller, this fuel is used for general aviation — smaller aircraft.

These aircraft are what Pacific Flying Club, a flight school based out of Boundary Bay Airport, use to train pilots. Executive director Clark Duimel said this has caused significant problems for their flight school.

“There is no fuel at Boundary Bay Airport, so we can’t go flying,” he said. “That’s huge.”

Boundary Bay’s avgas has been quarantined because of the contaminated shipment. Duimel said there have been fuel issues in the past at Boundary Bay Airport, but never to this extent.

Although Miller expects that the problem will be resolved later today or tomorrow for Pitt Meadows, Duimel said he heard the problem could continue until February 22.

“For every nice day this time of the year, we can do 75 plus hours” of training, Duimel said. “So it slows everybody’s training down right now. And this isn’t helping the situation with the lack of pilots.”

Imperial issued a press release that it has notified regulators and customers of potential low fuel quality in the avgas shipped from its Strathcona refinery.

“The primary concern is that the product quality issue may cause interference with on-board fuel gauge sensors of aircraft using avgas,” said the press release.

“All shipments of the avgas from Strathcona refinery were promptly stopped as soon as the company became aware of the issue on February 13, 2018. Imperial has also requested that all distributors cease distribution of the product.”

The fuel warning does not extend to planes that use jet fuel.

Original article ➤ https://www.northdeltareporter.com

Helena Regional Airport (KHLN) tackles snow removal



HELENA – The Helena Regional Airport says that this winter has been particularly difficult year due to snow and ice. Yet despite the harsh weather the airport has remained operational at all hours.

Since November of last year the Helena Regional Airport has seen over 8,000 flights. During that time they have had only one cancellation due to weather.

Around a dozen airport staff works around the clock with plows, blowers and brooms to keep the runway clear. So far the airport has used over 20,000 gallons of diesel gasoline this year.

Airport director Jeff Wadekamper says that this winter has been one of the most challenging he has ever seen at the airport.

The freezing rain earlier this month required them to deice the runway multiple times. The airport uses specialized pellets to clear off the ice and it costs them $10,000 every time they deice the runway.

Wadekamper says that he incredibly proud his staff, the work they do and the sacrifices they make.

“They’re all very dedicated, work very hard [and] have put in some long hours,” said Wadekamper, “Every single holiday that we’ve had they’ve been here instead of being home with their families and so they’ve really put in a lot of time. We have a tremendous staff.”

Federal Aviation Administration names Stillwater Regional (KSWO) as Oklahoma Airport of the Year

Provided Stillwater Regional Airport was named Oklahoma Airport of the Year during a ceremony January 30 in Hurst, Texas. Shown, from left: Justin Barker, Oklahoma District Assistant Manager, Glenn Boles, Oklahoma District Manager, Marc Colditz, Oklahoma District Program Manager, Gary Johnson, Airport Director, Paul Priegel, Assistant Airport Director, and Ignaccio Flores, Director Airports, SW Region of FAA.


Recognition has been on an upward trajectory for Stillwater Regional Airport ever since commercial flights with American Airlines began in August 2016. On Jan. 30, the Federal Aviation Administration awarded SWO with its 2017 Oklahoma Regional Airport of the Year Award.

The award, according to the certificate, “recognizes airport sponsors that have creative a positive safety culture, implemented sound and consistent capital planning, supported FAA initiatives and have enhanced safety at the airport.”

“It’s very important for everyone to understand that an award like this is a product of our staff and the partnership that exists between the City of Stillwater, the Airport Authority, Oklahoma State University, the Chamber of Commerce and Visit Stillwater,” Airport Director Gary Johnson said. “Certainly all of those partners were big players in helping the airport grow and be recognized with such an award as this.”

Oklahoma is in the FAA’s Southwest Region, which includes Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana and Arkansas. One airport out of each state won the award. Stillwater has won the award three times, the last time in 2005, but recently the accolades have been piling up. SWO also won the 2017 Oklahoma Airport of the Year from the Oklahoma Airport Operators Association, received the TSA Partnership Award for the state of Oklahoma and the American Airlines Envoy Team won the “Customer Cup” for outstanding customer service in the first quarter of operations.

“We’re consistently the fourth busiest airport in terms of operations, which are landing and takeoff, we’re around 80,000 landings and takeoffs per year. A lot of people don’t realize that,” Airport Assistant Director Paul Priegel said.

As the aviation and aerospace industry continues its growth in Oklahoma, Stillwater counts itself among the state’s economic drivers.

“Our economic impact for 2016 was $70 million to the local economy,” Johnson said. “That’s direct and indirect as well as jobs and the multiplier effect of the dollars.”

Johnson gets his numbers from a study by the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission. The OAC found that airport tenants (a large group made up of airline, or other agencies, contractors) accounted for about $12.7 million in total annual spending. General Aviation spending was about $10.1 million and commercial service visitor impact was valued at $15 million in spending.

He’s excited about the past, present and future of the airport. As he spoke Thursday morning, concrete was being poured for Phase One of the Parallel Taxiway Project. When design standards changed, Stillwater Regional had to have a taxiway that runs beside the airport’s apron, or ramp, instead of through it. Phase One of the project is well on its way. Phase Two should begin in March.

And, of course, with success comes expectations. A lot of people are curious if SWO will have direct commercial flights to and from destinations other than DFW in the future.

“Right now, where we are in the development in air service here … a natural progression would be adding an additional flight to Dallas, to increase the opportunity of our passengers to arrive and depart. I think it would be some time before an additional destination might be feasible,” Johnson said. “We are obviously generating the data. We didn’t know exactly what we were going to have or how well the market would respond. We look at that every month and American looks at it, and try to evaluate what’s going on and where the market share’s coming from. But it’s a growing process and a learning process. We believe that America and the Dallas Fort Worth hub offers us strong domestic and global connectivity, which is an important part of our success.”

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

Sacramento International Airport (KSMF) agent halts possible human trafficking

American Airlines ticket agent Denice Miracle spotted a possible case of human trafficking at the Sacramento Airport on August 31, 2017.


SACRAMENTO (FOX 40) - An airport deputy and an airlines agent are being celebrated for potentially saving two Sacramento-area girls from human trafficking.

When people think of trafficking, they often think of malls and public places -- but oftentimes, sex trafficking begins with predators on social media, convincing young girls to meet in person.

In this most recent case, traffickers convinced two young girls through Instagram to get on a flight to New York -- where they likely would've been trafficked, had it not been for the actions of American Airlines agent, Denice Miracle.
  
"I fully believe she probably prevented these girls from becoming victims," said Todd Sanderson, sheriff's deputy at the Sacramento International Airport.

On Aug. 31, two girls, ages 15 and 17,  approached the American Airlines counter with reservations for a flight to New York -- reservations made on a fraudulent credit card.

The girls had no identification and no return flight home -- things that left Miracle uneasy.

"She just felt uneasy about the whole situation," said Sanderson.

Rather than turning the girls away, Miracle alerted Sanderson, who later found them near the terminal.

"They had told us they were talking to somebody on Instagram who was asking them to come back and take pictures, modeling pictures, and music videos," said Sanderson.

That was a red flag for Sanderson -- who said his training helped him identify the hallmarks of sex trafficking.

"That's typically the ruse that's being used to get minors and others involved to do that," said Sanderson.

That ruse may have continued, had Miracle not stepped in.

Sanderson said the girls didn't believe him at first -- that they were being tricked into trafficking.

They were shaken when it sunk in, but had Miracle let them leave the airport, they wouldn't have gotten the message,

American Airlines wouldn't allow Miracle to speak to FOX40 today on camera -- but the airline sent a statement detailing the act of kindness.

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

Cirrus Aviation Champions Private Jet Charter Growth in the Las Vegas Luxury Aviation Market



Cirrus Aviation Services ascends beyond the competition with a fleet of light, midsize and heavy private jets offering new options for both leisure and business clientele.

Las Vegas - Cirrus Aviation Services continues to build momentum as the fastest growing private jet charter, management and acquisition company in Las Vegas. The family-owned and operated business is expanding in dramatic fashion with the addition of a second Learjet 45XR and a third Learjet 60 to its already phenomenal fleet.

"By offering more types of aircraft, we can customize the exact experience each guest requires based on speed, cabin preferences, luxury accommodations and amenities," says Cirrus Aviation Services President Greg Woods. "We also make a distinction between a leisure and business traveler, whose needs can often be vastly different."

Woods is confident Cirrus Aviation Services will continue to expand its operations and is adding a new hangar to accommodate the growing fleet at the Atlantic Aviation executive terminal at McCarran International Airport. With more than 35 years of history and experience, Cirrus Aviation Services is widely recognized as a leader in safety, service and comfort within the luxury private aircraft industry.

The impressive Cirrus Aviation Services fleet now includes:
● Phenom 100 (seating up to four passengers)
● Beechjet 400 (seating up to seven passengers)
● Learjet 60 (three aircraft, seating up to seven passengers each)
● Cessna Citation (seating up to eight passengers)
● Learjet 45XR (two aircraft, seating up to eight passengers each)
● Challenger 604 (two aircraft, seating up to ten passengers each)

ABOUT CIRRUS AVIATION SERVICES

Cirrus Aviation Services is the largest luxury private jet charter service in Las Vegas. The Sentient-certified operator is a recipient of the distinguished Platinum rating from ARGUS International, the most respected mark for safety in the industry. The family-owned and operated business is based at the Atlantic Aviation executive terminal near the Las Vegas Strip and utilizes more than 35 years of airline experience to serve more than 5,000 airports. Its impressive fleet includes Phenom 100, Beechjet 400A, Cessna Citation III, Learjet 45XR, Learjet 60, and Bombardier Challenger 604 private jets as well as access to thousands of additional aircraft from trusted partners. Cirrus Aviation Services also proudly offers services in aircraft acquisitions and management.

To book an Argus International Platinum-approved and Sentient-certified aircraft or to inquire about aircraft management or acquisitions, contact Cirrus Aviation Services at www.cirrusav.com.

Media Contact or Inquiries:
Ava Rose Agency/Tyra Bell-Holland
pr@avaroseagency.com

Original article  ➤ https://www.nevadabusiness.com

Robinson R22 Beta, registered to Spitzer Helicopter and operated by Holy City Helicopters as a visual flight rules (VFR) local instructional flight, under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, N337H: Accident occurred February 14, 2018 in Charleston, South Carolina

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

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Columbia, South Carolina

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/N337H


Location: Charleston, SC
Accident Number: GAA18LA131
Date & Time: 02/14/2018, 1330 EST
Registration: N337H
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Collision during takeoff/land
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional 

On February 14, 2018 about 1336 eastern standard time (EST), a Robinson Helicopters Inc., R22 Beta, N337H, landed hard in dense vegetation and the tailboom separated from the fuselage. The accident occurred about 5 miles southeast of Charleston Air Force/International Airport, South Carolina. The helicopter was registered to Spitzer Helicopter and was being operated by Holy City Helicopters as a visual flight rules (VFR), local instructional flight, under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight instructor and student were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, and flight following was not in effect.

The flight instructor reported that he had conducted training in the area previously and was familiar with the terrain and obstacles. The flight lesson was conducted to practice hovering, followed by a transition to forward flight.

The instructor reported that the wind was from the west/northwest about 10 knots, and that the direction of takeoff was into the wind.

According to the instructor, during the accident pattern the student had the flight controls and had transitioned the helicopter from a hover through effective translational lift and established forward flight. The student then initiated a right turn over dense vegetation when a small unmanned aerial system (UAS), which he described as a white quadcopter, appeared about 10ft in front of the helicopter at "eye level". The instructor took the flight controls and made a hard right and aft cyclic input to avoid the UAS. The evasive maneuver put the helicopter into a right quartering tailwind. After the evasive maneuver, the helicopter had some forward airspeed, "but not much". He was able to level the helicopter's attitude, but the helicopter began to descend quickly. The helicopter was about 40ft AGL and the instructor described the helicopter's descent as settling with power.

The helicopter descended, and the tail rotor entered the trees and the helicopter developed a spin to the right. The instructor rolled the throttle off to alleviate the spin, and then tried to cushion the landing by increasing collective. The helicopter impacted the ground, continued spinning to the right, and subsequently rolled over onto its right-side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail rotor drive shaft.

The student pilot reported that they were operating over an access road and that she had initiated a right turn, "when a small white drone came into our field of vision". The instructor immediately took the flight controls and increased the bank angle of the right turn to avoid the UAS. As the helicopter "swung around" to miss the UAS, the tail rotor stuck the tree tops, and they lost tail rotor authority. The instructor entered an autorotation, and the helicopter collided with trees. The helicopter descended in a spin, impacted terrain and rolled on to its right side.

The day following the accident, Federal Aviation Administration, Aviation Safety Inspector's canvassed the vicinity of the accident, to include a housing development about ¼ mile from the accident site. The housing development was under construction and one member of the construction team remembered seeing the helicopter operating in the area about the time of the accident. There were several construction crews working during the time of the accident, and none of them recalled seeing a "drone".

The flight instructor reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation prior to the tail rotor strike.

A canvas of the area by the FAA did not find any information about the Unmanned Aerial System or witnesses.

Flight Instructor Information

Certificate: Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 27, Male
Airplane Rating(s): None
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Helicopter
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): Helicopter
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): Helicopter; Instrument Helicopter
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 1 None
Last FAA Medical Exam: 12/04/2017
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 04/30/2017
Flight Time:  (Estimated) 2480 hours (Total, all aircraft), 1500 hours (Total, this make and model), 2430 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 70 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 45 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft) 

Student Pilot Information

Certificate: None
Age: 34, Female
Airplane Rating(s): None
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: None
Last FAA Medical Exam:
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 
Flight Time:  (Estimated) 15 hours (Total, all aircraft), 15 hours (Total, this make and model)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: ROBINSON HELICOPTER
Registration: N337H
Model/Series: R22 BETA II
Aircraft Category: Helicopter
Year of Manufacture: 1999
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 2999
Landing Gear Type: Skid;
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 12/28/2017, 100 Hour
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1370 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 7989 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: LYCOMING
ELT: Not installed
Engine Model/Series: O-360-J2A
Registered Owner: SPITZER HELICOPTER LLC
Rated Power: 124 hp
Operator: Holy City Helicopters
Operating Certificate(s) Held:  Commercial Air Tour (136)

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KCHS, 40 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 35 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1826 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 314°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 2500 ft agl
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: Calm /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: / None
Wind Direction:
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.44 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 18°C / 12°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Charleston, SC (CHS)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Charleston, SC (CHS)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time: 1300 EST
Type of Airspace: Class G

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 2 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 None

Latitude, Longitude:  32.491389, -79.544444 (est)
=======


Location: Charleston, SC
Accident Number: GAA18LA131
Date & Time:
02/14/2018, 1336 EST
Registration: N337H
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional 

On February 14, 2018, about 1336 eastern standard time, a Robinson Helicopters, Inc., R22 Beta, N337H, landed hard in dense vegetation about 5 miles southeast of Charleston International Airport, South Carolina. The flight instructor and student were not injured, and the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The helicopter was registered to Spitzer Helicopter and was being operated by Holy City Helicopters, Charleston, South Carolina, as a visual flight rules (VFR) local instructional flight, under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, and flight following was not in effect.

The flight instructor reported that he had conducted training in the area previously and was familiar with the area, terrain and obstacles. The training was conducted to practice hovering and then transition to forward flight. The student was on the controls during the hover and the transition to forward flight.

The instructor further reported that as the helicopter transitioned through effective translational lift, it climbed above the 15-ft tree line and encountered what he described as a small, white, quadcopter that was at eye level and converging head-on. The instructor took the flight controls and made a hard-right turn and applied aft cyclic input. He then leveled the helicopter, but it began to descend. The helicopter landed hard, and the tailboom separated from the fuselage. The instructor rolled the throttle off, but the helicopter spun to the right and rolled onto its right side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail rotor drive shaft.

The investigation is continuing.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: ROBINSON HELICOPTER
Registration: N337H
Model/Series: R22 BETA
Aircraft Category: Helicopter
Amateur Built: No
Operator: Holy City Helicopters
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KCHS, 40 ft msl
Observation Time: 1826 UTC
Distance from Accident Site: 35 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 18°C / 12°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 2500 ft agl
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: Calm
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility:  10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.44 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Charleston, SC (CHS)
Destination: Charleston, SC (CHS) 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 2 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 None
Latitude, Longitude:  32.491389, -79.544444 (est)

DANIEL ISLAND, SC (WCSC) -   Federal authorities are investigating a helicopter crash that happened Wednesday near the southern tip of Daniel Island.

A Robinson R22 helicopter struck a tree and crash-landed Wednesday afternoon, according to Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson Kathleen Bergen.

Charleston Police met with the two passengers of the crash later that afternoon, according to an incident report.

The flight instructor told police he is a private helicopter instructor and was giving a lesson to a student pilot at approximately 3:30 p.m. While the student was practicing "low impact and hover taxi maneuvers" above undeveloped land on Daniel Island, they turned and saw a white "DJI Phantom quadcopter" drone headed into their airspace, the report states.

Police say the flight instructor took controls of the helicopter to avoid the drone and while attempting to land, the helicopter's tail rudder struck a small tree, causing him to lose control of the helicopter.

The flight instructor was able to land the helicopter on its rear landing skids but it turned over on its side, the report states.

The flight instructor notified the owner of the helicopter and Federal Aviation Administration investigators. 

The student pilot told police they were about 50 feet above the tree line when the drone entered their fly space. She said when the helicopter struck the tree, several pieces of the helicopter hit surrounding brush causing the helicopter to turn on its side when it landed.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident. 

No injuries were reported. 

Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.live5news.com

Dean Aircraft Service marks 35 years at Meridian Regional Airport (KMEI)



MERIDIAN, Miss. (WTOK) - The 35th anniversary of the founding of Dean Aircraft Service was celebrated at a luncheon Thursday in Meridian.

Founder Leonard Dean was joined by the staff of Meridian Regional Airport and Meridian Aviation for the event.

Dean says he started his own aircraft maintenance business in 1983 with "a tool box and a funnel". Dean sold the company to Meridian Regional Airport in 2009 and is now the director of maintenance.

"We've been able to build a reputation that people can feel very safe in aircraft that we maintain," said Dean of what makes him most proud. "I've had that told to us just many, many times."

Dean Aircraft Service was authorized as a certified repair station by the Federal Aviation Administration in 2016. It now has fourteen mechanics and six support staff.

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

Thompson Hangar Renovation at Terre Haute Regional Airport (KHUF)



Terre Haute, IN - The Terre Haute Regional Airport is getting ready for a renovation of its oldest hangar.

It's called the Thompson Hangar and was built back in the 1950s.

The airport Board of Directors approved the lowest bid for the project, which is a contract of $637,519 with Hanning Construction Inc.

The renovation will include upgrades to both the hangar's interior and exterior.

Airport officials are aiming for the project to be complete by August.

Original article ➤ http://www.mywabashvalley.com

Pastor of Philippine mega-church detained after piles of cash found on Cessna Citation Sovereign 680, N425PQ

http://registry.faa.gov/N425PQ




HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) -  The head of a mega-church in the Philippines was detained at Honolulu's airport after federal agents found $350,000 in cash on the private plane he was on.

Apollo Quiboloy was among six people on the Cessna Citation Sovereign, which was to leave for the Philippines.

But before it departed, Customs and Border Enforcement agents boarded it. 

And, court documents say, they found tens of thousands of dollars in cash — all in $100 bills neatly folded and stuffed inside socks in a suitcase.  

Also found on the plane, parts to assemble military-style rifles, according to sources.  

Quiboloy is the pastor of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, or KJC, which claims to have six million followers worldwide.

There is a small storefront location in Waipahu.




Also on board the plane was Felina Salinas, 47, of Makakilo. She was the only U.S. citizen on the plane, and was arrested after claiming the cash was hers.

Federal law requires anyone taking more than $10,000 out of the country to declare it.

According to the complaint, Salinas declared $40,000, but not the $350,000 recovered. She was charged with attempted bulk cash smuggling. 

Salinas is the business manager at the Waipahu chuch location and a loyal supporter of Quiboloy and his mega-church..

In YouTube videos, she details her faith in him.

"He was appointed and he was anointed by the almighty father to preach the gospel to the whole world," she tells the host of show.

She says Quiboloy started the KJC in 1985 with just 15 members. But by 2015, when the video was made, she says it had six million all over the world.

Another member of the Waipahu church, who did not want his name used, tells Hawaii News Now that Quiboloy was in Hawaii for a concert.  

Quiboloy has ties to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte; their friendship apparently goes back years. Quiboloy supported him during his campaign and, according to media reports, even allowed Duterte the use of his private planes.

Salinas made her first court appearance Wednesday afternoon. 

She told the federal magistrate judge that she will be hiring her own attorney and sources say that attorney is being flown in from California. 

She was released on $25,000 bond. Her next court appearance is set for Feb. 27.

Quiboloy was detained for most of the day Tuesday before being released.  

The private plane, worth at least $15 million, remains in Honolulu. The federal government is working to seize it.

Quiboloy has since taken a commercial flight back to the Philippines.

Story, video and photos ➤ http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com

Privatization plan for St. Louis Lambert International Airport (KSTL) is pie in the sky

By Daniel Rust 

Daniel Rust is an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. Previously he was assistant director of the Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He is the author of “The Aerial Crossroads of America: St. Louis’s Lambert Airport.”



In the commentary ”We should explore airport’s untapped potential” (Feb. 4), former St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay says that he initiated the process for examining the possible privatization of St. Louis Lambert International Airport “after many years of listening to airport stakeholders and the business community talk about the airport’s massive debt, limited connectivity, significant excess capacity, and how Lambert does not stack up to airports in other cities.” Those claims are belied by the facts.

Under the leadership of Airport Director Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge — appointed by Mayor Slay in 2010 — the airport has made solid, continued progress in recovering from the loss of its hub status for TWA and American Airlines in 2003. Passenger traffic has been steadily increasing in recent years. December 2017 was the 28th consecutive month of passenger traffic growth. It increased 5.5 percent in 2017 to 14.7 million, making 2017 Lambert’s busiest year in a decade, following a 10 percent increase in 2016.

The airport opened additional gates at Terminal 2 in 2017 to serve the growing needs of Southwest Airlines, the No. 1 domestic air carrier, which has announced it will add new destinations in 2018. Air cargo activity has also shown steady growth, increasing over 6 percent in fiscal 2017.

In November 2017 Fitch Ratings upgraded its ratings on Lambert’s $325 million airport revenue bonds, citing “continued enplanement growth in conjunction with a renewed airline agreement providing full recovery terms (which) will allow Lambert to maintain stable debt service coverage ratios.”

Fitch said that the rating upgrade reflects the airport’s status as a medium hub airport with stable financial metrics, limited competition from other airports and modes of transportation.

Earlier in 2017, Moody’s and S&P also upgraded their ratings of Lambert’s debt. Moody’s said the upgrade was “based on our expectation of growth in enplanements, a significant decline in debt from the historic levels, and a continued increase in debt service with no major capital investment needs, resulting in an improved operating and financial profile.”

As a result, the airport was successful in refinancing $258 million of its debt at a substantially reduced interest rate, reducing costs by about $35 million. This will allow a reduction in fees charged to airlines, making Lambert more attractive for additional passenger service.

Much of the current debt was incurred to construct a new runway, a project undertaken in the 1990s to handle the great volume of traffic generated by TWA’s Lambert hub. The majority of that traffic disappeared after American Airlines bought TWA and closed the Lambert hub.

Slay does not explain what he means by Lambert’s “untapped potential.” In today’s concentrated airline market, Lambert will never again be a major hub as it was in the 1990s, but it has the capacity for further growth without major new capital expenditures. This is a blessing, not a curse.

Given all these favorable facts, why should St. Louis now contemplate a major change in the operation and governance of Lambert?

The advocates of privatization, including current Mayor Lyda Krewson, former members of Mayor Slay’s staff and retired investor Rex Sinquefield, have no meaningful answer to this question. All they offer is vague predictions of millions of dollars of new revenue, with no facts, data or analysis to support them. No one has attempted to show any long-term benefit to the public from inserting a private, for-profit middleman between the airport and the city.

At best, privatizing Lambert might give the city a short-term revenue influx in exchange for handing long-term control over an airport constructed with public dollars to a private entity. There is no evident upside for anyone other than the city’s political leadership and its allies. In other large-scale privatization deals that have gone through, such as the Indiana Toll Road, once the political body spends the cash that results from the sale of infrastructure, regret follows.

This looks like a solution in search of a problem. Unless privatization advocates can show long-term benefit, supported by hard data and sound analysis, objectively and with participation by the public and all affected parties, St. Louis should reject the current effort. It’s time for facts and figures, not pie in the sky.

Original article ➤ http://www.stltoday.com/opinion

Beech A36 Bonanza 36, N929JD, Virga Sky LLC: Incident occurred February 11, 2018 at Hanford Municipal Airport (KHJO), Kings County, California

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Fresno

Aircraft landed gear up.

Virga Sky LLC:  http://registry.faa.gov/N929JD

Date: 11-FEB-18
Time: 00:32:00Z
Regis#: N929JD
Aircraft Make: BEECH
Aircraft Model: A36
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: UNKNOWN
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: HANFORD
State: CALIFORNIA

Cessna 182Q Skylane, N1824G: Incident occurred February 14, 2018 in Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo County, California

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; San Jose

Aircraft experienced engine failure and made an emergency landing.

http://registry.faa.gov/N1824G

Date: 14-FEB-18
Time: 20:25:00Z
Regis#: N1824G
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: 182Q
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: UNKNOWN
Flight Phase: UNKNOWN (UNK)
Operation: 91
City: PASO ROBLES
State: CALIFORNIA

Barrows Bearhawk, N719JS: Accident occurred December 16, 2019 at Nampa Municipal Airport (KMAN), Canyon County, Idaho -and- Incident occurred February 14, 2018 in Bruneau, Owyhee County, Idaho

View of Accident Airplane.
Federal Aviation Administration

View of Accident Airplane from Right Wing.  
Federal Aviation Administration


Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Boise, Idaho

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


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

https://registry.faa.gov/N719JS


Location: Nampa, ID
Accident Number: WPR20CA043 
Date & Time: 12/16/2019, 1230 MST
Registration: N719JS
Aircraft: JOHN Sample BEARHAWK
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Collision during takeoff/land
Injuries: 3 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal

According to the pilot, after an uneventful flight, he verified the current weather conditions about 10 miles from the airport and subsequently entered the airport traffic pattern, at which point he elected to conduct a "grass landing." The airplane touched down normally, but during the landing roll he observed an obstacle in the middle of the "runway." The pilot was unable to react before the right main landing gear impacted a knoll and the airplane ground looped. The right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing was substantially damaged.

The airplane landed on an area of grass between the runway and taxiway when it impacted the grassy knoll. According to the airport manager, pilots are advised to land and takeoff on published runways only as prescribed under the airport policy page of the airport's website. This information is not available in the airport's chart supplement.

The pilot indicated that he checked the chart supplement for pertinent airport information, which did not include any restrictions about landing on the grass area between the taxiway and runway.

The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 37, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
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: 08/12/2019
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 08/01/2019
Flight Time:  583 hours (Total, all aircraft), 39.1 hours (Total, this make and model), 504.6 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 4.9 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 2.9 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 1.6 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: JOHN Sample
Registration: N719JS
Model/Series: BEARHAWK No Series
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2008
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental; Normal
Serial Number: 050-91/92-796
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 02/16/2018, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2600 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 34 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 678.1 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming Engines
ELT: C126 installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: O-54-B485
Registered Owner: DMC Air LLC
Rated Power: 260 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: , 2537 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site:
Observation Time: 1235 MST
Direction from Accident Site:
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 4 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:
Wind Direction: 20°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:
Altimeter Setting: 30.5 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 1°C / -3°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Nampa, ID (MAN)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Nampa, ID (MAN)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1120 MST
Type of Airspace:Class D

Airport Information

Airport: Nampa Muni (MAN)
Runway Surface Type: Grass/turf
Airport Elevation: 2537 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry; Rough; Vegetation
Runway Used: N/A
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width:
VFR Approach/Landing: Traffic Pattern

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 2 None
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 3 None
Latitude, Longitude: 43.580000, -116.520000 (est)

February 14, 2018:   Aircraft lost engine power and landed on highway.

Date: 14-FEB-18
Time: 18:43:00Z
Regis#: N719JS
Aircraft Make: EXPERIMENTAL
Aircraft Model: BEARHAWK
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: NONE
Activity: UNKNOWN
Flight Phase: UNKNOWN (UNK)
Operation: 91
City: BRUNEAU
State: IDAHO