Friday, March 26, 2021

New jet service to Vegas will make its debut out of private terminal at San Diego International Airport (KSAN)



In a first-of-its-kind air service here, carrier JSX will be debuting next month scheduled nonstop flights between San Diego and Las Vegas that are designed to feel more like a private flying experience.

Scheduled to start April 9, the flights will operate out of the San Diego airport’s Signature Flight Support terminal, which is reserved for private aviation activities like chartered flights, private aircraft departures and arrivals, catering services, and hangars for private jet storage.

There will be twice-daily flights on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, with one flight only on Saturdays.

JSX, which is approaching its five-year anniversary, operates in 14 markets, four of which are seasonal.

“The core of our business is bringing conveniences reserved for private flying to the masses,” said JSX Chief Operating Officer Randy McKinney. “It’s about reduced crowding, more space on the aircraft, no long security lines and no waiting on bags.

“San Diego has been on our radar for some time, and it fits geographically within our current base. With well over 3 million people, that’s an attractive customer base.”

While there are plenty of commercial flights offering nonstop service between San Diego and Las Vegas, JSX says it’s not its intention to compete with the larger airlines. Its flights, says McKinney, are geared for people who want an alternative to the more ubiquitous commercial flights.

“In April when everything came to a halt, it impacted us all,” he said. “We realized there was still a strong demand for JSX, and customers still had some business needs and wanted a safe means to do it. We also saw unique demands in leisure, where people wanted to go outdoors, go to the beach, and ski. And Vegas continued to be in high demand for outdoor activities.”

Fares start at $99 one-way and include at least two checked bags, onboard cocktails, and gourmet snacks.

“The new service on JSX offers San Diegans a different type of flight experience when compared to other airlines,” said San Diego airport spokeswoman Sabrina LoPiccolo. “Any new service to a popular destination like Las Vegas is welcome and benefits our community.”

JSX’s year-round destinations include Oakland and Concord in California’s East Bay area, Reno, Burbank, Orange Las Vegas, Phoenix, Dallas and Houston, and now San Diego.

Bellanca 17-30A Viking, N93638: Accident occurred March 26, 2021 at Bessemer Municipal Airport (KEKY), Jefferson County, Alabama

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.

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

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Birmingham, Alabama 

Hatch Transportation LLC

Location: Bessemer, AL
Accident Number: ERA21LA162
Date & Time: March 26, 2021, 16:30 Local
Registration: N93638
Aircraft: Bellanca 1730
Injuries: 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Bellanca
Registration: N93638
Model/Series: 1730 A 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: On file 
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Designator Code:

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: VMC
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: EKY,699 ft msl
Observation Time: 13:56 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles 
Temperature/Dew Point: 23°C /12°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: 
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 3 knots / ,
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 4700 ft AGL
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.07 inches Hg 
Type of Flight Plan Filed:
Departure Point: 
Destination: Bessemer, AL

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries:
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Serious
Latitude, Longitude: 33.312611,-86.926306 

 
A pilot was injured when his plane crashed Friday afternoon in Bessemer.

The crash happened at 4:13 p.m. at the Bessemer Municipal Airport on Mitchell Field Road. According to police and fire officials, the pilot was the lone occupant of the fixed wing aircraft.  He was trying to land when there was an issue with the plane’s landing gear. The pilot ended up crashing off the runway. He had to be extricated from the wreckage and suffered a compound ankle fracture.

The 52-year-old pilot has been taken to UAB Hospital’s Trauma Center in Birmingham. “He was conscious and talking,’' said Bessemer police Lt. Christian Clemons.

Authorities said the plane was heavily damaged in the crash.


BESSEMER, Alabama  —  A pilot was injured when a small plane made a rough landing in Bessemer today.

The Bessemer Fire Department says crews responded to the Bessemer Municipal Airport this afternoon, and found the wreckage of the plane on or near a runway.

We're told the plane may have experienced some form of landing problem, when the pilot tried to land.

The pilot was the only person in the plane and was to be airlifted to a hospital for medical treatment.

The injuries could be serious.

Beech 35 Bonanza, N3953N: Accident occurred March 26, 2021 near Bridgeport Municipal Airport (KXBP), Wise County, Texas

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.

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

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Dallas, Texas


Location: Bridgeport, TX
Accident Number: CEN21LA167
Date & Time: March 26, 2021, 15:27 Local
Registration: N3953N
Aircraft: Beech 35
Injuries: 2 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On March 26, 2021, at 1527 central standard time, a Beech 35 airplane, N3953N, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Bridgeport, Texas. The pilot and flight examiner were seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot stated the purpose of the flight was to conduct his biannual flight review. He and the evaluator landed at Bridgeport Municipal Airport (XBP), Texas and topped off the fuel tanks. On departure they practiced a simulated loss of engine power and made a return to XBP. The pilot stated they encountered a strong downdraft on base turn to final, but did not recall what happened after that. A witness observed the airplane traveling over highway 380 near the airport at a low altitude. He said the nose of the airplane was up in the air and the tail of the airplane barely cleared the power lines along the highway. After crossing the road the nose of the airplane lifted higher and the airplane banked to the right. The right wing hit trees and the airplane descended out of sight. Both wings and the fuselage were substantially damaged.

The wreckage will be recovered to a secure location and examined at a later date.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Beech 
Registration: N3953N
Model/Series: 35 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: 
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Designator Code:

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: VMC 
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KXBP,851 ft msl 
Observation Time: 15:35 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles 
Temperature/Dew Point: 25°C /7°C
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 9 knots / , 180°
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 29.86 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed:
Departure Point: 
Destination:

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 2 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A 
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Serious
Latitude, Longitude: 33.182663,-97.82665 (est)


Two occupants of a single-engine plane were taken to hospitals following a crash near the Bridgeport Airport Friday afternoon.

The crash was reported around 3:30 p.m. between Bridgeport and Runaway Bay just south of U.S. 380.

First responders arrived on the scene to find the Beechcraft Bonanza plane belly-down in the backyard of a home on the south side of U.S. 380, just north of the runway at the airport.

“Preliminary investigation indicates a Beechcraft aircraft was approaching the airport to land when the aircraft clipped some trees and went down short of the runway,” said Sgt. Ricky Hunter, spokesperson for the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Witnesses at the scene reported to dispatchers that the plane was briefly on fire before it was extinguished.

Two men, ages 78 and 76, were the plane’s occupants and sustained undisclosed injuries. Their identities and conditions have not been released by investigators.

Air Evac Lifeteam 68 responded to the scene and landed in a grassy area near the crash site.

One occupant was flown to a Metroplex hospital while one was taken to a Denton hospital by ground ambulance, according to law enforcement on the scene.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate.


SECONDARY CRASH – A person driving east on U.S. 380 witnessed the plane go down and crashed while trying to quickly pull off the road. 

A pickup that was eastbound on U.S. 380 also crashed after apparently seeing the plane go down. The driver appeared to try to pull off the road, but the truck crashed into a culvert, leaving the back end of the pickup sticking up in the air. One person from that vehicle was taken by ground ambulance to Wise Health System in Decatur, according to law enforcement.

The Wise County Sheriff’s Office, Wise County EMS, Runaway Bay Fire Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Bridgeport Police Department, Runaway Bay Police Department and Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Warden all responded to the crash to assist at the scene.


 
 


Fire and rescue crews are working a small plane crash near the Bridgeport Municipal Airport in Wise County.

The Texas Department of Public Safety tells NBC 5 that a Beech 35 Bonanza was approaching the airport to land when the aircraft clipped some trees and went down short of the runway. The two male occupants, ages 78 and 76, sustained undisclosed injuries and were flown to area hospitals.

The Wise County Messenger reports there have been two major vehicle accidents along U.S. 380 near the airport.

Two ambulances and a rescue squad have been sent to the scene and a helicopter ambulance has been placed on standby.

Bell 407, N408TD: Incident occurred March 26, 2021 in Newark, New Jersey

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Teterboro, New Jersey 

Rotorcraft made a precautionary landing in an industrial park. 

Helicopter Services LLC


Date: 26-MAR-21
Time: 17:25:00Z
Regis#: N408TD
Aircraft Make: BELL
Aircraft Model: 407
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: SIGHT SEEING
Flight Phase: EN ROUTE (ENR)
Operation: 135
Aircraft Operator: HELICOPTER FLIGHT SERVICES
Flight Number: METRO 27
City: NEWARK
State: NEW JERSEY
 



A HeliNY pilot "found a safe spot to land" after an emergency light went on during the area's high winds on Friday, March 26th, shortly before 2 p.m., police said.

He brought the 13-year-old Rotorcraft down softly behind the Mitsuwa Marketplace on River Road, one responder said, adding: "Now we just have to figure how to get it out of there."

The chopper touched down on a clear, flat spot of land on one of the largest vacant pieces of property a stone's throw from the Hudson River. 

Formerly owned by the Hess Corporation, the area has been targeted for redevelopment and is surrounded by a barbed-wire fence.

HeliNY is a sightseeing, charter, and aircraft management firm with a location at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport at Pier 6 off Wall Street and its headquarters at the Linden Municipal Airport in New Jersey.

Along with emergency responders, the incident drew a gaggle of TV news trucks.

In Memoriam: Douglas Dodge

Douglas Dodge
~

Douglas C. Dodge, 70, of Bay City, our generous, humble, strong-willed, and sometimes feisty husband, father, "Papa Doug," son, brother, uncle, and most loyal friend passed away on Wednesday, March 24, 2021 after a courageous battle with cancer.

Doug was born in Bay City on January 27, 1951, the son of Donald Dodge and the former Norine Anne Frank. He was a 1969 graduate of T.L. Handy High School. While working at Vescios Supermarket during his high school years, he happened to meet the former Jeannine Fritz. They reconnected later in life and were united in marriage on October 6, 2001. Doug worked for General Motors and was most recently the Airport Manager for James Clements Airport; a position he held for the past 32 years. A devoted and gifted pilot, Doug was also the owner of Acro Specialties and was a well-known crop duster for farmers, especially in the Munger area. Doug was a world class aerobatic pilot, who flew in numerous air shows and was known for his mechanical and innovative thoughts and abilities. Artistic and intelligent, Doug was able to build from scratch many of the planes he flew in the airshows and was a proud member of the Experimental Aircraft Association, International Council of Air Shows, and Valley Aero Club. His humorous and generous ways will forever live on.

Doug leaves to carry on his legacy, his wife of nearly 20 years, Jeannine Dodge; parents, Donald (Carole) Dodge and Norine Treadway; children, Megan King, David Jankowiak (Ellen Burley), Kerri (Ryan) Moore, and Kelly (Chris) Carque; grandchildren, Erin, Kevin, Aidan, Mollie, Emerson, and Sunny; siblings, DeeEllen (Russell) Hawkins and Rebecca Dodge; step-siblings, David (Margaret) Treadway, Karen (John) Roth, and Kevin (Susan) Treadway; brother-in-law, Thomas Fritz, along with many nieces, nephews, and friends. Doug was welcomed Home to Heaven by his stepfather, Dr. Gaylord Treadway and his in-laws, Kenneth and Cecilia Fritz.

Doug’s family will be present to receive visitors on Monday, March 29, 2021 from 2:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Skorupski Family Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 821 N. Pine Rd., between Ridge & Center. Interment will be held privately in St. Patrick Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be directed to the wishes of the family. Expressions of sympathy may be shared with the family online at www.skorupskis.com.

Surveyors v. Drone Photographers: First Amendment Debate

A lawsuit filed in North Carolina claims that, under the First Amendment, surveyors cannot stop drone operators from selling photos taken from above and making maps.

Typically, a landowner contacts a surveyor to help establish a legal property line. However, what if you just want to see what your property looks like or create a visual map of your property or business as a tool to make decisions about new developments on your property or to determine what type of topography you have? A surveyor is not your only option. Now, you can hire a drone operator to take aerial images using commercial drone software to create orthomosaic maps and 3D images.

North Carolina’s  Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors (the Board) may send a warning to drone operators warning them that certain photography might amount to surveying without a license, which could lead to criminal prosecution. Whether that’s practical (or legal) in the evolving drone industry is now up for debate.

Michael Jones, a photographer and videographer from North Carolina who began using drones to obtain images and video about five years ago, takes aerial images for many different client purposes, such as real estate; property management and inspection; and marketing. In 2018, he received a letter from the Board warning that his aerial imaging could be considered surveying without a license (even though he claims that he did not use his work to establish property lines and informed his clients that the images could not be used for legal purposes). However, a Board investigator told Jones that providing images with any metadata (such as GPS coordinates, elevation, or distance) or putting together several images to create a map of the land qualified as surveying and required a state-issued license. Jones ceased his work, worried that he could face criminal prosecution.

Now, in 2021, Jones has partnered with the Institute for Justice  in a lawsuit against the Board claiming that the images that Jones created for his clients were not being used for determination of legal boundaries, but only for informational purposes, and therefore, such creating and sharing of information is protected by the First Amendment. A copy of the complaint can be found here.

Perhaps drone operators and traditional surveyors should combine forces: drones could be a useful tool for surveyors, saving time, money, and physical work.

We’ll keep you updated on how the court rules on this one.

Cirrus SR22, N745AJ: Accident occurred March 20, 2022 near Sneslev, S of Ringsted, Sjælland, Denmark

National Transportation Safety Board accident number: GAA22WA125

Aircraft Guaranty Corporation Trustee








FAA study finds that most Americans are ‘highly annoyed’ by aircraft noise

Are planes getting louder, or are people just getting crankier?

A government poll of 10,000 Americans who live near airports found that most were “highly annoyed” by aircraft noise overheard, though the planes themselves have become significantly quieter through the years.

In a report published last month, the Neighborhood Environmental Survey (NES), conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), found that nearly two-thirds of people polled were “highly annoyed” by aviation noise — even more than road traffic or noise from their neighbors.

Compared with prior studies, the national curve showed “substantially more people highly annoyed for a given Day-Night Average Sound Level (DNL) aircraft noise exposure level,” researchers said. The most recent study of human annoyance on aircraft noise by the U.S. government – conducted in 1992 – found that just 12.3% were irritated by the same DNL of 65 dB.

Since that report was released almost thirty years ago by the Federal Interagency Committee on Noise (FICON) however, more recent research conducted outside the U.S. has indicated that respondents “have shown increased levels of annoyance at a given noise exposure level,” per the executive summary. In other words, folks today are more likely to make noise about the annoying noise.

As explained in the 447-page report, the FAA stressed that it has been working to reduce the number of people exposed to aviation noise altogether for decades.

“By one measure, it has been a success: Over the last four decades, the number of people in the U.S. exposed to aviation noise has dropped substantially, even as the number of flights has soared,” officials said in a larger statement on aviation noise.

Nevertheless, aviation noise remains a concern in the communities it affects, prompting the FAA to launch the most recent probe – but the buck doesn’t stop with the federal agency.

“It is also important to understand the FAA alone cannot address noise concerns by any given community,” the administration argues in an FAQ page on the report. “Airports, air carriers, local, state and federal government entities besides the FAA all have a role to play and they all manage policies that affect a community’s experience with aircraft noise.”

USDA Forest Service prepositions aerial firefighting resources

CADILLAC, Michigan – The USDA Forest Service (USFS) is prepositioning aerial firefighting resources at the Gaylord Airport to be available for state and federal land management agencies battling an increase in wildfire activity.

Chad Runyan, USFS North Zone Aviation Officer, stated that having aerial resources in the Great Lakes reduces wildfire response time thanks to the centralized location and swift ability to respond. 

However, aerial firefighting resources can be greatly impacted by the growing presence of  Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), or drones, being seen flying overhead of wildland fires. 

Runyan explained that firefighting aircraft fly at very low altitudes, typically just a couple of hundred feet above the ground, the same as UAS flown by members of the public and others do. “This creates the potential for a mid-air collision or pilot distraction that could result in a serious or fatal accident,” he said. Firefighter and public safety are the top priorities in wildfire management. Unauthorized drone flights over or near a wildfire could cause serious injury or death to firefighters in the air and/or firefighters and members of the public on the ground.

Runyan added that individuals who fly drones without authorization over wildfires may be violating federal, state, and/or local laws, regulations, and ordinances, whether a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place or not.

The FAA released a mobile device application, B4UFLY, as a simple way for drone operators to check airspace and local advisories before taking flight. “Stay compliant and contribute to safer national airspace by making yourself aware of advisories and restrictions in the airspace and local advisories around you,” notes the FAA.  

The Forest Service, and other federal, state, and local agencies have been working diligently for several years to educate the public about the dangers associated with flying UAS over or near wildfires. Educational efforts include the USFS’s “If You Fly, We Can’t” campaign and the Tread Lightly “Respected Access is Open Access” campaign.

Please do not operate your drone in the vicinity of wildfire operations. No footage is worth the risk to our aerial and ground firefighting resources. 

Hughes 369D N41AJ: Accident occurred March 25, 2021 in Lake City, Barber County, Kansas

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.

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

Additional Participating Entity: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Wichita, Kansas

English Air Service LLC


Location: Lake City, KS
Accident Number: CEN21LA165
Date & Time: March 25, 2021, 12:30 Local 
Registration: N41AJ
Aircraft: Hughes 369D
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 133: Rotorcraft ext. load

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Hughes
Registration: N41AJ
Model/Series: 369D 
Aircraft Category: Helicopter
Amateur Built: No
Operator:
Operating Certificate(s) Held: Rotorcraft external load (133), On-demand air taxi (135), Agricultural aircraft (137)
Operator Designator Code:

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: VMC 
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: PTT 
Observation Time: 10:00 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 25 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 6.7°C /6.1°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Unknown
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 8 knots / , 345°
Lowest Ceiling: Broken 
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 27.78 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Pratt, KS (PTT)
Destination: Lake City, KS

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries:
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 None 
Latitude, Longitude: 37.362358,-98.812263
 

Beech 35-C33 Debonair, N5891J: Incident occurred March 25, 2021 at Mount Pleasant Regional Airport (KLRO), Charleston County, South Carolina

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

Aircraft landed gear up. 


Date: 25-MAR-21
Time: 18:50:00Z
Regis#: N5891J
Aircraft Make: BEECH
Aircraft Model: BE-35-C33
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: CHARLESTON
State:  SOUTH CAROLINA

Cessna T206H Turbo Stationair, N9554T: Incident occurred March 25, 2021 at Arlington Municipal Airport (KGKY), Tarrant County, Texas

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; North Texas

Aircraft lost control on landing scrapping the right wing and ending up in the safety area between the taxiway and the runway. 


Date: 25-MAR-21
Time: 18:28:00Z
Regis#: N9554T
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: T206H
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: ARLINGTON
State: TEXAS