As a regular reader of USA Today, I am inclined to accept its printed word as absolute. In a recent issue, the front page story was about global warming and the causes of our planet's heating up. Of course anyone swimming in the Pacific Ocean off the West Coast from Washington to Baja's Cabo San Lucas would not buy the theory of global warming. The writer of this lead-in article must have suffered from an overdose of LSD. Page two features a graph showing various contributors to global warming.
How do you know if the potable water you have just taken on is free of bacteria? In most cases, you do not. That is why International Water-Guard Industries has developed its new NPS-A3 aircraft potable water treatment unit. The NPS-A3 uses an ultraviolet process to destroy bacteria and viruses in the water supplies; no chemicals are used. The unit features a built-in, disposable filter cartridge to remove chlorine and other physical contaminants.
Didn't know Albania had an airline? Well it does, and the company recently took delivery of its first BAe 146-200, to be operated between Tirana and Frankfurt, Bologna and Rome. Hemus Air of Bulgaria operates the aircraft on Albanian's behalf.
PSM+ICR (Propulsion System Malfunction Plus Inappropriate Crew Response) is finding its way into the aviation accident investigation and training lexicons after a multinational study into flight crew actions when faced with powerplant anomalies. And those studies arose from a U.S. commuter accident.
In a bid to alleviate frequency congestion, Eurocontrol plans to expand the coverage area for 8.33-kHz-frequency operations from the current seven to 28 nations before the end of October 2002. Around 11,000 aircraft already are equipped with 8.33-kHz-capable radios; the expansion affects around 800 additional aircraft. Those without the new equipment can expect to be restricted to flights below FL 245, Eurocontrol says.
Japan's Emperor and Empress recently flew aboard an Agusta Westland EH101 helicopter on a tour of earthquake-affected islands off the coast of Japan. Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko flew from Tokyo to the Naijima and Kozujima Islands to observe last year's earthquake damage and witness continuing volcanic activity in the area. The Tokyo Police's EH101 with a standard cabin was used for the trip; the Royal Household also has three Eurocopter AS332L Super Puma helicopters at its disposal.
The leader of the Mexican Air Controllers Labor Union warned that his members will continue to strike at airports in Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta unless the government agrees to its demand for a 10.5-percent salary increase, additional benefits and improved working conditions. Raul Campilla asked the Mexican secretary of transportation not to use desk workers as substitutes for controllers because it would be inviting a ``tragedy.''
The FAA has extended the current slot allocation at New York's La Guardia Airport until October 26, 2002, and plans to maintain the current slot lottery system at least for the immediate future. Launched fall 2000 as an immediate remedy for LGA's mounting delay problems, the ``slottery'' was set to expire on September 15, 2001. By postponing this date, the FAA hopes to have more time to develop a long-term solution.
Israel Aircraft Industries reported sharply higher net income in the first half of the year, boosted by profits from the sale of its stake in Galaxy Aerospace to Gulfstream parent General Dynamics. IAI reported profits of $75.7 million for the first half, compared with $44.4 million in the same period a year ago. The increase includes a capital gain of $34.2 million from the sale of Galaxy Aerospace, the U.S.-based sales, completion and support arm for IAI-built Astra SPX and Galaxy business jets.
Reductions in air service between smaller communities and congested hubs could result from European Commission proposals to amend the slot allocation regulations. ``We believe that if this becomes law, it could happen,'' said Mike Ambrose, director general of European Region's Airline Association (ERA).
With many tower-controlled airports experiencing soaring traffic growth and periods of saturation, flight departments now more than ever are choosing to operate from satellite airports -- many of which are uncontrolled.
Jet Aviation is increasing hangar space at its maintenance facility in Geneva, Switzerland, to 54,465 square feet. Jet Aviation Geneva cited a surge in demand for services for the expansion. The additional space will provide sufficient capacity for large business jets including Gulfstream Vs and Boeing Business Jets.
For the residents of Sao Jose dos Campos, Carnival may start in late December, which is a few weeks early for the ultimate Brazilian party. You see, Sao Jose dos Campos is the home of Empresa Braziliera de Aeronautica S.A.-- Embraer -- and by year's end, folks there expect to celebrate certification of the Legacy business jet.
Era Aviation has signed a contract with Sikorsky Aircraft to purchase three S-92 helicopters for delivery in 2003. An Era spokesman told B/CA, ``The S-92s will primarily operate in the Gulf of Mexico at our Lake Charles facility to provide deep water offshore services.''
TAC Air has completed expansion and refurbishment of its facilities at Denver's Centennial Airport (APA) and is offering fuel discounts and weekly prize drawings this month. In November 2000, TAC Air acquired the 70,000-square-foot terminal and hangar facility previously owned by Qwest Communications. After the purchase, the company demolished its old AMR Combs terminal, built a new ramp stressed to 99,000 pounds and constructed a self-serve avgas facility for piston aircraft.
The facts of the accident are pretty straightforward. On the night of March 5, 2000, after an uneventful hop from Las Vegas in VMC conditions, Southwest Airlines Flight 1455 landed on Runway 8 at California's Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport and overran the departure end. The Boeing 737-300 traveled through a blast fence and came to rest on Hollywood Way, a four-lane highway outside the airport perimeter.
In response to FAA safety concerns, the Arizona Cardinals football team is relocating its planned Tempe, Ariz., stadium 1,600 feet south and east of its original site. The agency and other aviation interests were concerned because the original site was situated under the extended centerline of Runway 26 at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Cost of the move is estimated at $10 million to $12 million. The new plan is part of a formal response to the FAA's preliminary stadium safety report. A final FAA determination of safety is expected no later than September 11.
The FARs have become so complex that pilots can easily find themselves wrapped up in the legalese of the laws and miss their meaning. Federal Aviation Regulations Explained by B/CA contributor Kent Jackson and Joseph Brennan should help prevent that problem. The book contains Parts 1, 61, 91 and 141 and NTSB 830 along with explanations, preamble information, cross-references to other regulations, related Advisory Circulars and NTSB/FAA case excerpts. Price: $30.95 Jeppesen 55 Inverness Dr. East Englewood, Colo. 80112
Gulfstream Aerospace rolled out the first G-VSP ``test article'' on August 8, at the company's plant near Savannah. Electrical power in the aircraft was turned on ahead of schedule, Gulfstream said, and integration testing of the test aircraft's avionics suite is complete. Drag reduction modifications to the aircraft are finished as well. ``We're all looking forward to final ground tests and the first flight of the G-VSP test article in the coming months,'' said Pres Henne, Gulfstream's senior vice president, programs.
Weakness in the economy hasn't affected this month's NBAA convention in New Orleans. The NBAA says 1,035 exhibitors have secured floor space at the 54th annual Convention and Meeting, including 124 first-time exhibitors. That number -- while not yet a sellout -- is up from 965 exhibitors in 2000 and the all-time high of 968 exhibitors. The convention will occupy over one million square feet on the main floor of New Orleans' Ernest N.
UHL Flight Reconstruction System (FRS) is developing a low-cost approach to providing immediate postflight reconstruction of flight dynamics using a single GPS recorder. Applications for the software include pilot training, flight-monitoring FOQA, flight testing, aircraft racing and postaccident analysis. In addition to standard GPS outputs of position, heading and ground speed, the UHL-FRS provides information such as indicated airspeed, body yaw-pitch-roll, g-loading, angle of attack and rate of climb.
Pilots aren't the only ones who suffer from the effects of changing work schedules and roving rest periods. In some cases, it's controllers, ramp personnel or maintenance workers who pose the greatest threat to safety.
A long-time FAA adversary has created a Web site critical of the agency. The stated purpose of Arizona attorney Lawrence Smith's new www.faajustice.com is ``. . . to educate one million active pilots and mechanics to the fact that license penalties ordered by the Federal Aviation Administration for violations of air safety rules have no basis in law.'' A one-time staff-lawyer in the FAA's Office of General Counsel, Smith earned his pilot license in 1946 and has spent much of the past two decades challenging the FAA's authority.
This summer, four old men and their families sailed into Washing-ton, D.C., aboard a C-9 and then were whisked downtown where they became the focus of much attention. Reporters, photographers and camera crews jostled for position as the high and mighty made grand pronouncements. President George W. Bush spoke of the visitors' ``place in history'' and that the nation's gratitude for their service was ``rightly deserved.'' For the most part, the old timers were quiet and reserved, but the honors being bestowed upon them were for behavior of quite a different sort.
Airport Closures Due to various work in progress, Runway 36R/18L at Italy's Milan Linate Airport (LIML) will be closed from 2230 to 0430Z on September 14 and October 19. Due to ``industrial action,'' Nassau International Airport (MYNN) in the Bahamas will be closed from 0600 to 1000Z through October 2. Source: Universal Weather Arabian Peninsula Warning
