Eurocopter Sells First AS350 B3e To Slave Lake Helicopters

March 31, 2011 - The enhanced AS350 B3e is the next generation aircraft in the proven Ecureuil family of helicopters. Officially launched at Heli-Expo, 2011 the new version features a more powerful Turbomeca Arriel 2D turbo shaft engine, a new digital FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control) and is fitted with an engine data recorder. ?The selection of the  Read More

Former U.S. Navy Air Traffic Controller Convicted Of Murder

March 31, 2011 - A federal jury convicted Ryan Holness, age 30, of Lexington Park, a former U.S. Navy Air Traffic Controller Maryland, on Monday of interstate domestic violence related to the murder of his wife, attempted witness intimidation, and attempted obstruction of an official proceeding. According to evidence presented at the two week trial, Ryan Holness lived in  Read More

Richard Simmons Takes On Air New Zealand Passengers

March 30, 2011 - Richard Simmons the fitness legend is putting Air New Zealand customers through their paces, as he takes them step-by-step through the airline?s pre-flight safety briefing. The inflight video features Air New Zealand cabin crew and Les Mills fitness instructors working out in colorful lycra, fluorescent leg warmers and sweat bands. Simmons is also assisted Read More

A New Flight Deck For The High Performance Piston Aircraft Market

March 30, 2011 - Garmin announced the Garmin G2000, a premium touchscreen-controlled integrated flight deck designed for high performance piston aircraft. With this advanced system, pilots will have many of the same advantages found on systems like the Garmin G3000, which is designed for Part 23 turbine aircraft, or the Garmin G5000 Read More

British Airways Strike Vote To Send Clear Message To New CEO

March 29, 2011 - Willie Walsh took over the reins of British Airways as CEO in October 2005, his main focus as CEO was to change the airline's labor agreements and at any cost. Needless to say this caused a great deal of turmoil for the air carrier. BA cabin crew went out on strike several times during 2010 as a result Walsh?s negative tone  Read More

UK Scheduled Flights On Time Performance Continues To Get Worse

March 29, 2011 - The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), published data showing that 32% of scheduled flights at the ten airports monitored by the CAA were late between October and December 2010. This compares with 24% in the same period in 2009. More flights were late and the average delay increased at all monitored  Read More

Legal Resident Tries To Sell Unmanned Aerial Vehicle On EBay

March 29, 2011 - A federal grand jury in Tampa returned an indictment charging Henson Chua, 47, of Manilla, Philippines, with violations of the Arms Export Control Act and smuggling, following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement?s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). If convicted on all counts, Chua faces a maximum penalty  Read More

Eurocopter To Acquire Vector Aerospace Corporation

March 29, 2011 - Eurocopter Holding, a subsidiary of EADS and Vector Aerospace Corporation a Canadian company, have entered into a Support Agreement. Pursuant to which Eurocopter Holding will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Vector Aerospace by way of a take-over bid for consideration of C$13 in cash per Common Share (the Offer). Vector Aerospace, a Read More

Beechcraft Debut King Air 250 Along With Other Aircraft At Sun ?n Fun

March 28, 2011 - Hawker Beechcraft Corporation announced it will feature its entire Beechcraft product lineup at the 2011 Sun ?n Fun International Fly-In and Expo March 29?April 3 in Lakeland, Florida. The display, the company?s largest ever at the 37th annual gathering, will be highlighted with the show debut of the new King Air  Read More

Gulfstream Aircraft Receives AMO By The Cayman Islands

March 28, 2011 - The Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. service center in Westfield, Massachusetts, which supports business-jet operators in the high-traffic New York and Boston metropolitan areas, was recently awarded an approved maintenance organization (AMO) certificate by the Cayman Islands. The designation means  Read More

Family Members Conspired To Export F-5 Fighter Jet Engines To Iran

March 28, 2011 - Four family members from Bogota, Columbia, were indicted on Wednesday by a federal grand jury on various counts of illegally attempting to export 22 F-5 jet fighter engines to Iran.  The indictment follows an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Defense Criminal  Read More

Stop Work Order Issued On The JSF F136 Extra Engine Program By DOD

March 28, 2011 - The Department of Defense (DoD) on Thursday issued a stop work order in connection with the Joint Strike Fighter extra engine program. The administration and the DoD strongly oppose the extra engine program. As reflected in the President?s fiscal 2012 budget proposal that was recently submitted to Congress, which does not include funding for the program. ?In our view it is a waste of taxpayer money that can be   Read More

Passenger Travel Up On U.S And On Foreign Airlines Serving The United States

Tuesday, March 27, 2011 - The U.S. Department of Transportation?s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported that 786.7 million scheduled passengers traveled on U.S. airlines and on foreign airlines serving the United States in 2010. This is a 2.1 percent increase from 2009. The 2010 passenger total still remained 3.2  Read More

Electronic Flight Strip System Goes Into Operation At Jersey Airport

March 27, 2011 ? Northrop Grumman Corporation's Europe-based air traffic management subsidiary, Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems, has delivered radar data processing displays and Electronic Flight Strip (EFS) capabilities for the new air traffic control centre at Jersey Airport. Jersey Airport is located in the parish of Saint Peter, 4 NM  Read More

Jeppesen Teams Up To Provide NavData To Sport And Experimental Aircraft Pilots

March 27, 2011 - Jeppesen and Dynon Avionics, a leading supplier of avionics for the light sport and experimental aircraft markets, have entered into an agreement to provide Jeppesen NavData and obstacle services for the Dynon Avionics SkyView. The avionics data offering for Dynon Avionics serves as part of a total Jeppesen light sport and experimental aircraft solution suite  Read More

Earthbound Remedies Inspired By Spacebound Bacteria

March 27, 2011 - Recent research aboard the space shuttle is giving scientists a better understanding of how infectious disease occurs in space and could someday improve astronaut health and provide novel treatments for people on Earth. "With our space-based research efforts, including the International Space Station, we are not only continuing our human presence in Read More

Fire At MIA Continues To Cause Flight Cancelations And Delays

March 26, 2011 - Flights at Miami International Airport (MIA) continue to be delayed or canceled in the aftermath of Wednesday night's massive fuel tank fire on the southeast side of the airport. Over 100 fire crews battled the flames into the early morning hours of Thursday that broke out at the airport's aircraft fuel farm. Airport  Read More

FAA Installs 150th Alaska Weather Camera To Promote Safer Skies

March 26, 2011 - In an ongoing effort to improve aviation safety in Alaska, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has turned on its 150th weather camera in Talkeetna, a historic village whose airport is the hub for mountain climbing and sightseeing flights to Mt. McKinley. Aviation cameras are positioned to view sky conditions Read More

AOPA Pays Tribute To Air Traffic Controllers

March 25, 2011 - To a pilot in trouble, there is often no more helpful cockpit resource than the air traffic controller on the other end of the radio. That?s why the AOPA Foundation?s Air Safety Institute joined the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) at the annual Archie League Awards Banquet Wednesday night during NATCA?s annual Communicating For Safety  Read More

Garmin Raises The Bar With GTN 650 And 750 Touchscreen Avionics

March 25, 2011 - Garmin has raised the bar with the announcement of the GTN 650 and GTN 750 series. These panel-mount units are certified and approved for installation in hundreds of makes and models of general aviation aircraft. The GTN 650 and GTN 750 feature new capabilities for GPS/NAV/COM systems like touchscreen operation, graphical  Read More

Airbus Military A400M Completes Low Speed Take Off Tests

March 25, 2011 - The Airbus Military A400M has completed a challenging series of tests to determine the lowest speed at which it can take off, known as minimum unstick speed or Vmu. During the tests, performed at Istres in France, the aircraft?s nose was raised until a special ?bumper? fitted to the rear fuselage struck the ground at the maximum pitch-up angle of 13?. The Airbus A400M is a multi-national four-engine turboprop military  Read More

FAA Suspends Air Traffic Controller At Washington National Airport

March 24, 2011 - On early Wednesday morning two passenger airliners were forced to land their aircraft at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington DC without the assistance of the control tower. It is believed that the controller on duty fallen asleep. Today that controller has been suspended. By mid day DOT Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood ordered the FAA to staff the tower with two controllers. "I directed the FAA to Read More

After Two Years, Fired Pilot At Ryanair Gets Job Back

March 24, 2011 - James Anderson was fired from Ryanair back in 2009 for passing out union recruitment leaflet to a member of his cabin crew. Anderson was a captain with Ryanair since March 2001. Ryanair which is run by Michael O'Leary is an Irish low-cost airline with its head office at Dublin Airport, and with primary operational bases at Dublin Airport and London Stansted Airport. Ryanair operates over 250 Boeing 737-800  Read More

Going To The Bathroom On U.S. Commercial Aircraft Could Be Fatal

March 24, 2011 - The Federal Aviation Administration determined that the oxygen generators located in the bathrooms of some 6,000 U.S. commercial registered aircraft posed a potential threat to the safety of flight ordered all U.S. airline carriers through an airworthiness directive (AD) which was issued on March 8, 2011 to remove them. To date all oxygen generators  Read More

54th Annual Avionics Convention Opened In Reno Nevada

March 24, 2011 - Nearly 1,400 avionics manufacturers, dealers, installers and other general aviation professionals have converged at the 54th annual Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) International Convention & Trade Show, at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada that began on Tuesday and will continue until Friday March 25th. The AEA convention is the Read More

AirTran Stockholders Approve Southwest Merger

March 24, 2011 - AirTran Holdings, Inc. the parent company of AirTran Airways, announced on Wednesday that its stockholders voted overwhelmingly to approve the merger of a wholly-owned subsidiary of Southwest Airlines Co. with and into AirTran at a special meeting held in Orlando. More than 98.6 percent of the votes cast and 77.5 percent of shares outstanding were  Read More

Sikorsky Aircraft Opens New CH-53K Helicopter Assembly Plant In Florida

March 23, 2011 - Sikorsky Aircraft officially opened a new facility at its Florida Assembly and Flight Operations (FAFO) campus, establishing experimental assembly line operations for the new CH-53K heavy lift helicopter.  Since 1959, United Technologies Corporation has been in operation in Palm Beach County with Pratt & Whitney military engine programs  Read More

Gulfstream G250 Completes Aircraft Natural Icing Tests

March 23, 2011 ? Gulfstream Aerospace second Gulfstream G250 flight test aircraft successfully completed natural icing tests, bringing the large-cabin, mid-range aircraft several steps closer to its certification later this year by the Federal Aviation Administration and the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel. Serial Number (S/N) 2002 left  Read More

New Orleans Control Tower Given Notice Of Workplace Safety Violations

March 23, 2011 - The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued Notices of Unsafe or Unhealthful Working Conditions to the Federal Aviation Administration's Lakefront Airport Air Traffic Control Tower in New Orleans for exposing workers to possible fire hazards. OSHA began an inspection on Sept. 22, 2010, as part of its Airport Air Traffic Control Tower Monitoring Program, which found  Read More

Air Force F-22 Breaks Sound Barrier On Camelina Based Biofuel

March 23, 2011 - Sustainable Oils, a producer of renewable, low carbon and domestically made fuels, announced jet fuel derived from its camelina powered the successful test flight of a U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor aircraft. The aircraft was powered by a 50/50 fuel blend of conventional petroleum-based JP-8 and biofuel derived from camelina. "The F-22 flew on Friday, and performed flawlessly on the biofuel blend citing no noticeable  Read More

Bombardier CSeries Aircraft Systems Testing Begins

March 22, 2011 - The first systems for Bombardier's CSeries airliner program are now being developed and tested at partners and vendors in Canada, the United States and Europe prior to delivery to Bombardier's Complete Integrated Aircraft Systems Test Area (CIASTA). The installation of the systems rigs at the CIASTA is progressing  Read More

To Date No Flight Restrictions In And Out Of Japan Airports

March 22, 2011 - At the present time there are no restrictions to normal air transport operations at Japan?s major airports, including both Haneda and Narita, as reported by International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Maritime Organization (IMO), the World Health  Read More

The Boeing 747-8 Makes A Successful First Flight

March 22, 2011 - The Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental successfully began its flight test program on Sunday, taking off from Paine Field in Everett, Washington before several thousand employees, customers, suppliers and community leaders. The airplane landed four hours and 25 minutes later at Boeing Field in Seattle. The 747-8 Intercontinental's first flight marks the beginning of a flight test program that will finish in the  Read More

EASA Certifies Garmin G500H Glass Cockpit On The Eurocopter AS350

March 22, 2011 - Garmin International, a global leader in satellite navigation, and Kuerzi Avionics AG, an industry leader in helicopter and aircraft services in Europe, have teamed together to obtain European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification for the installation of the Garmin G500H glass cockpit in the Eurocopter AS350. With this STC, any authorized Garmin aviation dealer can install a G500H in an AS350 in accordance with EASA  Read More

O?Hare Airport To Receive Federal Funding For Airport Improvements

March 21, 2011 - U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, executives from United Airlines and American Airlines and U.S. Senators Richard Durbin and Mark Kirk announced a $1.17 billion agreement that will allow the O?Hare Modernization Program to move forward, add runway capacity, and prevent flight delays from growing  Read More

Customs Officer Smuggled Drug Money And Guns Though ATL Airport

March 21, 2011 - Devon Samuels, 45, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer of Stockbridge Georgia, pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to conspiring to launder drug money and attempting to smuggle guns onto an airplane. Samuels and his wife, Keisha Jones, 30, also of Stockbridge, Georgia, both also pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit  Read More

Omniflight Completes Level 1 Of The FAA SMS Program

March 21, 2011 - Building on its commitment to safety and quality, Omniflight Helicopters, Inc., a leading national provider of air medical services, has completed Level 1 of the Federal Aviation Administration's Safety Management System (SMS) program and has now started on Level 2. Omniflight announced its achievement, calling its SMS participation a natural extension of  Read More

Aircraft Maintenance In America Who Is Fixing My Plane?

March 21, 2011 - There is no question airlines have been struggling financially over the last ten years. Many over the years have blamed organized labor for being inflexible and unwilling to lower costs. Unfortunately, in a knee jerk response in an attempt to lower costs, many airlines have outsourced thousands of high skilled jobs to aircraft maintenance repair companies that are not  Read More

FAA Warns Rotorcraft Pilots On The Use Of Garmin 400/500 With TAWS

March 20, 2011 - The FAA issued a notice to inform pilots of rotorcraft equipped with Garmin 400/500 series GPS Navigation Systems, with the activated function of Terrain Awareness and Warning Systems (TAWS) designed for use in fixed wing airplanes. Rotorcraft generally includes those aircraft where one or more rotors are required to provide lift throughout the entire flight  Read More

United Airlines Mechanics Secure Tentative Agreement With Airline

March 20, 2011 - The Teamsters Union and United Airlines Inc. have reached a tentative agreement on a contract for the 5,500 aircraft technicians and related employees throughout the U.S., Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa announced on Friday. This is the first contract negotiated by the Teamsters for the group since the workers voted to join the union in March  Read More

NTSB Urges Pilots To Be Vigilant For Meteorological Evaluation Towers

March 20, 2011 - Meteorological Evaluation Towers (METs) are used to measure wind speed and direction during the development of wind energy conversion facilities. METs are made from galvanized tubing (or other galvanized structure) with a diameter of 6 to 8 inches and are secured with guy wires that connect at multiple heights on the MET and anchor on the ground. Many METs fall just below the 200-foot  Read More

TSA 2012 Budget Proposal Is The Right Path For Agency

March 20, 2011 - While the decision to permit collective bargaining at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) ?has energized our Officers,? their union leader said this week, the reality remains that TSA must be appropriately funded to perform most effectively its vital mission of helping secure air travel. That means, said President Colleen M. Kelley of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), the proper appropriations path to Read More

Bernard von NotHaus Convicted of Minting His Own Currency

March 20, 2011 - Bernard von NotHaus, 67, was convicted by a federal jury of making, possessing, and selling his own coins, announced Anne M. Tompkins, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Following an eight-day trial and less than two hours of deliberation, von NotHaus, the founder and monetary architect of a currency known as the Liberty Dollar, was found guilty by a jury in Statesville, North Carolina Read More

NTEU Tells Congress CBP Staffing Must Be Increased

March 20, 2011 - Failure to provide adequate resources and staffing for either the homeland security or trade facilitation missions of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is a short-sighted act that threatens the nation?s borders and robs the Treasury of much-needed revenue, the leader of the union representing the 26,000-employee CBP workforce told a House subcommittee on Wednesday.  In support of  Read More

Airbus Rolls Out The Biggest Carbon Fuselage Panel For A350 XWB Aircraft

March 19, 2011 - Airbus partner, Premium AEROTEC, has successfully completed the curing of the largest A350 XWB fuselage panel made from carbon fiber at its site in Nordenham (Germany). Located on the forward right-hand side of the fuselage and measuring 93 square meters, the panel will undergo ultrasonic   Read More

IATA, Japan Crisis To Have Impact On Global Air Transport Markets

March 19, 2011 - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reiterated its support and efforts to maintain safe and efficient air links with Japan in the aftermath of last week?s earthquake and tsunami. IATA also issued its first assessment of the potential impact of the crisis on global air transport. IATA has mobilized Read More

CSeries Aircraft Has Permanent Home At ICAO Headquarters Lobby

March 19, 2011 - The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) accepted a large scale model of the all-new CSeries commercial jetliner as a special gift from Bombardier Aerospace. The model, which is destined to be placed on permanent display in the lobby of ICAO's headquarters in Montr?al, was presented by Bombardier officials at a special ceremony before an  Read More

Boeing To Construct Second Oklahoma City Facility

March 19, 2011 - The Boeing Company announced on Friday the beginning of construction of a second facility the company will lease in Oklahoma City. The new structure is needed to address an increase in the Boeing Oklahoma City work force due to program relocations and growth in the services business at the site. The new six-story, 320,000-square-foot building will be designed  Read More

Midwest Airlines Flight Attendants Win Major Victory

March 18, 2011 - The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) won a major arbitration for hundreds of former Midwest Airlines Flight Attendants, represented by AFA. The arbitration award validated AFA?s assertion that the Midwest Flight Attendant contract was violated after Republic Airways Holdings, Inc. purchased  Read More

FAA Issues Residential ?Through The Fence? Policy

March 18, 2011 - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Thursday issued its interim policy on residential through-the-fence (RTTF) access agreements at federally-funded airports (background information). This action adopts an interim policy amending and clarifying FAA policy concerning through the fence access to a  Read More

Northrop Completes Third Flight Of X-47B Unmanned Aircraft

March 18, 2011 - Less than a month after completing the first flight of the U.S. Navy's X-47B UCAS-Demonstration aircraft, flight test engineers from Northrop Grumman Corporation and the Navy have successfully completed the aircraft's second and third flights. The flights, both conducted at Edwards Air Force Base, mark the beginning of a process called envelope expansion during which the test team will begin proving that  Read More

Sonex Aircraft Accepting Deposits On Folding Wing Sport Aircraft

March 18, 2011 - Sonex Aircraft, has announced that refundable deposits are now being accepted to reserve kit production slots for the Onex single-place, folding-wing, aerobatic sport aircraft. Onex Airframe Kit deliveries are expected to begin by mid-year, 2011, with Tail Kit deliveries beginning much sooner. The Onex has been a highly anticipated Sport Pilot-eligible airplane kit. Many prospective Onex builders have submitted requests to Read More

Airline Ramp And Fleet Service Workers Receive Support To Unionize

March 17, 2011 - The Teamsters Union has committed its full resources to make sure United ramp workers and Continental fleet service workers are victorious in forming their union and winning a strong contract, Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa told the workers on Wednesday. ?It is great to be in Chicago today at United?s hub, where United workers  Read More

U.S Travel Association Unveils Air Travel Security Screening System

March 17, 2011 - The U.S Travel Association and a panel of travel and security experts on Wednesday unveiled a groundbreaking plan to improve security at America's airports and reduce the burden on travelers.  Among the most notable recommendations are the creation of a trusted traveler program and a requirement that travelers be allowed to check at least  Read More

Open Travel Enrollment For Hispanic College Students Lanzate Program

March 17, 2011 - Southwest Airlines, in conjunction with the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), on Wednesday opened applications for "Lanzate," an annual travel award program supporting education. Online applications will be accepted through April 29, 2011, at HACU. The program is geared toward college students with economic need who must travel away from home to pursue higher education. Read More

Sikorsky X2 Technology Wins Prestigious Robert J. Collier Trophy

March 17, 2011 - The Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. X2 Technology demonstrator team has been named the winner of the 2010 Robert J. Collier Trophy, awarded annually to recognize the greatest achievements in aeronautics or astronautics in America. It is the 100th Collier Trophy to be awarded since the inception of the prize. Sikorsky is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. The award, considered to be the one of the greatest honors to be  Read More

First U.S. Russia Joint Open Skies Observation Flight

March 16, 2011 - The United States and the Russian Federation begin the first ever joint U.S.-Russian Observation flight under the Treaty on Open Skies. This historic joint mission began on Tuesday and will continue through the 18^th of this month and will be conducted over the territory of Sweden on a Russian aircraft with a team of Russian, American and  Read More

Jeppesen Expands Commercial Airline Overlay Chart Library

March 16, 2011 - Responding to commercial aviation customer feedback, Jeppesen recently introduced design enhancements to its industry-leading commercial airline overlay (CAO) chart library and has added 400 new airport/approach charts to the series for more than 70 global locations to benefit airlines operating worldwide. The additional 400 airport/approach  Read More

Brazil Will Need To Improve Aviation Industry To Achieve Competitiveness

March 16, 2011- The International Air Transport Association (IATA) praised President Dilma Rousseff?s strategic focus on aviation and urged a quick follow-up with critical reforms to improve the industry?s competitiveness. Preparations to host the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics make urgent progress necessary. Dilma Vana  Read More

Passenger Airline Employment Up 0.4 Percent

March 16, 2011 - U.S. scheduled passenger airlines employed 0.4 percent more workers in January 2011 than they did in January 2010, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported on Tuesday. This is the second consecutive increase in full-time equivalent employee (FTE) levels for the scheduled passenger carriers from the same month of the previous Read More

How Changes In Magnetic North Are Impacting Airports

March 15, 2011 - When Tampa International Airport (TPA) shut down its primary runway in early January to repaint the numeric designators at each end, and change the taxiway signage, the reason for the closure set off a maelstrom of press coverage. As a result of the movement of the magnetic north pole, runway 18R/36L no longer aligned along the 180-  Read More

Air Pollution From BP Oil Spill Reaching Far Beyond The Gulf

March 15, 2011 - During a special airborne mission to study the air-quality impacts of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill last June, NOAA researchers discovered an important new mechanism by which air pollution particles form. Although predicted four years ago, this discovery now confirms the importance of this pollution mechanism and could change the way urban  Read More

Deployment Of Floodwall At St. Paul Downtown Airport Underway

March 15, 2011 - With spring flooding of the Mississippi River at St. Paul all but certain, work crews from the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) began deploying temporary sections of floodwall at St. Paul Downtown Airport. St. Paul Downtown Airport also known as Holman Field, is an airport just across the Mississippi River from downtown Saint Paul, Minnesota. It is  Read More

Northrop Completes Structural Proof Testing Of Second X-47B Aircraft

March 15, 2011 - The U.S. Navy's second X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) will be able to withstand all of the structural stresses and strains associated with takeoff, flight and landing ? including those uniquely linked with landing or taking off from the moving, pitching deck of an aircraft carrier. That's the conclusion of an analysis by a Navy/Northrop Grumman Corporation test team  Read More

TSA Cooked The Books For Years On Costs, Federal Vs Private Screening

March 14, 2011 - The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a letter to Transportation Committee Chairman John L. Mica (R-FL) that confirms the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has used faulty data and withheld information when evaluating and comparing the costs of the  Read More

Coalition To Save Our GPS Testifies Before House Appropriations Committee

March 14, 2011 - A representative of a founding member of the Coalition to Save Our GPS told a House subcommittee on Friday that a recent action by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) could cause "consequences of disruption" to the Global Positioning Systems (GPS) that will be "far reaching, likely to affect large portions of Read More

International Aero Engines Launches SelectTwo Engine Program

March 14, 2011 - International Aero Engines AG (IAE) has announced the launch of its next generation V2500 engine, V2500 SelectTwo. An upgrade option for the V2500 SelectOne, SelectTwo is projected to provide 0.58% fuel burn savings compared to the V2500 SelectOne engine for a 500 nautical mile A320 mission. SelectTwo is comprised of a software upgrade for  Read More

New Helicopter Agreements Validates Eurocopter?s Competitiveness

March 14, 2011 - New business concluded during this industry event in Orlando, Florida involved eight of Eurocopter?s helicopter types, including the next-generation EC145 T2 that was unveiled during Heli-Expo. There was with two members of its enhanced rotary-wing aircraft line-up that was announced at the show. These bookings came from operators in the United States, Canada, Europe and Russia. Read More

Black History In The Now

March 13, 2011 - When people think about celebrating Black History month they normally envision high profile individuals from the past such as Phyllis Wheatley; the first African-American woman to publish a book in 1700s; W.E.B. Du Bois the first African American to earn a doctorate degree from Harvard University in 1800s. But if you are Air Force Lt. Col. Merryl Tengesdal your dreams lead you to research people like  Read More

Natural Variability Culprit Of Russian Heat Wave That Killed Thousands

March 13, 2011 - The deadly Russian heat wave of 2010 was due to a natural atmospheric phenomenon often associated with weather extremes, according to a new NOAA study. And while the scientists could not attribute the intensity of this particular heat wave to climate change, they found that extreme heat waves are likely to become increasingly frequent in the region in coming decades. Read More

Women In Aviation 2011 Scholarships Total Nearly $700,000

March 13, 2011 - A total of 76 scholarships valued at $691,750 were distributed to WAI members at every stage of life from university students to mature members seeking a career change to aviation. These scholarships were awarded during the 22nd Annual International Women in Aviation Conference held recently in Reno. The scholarship total includes not only  Read More

Challenges Persist In Meeting The Screening Mandate for Air Cargo

March 13, 2011 - The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is the federal agency with primary responsibility for securing the air cargo system. The Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 mandated DHS to establish a system to screen 100 percent of cargo flown on  Read More

FAA Orders Airlines Disable Bathroom Oxygen Generators On Aircraft

March 12, 2011 - The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently required the nation's airlines to disable the oxygen generators located in all aircraft lavatories to eliminate a potential safety and security vulnerability. The airlines completed the work on the 6,000 aircraft in the U.S. fleet on Friday March  Read More

GOP John Mica (R-FL) Wants To Strip Union Rights From Aviation Workers

March 12, 2011 - The House of Representatives will soon debate and vote on the FAA Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2011 (H.R. 658). Hidden deep in this legislation is a provision that would overturn the National Mediation Board?s (NMB) new voting rules for the nation?s airline and railroad workers. Sponsored by GOP House Transportation Committee Chairman John Read More

Tsunami Aftermath Continues To Affect Japan?s Air Travel

March 12, 2011 - The earthquake that struck Japans northern coast off Miyagi prefecture early Friday morning was the country?s worst in its history and in over 300 years. The earthquake registered at 8.9 magnitude which caused a tsunami (pronounced soo-NAH-mee) that has killed an unknown number of people. The death toll and juries where limited as a result of Japan?s two early warning systems; the earthquake alert system and   Read More

Eurocopter Receives 68 Helicopter Orders At Heli-Expo 2011

March 12, 2011 - Eurocopter booked 68 new orders and agreements during this week?s Heli-Expo 2011 exposition while also unveiling a range of new and enhanced helicopter products, confirming the company?s highly competitive position for the expected upturn in the world?s rotary-wing aircraft sector. New business concluded during this industry event in Orlando, Florida involved eight of Eurocopter?s helicopter types Read More

Leading Edge To Paint B-787 Dreamliners Built In South Carolina

March 11, 2011 - Boeing has selected Leading Edge Aviation Services to paint 787 Dreamliners assembled at Boeing's new North Charleston, S.C., final assembly and delivery facility. Leading Edge will perform the work at its Amarillo, Texas facility where other wide-body airplanes are painted. The company, which specializes in  Read More

U.S. Airline Passenger Travel Up 2.9 Percent

March 11, 2011 - The U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported in a release of preliminary data that U.S. airlines carried 58.6 million scheduled domestic and international passengers in December 2010. This is a 2.9 percent increase from December 2009. The December 2010 passenger total was 2.1 percent above that of two years ago in December 2008 but still remained 3.6 percent below . Read More

Recovery Dollars Provide Improvements At Asheville Regional Airport

March 11, 2011 - The U.S. Department of Transportation?s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Thursday celebrated the completion of terminal improvements at North Carolina?s Asheville Regional Airport, paid for with $7.8 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds. ?Investing in our nation?s airports provides an important avenue for economic  Read More

EU Countries To Work Closer Towards Greater Efficiency Across Airspace

March 11, 2011 - The Air Navigation Service Providers of the Ireland/UK and Denmark/Sweden Functional Airspace Blocks have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, designed to drive forward progress towards greater flight efficiency, cost efficiency and operational consistency in line with SES performance goals. Under the terms of the MoU, the IAA, NATS, Naviair and LFV will investigate  Read More

Mesaba Airlines Recalls All Furloughed Pilots

March 10, 2011 - The pilots of Mesaba Airlines, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int?l, (ALPA) hailed the decision by Mesaba Airlines, Inc., a division of Pinnacle Airlines, Corp., to recall all furloughed pilots. The move is an indication of sustained growth within the airline. All 159 pilots will be called back to the line at Mesaba to operate Saab aircraft out of the  Read More

Space Shuttle Discovery Returns Home After Final Mission 

March 10, 2011 - Space shuttle Discovery and its six-astronaut crew ended a 13-day journey of more than five million miles and concluded the spacecraft's illustrious 27-year career with an 11:57 a.m. EST landing Wednesday at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. STS-133 was the last mission for the longest-serving veteran of NASA's  Read More

Aerial Refueling Landmark Flight Between Two Unmanned Aircraft

March 10, 2011 - Northrop Grumman Corporation, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and NASA Dryden Flight Research Center took a major step toward demonstrating autonomous aerial refueling between two unmanned, high altitude aircraft, an operation never before performed. In a key risk reduction flight test, Northrop Grumman's Proteus test  Read More

U.S. Policy Change On Travel Restrictions To Cuba

March 10, 2011 ? The U.S. begins lifting flight restrictions to Cuba. Prior to the recent change in travel restriction to Cuba only three U.S. airports, Miami International (MIA), JFK International (JFK) and Los Angeles International (LAX), had been eligible to host charter flights to Cuba. Within the past week eight U.S. airports have been added to the list of airports allowed to accept flight to Read More

TSA Representation Election Gets Underway

March 9, 2011 - Today, tens of thousands of ballots have been mailed to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Officers as they prepare to cast their votes in a historic representation election that will provide an avenue to improve their work lives and an opportunity to improve agency performance.  ?TSA Officers can vote in the largest union election  Read More

Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental Completes Engine Runs Successfully

March 9, 2011 - Boeing successfully completed the first engine runs for the 747-8 Intercontinental on Tuesday. The milestone marks a key step in preparing Boeing's largest-ever passenger jet for flight test. "The integrated airplane systems and engines performed as expected," said Elizabeth Lund, vice president and deputy program  Read More

Jeppesen Introduces Web Based Crew Fatigue Risk Assessment Service

March 3, 2011 - Jeppesen recently released a web-based service for quickly assessing predicted fatigue levels while determining airline crew schedules. The online Jeppesen Crew Fatigue Assessment Service is available to airlines of all sizes and represents the latest in a series of solutions from Jeppesen to help the commercial aviation industry  Read More

Mesa Air Exits From Chapter 11 As Competitive Airline

March 3, 2011 - Mesa Air Group?s Plan of Reorganization became effective on Tuesday, allowing the company to emerge from its reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Mesa and its related subsidiaries entered bankruptcy protection on January 5, 2010 and Mesa?s exit from bankruptcy protection in 13 months places it among the fastest reorganizations in aviation history.  Read More

Northrop To Provide Flight Line Security Systems For Australian Air Force

March 3, 2011 - The Australian Defense Materiel Organization has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation a contract to provide integrated airfield and asset protection solutions for the Royal Australian Air Force C-17 aircraft. Northrop Grumman will deliver its Expeditionary Tactical Automated Security System (ExTASS) for the protection of the Australian C-17s  Read More

Police Patrol Switch From Helicopter To Flight Design CTLS Aircraft

March 3, 2011 - Tulare County is situated about a hundred miles north of Los Angeles near California's Sequoia National Forest. Facing the same budget constraints as many localities, Tulare County Sheriff Department Captain David Williams chose a Light-Sport Aircraft to perform patrol duties. He ordered a Flight Design CTLS. According to David Castellon writing for the Visalia Times-Delta Read More

International Air Traffic Up Emerging Concern Over Oil Prices

March 2, 2011 - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced international scheduled traffic results for January showing an 8.2% increase in passenger traffic and 9.1% growth in air freight compared to January 2010. ?We begin the year with some good news. January traffic volumes are up?8.2% on January 2010 and 2.6% on December.  Read More

GE Purchased B-747 For Testing Next Generation Of Jet Engines

March 2, 2011 - GE Aviation is announcing a $60 million investment to purchase and refurbish a Boeing 747-400 aircraft and turn it into a new flying test bed that will test the next generation of jet engines-starting with the LEAP-X engine. The CFM International LEAP-X is a high-bypass turbofan engine currently under development by CFM  Read More

World?s First Operational Life Size Hummingbird Like Unmanned Aircraft

March 2, 2011 - AeroVironment, Inc. announced it has accomplished a technical milestone never before achieved, controlled precision hovering and fast-forward flight of a two-wing, flapping wing aircraft that carries its own energy source, and uses only the flapping wings for propulsion and control. The milestone was part of the Phase II contract awarded by the  Read More

Employee Of Delta Airlines Arrested On Impersonating A Federal Air Marshal

March 2, 2011 - A Chelsea man was arrested on Tuesday and charged in U.S. District Court for allegedly impersonating a federal air marshal. Abdirahman Y. Hassan, 31, was arrested and charged with falsely impersonating a federal air marshal during the course of an investigation into a motor vehicle accident. According to the complaint, Hassan is employed by  Read More

Cirrus Aircraft To Be Sold To China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co

March 1, 2011 - Cirrus Industries, Inc. (Cirrus), a recognized leader in general aviation, and China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co., (CAIGA) on Monday announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement pursuant to which CAIGA would acquire Cirrus. Cirrus  Read More

Southwest Airlines Adopt-A-Pilot Program Lands In Schools Nationwide

March 1, 2011 - On Monday, Southwest Airlines announced the official takeoff of its award-winning, educational and mentoring program, Adopt-A-Pilot(R). Each Spring, fifth-grade students in more than 1,400 classes across the country will "adopt" Southwest Airlines Pilots through a program that leads students through science, geography, math, writing, and other core subjects, all based in aviation-related activities. Students also will research careers, reinforce life values, and realize the importance of staying in school. Read More

Nepal Airline's Chairman, Sugat Kansakar Jailed On Aircraft Purchase Corruption

March 1, 2011 - A Nepal court has sent the former Nepal Airline's Chairman, Sugat Ratna Kansakar to jail after he failed to make bond on a corruption scandal that surfaced on the purchase of two Airbus aircraft. At a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) hearing, which is responsible for overseeing government expenditures to ensure they are effective and honest Kansakar has stated he had entrapped the government into the purchasing the aircraft and that government would  Read More

DOT Fines American Airlines For Failing To Disclose Oversales Voucher Fees

March 1, 2011 - The U.S. Department of Transportation on Monday assessed a civil penalty of $90,000 against American Airlines for failing to disclose that vouchers given to passengers for voluntarily giving up their seat on oversold flights could be redeemed only after paying as much as a $30 ticketing fee. This is the first penalty issued by the Department against an airline for failing to disclose fees or other restrictions on the use of oversales vouchers. Read More

South Carolina Governor Hires Law Firm To Fight Aircraft Mechanics Union

March 1, 2011 - According to an article in the Columbia Free Times, the taxpayers of South Carolina will be paying for an anti-union law firm to represent the state in a lawsuit by the Machinists Union. Assisting the state?s defense in the lawsuit is the labor and employment law firm Ogletree Deakins. Because the union also recently sued labor agency director Templeton in her personal capacity as well, the firm will also represent her personally  Read More