CBP Aircraft Crew Finds Sailboat Carrying Kidnapped Children

March 30, 2012 - Months of searching for three Montana children believed kidnapped by their father ended happily Tuesday when a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Air and Marine (OAM) air crew spotted the father’s sailboat off the coast of southern Florida. Just before noon Tuesday, the crew of a CBP DHC-8 (commonly  Read More

SpaceX Announces Independent Safety Advisory Panel For Commercial Crew

March 30, 2012 - Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), one of the leading private companies working to restore America’s ability to carry astronauts to the Space Station, announced it has assembled a team of outside experts to help the company create the world’s safest human spaceflight system. “When it comes to manned spaceflight, safety  Read More

Bombardier's Vision Flight Deck Enters Service On Niki Lauda's New Global 5000 Jet

March 29, 2012 - Bombardier Aerospace announced that its Vision Flight Deck entered service on schedule on a Global 5000 jet. The aircraft was delivered to Formula 1 champion Niki Lauda, a longtime Bombardier customer, during a special ceremony at Bombardier's Global Completion Centre, in Dorval, Canada. "The Vision Read More

NATCA Commends President Obama For Nominating Huerta To Lead FAA

March 29, 2012 - National Air Traffic Controllers Association President Paul Rinaldi welcomed the news that President Obama has nominated FAA Acting Administrator Michael Huerta to serve as administrator of the agency. “NATCA commends President Obama for nominating Michael Huerta as the administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration Read More

Jury Finds GE Had Culpability In Crash Of Sikorsky Helicopter That Killed 9

March 29, 2012 - A Portland, Oregon jury ruled on lawsuit Tuesday that the Sikorsky S-61N helicopter, N612AZ, that crashed killing the pilot-in-command, the safety crewmember, and seven firefighters during a wildfire in Shasta-Trinity National Forest near Weaverville, California on August 5, 2008, had a design flaw making the equipment  Read More

JetBlue Flight 191 Diverted After Captain Had Nervous Breakdown

March 29, 2012 - On Tuesday JetBlue Flight 191, a Airbus A320 departed John F. Kennedy Airport at about 7:30 AM with 135 passengers for Las Vegas. About two and a half hours into the flight the pilot in command began to have a nervous breakdown. The copilot was able to persuade the captain to leave to cockpit, he reported the captain began pressing buttons and banking the aircraft erratically. The Read More

Gulfstream Lays Groundwork To Support Rapidly Expanding China Fleet

March 28, 2012 - Speaking to media at Shanghai's first Asian Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (ABACE), Gulfstream President Larry Flynn addressed the strength of sales in the Asia Pacific and committed to increasing Gulfstream resources in the region. "Asia, and particularly China, remains our leading export market," he said. "Twenty-seven percent of our  Read More

Cessna Sees High Asian Interest In Citation Latitude

March 28, 2012 - Cessna Aircraft Company, said at the Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (ABACE) the company is seeing high levels of interest from Asia around the planned game changing mid size business jet, the Citation Latitude, scheduled to enter service in 2015. Speaking at ABACE, Bill Harris, Cessna's vice president, sales for Asia and Asia Pacific, said: "Overall demand for light  Read More

Garmin Pilot Aviation App Brings The Garmin Experience To Ipad

March 28, 2012 - Garmin announced Garmin Pilot, a new aviation app for iOS devices, including the iPad and iPhone, and Android based mobile devices. The app brings Garmin’s industry-leading aviation features to tablets and smart phones, offering pilots complete navigation, trip planning, DUAT(S) filing, weather and electronic flight bag  Read More

Air Force Ends Pilot Travel Card Program

March 28, 2012 - The Air Force recently decided to transition existing Controlled Spend Account travel cards to an enhanced Government Travel Card by the end of fiscal 2012. "The CSA, a pilot travel card program, provided some enhancements for travelers, but also brought about significant challenges for our most frequent travelers and those with unique mission sets," said Mrs. Joan Causey Read More

Jeppesen Flitesupport Now Consolidates Trip Planning, Dispatch And Fueling

March 27, 2012 - Jeppesen has introduced a new Jeppesen FliteSupport Services solution to provide customized delivery of essential international trip planning, dispatch and global fueling services through a consolidated approach for operators. For more than 75 years Jeppesen has made it possible for pilots and their passengers to   Read More

Boeing Business Jet Unveiled With Luxury Interior And High Speed Digital System

March 27, 2012 - Boeing Business Jets (BBJ) unveiled the latest BBJ to enter service at the Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (ABACE) in Shanghai. The airplane, a 737-700 with -800 wings and other modifications for longer range, was delivered earlier this month to a private businessman in the United States. It is the second BBJ for this   Read More

Historic Flight To Attend Final Doolittle Raider Reunion

March 26, 2012 - This April 18th will mark the 70th anniversary of the famous Doolittle Raid on Tokyo in the early days of WWII. In honor of the men and the mission, the five surviving Raiders will come together for one final reunion. They will be joined by crew of the carrier Hornet from which they began their heroic mission, as well as  Read More

Cessna And AVIC Join Forces To Develop General And Business Aviation In China

March 26, 2012 - Cessna Aircraft Company and Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) are signing two strategic agreements to jointly develop general and business aviation in the People's Republic of China. Cessna Aircraft Company is an airplane manufacturing corporation headquartered in Wichita, Kansas. Their main products are Read More

F-35 Reaches Critical Juncture After Strong Year, Official Says

March 26, 2012 - The F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter program the centerpiece of future tactical aviation and a key to implementing new military strategic guidance made strong progress in its development last year, a defense official said. Frank Kendall, the acting undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics  Read More

Rising Oil Prices Decrease Airline Profitability With Regional Differences Widening

March 26, 2012 - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced a downgrade to its industry outlook for 2012 primarily due to rising oil prices. IATA expects airlines to turn a global profit of $3.0 billion in 2012 for a 0.5% margin. This $500 million downgrade from the December forecast is primarily driven by a rise in the  Read More

Paper Airplane Soars At 98 MPH In First Ever "Great Paper Airplane Project"

March 25, 2012 - A 45-foot paper airplane with a 24 foot wingspan, quite possibly the largest ever constructed, was launched yesterday outside of Tucson by the Pima Air & Space Museum, one of the largest aviation museums in the world. Aeronautical engineers designed the plane, inspired by 12 year old Tucson resident Arturo Valdenegro,  Read More

Porter Airlines To Conduct Canada's First Biofuel Powered Revenue Flight

March 25, 2012 - In mid-April, Porter Airlines plans to use one of its Bombardier Q400 turboprop airliners to conduct the first biofuel powered revenue flight in Canada. On February 9, 2012, in preparation for Porter's upcoming flight, a Bombardier Q400 turboprop test aircraft became the first aircraft in Canada to fly on the American Society for Testing  Read More

75 Years Later The Search For Amelia Earhart Resumes

March 23, 2012 - Amelia Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan disappeared on July 2, 1937, during their attempt to circumnavigate the globe, and the U.S. Government began one of the most intensive searches for a missing person in history. The U.S. Navy covered 150,000 square miles of open-ocean in 6-7 days, while the State Department Read More

Red Tail Member Visits The Pentagon

March 23, 2012 - The Air Force hosted one of the original Tuskegee Airmen and his family March 16 during a tour of the Pentagon. Retired Lt. Col. Walter McCreary, his daughter Stephanie Lynch and grandson Nicholas Lynch were given a tour of the Air Force Art Gallery, the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial and the Tuskegee Airmen exhibit in the Pentagon. McCreary, who is 94, also met with Air Force Chief of Staff Gen  Read More

Former McDonnell Douglas CEO Sandy McDonnell Dies At 89

March 22, 2012 - Boeing on Tuesday issued a statement regarding the March 19 passing of former McDonnell Douglas chairman and CEO Sanford N. (Sandy) McDonnell, he was 89. “The people of Boeing extend our deepest sympathies to the McDonnell family, and join them in mourning Sandy’s passing. Sandy’s commitment to his colleagues and customers, his Read More

Japan Airlines To Take Its First Delivery Of The 787 Dreamliner

March 22, 2012 - Japan Airlines (JAL) announced that it will take delivery of its first Boeing 787-8 on March 25, 2012, and the aircraft will be flown from Seattle, Everett to Tokyo, Narita by JAL pilots the following day. JAL’s first commercial 787 flight will also be the first ever nonstop flight to connect Boston with Asia when JAL uses it to launch the new Read More

Progress & Challenges For The FAA In Responding To The Airline Safety Act

March 21, 2012 - On Tuesday the Inspector General testified before the Senate Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security regarding the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) commercial airline safety oversight. Specifically, the Inspector General focused on FAA’s implementation of the 2010 Airline Safety and FAA  Read More

Senselessly Gundowned Trayvon Martin Aspired To Be An Aviation Mechanic

March 20, 2012 - It was a rainy night at about 7 PM on February 26, a crime watch volunteer, George Zimmerman, 28, was patrolling his neighborhood in his sport utility vehicle when he spotted a young Black male, Trayvon Martin, 17 walking the street wearing a sweatshirt, with the hood draped over his head. Zimmerman contacted  Read More

FAA To Increase Efficiency Reduce Aircraft Emissions In Northern California

March 20, 2012 - Acting Federal Aviation Administrator Michael Huerta and aviation partners on Monday kicked off a collaborative effort to make air traffic control more efficient, help airlines improve on-time performance, and reduce emissions generated by aircraft flying into and out of Northern California airports. "By working together, the FAA and our aviation  Read More

Coast Guard Releases Findings Of Investigation Into 2010 Helicopter Crash

March 20, 2012 - A failure to observe altitude restrictions and maintain situational awareness at low altitudes and high speeds are among six factors the Coast Guard says contributed to the fatal crash of a MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter near La Push, Washington on July 7, 2010. On the date of the crash, the crew were ferrying the helicopter from  Read More

UPS Reaches Agreement On Cash Offer To Purchase TNT Express

March 19, 2012 - United Parcel Service, Inc. and TNT Express N.V. today jointly announce that they have reached agreement on a recommended all-cash public offer of EUR 9.50 per ordinary share by UPS for TNT Express (the "Offer"). TNT Express' Executive and Supervisory Boards unanimously intend to support and recommend   Read More

Airbus To Focus On Aviation Growth & Environment At Summit In Geneva

March 19, 2012 - Airbus will underline its commitment towards sustainable aviation growth at the sixth Aviation and Environment Summit organized by the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) in Geneva, next week (21-22 March). As a leading aircraft manufacturer Airbus is in pursuit of the perfect flight and believes that its scale-up can start today to  Read More

IATA, Air Cargo Industry Agenda Must Address Safety, Security, Sustainability

March 18, 2012 - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) advocated strong partnerships across the air cargo value chain to address an industry agenda to enhance safety, security, sustainability and competitiveness. Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO in a keynote address to the World Cargo Symposium which is meeting in Kuala Lumpur  Read More

UPS Remains In Discussions With TNT Express To Purchase Company

March 18, 2012 - UPS remains in constructive discussions with TNT Express N.V. regarding a potential transaction to acquire the entire issued share capital of TNT Express. Back on February 11, UPS made an unsuccessful bid of $6.4 billions of TNT Express. In line with regulatory requirements, UPS expresses it still has the intention to submit a request for approval of its  Read More

Airtran Airways Ordered To Reinstate Pilot, Pay More Than $1 Million

March 12, 20122 - The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has ordered AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of Dallas, Texas-based Southwest Airlines Co., to reinstate a former pilot who was fired after reporting numerous mechanical concerns. The agency also has ordered that the pilot be paid more than $1 Read More

IATA Highlights Montreal’s Important Role In Global Aviation

March 12, 20122 - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called upon Canada’s policy makers to take actions to improve the competitiveness of the country’s aviation sector including reducing the heavy tax burden. IATA’s Director General and CEO Tony Tyler in an address to the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations said  “Canada is home to leading  Read More

Former Cessna Employee Sentenced to 18 Months for Stealing Parts from Airplanes

March 12, 20122 - A former Cessna employee has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for selling stolen aircraft parts on eBay, He also was ordered to pay $130,000 restitution. Diego Alejandro Paz-Teran, 35, Wichita, Kansas, was an airframe and power plant mechanic at Cessna Aircraft Company pleaded guilty to Read More

Hawker Beechcraft Services Opens Maintenance Facility At Dekalb Peachtree Airport

March 12, 2012 - Hawker Beechcraft Global Customer Support (GCS) announced it will open a new satellite Hawker Beechcraft Services maintenance facility at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK) in Atlanta today. The maintenance facility will specialize in full piston engine aircraft services, offering annual inspections, routine maintenance inspections  Read More

Large Model Aircraft Are Restricted To Fly In Central London During Olympics

March 11, 2012 - The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Friday advised owners of large model aircraft that they will be subject to the airspace security restrictions being put in place by the Government during the London 2012 Olympic Games. The Government has already announced a Prohibited Zone will be established  Read More

Airline Passenger Travel To Nearly Double In Two Decades

March 11, 2012 - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released its annual forecast on Thursday projecting airline passenger travel will nearly double in the next 20 years. The report underscores the need to continue moving forward with implementation of FAA's Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) to accommodate the projected  Read More

Russian MRO Provider Acquires Oregon Based Epic Aircraft

March 10, 2012 - Epic Aircraft the privately-owned aviation company that specializes in kit aircraft announced it will be acquired by Engineering LLC, Russia's premier Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) provider. The move enables both companies to leverage each other's core strengths while continuing to expand upon the  Read More

Passenger Attempts To Smuggle Cigarettes Into Washington Dulles Airport

March 10, 2012 - It’s not unusual for cigarette smokers to take a few packs or even couple of cartons of smokes on a trip with them. But one passenger, who arrived to Washington Dulles International Airport Monday from Japan, learned that 924 packs may just be too many. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized the cigarettes for  Read More

FAA Seeks Public Input On UAS Test Site Selection

March 8, 2012 - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Wednesday asked for public input on the agency's selection process for six unmanned aircraft system (UAS) test sites. Once the pilot program is established, the agency expects it will provide valuable data to help the FAA safely and efficiently integrate UAS into the same airspace  Read More

US Navy Takes Possession Of Its First Boeing P-8A Poseidon

March 8, 2012 - Boeing officially delivered the first production P-8A Poseidon aircraft to the U.S. Navy in Seattle. The P-8A is the first of 13 anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft Boeing will deliver as part of a low-rate initial production (LRIP) contract awarded in 2011. “Delivering this capability to the Read More

Environmental Group Sues EPA To Get The Lead Out Of Aviation Gasoline

March 8, 2012 - Friends of the Earth, a leading advocate for a healthy environment, filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday after the agency did not reply to a May 2011 Notice of Intent to sue. The lawsuit challenges EPA’s failure to respond to a 2006  Read More

Boeing Completes Flight Testing For Certification Of 787s With GE Engines

March 8, 2012 - Boeing has completed all flight tests expected to be required for type certification of the 787-8 Dreamliner with General Electric GEnx engines. This marks the end of all certification flight testing associated with the baseline model of the 787. Testing on engine and airframe improvements  Read More

U.S. Air Force Expands Drug Testing To Include Abused Prescription Drugs

March 7, 2012 - The Air Force and other military services will expand their drug testing to include testing for commonly abused prescription drugs beginning May 1, 2012. The Secretary of Defense gave a 90-day advance notice of the drug testing expansion which aims to counter the nation's growing epidemic and encourage  Read More

2011 Accident Rate For Western Built Jets Lowest In Aviation History

March 7, 2012 - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that the 2011 accident rate for Western-built jets was the lowest in aviation history, surpassing the previous mark set in 2010. The 2011 global accident rate (measured in hull losses per million flights of Western-built jets) was 0.37, the equivalent of one accident every 2.7  Read More

Pemco World Air Services Enters Chapter 11

March 6, 2012 - Pemco World Air Services (the “Company” or “Pemco”), a leader in Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) and Conversion Services, announced on Monday that it has filed a voluntary petition under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court for the district of Delaware. The Company expects to quickly restructure and emerge as a  Read More

GE To Provide 3D Airport Maps, High Resolution Terrain And Obstacle Aeronautical Data

March 6, 2012 - GE Aviation announced its agreement with GeoEye to provide the aviation industry with ICAO-compliant terrain and obstacle aeronautical data derived from GeoEye’s high resolution Earth imagery. GE is showcasing this technology at ATC Global this week in Amsterdam. As the first offering under this agreement, GE will provide ICAO Read More

Hawker Beechcraft 4000 Capitalizes On Expanding Market In Brazil

March 5, 2012 - Wichita, Kansas based Hawker Beechcraft has reported that Brazil has become a leading market for the company’s entire product line, and as the business jet population there flourishes into one of the largest in the world, so too grows the Hawker Beechcraft fleet. From 2001-2010, the number of business aircraft  Read More

Airbus A350 XWB Landing Gear Test Bench Ready For Service

March 5, 2012 - The A350 XWB’s main and nose landing gear test bench is ready for service at Airbus’ site in Filton, UK. This latest step in the A350 XWB’s progress is achieved more than one year before the aircraft’s first flight and two years before its entry into service. Extensive testing campaigns are being carried out for all A350 XWBs systems and  Read More

FAA Fines Colgan Air, Pilots/Fight Attendants Not Getting Minimum Amount Of Rest

March 5, 2012 - The FAA alleges that between June 14, 2008 and Feb. 23, 2009, Colgan scheduled flight duty time for two captains, two first officers and six flight attendants on a seventh day after they had been on duty for the previous six consecutive days. The FAA regulations required the airline to relieve each crewmember from duty  Read More

FAA Grants Gulfstream G280 A Provisional Type Certificate

March 5, 2012 - Gulfstream Aerospace announced that the Gulfstream G280 has received a provisional type certificate (PTC) from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The company also obtained a PTC from the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel (CAAI). The principal remaining item required before full type certificates are issued by the  Read More

APA Files Lawsuit “To Clarify Legal Gray Area” In American Airlines Bankruptcy

March 4, 2012 - The Allied Pilots Association (APA), certified collective bargaining agent for the 10,000 pilots of American Airlines, filed an action for declaratory judgment with the bankruptcy court asking the judge to clarify how the Railway Labor Act and Section 1113 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code interrelate. “Our objective is to  Read More

Passenger Traffic Continues To Rise While Air Freight Takes A Dive

March 4, 2012 - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced global traffic results for January showing a 5.7% rise in passenger demand but an 8.0% decline in air freight compared to the same month in 2011. The occurrence of Chinese New Year in January (rather than in February as in 2011) exaggerated the increase in passenger Read More

FAA To Increase Efficiency And Reduce Aircraft Emissions In N.C. Airspace

March 3, 2012 - Acting Federal Aviation Administrator Michael Huerta and aviation partners kicked off a collaborative effort to make air traffic control more efficient, help airlines improve on-time performance, and reduce emissions generated by aircraft flying in and out of airports in the Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina areas  Read More

Furlough Protections Negotiations Fail For CitationAir Pilots

March 3, 2012 - Teamsters Local Union 1108 announced that it has terminated negotiations to obtain a Furlough Letter of Agreement for its members who are pilots employed by CitationAir, the Greenwich, Connecticut based provider of luxury business jet fractional ownership, jet-card and aircraft management services. Negotiations  Read More

Intoxicated Driver Gets Onto Philadelphia International Airport Active Runway

March 3, 2012 - On Thursday, at about 11 AM, 24 year old Kenneth Mazik crashed through a security gate at Philadelphia International Airport and drove his Jeep SUV onto to the aviative runway causing the airport to shut down for over 30 minutes. Police report that Mazik was intoxicated. Mazik crashed through a chain link fence which surrounds the airport and police began chasing the  Read More

Alaska And Horizon Airlines Employees Receive $54 Million In Annual Bonuses

March 3, 2012 - Alaska Air Group paid annual bonuses totaling $53.8 million today to nearly all of its 12,800 employees for exceeding the company's 2011 operational and financial goals.  The bonus of about 6.7 percent of annual pay, or more than three weeks pay for most workers, is in addition to $1,000 in bonuses, on average, that each employee earned last year for achieving monthly on-time  Read More

Court Agrees to Hear Infinity Aerospace's $41.7 Million Damage Claim

March 2, 2012 - Judge Melvin D. Sandvig of the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles, has ruled (PC 051408) against a demurrer from TransDigm, Inc. and Dukes Aerospace, Inc. and ordered a civil trial of charges made against the two companies by Infinity Aerospace, Aviation Design Group, The Dukes Group, and Chet Huffman, alleging that  Read More

Search Continues For One Coast Guard Helicopter Crash Crewmember

March 2, 2012 - Tuesday evening, a U.S Coast Guard MH-65C Dolphin helicopter, from Aviation Training Center (ATC) Mobile, Alabama crashed in Mobile Bay (CG-6535). The MH-65C was flown by a four-person crew and was conducting training operations. A full Coast Guard and interagency search and rescue effort was launched and the aircraft was  Read More