Found Aircraft's Andrew Hamblin Talks About The Bush Hawk On Today's ANN Special Report

Anytime we get to learn about a new type of airplane -- or learn something new about an aircraft we thought we knew everything about -- it's very enjoyable. Senior Correspondent Kevin O'Brien knows at least a little (often a great deal more) about most any airplane out there... but even he learned a thing or two about the Found Bush Hawk (below) from Andrew Hamblin, on the flight line at Peter O. Knight Airport during AOPA Expo 2005.

Flight Crews Air Drop Aid Into Quake-Wracked Pakistan

Two C-130 Hercules flight crews left from Bagram, Afghanistan on Oct. 29 and air dropped an estimated 50,000 pounds of humanitarian supplies to victims of the Oct. 8 earthquake in Pakistan.

Company On Track To Double 2004 Deliveries

Mooney Aircraft announced last week it will deliver its 11,000th Mooney production aircraft during the first quarter of 2006 -- just in time for the company's 60th anniversary. With 2005 sales tracking better than double those of 2004, the company also announced a new interior package for its planes to commemorate the anniversary, a better way to hold a POH, and a program allowing veterans to earn their A&P on Uncle Sam.

Newest Technology Comes To LSA Entry

SportairUSA, the North American distributor of the StingSport two-seat airplane, announced last week the firm will make the Garmin GPSMAP 396 system -- complete with XM Satellite WX and radio -- on the light sport aircraft.

Long Term Gyroplane/Rotordyne Research Starting To Pay Off?

The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has selected a team led by Groen Brothers Aviation, Inc. (GBA) to design a proof of concept high speed, long range, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft designed for use in Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) roles.

Next-Gen Power Sources Receive Dangerous Goods Panel Approval          

The International Civil Aviation Organization's Dangerous Goods Panel (ICAO DGP) voted last week to allow passengers to carry and use micro fuel cells and methanol fuel cartridges on-board airplanes to power laptop computers and other consumer electronic devices. The ICAO acted in response to a US Fuel Cell Council proposal to amend the ICAO Technical Instructions.

NOTAM Number:  FDC 5/0370   Issue Date: November 07, 2005 at 15:32 UTC Location: Pensacola NAS/Sherman Field, Florida near BROOKLEY VORTAC (BFM) Beginning Date and Time: November 11, 2005 at 17:00 UTC Ending Date and Time: November 12, 2005 at 22:00 UTC Reason for NOTAM: Aerial demonstrations by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and other high performance military aircraft Type: Airshow Replaced NOTAM(s): N/A Pilots May Contact: Pensacola (P31) TRACON, 850-444-5646 Affected Area(s)

News Comes As ALPA, PFAA Agree To Concessions

It's a case of one step forward, two steps back for Northwest Airlines: just as the carrier announced Monday it had reached deals with two unions key to the carrier's plan to put aside its labor woes, the remaining holdout reported things are worse than ever when it comes to the carrier's safety and maintenance record since the union went on strike in mid-August.

Accident Victim Was Famous Surgeon, Also Involved In Lawsuit

The identity of one of two men killed onboard a Cessna Citation 500 that went down Saturday during an emergency landing attempt at Houston's Hobby airport has been identified by the victim's wife. It was also revealed the aircraft, a 1972 Citation registered N505K, s/n 500-0004, was at the center of an ongoing Harris County lawsuit.

Direct Access To ATC Computers Added To Service Menu

The FAA has authorized Air Routing International to connect directly to the FAA’s host ATC system for flight planning data access. While this access has been granted to Part 121 airlines in the past, ARI is one of a few firms to be granted authority to provide such service to business aviation customers.

6,000th Single Engine Piston Since 1996, 1,500th Caravan Out The Door

Cessna Aircraft Company announced last week the storied manufacturer has met several major milestones in its single engine division this year, according to company Chairman, President and CEO Jack Pelton. With more than 165,000 single engine piston airplanes manufactured throughout its 78-year history, Cessna can lay claim to the largest fleet of such aircraft in the world.

Also Announces Advanced Training Program

Symphony Aircraft Industries has added three more flight schools to the growing list of training customers flying Symphony's SA160 two-place airplane.

FlightSafety International Looks To The Future

FlightSafety International has announced the introduction of Virtual Reality training for pilots and maintenance technicians who operate business aircraft, and will be displaying the technology at their exhibit (#4231) at the upcoming National Business Aviation Association convention in Orlando, FL.

The FAA will hold an informal meeting gauging input from users of current convective weather products on products currently in development. The meeting will be held during the NBAA Convention 2005 in Orlando, FL on Thursday Nov. 10 from 1-5pm in Room N210A of the Orlando Orange County Convention Center.

1,000 Pilots Trained on G1000, Russian Certification Granted

Cessna wasn't just at AOPA Expo to crow about its deliveries -- the 6,000th single engine piston and 1,500th Caravan -- or to fill us in on Citation Mustang progress, all of which we reported elsewhere. The company had a number of other announcements, which are of specific interest to narrow swathes of Cessna stakeholders.

Manufacturer Says 7,200 Aircraft Needed To Match Growth

Boeing detailed its 2005 Current Market Outlook (CMO) for the Asia-Pacific region Monday, forecasting a market for about 7,200 new airplanes worth $770 billion over the next 20 years.

"There were incompletely installed engines in the shop with parts hanging from them, which in itself is not alarming, but there was no paperwork anywhere to document what was supposed to be happening with the engines... [a manager] said some were going onto live aircraft and others back to the leasing company for major overhaul or disposal, but there was no paperwork to identify which was which. In addition to that, the right tools for the jobs they were assigned were unavailable." Source: AMFA National Safety and Standards Director John Glynn, speaking to the Memphis Business Journal about two strikebreakers who crossed picket lines in the three-month old Northwest mechanics strike, but then quit the carrier again when they found what Glynn calls "serious