Aero-News Network: The aviation and aerospace world's daily/real-time news and information service

Obstructed Fuel Line Downs Swift

Bad Week For Mother Nature v. Aircraft

There are some sad lessons to be found in the following NTSB preliminary accident summary... an aircraft (a GC-1B Swift, file photo below) that hadn't flown for quite a while was flown without (apparently) proper inspection and downed by causes clearly associated with its long down-time. OK, folks... preflight, preflight, preflight... and if there are any questions, be sure to have a qualified aircraft tech look things over before taking flight.

Speaking Of Bird Strikes...

AirTran Flight Turns Around After FO Injured By Bird-Strike Induced Debris

Just as we were writing up a listing of tall the recent bird strikes, ANN has learned that yet another case of "Shredded Tweat" has occurred. An AirTran Boeing 737-700, departing Philadelphia (Saturday) took a bird strike to the right side of the nose resulting in windshield damage that also injured the First Officer.

Kennedy Prepares to Host Constellation

NASA has updated ANN with the news that Ares rockets that will take over for the space shuttle and carry humans to the moon are closer to lifting off from the drawing board. Designs and modifications are under way at Launch Pad 39B, the Launch Control Center and the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to accommodate the first test flight of an Ares I rocket in April 2009.

NASA, FAA Experts Discuss Synthetic Vision for Pilots

Representatives from NASA and the FAA met this week to discuss technology expected to revolutionize visibility from the cockpit. Panelists joined an NBAA2007 session as members of an RTCA committee tasked with developing performance and use standards for enhanced vision systems (EVS) and synthetic vision systems (SVS).

Boeing Completes Eight-Hour Flight Of A160T Hummingbird

Unmanned Rotorcraft Carries 1,000-Pound Payload On Longest Flight To Date

Boeing successfully flew its A160T Hummingbird unmanned rotorcraft Sept. 26 for eight hours while carrying a 1,000-pound payload. During its longest flight to date and the program's 42nd flight overall, the aircraft reached an altitude of 5,000 feet near Victorville, Calif.

Be Kind To Our Fine Feathered Friends... Or They Will Smack Your A/C

Bad Week For Bird Strikes....

We share the skies with all manner of things attempting to commit aviation... including the kind that lives and breathes... until they smack one of us. It was a bad week for bird strikes, as evidenced by the accident summaries listed below. Worst of all, an Eagle (the breathing/feathered kind) is among trhe casualties, though we're happy to see that no humans were seriously injured in these collisions. Keep an eye out for flying foul!

HAI: GAO Probe Finds Major Security Gaps

HAI tells ANN that open sections of the US-Canadian border present major security vulnerabilities for the United States, increasing the chance that individuals could smuggle radioactive materials into the country without being detected (according to what government investigators told Congress, September 27).

Now... THAT's An Airlift! Super Stallions Head To 5th Fleet Area of Operations

Super Stallions Serviced, Airlifted to U.S. 5th Fleet Area of Operations

After six months of intensive work to ensure flawless operation, Fleet Readiness Center Southwest (FRCSW) recently did what it does best: returned two mission-ready Marine Corps CH-53Es Super Stallion helicopters directly to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

EDO Receives $55 Million Order to Support Ballistic Missile Defense System

EDO Corporation has been awarded a new task order with a ceiling value of $55 million for evaluation and assessment support of the Ballistic Missile Defense System. The work has a specified period of performance from October 2007 through December 2011.

Aero-News: Quote Of The Day (09.30.07)

“Taking something apart is usually easier than putting it back together. As a result of having to put the larger pieces back on it, they (assemblers) will have to do a complete ground check and a functional flight check which will involve testing all the systems and the performance of the aircraft.”

Source: Scheduler Matt Stanley, a hub scheduler on a CH-53 Production line, commenting on the efforts that were required over a period of six months of intensive work to return two mission-ready Marine Corps CH-53Es Super Stallion helicopters directly to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of the Global War on Terrorism.