NOTAM:  5/1197  Issued:  02/10/2005 20:40  Effective:  Undetermined - Undetermined  State:  OK  Facility:  ZKC - KANSAS CITY (ARTCC),MO.  Type:  HAZARDS  Description:  SALINA OK. 

NOTAM:  5/1191  Issued:  02/10/2005 18:40  Effective:  02/10/2005 19:00 - 02/10/2005 20:30  State:  CA  Facility:  ZLA - LOS ANGELES (ARTCC)PALMDALE, CA.  Type:  HAZARDS  Description:  SAN DIEGO CA. 

Flagship Civil Helo To Get Updates

Sikorsky's Jeff Pino, Senior VP of Sales, faced a crowd of curious newsmen. "I know we're pretty brave calling a meeting at three o'clock," (Pacific time, on Super Bowl Sunday), he said, "so I'll be brief..." but he thought it was important to communicate the future of the S-76 line. "Really, we've set out about a ten year path here," he said, referring to the S-76C++ and S-76D that were introduced a few hours earlier in a presentation remarkably thin on detail. Now it was time to share the details.

Say Blizzard-Like Conditions Brought Down 737-200

The Afghan owners of a Boeing 737-200 that went down east of Kabul a week ago blame the weather. The accident killed all 104 passengers and crew, whose remains are at a mountain site more than 11,000 feet above sea level.

Chicago Park Board Set To Approve 10,000-Seat Concert Venue

According to Chicago-area news reports, the agenda for Wednesday's park board meeting includes approval of a 3-year contract for a 10,000 seat "temporary special event venue" on the site of Meigs Field.

Also: Technically Advanced Aircraft

NBAA has issued its recommended training guidelines for the next generation of Very Light Jets (VLJ). For the purpose of this document, very light jets are jet aircraft weighing 10,000 pounds or less (a distinction from the traditional definition of large aircraft as more than 12,500 pounds, and light aircraft as 12,500 pounds or less) and certificated for single pilot operations. These aircraft will possess at least some of the following features: (1) advanced cockpit automation such as moving map GPS and multi-function displays; (2) automated engine and systems management; and (3) integrated autoflight, autopilot and flight-guidance systems. This document offers a training outline that represents the minimum curriculum necessary to satisfy

...Its Technology Lives On

By ANN Senior Correspondent Kevin "Hognose" O'Brien When handed lemons, good engineers make lemonade, and that's just what Sikorsky has done with the remnants of the RAH-66 Comanche program, cancelled last year (and still in close-out negotiations between the Pentagon and contractors, including project lead Sikorsky).

Arena Test Successful

Following the recent successful penetration trial of a Paveway IV Precision Guided Bomb (PGB), another test example has just been subjected to an arena test at the Energetic Materials Research and Test Center in Socorro, NM. The test, conducted by prime contractor Raytheon Systems Limited (RSL) to demonstrate compliance of the warhead design to the fragmentation requirements of the U.K.'s Ministry of Defence (MoD), was conducted successfully on January 11th.

Airlines, Passengers Fuming

If President Bush's budget passes muster on Capitol Hill, it's going to cost more to fly commercial. That grumbling you hear is coming from both the front and rear of the aircraft.

Popular Program Benefits Instructors, GA Pilots, Professionals Alike; Fixed and R/W PCF's Tracy Thomason (right) explained the PCF's new announcement: the Total Health Care plan. It's a self-funded PPO-based health care insurance program for the student, professional or GA pilot, which has no aviation exclusion, and thanks to PCF's non-profit status, is quite affordable.

Despite Bad Press Over Recent Mishaps

Forget, for a moment, the Montrose, CO, accident involving ABC executive Dick Ebersol. Forget last week's mishap at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey. The demand for charter air services is soaring nationwide and accidents like those simply don't seem to be making a dent in the psyche of the charter-flying public.

China Likes It

Is anything safe from Eurocopter? Not if they can help it. Makers of helicopter weightlifting champions might have been looking on smugly as the European maker chased smaller fry to the fringes of the marketplace, but they're now in the sights of the EADS subsidiary, and that has to be a heck of a spot to be on.

During the just concluded HeliExpo 2005 convention, Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. (P&WC) launched a new generation turboshaft engine, the PW210, offering "best-in-class" performance in the 1,000 SHP class for large single and intermediate/medium twin helicopters.

NAFI's January Master Instructors

From NAFI... The National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI) takes pride in announcing a significant aviation accomplishment on the part of these very special aviation educators. Recently, they were all designated Master Instructors by NAFI, their professional aviation organization.

The Nose Gives Credit Where Credit Is Due

by ANN Senior Correspondent Kevin R.C. "Hognose" O'Brien On my way to HAI, I flew Southwest (always a pleasure) out of Manchester International in Manchester (where else?), New Hampshire. It's always a pleasure to fly out of Manchester, too, even though I'm closer to Boston Logan. But after some of the stuff I've written about the TSA lately, I knew I needed to give it a little extra time. Based on what I've been hearing both from other journalists and TSA insiders, I could expect the "full proctoscopy." Ah, well, I knew that when I wrote the columns.

Planets Circling Other Planets?

Moons circle planets, and planets circle stars. Now, astronomers have learned that planets may also circle celestial bodies almost as small as planets.

In Time For This Flying Season!

An Aviation Ground School is beginning at Frederick Community College-Adult Education. The primary Goal is to aid in preparing students for FAA written tests for sport pilot, private, recreational and ultralight pilot. Curriculum includes Sport Pilot certification programs. NOTAMs, FAA Flight Service Briefings, Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) ADIZ and other security issues are included.

Construction To Begin On Fuselage Sub-Assembly

Utilicraft Aerospace Industries says it's given Metalcraft Technologies, Inc. (MTI) the "go ahead" to start construction of the initial sub-assembly center-fuselage-section of the prototype FF-1080-300 aircraft, as per the terms of the Manufacturing Agreement executed between the companies late last year.

Astrotech Supporting Commercial And Government Launches Coast-To-Coast

SPACEHAB says its satellite processing and facility services subsidiary, Astrotech Space Operations, has been awarded new payload processing contracts in both the commercial and government sectors.

On Schedule, On Budget

Raytheon says it has completed a major development milestone on the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) program, the nation's next-generation meteorological satellite system.

Awarded For Excellence In Aerospace Science

The tenth Marcel Dassault Acad�mie des Sciences Prize awarded the research engineer Pierre Touboul, head of the ONERA Physical Measurements Department.

"This proposal is absurd. Meigs Field is a lousy location for a festival site, especially one of this size. Access is poor, via a single road; public facilities for ten thousand concertgoers are non-existent; safety, security, and parking would be a nightmare." Source: Friends of Meigs President Steve Whitney, on the Chicago Park Board's approval of a music theater on the site of what was once Meigs Field.

New Vice President For Customer Services At EADS-Socata

EADS Socata has recently named Nicolas Chabbert, 38, Vice-President Customer Support. He replaces Bernard Veyssi�re who served this position for the last five years before joining another business unit of EADS.

NOTAM:  5/1125  Issued:  02/08/2005 21:20  Effective:  02/09/2005 16:30 - 02/09/2005 17:45  State:  MN  Facility:  ZMP - MINNEAPOLIS (ARTCC),MN.  Type:  HAZARDS  Description:  ELY MN. 

AD Number: AD/B737/125 Manufacturer: Boeing Subject: Center Wing Fuel Tank Float Switch Wiring Applicability: Model 737-200, -200C, -300, -400 and -500 series aeroplanes, on which center wing fuel tanks are activated. Requirement: Accomplish the following on Model 737-200, -300, -400 and -500 series airplanes having line numbers 1 to 3108 inclusive.