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February 23, 2009

The GA Heartbreak Continues: Temporary Piper Shutdowns Extended

Piper to Close Plant for an Extra Two Weeks

Talk about a gut check... an industry that has reinvented itself over the last decade, having improved itself with new technologies, methodologies and tremendous progress, continues to be victimized by an economy that has no sense of direction, unless that direction is "down."

AD NUMBER: 2009-02-01 MANUFACTURER: CASA SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2009-02-01 SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain CASA Model C-212-DF airplanes.

AD NUMBER: 2009-02-04 MANUFACTURER: Airbus SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2009-02-04 SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product.

AD NUMBER: 2009-03-04 MANUFACTURER: Turbomeca SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2009-03-04 SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product.

AD NUMBER: 2009-03-05 MANUFACTURER: Pratt & Whitney SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2009-03-05 SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above.

AD NUMBER: 2009-04-14 MANUFACTURER: Pilatus SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2009-04-14 SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product.

Segment Of Ares I-X Test Rocket Arrives At Kennedy

Frustrum Last Newly Constructed Rocket Section To Arrive

The last newly manufactured section of the Ares I-X test rocket arrived at the Assembly and Refurbishment Facility of NASA's Kennedy Space Center on Friday.

Covers Wheel And Brake Repair, Overhaul Services

Aviall Services announced recently its Product Repair Services division has entered into a long-term agreement with private jet service provider Flight Options, LLC to be the exclusive provider of wheel and brake overhaul and repair services, and manage their wheel and brake supply chain requirements.

Company Agrees To Perform New Tests On Boeing Landing Gear

AAR Corp. announced late last week the Federal Aviation Administration has returned AAR Landing Gear Services' repair station certificate, enabling the facility to resume full operations. As ANN reported, the FAA pulled the company's operating certification earlier this month.

Marvin Renslow Pursued His Dream Of Becoming A Pilot

Friends gathered last Friday for the Tampa, FL funeral of Marvin Renslow, 47, the pilot of downed Continental Connection Flight 3407, called Renslow cool, collected, and by-the-book, a meticulous pilot who was always calm and in control.

Knowing Your Electrical System, With CFII Bob Miller

ANN Daily Touch N Go: 02.23.09 (ANN's Short-Form Daily News Program) ANN Daily Aero-Briefing: 02.23.09 (ANN's Long-Form Daily News Program) ANN Special Feature -- Know Your Electrical System: 02.23.09 (ANN Special Report, with CFII Bob Miller of "Over The Airwaves.")

ANN Daily Aero-Briefing: 02.23.09

Airbus announces production cuts.
Former Eclipse workers flood the unemployment office.
And NASA punts again on a launch date for Discovery.

ANN Daily Touch-And-Go: 02.23.09

Airbus announces production cuts.
Former Eclipse workers flood the unemployment office.
And NASA punts again on a launch date for Discovery.

More AERO-Casts

ANN Special Feature: CFI Bob Miller, Electrical Systems - 02.23.09

ANN's Paul Plack talks with CFI Bob Miller of Over The Airwaves about Bob's belief that modern aircraft demand pilots become thoroughly familiar with their electrical systems.

FMI:

More AERO-Casts

HAI2009: Honeywell HTS900 Gets FAA Engine Certification

New Engine Design Offers Significant Operating Cost Reduction and Increased Power

Honeywell is crowing (justifiably, no doubt) that its HTS900 turboshaft engine has received its FAA Type Certificate. The engine was certified to the FAA's FAR Part 33 Amendment 20.

Will Supply GH-3001 ESIS For Army Chinooks

L-3 Avionics Systems announced Sunday at Heli-Expo 2009 a multi-year Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract with the US Army's Redstone Arsenal to supply the GH-3001 Electronic Standby Instrument System (ESIS) to support the sustainment requirements for the Army's CH-47F Improved Cargo Helicopter fleet. The $9.2 million program will run through the first quarter of 2013.

Integrated with High Performance Radar Altimeters

FreeFlight Systems and Sandel Avionics are collaborating on the integration of Sandel's ST3400H Helicopter Terrain Awareness and Warning System (HTAWS) with FreeFlight Systems' high performance RA-4000 series of radar altimeters, including the new RA-4500 with the ARINC 429 interface.

Sikorsky Global Helicopters has just dropped off a set of keys to AirVenture Flight Center, during the opeing day of Heli Expo, for Serial #0352, a S-300CBi model helicopter. The aircraft marks the first helicopter for AirVenture Flight Center to begin its helicopter training fleet.

HAI2009: FAA Approves Sandel Reversionary Attitude Display

Sandel Avionics has received FAA approval for its SN3500 and SN4500 Primary Navigation Displays with Reversionary Attitude Mode. This new safety feature enables the display of integrated attitude and navigation information on the SN3500/SN4500 in event of failure of the primary attitude indicator.

Aero-TV Chats With Joe Leader, President, Air-Taxi Association

With the economy heading for the deck like a plugged mallard, we had to wonder if this presents some opportunities or obstacles for the ever-burgeoning Air-Taxi market.

More Videos

HAI2009: Launch Customer Blue Hawaiian Heli Reaches 10K-Hr Milestone With EC130

Time Flies When You're Flying Tours

Blue Hawaiian Helicopters has logged 10,000 flight hours on its high-time Eurocopter EC130 - the single-engine rotorcraft that was launched by this premier Hawaiian tour operator in 2001.

Aero-TV Chats With Joe Leader, President, Air-Taxi Association

With the economy heading for the deck like a plugged mallard, we had to wonder if this presents some opportunities or obstacles for the ever-burgeoning Air-Taxi market.

British National Space Centre Offers Funding For Satellite Launch Development

A proposed collaboration between WhiteKnightTwo developer Virgin Galactic and Surrey Satellite Technology has obtained the promise of financial backing from the British government to develop LauncherOne, a project designed to place satellites into earth orbit.

Sentinel Now Available in the US for the First Time

Honeywell's Sentinel helicopter avionics system, used widely by U.K. and European helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) operators, is now available to pilots in the United States. The system offers critical flight safety information, including high resolution terrain and weather data.

Indiana Gov's Plane Makes Unscheduled Stop On Way To DC

Diverts To Columbus After Windshield Cracks Develop Inflight

A state-owned Beech 200 Super King Air transporting Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels made an unscheduled landing in Columbus, OH Sunday morning after the pilot opted not to continue the flight from Indianapolis to Washington, DC after cracks began to appear in the plane's windscreens.

So Much For THAT Stimulus Plan...

RotorWay will make the Forward Vision EVS-100, powered by Max-Viz, available on their line of kit helicopters.

Textron Unit Operates Current Sustainment Program

L-3 Link Simulation & Training (L-3 Link) announced recently the formation of a team with AAI Corporation, an operating unit of Textron Systems, to pursue the US Air Force's C-17 Training System Sustainment Program. This multi-year program will be the Air Force's largest airlift transport training system.

Minneapolis To New Orleans Flight In Under Three Hours

The first production Mooney Acclaim Type S, owned and piloted by Dr. Dave Craddock, was flown to set a world speed record on a trip from Minneapolis, Minnesota to New Orleans, Louisiana. Flying at an average speed of 333 knots (383 mph) with a max ground speed of 357 knots (410 mph), Dr. Craddock traveled 904 nautical miles (1040 sm) in 2 hours and 43 minutes.

Among the many introductions being made at HAI 2009, we note that Becker Avionics is showing off its latest advanced Personal Locator Beacon(PLB) , the MR510, compatible with the new 406 MHz frequencies and Cospas-Sarsat regulations.

HAI2009: Conklin & de Decker Offers '09 State Tax For Heli Operations

Expert Help For Those Dealing With State Tax Issues

Conklin & de Decker has released a new 2009 State Tax Guide for General Aviation. This new guide covers the latest taxes and fees imposed on helicopter operations in all fifty United States and contains sales and use taxes applicable to helicopter sales, ownership, leases, parts, and labor.

Aero-Linx!

Welcome to the homepage of the Popular Rotorcraft Association. Based in Mentone, Indiana, USA at the PRA Mentone Airport, PRA was started in 1962 by Igor Bensen, the inventor of the famous Bensen Gyrocopter.

Aero-Terms!

A vortex ring, also called a toroidal vortex, is a region of rotating fluid moving through the same or different fluid where the flow pattern takes on a doughnut shape. The movement of the fluid is about the poloidal or circular axis of the doughnut, in a twisting vortex motion. An example of a this phenomenon is a smoke ring.

"There is so much more to building a new helicopter than just producing the aircraft."

Source: Danny Maldanado, senior VP of Customer Support and Chief Support Officer at Bell Helicopter, speaking of the ongoing effort to certify Bell's upcoming 429 helicopter.