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December 05, 2006

Brazilian Court Agrees To Release Pilots Lepore, Paladino

Men Must Return To Brazil On Court's Request

ANN REALTIME REPORTING 12.05.06 1430 EST: Aero-News has confirmed a Brazilian court has released the passports of pilots Joseph Lepore and Jan Paladino. The two men have been held in Brazil since the September 29 midair collision between the Embraer Legacy 600 they were piloting, and a Gol Airlines 737.

Ram-Air 'Chute Can Carry Over 26,000 Lbs. Of Cargo

Aero-News learned this week that Para-Flite Inc. has successfully completed a test drop with a new self-guided cargo delivery system consisting of the largest ram air parachute ever flown.

Electric Tugs Would Tow Planes To Runways

Sir Richard Branson was in Chicago Monday, to announce the return of Virgin Atlantic to the city. He also used his time at the microphone to implore city officials to consider a significant rethinking of ground operations at O'Hare International.

Agency Announces Plan For Lunar Base By 2020

It's no secret NASA plans to return to the moon sometime in the next decade... but what it plans to do there is VERY interesting.

Stopgap Fix Raises Safety Concerns

British military officials are especially sensitive to potential safety issues, in the wake of the September loss of a Royal Air Force Nimrod reconnaissance plane in Afghanistan... so many are concerned with the inelegant, but effective, fix another Nimrod crew recently used to block a hatch gap on their plane.

Plane Not Equipped With Required ELT

In its Probable Cause report on the November 27, 2004 loss of a CASA 212 turboprop in Afghanistan, the National Transportation Safety Board said that lax oversight of private companies contracted by the Defense Department to fly military missions contributed to the crash that claimed the lives of six people.

Aero-News Featured Aero-Casts For Tuesday 12.05.06

Aero-Craft 101: Flying With Passengers

ANN Daily Touch N Go: 12.05.06 (ANN's Short-Form Daily News Program) ANN Daily Aero-Briefing: 12.05.06 (ANN's Long-Form Daily News Program) ANN Special Feature -- Tom Turner's Aero-Craft 101: 12.05.06 (ANN Special Feature, with Master CFI Tom Turner's tips on flying with passengers onboard.)

Competitor For Joint Cargo Aircraft Contract

Aero-News has learned the armed forces of Romania selected Alenia Aeronautica's C-27J Spartan to replace its aging fleet of intratheater transport aircraft.

Also Announces Reimbursement Plan If Company Misses Delivery Schedule

In its quest to keep customers up to speed on the latest developments, Eclipse Aviation announced this week the company has decided to retrofit earlier aircraft with improvements designed to improve speed and range.

Says Agency Is Still Committed To Open Skies Plan

ANN REALTIME REPORTING 12.05.06 1115 EST: US Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters announced Tuesday the DOT is withdrawing a proposal that would have changed rules governing international investment in US airlines after reviewing a multitude of public comments, including those received from Congress. The Secretary also re-affirmed the US commitment to completing a market-opening aviation agreement with the European Union.

ANN Daily Aero-Briefing: 12.05.06

A US Marine Sea Knight helicopter is down in Iraq...
Airbus comes out swinging against Boeing subsidies...
...and the owner of a small Vermont airport is lost in a weekend accident.

More AERO-Casts

ANN Daily Touch-And-Go: 12.05.06

A US Marine Sea Knight helicopter is down in Iraq...
Airbus comes out swinging against Boeing subsidies...
...and the owner of a small Vermont airport is lost in a weekend accident.

More AERO-Casts

ANN Special Feature: Aero-Craft with CFI Tom Turner - Flying with Pax 12.05.06

Today, it's Aero-Craft with CFI Tom Turner, on additional flight planning when flying with passengers.

AD: International Aero Engines

AD NUMBER: 2006-25-01 MANUFACTURER: International Aero SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2006-25-01 SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for certain IAE V2522-A5, V2524-A5, V2527-A5, V2527E-A5, V2527M-A5, V2530-A5, and V2533-A5 turbofan engines.

AD NUMBER: 2006-24-11 MANUFACTURER: Raytheon SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2006-24-11 SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Raytheon Aircraft Company (RAC) Models 1900, 1900C, and 1900D airplanes.

AD NUMBER: 2006-24-10 MANUFACTURER: Air Tractor SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2006-24-10 SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Air Tractor, Inc. Models AT-501, AT-502, AT-502A, AT-502B, and AT-503A airplanes, which supersedes AD 2002-26-05 and AD2002-11-05 R1.

AD NUMBER: 2006-24-08 MANUFACTURER: Pratt & Whitney SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2006-24-08 SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above.

AD NUMBER: 2006-24-09 MANUFACTURER: PZL Bielsko SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2006-24-09 SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above.

Crunch Time: Boeing Prepares To Build The 787

But Potential Problems Lie Ahead

From recent news reports, you might think Boeing can do no wrong as Airbus continues to stumble. But that's not necessarily the case. In fact, many of the teething problems that have plagued the A380 may still await Boeing's upcoming 787 Dreamliner, as the company prepares to build its first test aircraft.

Higher Costs, Lower Orders Could Spell Trouble

It was designed to be a significant leap forward in affordable fighter plane technology... but the money required to develop the upcoming Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II may mean significantly fewer orders down the line for the advanced aircraft.

The Court Of Public Opinion Has Been Convened

They've made their case to investors, creditors, and management... and now, US Airways is taking its proposal to merge with Delta Air Lines before the court of public opinion.

AEA Says NPRM Seeks To Reverse Established Guidelines

A new FAA Notice of Proposed Rulemaking aims to amend the regulations for repair stations, by revising the system of ratings and requiring repair stations to establish a quality program.

Claims Boeing Takes Advantage Of Weak Dollar, Gov't Deals

European planemaker Airbus launched what many are calling a "preemptive strike" this weekend against Boeing.

Leaves UPS As Sole Freighter Customer

It's not looking good for the freighter version of Airbus' A380 superjumbo.

Gone West, Dr. Leonard Greene

Aviation Inventor, CAN Co-Founder Was 86

He was an accomplished and prolific inventor... but above all, perhaps, Dr. Leonard Greene was a humanitarian.

Ramp Agent Slipped On Ice

A spokesman for Frontier Airlines says it could have been a lot worse. An employee with the airline slipped on ice at Denver International Airport Sunday, and his leg was run over by the nosewheel of an Airbus A319.

Debating A350XWB, Dreamliner

Spain's Iberia Airlines confirmed Monday it is considering breaking its long-time relationship with Airbus, and may instead opt for planes from Boeing when it comes time to upgrade the carrier's long-haul fleet.

Carrier Was Launch Customer For Plane In Latin America

Panama’s Copa Airlines, launch customer for the Embraer 190 jet in Latin America, recently received its sixth airplane of this model. The plane is also the 200th E-Jet delivered.

Tu-154 Held On Ground 14 Hours

Officials with the Czech Republic say they've accepted an apology from an aviation official in Turkmenistan, after a misunderstanding led to the grounding of a Czech military plane this weekend.

Aero-Tips!

A while back there was a series of advertisements for engine oil that used the tag line, "starting is the worst thing you can do for your engine." The idea was that most internal engine wear happens in the moments after start when oil pressure has not come up, and internal engine parts are rubbing directly against each other.

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (12.05.06)

Aero-Linx!

The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey is designed for use by the Marines, Navy, Air Force and Army. A couple of crashes didn’t shelve this useful bird.

Aero-Terms!

Ballooning term. The art of doing a touch 'n go on water in a balloon. The pilot can also hold the balloon on the water to thrill the passengers or himself.

"This program is probably the most complicated thing that [Boeing] commercial airplanes has ever done. From a commercial airplane structure point of view, this is going from cloth and wood to aluminum."

Source: Mike Bair, program manager for the Boeing 787, speaking of the challenges that lay ahead for the aerospace manufacturer as it prepares to build the first prototype Dreamliner. Until now, the Dreamliner has only existed in the minds and computers of engineers assigned to the project... and turning those images into reality may yet prove difficult.