ANN has learned that Ultralight Flying magazine Editor-In-Chief, Scott Wilcox, passed away late Wednesday due to a recent illness. Labeled by many as "one of the good guys," Wilcox's easy-going manner and undeniable expertise are going to be sorely missed in the sport aviation industry.

NOTAM Number: FDC 6/7928 Issue Date: May 18, 2006 at 19:35 UTC Location: 45 Miles North, Silver City, New Mexico near SILVER CITY VORTAC (SVC) Beginning Date and Time: Effective Immediately Ending Date and Time: Until further notice Reason for NOTAM: To provide a safe environment for firefighting aircraft operations Type: Hazards Replaced NOTAM(s): N/A Pilots May Contact: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) System Operations Support Center, 202-267-3333

AD NUMBER: 2006-10-21 MANUFACTURER: Textron Lycoming SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2006-10-21 SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Lycoming Engines (formerly Textron Lycoming) 360 and 540 series reciprocating engines with Eci connecting rods, part number (P/N) AEL11750, installed.

[Docket No. FAA-2005-21331; Directorate Identifier 2005-NE-07-AD; Amendment 39-14605; AD 2006-10-21]

ANN is looking over yet another Lycoming AD that was just published to the Federal Register, affecting a number of Lyc 360 and 540 series engines, using ECi connecting rods.

Congress Passes Bill For Funding Three New Planes

I'm not dead yet. That's the word from Boeing about it's C-17 Globemaster III military transport program... after the House of Representatives last week approved funding for three more of the $200 million aircraft.

Plane Lost Canopy En Route To Berlin Air Show

Should you happen to be the British pilot of a vintage P-51 Mustang who lost his head... er, his canopy... in the skies over Germany this week, as you were flying to the Berlin Air Show, authorities would like to have a chat with you.

Aims To Boost Struggling Commercial Program

Japanese space agency JAXA has had a tough time lately. From the curious travails of the Hayabusa probe earlier this year -- scientists won't really know if the probe was a success or not until it lands back on earth in 2010, two years later than planned -- to the agency's current problems with its proposed SST, JAXA could use a break right now.

Back To The Bargaining Table

ANN REALTIME UPDATE 05.18.06 1900 EDT: For the second time in as many months, a bankruptcy court judge has rejected an airline's request to toss out its existing contracts with union workers in order to impose pay cuts. Just minutes ago, Judge Gregory Kishel ruled that Mesaba Airlines cannot reject contracts with its pilots, flight attendants, and mechanics.

 

What Is It With Regional Jet Tires Lately?

There were two more incidents this week involving blown tires on regional jets during takeoff, this time involving aircraft flying for US Airways and regional operator Republic Airways. One plane aborted its takeoff, while the second made a precautionary landing in Washington, DC.

AOPA's Andy Cebula On UAVs Along The US-Mexico Border

ANN Daily Touch N Go: 05.18.06 (ANN's Short-Form Daily News Program) ANN Daily Aero-Briefing: 05.18.06 (ANN's Long-Form Daily News Program) ANN Special Feature -- AOPA's Andy Cebula: 05.18.06 (ANN Special Feature, with Andy Cebula on the rising threat of UAVs along the US-Mexico border.)

NOTAM Number: FDC 6/7873 Issue Date: May 18, 2006 at 0:27 UTC Location: Mesquite, Nevada near MORMON MESA VORTAC (MMM) Beginning Date and Time: Effective Immediately Ending Date and Time: Until further notice Reason for NOTAM: To provide a safe environment for fire fighting Type: Hazards Replaced NOTAM(s): N/A Pilots May Contact: Los Angeles (ZLA) Center, 661-265-8205

NOTAM Number: FDC 6/7878 Issue Date: May 18, 2006 at 10:37 UTC Location: 12 Miles South, Providence, Rhode Island near PROVIDENCE VORTAC (PVD) Beginning Date and Time: May 18, 2006 at 14:00 UTC Ending Date and Time: May 18, 2006 at 18:00 UTC Reason for NOTAM: Explosive demolition of the Old Jamestown Bridge Type: Hazards Replaced NOTAM(s): N/A Pilots May Contact: Providence (G90) TRACON, 401-738-8945

NOTAM Number: FDC 6/7874 Issue Date: May 18, 2006 at 1:13 UTC Location: 25 Nautical Miles Northeast, Mesa, Arizona near WILLIE VORTAC (IWA) Beginning Date and Time: Effective Immediately Ending Date and Time: Until further notice Reason for NOTAM: To provide a safe environment for firefighting aircraft operations Type: Hazards Replaced NOTAM(s): N/A Pilots May Contact: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) System Operations Support Center, 202-267-3333

NOTAM Number: FDC 6/7880 Issue Date: May 18, 2006 at 11:56 UTC Location: Altus AFB, Altus, Oklahoma near ALTUS VORTAC (LTS) Beginning Date and Time: May 18, 2006 at 18:00 UTC Ending Date and Time: May 20, 2006 at 22:00 UTC Reason for NOTAM: The 2006 Altus America Air Show Type: Airshow Replaced NOTAM(s): N/A Pilots May Contact: Altus AFB (LTS) Approach Control, 580-481-6905

Seattle Avionics Software tells ANN that they are ready to release their new Voyager FreeFlight flight planning software. Voyager FreeFlight is a completely free yet powerful and easy-to-use flight planner based on the award-winning Voyager Flight Software System.

Dump Near Airport Attracts Birds... Big Birds

General aviation pilots operating at Austin (TX) Bergstrom International Airport (KAUS) say they're becoming more and more worried about bird strikes. The reason? Two landfills -- both located less than mile from the airport -- that attract vultures. Big, looming, Texas-sized vultures.

$39 Million Spent In Past Three Years

The Canadian Air Force has paid $39 million to train 145 pilots over the past three years. That's an admirable amount of money to pay for pilot training... but there's just one problem, according to Canadian Auditor General Sheila Fraser.

"You Are Now Free To Turn In Your Cowbells?"

In this crazy world, it's somewhat reassuring to have some things that are certain. The traffic light will always turn yellow as you're approaching the intersection. That tailwind you were counting on will evaporate somewhere over Nebraska. And there will never, ever be assigned seating on a Southwest Airlines flight... well, perhaps we were all a bit quick on that last one.

System Uses Five Screens To Deliver High Level Of Realism

Precision Flight Controls, Inc., has introduced a full-immersion, five-screen version of its renowned M.F.D. Modular Flight Deck system. Combined with worldwide terrain mapping, a global navigation database, and support for 13 single- and multi-engine aircraft, the five-screen M.F.D. produces a highly realistic and flexible pilot training environment.

As proof that it's never too late to try something new, we offer the story of Cliff Garl. At 91-years-young, Garl took his first solo flight around the pattern at Arlington (WA) Muncipal Airport in a Cessna 172 last month... and he plans to go for more.

Premier IA, Hawker 850XP On Display At ILA

Two recently certified Beechcraft and Hawker models -- the Premier IA and Hawker 850XP -- are front-and-center at the Raytheon display at ILA 2006 in Berlin this week. Also on display are a Hawker 400XP, Beechcraft King Air B200, Beechcraft 1900D Corporate Shuttle, and a Hawker 1000.

It All Comes Down To This!

Bragging rights as the best model rocket team in the nation will be up for grabs this weekend, as hundreds of students gather at Great Meadow near Washington DC for the final round fly- off of the world's largest rocket contest.

Aero-Tips!

Visualize where microbursts may appear beneath and downwind of large cumulus clouds—and stay well clear of microbrusts.

Aero-Linx!

What’s the Mars Rover up to these days?  Did the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter make it into Mars orbit?  The answer to these intriguing questions and more lie at the FMI link, your answer to all that’s Mars and fit to print.

Aero-Terms!

The classical way of representing rotations in three-dimensional Euclidean space. Named after Leonhard Euler.

"I'm just doing my thing."

Source: Nonagenarian student pilot Cliff Garl. At 91-years-young, Garl recently soloed for the first time, in a Cessna 172.

NOTAM Number: FDC 6/7858 Issue Date: May 17, 2006 at 19:10 UTC Location: San Francisco, California Beginning Date and Time: May 21, 2006 at 4:40 UTC Ending Date and Time: May 22, 2006 at 17:30 UTC Reason for NOTAM: Temporary flight restrictions for VIP (Very Important Person) Movement Type: VIP Replaced NOTAM(s): N/A

AD NUMBER: 2006-10-11 MANUFACTURER: Airbus SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2006-10-11 SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Model A310-200 and -300 series airplanes.

AD NUMBER: 2006-10-08 MANUFACTURER: Boeing SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2006-10-08 SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD), which applies to certain Boeing Model 767-200, -300, and -300F series airplanes.

AD NUMBER: 2006-10-15 MANUFACTURER: Learjet SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2006-10-15 SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Learjet Model 45 airplanes.