Jet Ready To Enter Worldwide Service

Amidst its sagging ales and internal controversy, Boeing does have a bit of positive news to celebrate this week. The Boeing 777-300ER, the newest member of the 777 commercial airplane family, has received U.S. and European certification and cleared its last hurdle toward commercial operations. The FAA and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) have formally recognized that the 777-300ER passed all testing and safety requirements during an eleven-month flight-test program. The FAA and EASA certifications grant an amended type certificate for the 777, as well as a production certificate, which authorizes Boeing to build the 777-300ER.

Jim Coyne Says Industry Is Being 'Stonewalled'

NATA president James K. Coyne testified Tuesday before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Aviation, which conducted a Field Hearing at Signature Flight Support at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to examine re-opening the airport to general aviation operations. The hearing was chaired by Rep. John Mica (R-FL). Coyne was one of a panel of witnesses that included Acting TSA Administrator Adm. David Stone. In response to repeated questions directed at Stone from members of the Subcommittee about why the TSA had not yet developed a plan for general aviation access into DCA, Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) stated, "We keep getting the same stale answers from the TSA and they don't make any sense. We're not going to take

DC Area Remains Out Of Reach For Most GA Pilots

AOPA President Phil Boyer told Congress Tuesday afternoon that after two-and-a-half years of being shut out of the nation's capital, it's time to re-open the door to all of general aviation. At a hearing on permitting GA flights into Reagan National Airport (held in the Signature Flight Support hangar), Boyer said that it is also time to rescind the Baltimore-Washington air defense identification zone (ADIZ) and once again permit GA pilots to access the national capital area. Boyer told the committee members that the air traffic control system was never designed to do the things the ADIZ is forcing pilots and air traffic controllers to do.

Meeting Contributes To Further Reduction In TFR Size

Following a meeting between AOPA President Phil Boyer and high-ranking U.S. Navy officials that helped define concerns on both sides of the issue and correct some original mistakes, the FAA has reduced the size of two security-related temporary flight restrictions in the Puget Sound area of Washington State. AOPA has worked closely with Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), as well as representatives Rick Larsen (D-WA) and Jennifer Dunn (R-WA), to remove or at the very least minimize the impact of the security-related TFRs imposed in the immediate aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Relying on information and advocacy efforts by local pilots, the association has also made the case at the highe

The Great Cessna Homecoming

Cessna Aircraft Company's one million plus customers are invited to attend the first ever Great Cessna Homecoming, May 14-17, 2004. The homecoming weekend will be held in Wichita (KS), the birthplace of the Cessna Aircraft Company. The four-day event is anticipated to be one of the largest gatherings of Cessna owners and operators. Cessna has organized numerous seminars that will be presented on May 15-16, 2004. Topics include, but are not limited to, pilot risk management, TCM fuel injection systems, RSA fuel injection systems, autopilot and GPS operations, high altitude flying, Lycoming engine maintenance, aircraft photography, Cessna history, and Cessna's new single engine products.

Weather Now Cooperating For 'Angel 100' Flight 

Operation Centennial Angel, the charity fund-raising flight for Angel Flight East by EAA members Lt. Col. Charles L. "Lindy" Kirkland and Maj. Rob Krieg, is well under way following a 24-hour delay caused by inclement weather on Tuesday. At mid-morning Wednesday (March 17), the two marine pilots had flown t

Sells 280FX At Heli-Expo 2004

During the last day of the HAI Expo 24, Enstrom Helicopter Corp. announced a new member of its worldwide dealership network and its newest owner of a 280FX. Tomlinson Aviation of Ormond Beach (FL), signed on to become Enstrom's seventh dealer. Tomlinson Aviation provides helicopter services to central Florida, including helicopter sales, service and training. The company is also an FAA approved 145 repair station for Schweizer, Robinson helicopters. In addition, they are an authorized Schweizer and Robinson parts distributor for the Southeast Region of the United States.

It's All About Money

Will the Lake Tahoe Airport continue to fly with a control tower? That's one of the critical questions to be posed to the South Lake Tahoe City Council at an upcoming meeting. The city's cost-sharing portion of its agreement with the FAA may almost double from the $120,000 South Lake Tahoe pays a contractor to watch air traffic between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. The hours were cut down to reduce costs, but the FAA has insisted the measure fails to go far enough.

CAPPS II Continues To Draw Fire 

Congress, the Bush administration and major airlines all say they want the same thing: a computerized passenger screening program that will keep dangerous people off airliners. But not all are pleased with the way the two-year-old project is taking shape. The Computer-Assisted Passenger Prescreening System, or CAPPS II, would rank all air passengers according to the likelihood of their being terrorists. But some say the project would violate privacy rights, while others are concerned it would cost the private sector too much money. The House aviation subcommittee scheduled a hearing on the status of CAPPS II on Wednesday. Congress last year ordered its investigative arm to report on whether CAPPS II safeguards passenger privacy. The audito

Aircraft To Replace Older Helo

The helicopter-related news kept streaming from the floor of HAI Expo 2004, as the Los Angeles City Fire Department Air Operations Division announced will soon take delivery of a new Bell 412. The latest addition to the division's all-Bell fleet will enter into service this spring and replaces an older 412 currently in fire service. The aircraft is currently undergoing customization at Edwards & Associates, a Bell subsidiary specializing in helicopter completions.

Taxi Aereo Marilia Gets Tapped

During the HAI Expo 2004, Bell Chief executive Officer, Mike Redenbaugh announced the selection of TAM Taxi Aereo Marilia S.A. as the sole sales representative for Bell Helicopter in Brazil. Just after the announcement TAM ordered a new Bell 427 IFR helicopter. TAM-Aereo Marilia is a part of the TAM Group, which also includes TAM airlines SA and TAM Transportes Aereos del Mercousur, with a total revenue of approximately US$1.35 billion in annual revenues. This agreement helps Bell tap into the seventh largest in the world.

Two Confirmed Dead Aboard Plane

A Mooney on approach to the Santa Monica Airport (CA) crashed into a home and burst into flames Tuesday. A man and woman aboard the plane were killed, but a man inside the house escaped unharmed. The two occupants aboard the plane were not immediately identified, but the aircraft's owner told authorities the couple lived in Malibu and were in their 60s and 70s. It was unclear if other passengers were aboard, authorities said. The Mooney, which took off from the Mammoth Lakes area, lost radar contact with a control facility in San Diego as it made its approach to the airport, said FAA spokesman Donn Walker.

U.S. Could Reopen Bidding For Air Force Tankers

U.S. Air Force Secretary James Roche said Wednesday he was prepared to let Airbus bid again on supplying aerial refueling tankers if a contentious plan to lease and buy an initial 100 aircraft from Boeing Co. was tossed out by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. A fresh round hinges on whether Rumsfeld uses an existing congressional mandate to lease up to 20 modified Boeing 767s and buy up to 80 more in a deal valued at more than $20 billion, Roche told reporters at a breakfast session. The Pentagon has put tanker-related negotiations with Boeing on hold pending four investigations due to wind up in May, including whether there was improper contact between the Air Force and the Chicago-based aerospace company during initial talks.

Companies Create Service And Support Agreement

Raytheon Aircraft Company has selected Rockwell Collins Aviation Services (CAS) to provide Corporate Aircraft Service Program (CASP) support for aircraft operating under Raytheon’s Beechcraft and Hawker Support PLUS Maintenance Plan. CAS will provide Raytheon forward exchange for all Rockwell Collins equipment on Beechcraft and Hawker aircraft as part of the Support PLUS program.

Charles Taylor II To Speak At Aviation Industry Week

Cygnus Expositions, producers of Aviation Industry Week, announced that Charles Taylor II, the great grandson of Orville and Wilbur Wright's mechanic Charles Taylor, will speak at the upcoming show, to be held May 18-20, 2004, in Las Vegas (NV). Charles Taylor worked for the Wright brothers for 29 years and made the airplane engine that powered their first flight. Taylor II will present an historical slideshow about his grandfather, Charles Taylor, on Wednesday, May 19, at Aviation Industry Week in a session hosted by Aircraft Maintenance Technology magazine.

'America's Huey' Visits America's Newest Huey

"America's Huey" spent a little time with its offspring, America's newest Huey, March 13, during a stop Patuxent River (MD) on its "Final Journey Home" to the Smithsonian Institution. The nearly 40-year old Bell UH-1H Iroquois, more popularly known as America's Huey, is slated to become the central part of the Vietnam War section of the National Museum of American History's new exhibit, "The Price of Freedom," which opens on Veterans Day. Stopping by Pax River's Rotary Wing Test Squadron gave the elder Huey an opportunity to share ramp space with the UH-1Y, currently nearing the end of its developmental flight testing and soon to hit the Fleet with the Marine Corps. To complete the historic and rare occasion, members of the H-1 Int

Aircraft Maintenance Excellence Earns Agency's Highest Honor

Delta Connection Academy has received the FAA's Diamond Award for Excellence. The award, the FAA's most prestigious Maintenance honor was awarded to recognize the Academy's aircraft maintenance training and safety work. FAA officials recently presented the Diamond Award Certificate of Excellence to Delta Connection Academy's Maintenance team at the flight training school's headquarters at Orlando International Airport in Florida. In winning the honor, Delta Connection Academy exceeded FAA Diamond Award requirements by having 75 percent of its eligible maintenance technicians pass specialized, ongoing training in a 12-month period. 

Aero-News: Quote of the Day

"We support reopening Reagan National Airport to general aviation but most of our members are just trying to get closer to Reagan National so they can use one of the GA airports in the capital area!" Source: AOPA President Phil Boyer testifying before Congress Tuesday afternoon on the issue of reopening the Ronald Reagan International to general aviation aircraft. At the hearing on permitting GA flights into the airport (held in the Signature Flight Support hangar), Boyer said that it is also time to rescind the Baltimore-Washington air defense identification zone (ADIZ) and once again permit GA pilots to access the national capital area.