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September 24, 2013

ANN Daily Aero-Briefing: 09.25.13

The FAA Opens the Arctic to UAS Operations…

American and US Airways Extend Their Bail-Out Date…

Airbus Forecasts Need for Almost 30,00

More AERO-Casts

FAA Upgrades Ukraine’s Aviation Safety Rating To Category 1

Means The County Complies With ICAO Standards For Safety, Regulatory Oversight

The FAA said Monday that Ukraine complies with international safety standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), based on the results of a July FAA review of Ukraine’s civil aviation authority. Ukraine is now upgraded to Category 1 from the Category 2 safety rating the country received from the FAA in June 2005.

Moon Express Tests Flight Software On NASA's 'Mighty Eagle' Prototype Robotic Lander

NASA Marshall Spaceflight Center (MSFC) is collaborating with Moon Express to test the company's flight software on NASA's "Mighty Eagle" prototype robotic lander. The collaboration is intended to help foster the development of commercial lunar landers for future low-cost missions to the Moon.

Communications With Deep Impact Spacecraft Lost

After almost 9 years in space that included an unprecedented July 4th impact and subsequent flyby of a comet, an additional comet flyby, and the return of approximately 500,000 images of celestial objects, NASA's Deep Impact mission has ended.

Company Has Delivered Nine Aircraft To Russia In Recent Months

Bell Helicopter says it is continuing to expand its presence in Russia, announcing purchase agreements for seven aircraft signed during Jet Expo 2013 in Moscow last week. During the show, Bell Helicopter displayed its newest product, the Bell 429, in a corporate configuration.

Cause Of The Accident Has Not Been Determined

A Beech King Air C90A went down in a field Thursday night while on approach to Idaho Falls Regional Airport, resulting in one of the passengers suffering broken back.

Pratt & Whitney Engines On B-24 As Dependable Now as They Were 70 Years Ago

Pilot Describes Flying The Airplane As 'Loud, Cold, Uncomfortable', But Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way

It was loud. It was cold. It was uncomfortable. But to Russell Jones, it was beautiful. There are many memories that Jones, a World War II veteran, has of the heavy bomber Consolidated B-24 Liberator airplane, but one thing seems to stick out. "The Pratt & Whitney engines were damn good," the former tail gunner recalled with a confident laugh. "They kept us going all the time."

World Distance Record Shattered With A Flight Of 258 Feet In Long Beach, CA

Taking off in Washington, D.C. and landing in Long Beach, CA, with layovers in Miami, Chicago and Dallas/Fort Worth, National Red Bull Flugtag, the homemade flying craft competition, made history Saturday by taking place in five cities in one day.

Seeks To Sustain Landsat Data Over The Next 20 Years

NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has kicked off a quest for an innovative and affordable space-based system to extend the Landsat satellite data record for decades to come with a public forum and call for ideas issued Wednesday. The Sustainable Land Imaging Architecture Study Industry and Partner Day was held in the NASA Headquarters Webb Auditorium in Washington, D.C.

Early Morning Flight Ended In Off-Airport Landing

It's one of the things pilots train for and hope never happens. John Pedersen was flying his Rans S-6 Coyote II over the Chicago lakefront early Sunday morning when he heard a loud bang and the airplane started to shake violently.

Sonar Picks Out Aircraft At The Bottom Of Lake Norman, NC

A woman from Cornelius, NC says that a plane that was recently located by sonar at the bottom of Lake Norman north of Charlotte in North Carolina may be one that sunk 30 years ago. And she thinks so because the plane may have belonged to her.

Flight Had Originated In Venezuela

French police seized over 1.3 metric tons of cocaine from an Air France flight which landed in Paris September 11. The flight had originated in Caracas, Venezuela.

French Pilot Crosses Mediterranean In WWI Replica Airplane

Followed The Flight Of Roland Garros Made In 1913

On September 27, 1913, French pilot Roland Garros took off from Fréjus in the south of France, and flew to Bizerte in Tunisia in a Morane-Saulnier G racing monoplane. His accomplishment was re-enacted Sunday by 29-year-old Baptiste Salis, who flew an exact replica of the Morane-Saulnier, albeit with an upgraded, modern engine, 500 miles in seven hours.

ANN Daily Aero-Briefing: 09.24.13

What Questions Would YOU Ask AOPA Boss Mark Baker??

The Cygnus Rendezvous With the ISS is Delayed…

Are FAA Furloughs Loomimg?

More AERO-Casts

Airborne 09.24.13: Buck-A-Gallon Rules Announced, Texas UAV Regs, Riggs Death Confirmed

Also: Allegiant Air Woes, Sun 'n Fun Volunteers Protest, Orbital Launches, MGL Updates iEFIS, Pilot's Bill of Rights Updated

The Redbird Skyport "Fly More" avgas experiment (otherwise known as the “Buck a Gallon Event”) will kick off in a couple of weeks and here are some details you may need to know... The purpose of this experiment is to study the effect that fuel price has on flying activity. The offer of $1-a gallon avgas is open to any piston-powered GA aircraft that can fly into San Marcos Municipal Airport under its own power. Only the regular tanks in the aircraft will be filled. The state of Texas has made it a crime to take photographs of someone's property without their consent using a UAV. That new law went into effect September 1. The law stemm

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Gotta Question For New AOPA Boss, Mark Baker? Speak Up!!!

YOUR Questions Are Welcome As We Get Ready For Our First (And Long Overdue) With AOPA's Baker

Well... whaddya know, we're finally being granted an interview with the new President of AOPA, Mark Baker... an APPOINTMENT by a remote Board of Trustees that was cloaked in mystery, anonymity, and an utter lack of transparency (which still didn't keep us from getting the word out about his ID long before anyone else -- grin). I have grave concerns about the process so far and some early chinks in the armor that are quickly becoming evident... but I look forward to talking to him directly, even though that should have happened LONG ago. I desperately hope this guy allays my fears... but... well, we'll see.

Will Be Delayed Until After Soyuz Manned Spacecraft Docks With The Station

Managers from Orbital Sciences and NASA decided Monday morning to postpone the approach, rendezvous, grapple and berthing operations of Orbital's Cygnus cargo logistics spacecraft with the International Space Station to no earlier than Saturday, Sept. 28. Cygnus' rendezvous now will follow the launch and arrival of three crew members of Expedition 37/38 on Wednesday, Sept. 25.

Capability Will Be Added To The Company's Columbus, MS Facility

Beginning in 2014, Eurocopter will install the necessary industrial capabilities to upgrade the American Eurocopter plant in Columbus, MS, to a final assembly and test site for Eurocopter AS350 helicopters.

Rolls-Royce Trent XWB Engines Worth $1.5 Billion To Power 25 Lufthansa Aircraft

Engines Selected For Newly-Ordered A350 XWBs

Lufthansa has selected Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines worth $1.5 billion, including TotalCare service support, to power 25 Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The airline also has options for a further 30 of the aircraft. More than 1,400 Trent XWB engines have been ordered prior to its entry into service next year.

Agency Budget Gap Of $700 Million Will Need To Be Closed

Once again, the specter FAA furloughs has appeared as lawmakers tell agencies to trim their budgets for 2014. For the FAA, that means that some $700 million needs to be cut from the budget, and agency officials say that would mean sending workers home without pay.

FAA Determined That The Aerial Fly-Bys Were An 'Air Show'

The Flabob Flying Circus says it has been forced to cancel its Aerial Cavalcade because the FAA determined it met the definition of an air show, and they did not have enough time to complete the paperwork for a waiver.

Search For Two Remaining Crewmembers Suspended

An MH-60S Knighthawk helicopter assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 6 went in the central Red Sea Sept. 22, while operating with the guided-missile destroyer USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110).

Northrop Grumman Facility Will House Program Management, Engineering Teams

Dignitaries including Florida Gov. Rick Scott and U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson participated in the dedication of Northrop Grumman Corporation's Manned Aircraft Design Center of Excellence in Melbourne Friday. Scott kicked off the event, which also featured remarks by Nelson and company officials. Representatives from other federal, state, regional and local offices, and civic organizations also attended.

"After attending last year's event, the FAA determined that the fly-bys of Aerial Cavalcade met the definition of an Airshow and therefore required a waiver." Source: Flabob Flying Circus website.

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (09.24.13): Obstacle Departure Procedure (ODP)

A preplanned instrument flight rule (IFR) departure procedure printed for pilot use in textual or graphic form to provide obstruction clearance via the least onerous route from the terminal area to the appropriate en route structure.

Model Aces

You are invited to enter and see some of the professionally built, airplane model kits in the gallery or read through some of the tutorials on detailed scale model aircraft building.