Time Magazine To Name SpaceShipOne "Invention Of The Year"

2004 has been very, very good to Burt Rutan. His homebuilt spaceship flew into space not just once, but three times... coming home safely each time (but not without a few moments of "maximum pucker"), he made a deal to build the first generation of space touring vessels, and he's been lauded far and wide for bring the excitement back into the space age. Now... he's getting one more, albeit VERY influential, feather in his cap. Time Magazine will be naming SpaceShipOne 2004 Invention of the Year by Time magazine in its annual Coolest Inventions issue.

Gives FAA Authority To Regulate It

In the wake of SpaceShipOne's breakthrough accomplishments, The US House of Representatives Saturday okayed a bill that facilitates commercial space flight.

55 Confirmed Lost

Just days after China touted improvements in the safety record of its civil aviation fleet, a China Eastern CRJ-200 went down in a frozen lake Sunday. All 53 people on board were lost, as well as two on the ground.

Gulfstream Receives Second STC for Its Broad Band Multi-Link System

The FAA has issued an STC for the GV, which allows the Gulfstream Broad Band Multi-Link™ (BBML) system to be installed on all 186 ultra-long-range GV aircraft that comprise the fleet.

by Kevin R.C. "Hognose" O'Brien

As the President's second-term cabinet shapes up, it is far different from the first one. The mainstream press has focused on big changes at State and the potential of changes in Defense, with less focus on downline and domestically-oriented departments. But in the department that has the greatest impact on American (and world) aviation, no one knows if change is coming. Will Norman Mineta retire? Please?

The Boeing Company accepted the first two engines for the Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems (J-UCAS) X-45C aircraft program Nov. 10 in a ceremony held at a General Electric plant in Lynn, Mass. Boeing is building three X-45C aircraft in St. Louis as part of the J-UCAS program. Each of the aircraft will be powered by a single F404 engine.

2004 Report #62 4 p.m. CST, Friday, Nov. 19, 2004

The Expedition 10 crew eased into the second month of its six-month stay onboard the International Space Station by working on science experiments and preparing for the arrival of a new cargo ship.

Many Parts of the SR-XX Series Are Apparently Edible...

ACFT, N43014, A C195, WAS TAXIING VIA S-TURNS TO THE RUN-UP AREA AT NORTH LAS VEGAS ARPT (VGT). THE ACFT PROP IMPACTED A CIRRUS, RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE CIRRUS AND MINOR DAMAGE TO N43014. THE CIRRUS WAS NOT INTENDED FOR FLIGHT. N43104 WAS INTENDED FOR FLIGHT. LAS VEGAS, NV

Rising Traffic Strains Current Capacity

It's the sort of problem everyone should have -- too many customers and not enough capacity. That's the case in India, where the government Wednesday announced an ambitious $1.1 billion plan to upgrade 30 airports throughout the country.

The following is a statement pf National Air Traffic Controllers Association President John Carr on Congressional action on air traffic controller staffing: "In fiscal year 2004, the Federal Aviation Administration lost more than 500 air traffic controllers, but only hired 13 because it lacked funding. That simply is not acceptable to the flying public. Fewer eyes on the skies mean delays, congestion and safety concerns...

572 MPH On Carlsbad - Bangor Flight

While the past week contained stories of near-Mach 10 aerial achievement, something a little less speedy still managed to make its way into the record books. A new Flexjet Bombardier Challenger 300 set a world speed record for this class of aircraft on a trip from Carlsbad, Calif., to Bangor, Maine.

Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 34, currently deployed with Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17 aboard USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) (JFK) as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, recently celebrated more than 9,000 hours of mishap-free flying.

Pilot & Artist (Part Two)

By ANN Contributor Aleta Vinas In 1995 Lindbergh met Dr. Peter Diamandis, Chairman, Co-Founder and President of The X-Prize Foundation. In 1996 Diamandis invited Lindbergh to join the Board to help raise and administer the prize money.

Flyguides Releases Survey Of GA Pilots

A new survey conducted by Flyguides Pilot Travel, an online general aviation travel resource, quantifies for the first time the wealth and travel habits of America's more than 600,000 active general aviation pilots. One of the travel and luxury industries' hottest, newly identified niche mark.

Mobile Phones Taking Flight

ARINC and Telenor Thursday gave leading UK and European journalists a look at technology that can make in-flight mobile phone service a reality. ARINC/Telenor Mobile Connectivity-the new GSM mobile phone solution for airlines that uses Inmarsat aeronautical services-was deployed inside Inmarsat's London headquarters for use by an invited list of aviation and aerospace writers and editors.

Aero-News Quote of the Day "The $9.5 million approved Saturday night by Congress is a much needed down payment on a large problem. While it is good news that Congress has given the FAA new money to hire and train controllers, considerably more resources will be needed if FAA is to address the serious staffing crisis facing our nation. Many of our critical air traffic control facilities across the country are already short-staffed. And the FAA administrator herself has said that we are looking at a 'tsunami wave of retirements.'" Source: From (yet another) rant by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association President John Carr, while reacting to Congressional action on air traffic controller staffing. Mind you, he's not altogether

NOTAM: 4/2640 Issued: 11/19/2004 18:00 Effective: 11/23/2004 00:00 - 11/23/2004 01:05 State: TX Facility: ZFW - FORT WORTH (ARTCC),TX. Type: VIP Description: WACO, TEXAS, NOVEMBER 22 2004 LOCAL.

NOTAM: 4/2636 Issued: 11/19/2004 17:10 Effective: 11/23/2004 00:00 - 11/28/2004 22:00 State: TX Facility: ZFW - FORT WORTH (ARTCC),TX. Type: VIP Description: CRAWFORD, TEXAS, NOVEMBER 22-28 2004.