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December 02, 2008

Boeing Successfully Tests Airborne Laser System

Ground Test Conducted At Edwards AFB

Boeing joined with industry teammates and the US Missile Defense Agency last week to fire a high-energy laser through the Airborne Laser's (ABL) beam control/fire control system, completing the first ground test of the entire weapon system integrated aboard the aircraft.

AD NUMBER: 2008-24-12 MANUFACTURER: Bombardier SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2008-24-12 SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product.

AD NUMBER: 2008-24-09 MANUFACTURER: Airbus SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2008-24-09 SUMMARY: We are superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above.

Execs Hope PR-Friendly Gesture Wins Favor With Lawmakers

Executives at Ford Motor Company and General Motors -- perhaps looking for the least painful way to generate some badly-needed positive press, at a time when many Americans question the need for their very existence -- bowed to public pressure Tuesday, and announced they will sell off their business jet fleets.

Troubled Program Gains Momentum Towards 2010 EIS

The first production VH-71 presidential replacement helicopter has arrived at Naval Air Station Patuxent River by US Air Force C-17 cargo plane from helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland.

GE's CF34-10A Powers The ARJ21

With the maiden flight on November 28 of China's first domestically-developed regional jet aircraft, the flight test program for the GE-powered ARJ21 aircraft is now underway.

NASA To Recognize Winner Of Lunar Lander Challenge

Armadillo Aerospace Won Level One Competition In October

NASA will recognize Armadillo Aerospace, the winner of the 2008 Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge, during a ceremony at 10 am on December 5 at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC. The winning vehicle successfully demonstrated some of the technologies needed for a lunar lander capable of ferrying payloads or humans back and forth between lunar orbit and the moon's surface.

A New Colonialism?

At the height of its power in colonial times, it was once said the "sun never set" on the British empire. Today, it may soon be said the sun will never set on British Airways... as the UK flag carrier confirmed Tuesday it's in merger talks with Australia's Qantas.

Says Lower Price Is Proof Competition Is Lowering Cost Of Space Access

A travel entrepreneur who introduced hundreds of thousands of Americans to European travel in the 1960's announced Tuesday he wants to take luxury travel to new heights -- the edge of space -- and for a pricetag less than half of what competitors plan to charge.

Anything We Can Do... You Shouldn't Be Able To Do, Too?

Delta Air Lines has now absorbed Northwest Airlines to become the world's biggest airline, and has received anti-trust exemptions from the federal government to form alliances to extend its reach even further. But Delta has filed a formal objection to a similar anti-trust immunity request from Continental Airlines.

Says Commercial Traffic Has Dipped, Private Aircraft Taking Over

The Palm Beach International Airport in Florida has had to fight for its existence as a civilian airport more than once. After opening in 1936 as a single runway with only a small administration building, the airport was twice made a military base, during World War II and the Korean conflict. Finally, in 1960, the 2000-acre site was officially taken over by Palm Beach County.

Four-Year Deals Approved By Largest Turnout In Recent History

Following many months of labor strife, tense negotiations and strikes both threatened and realized, Boeing appears to be nearing the end of its latest bruising round of contract negotiations with its unions. On Monday, engineering and technical employees represented by the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) IFPTE Local 2001 ratified four-year collective bargaining agreements covering nearly 21,000 Boeing employees in Washington, Oregon, California and Utah.

Aero-News Featured Aero-Casts For Tuesday 12.02.08

VLJ Growth In Latin America And The Middle East, With Consultant Oscar Garcia

ANN Daily Touch N Go: 12.02.08 (ANN's Short-Form Daily News Program) ANN Daily Aero-Briefing: 12.02.08 (ANN's Long-Form Daily News Program) ANN Special Feature -- VLJ Growth In Latin America And The Mideast: 12.02.08 (ANN Special Report, with Oscar Garcia of Interflight Consulting.

ARINC 429 Extends Compatibility With Leading EFIS Units

FreeFlight Systems, an international supplier of avionics systems for commercial and military aircraft, announced this week the introduction of the RA-4500, the latest addition to its TSO certified family of radar altimeters.

AD NUMBER: 2008-24-03 MANUFACTURER: Rolls Royce SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2008-24-03 SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for Rolls-Royce plc (RR) models RB211 768-60, Trent 772-60, and Trent 772B-60 turbofan engines that have not incorporated RR Service Bulletin (SB) No. RB.211-72-E708, SB No. RB.211-72-F227, or SB No.RB.211-72-E965, at original issue or later revision.

AD NUMBER: 2008-24-11 MANUFACTURER: Vulcanair S.p.A. SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2008-24-11 SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product.

AD NUMBER: 2008-24-10 MANUFACTURER: Pratt & Whitney SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2008-24-10 SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product.

ANN Daily Aero-Briefing: 12.02.08

Airline delays got ugly over Thanksgiving.
Responders may now be underusing Maryland's medevac helicopters.
And a tale of two NIMBY battles.

ANN Daily Touch-And-Go: 12.02.08

Airline delays got ugly over Thanksgiving.
Responders may now be underusing Maryland's medevac helicopters.
And a tale of two NIMBY battles.

More AERO-Casts

ANN Special Feature: Oscar Garcia, Interflight Consulting - 12.02.08

ANN's Paul Plack talks with Oscar Garcia of Interflight Consulting about the growth of business aviation, and very-light jets in particular, in Latin America and the Middle East.

FMI:

More AERO-Casts

Aero-TV: Legal Eagle -- John Yodice On FAA Enforcement

What Every Pilot Should Know about FAA Enforcement

OK... this is kind of a special story for us, as it features one of aviation's truly undersung heroes... a guy who manages to make lawyers look good (quite a feat in and of itself...) and has worked tirelessly to protect aviators nationwide. A guy by the name of John Yodice.

More Videos

Aero-TV: Legal Eagle -- John Yodice On FAA Enforcement

What Every Pilot Should Know about FAA Enforcement

Has Space Flight Become Too Routine?

After well over a hundred Space Shuttle missions and the 10th anniversary of the International Space Station, the American public seems to have once again grown complacent about the space program.

Former Air Force Secretary Dies At 92

Verne Orr, the fourteenth secretary of the Air Force, died Nov. 27 at age 92 in his home in Pasadena, Calif. He served under President Ronald Reagan from 1981 to 1985.

AIA Unveils New Marketing Campaign To Encourage Defense Spending

Says Industry Isn't Looking For A "Bailout," Unlike Others...

Marion Blakey is no stranger to the power of a strong marketing campaign.

The Commercial Airline Pilot Training (CAPT) Program is welcoming a new class of students sponsored by Air Astana in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The students will begin their studies at the Palm Coast, Florida, campus. The first 8 airline-sponsored students will arrive at the school in December 2008.

Molt Taylor's Flying Car On The Block On eBay

One of only six built, Molt Taylor's third Aerocar has been listed for sale on eBay for a Buy It Now pricetag of a cool $3.5 million.

Brings Latest In Avionics Functionality To Older Turbines

Citing its commitment to increase the effectiveness and safety of older turbine aircraft, Cutter Aviation Technical Services announced Monday its latest venture in avionics upgrade technology.

A Soldier And His 'Shadow'

Troops on the ground in Iraq have an “eye in the sky,” thanks to soldiers like Army Spc. Rodolfo Delatorre in the 4th Infantry Division’s Combat Aviation Brigade, who launches, recovers and maintains the Shadow unmanned aerial system.

Aero-Linx!

The Association of Old Crows (AOC) is a not-for-profit international professional association with over 13,500 members and 100+ organizations engaged in the science and practice of Electronic Warfare (EW), Information Operations (IO), and related disciplines.

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (12.02.08): Radian

Aero-Terms!

Unit of angular measurement equal to the angle at the center of a circle subtended by an arc equal in length to the radius. Equals about 57.296 degrees.

"Q: What will you do on Thanksgiving? A: Same as every other day: Lose stuff, look for stuff, and take pictures of stuff. Oh, and use a lot of duct tape."

Source: From a note on the front of the STS-126 crew's daily planning package on Day 14 of the recent mission -- contained a bit of humor, revealing what the crew might actually be thinking during the day's PAO event when faced with mundane questions....