Aero-News Network: The aviation and aerospace world's daily/real-time news and information service

Senators Block Sturgell Nomination For FAA Administrator

New Jersey Lawmakers Upset With Airspace Changes

Two New Jersey Senators have blocked the nomination of Robert Sturgell for the position of FAA Administrator, saying the government has mishandled the contentious issue of flight delays along the East Coast.

Aero-News Featured Aero-Casts For Thursday 02.07.08

The Fall Of Silver State Helicopters, Part Two Of Two

ANN Daily Touch N Go: 02.07.08 (ANN's Short-Form Daily News Program) ANN Daily Aero-Briefing: 02.07.08 (ANN's Long-Form Daily News Program) ANN Special Feature -- The Fall Of Silver State Helicopters, Part Two: 02.07.08 (ANN Special Report, with Ed Booth and Don Maciejewski, Board-Certified Aviation Law attorneys with the firm Z

OH TFR: UFN

NOTAM Number: FDC 8/3981 Issue Date: February 07, 2008 at 1839 UTC Type: Hazards

MD TFR: 02.08.08 - 02.10.08

NOTAM Number: FDC 8/3970 Issue Date: February 07, 2008 at 1814 UTC Location: Hagerstown/Thurmont, Maryland near MARTINSBURG VORTAC (MRB) Beginning Date and Time: February 08, 2008 at 2020 UTC Ending Date and Time: February 10, 2008 at 1800 UTC Reason for NOTAM: Temporary flight restrictions for VIP (Very Important Person) Movement Type: VIP Replaced NOTAM(s): 8/3759: due to change in times

She's Off! Atlantis, STS-122 Takes Flight For ISS Rendezvous

Mother Nature Cuts NASA A Break

The moment NASA has waited for over the last three months, finally reached fruition moments ago... as the shuttle Atlantis lifted off from Cape Canaveral, in what appeared to be a flawless launch.

Blue Sky Networks To Track Longest Eclipse 500 Int'l Flight

Will Monitor Flight Across 18,000 Miles, 18 Countries

Satellite tracking and two-way network provider Blue Sky Network announced Wednesday it will provide online tracking for the longest known international flight of a new Eclipse 500 jet. Blue Sky Network’s portable in-flight D2000A will enable remote flight monitoring visibility via near real-time location updates, sent throughout the journey to Blue Sky Network’s online asset management portal, SkyRouter.

Early Registration For NASA LSA Design Challenge Ends February 14

2008 Competition Offers $300,000 In Prizes

The folks at the CAFE Foundation told ANN this week a $1000 early bird discount for registration into NASA's 2008 General Aviation Technology Challenge will end February 14... adding all LSA teams, both factory and private owners, planning on competing in the August 2008 competition in Santa Rosa, CA should get details and register as soon as possible.

Boeing Signs Agreement With New 787 Supplier

TAL Manufacturing Solutions To Supply Floor Beams

Boeing announced Wednesday it entered into an agreement with India-based TAL Manufacturing Solutions Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Motors Ltd., for manufacturing structural components for Boeing's 787 Dreamliner.

Three Sentenced To Life In Prison For 1999 Indian Airlines Hijacking

Seven Suspects, Three Rebels Remain At Large

Life terms were handed down this week to three Indian men found guilty in the 1999 hijacking of an Indian Airlines Airbus A300 to Afghanistan, that resulted in the death of one passenger and the release of three pro-Kashmir Islamic rebels.

Boeing, EADS Employ 'Guerilla' Marketing For KC-X

Competitors Turn To E-Mail, Quips In Bid For Deal

The bids have been in for over a month... and no word yet on which way the contract will fall. Will the US Air Force choose the Northrop Grumman/EADS KC-30, or Boeing's KC-767 for its KC-X Tanker contract?

Boeing, Cathay Pacific Airways Celebrate 777-300ER Delivery

Plane Sports New 'Asia's World City' Livery

We admit it... we're running this story almost solely because of the pretty plane picture. Aero-News learned Wednesday that Boeing and Cathay Pacific Airways last week celebrated the delivery of the airline's newest 777-300ER, painted in the unique (and quite stunning) "Asia's world city" livery, intended to help promote Hong Kong as the aircraft flies around the world.

AD: Alpha Aviation

AD NUMBER: 2008-03-11 MANUFACTURER: Alpha Aviation Design SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2008-03-11 SUMMARY: We are superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above.

AD: Rolls-Royce

AD NUMBER: 2006-11-05R2 MANUFACTURER: Rolls Royce SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2006-11-05R2 SUMMARY: The FAA is revising an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-22B series, RB211-524B, -524C2, -524D4, -524G2, -524G3, and -524H series, and RB211-535C and-535E series turbofan engines with high pressure compressor (HPC) stage 3 disc assemblies, part numbers (P/Ns) LK46210, LK58278, LK67634, LK76036, UL11706, UL15358, UL22577, UL22578, and UL24738 installed.

AD: SAAB

AD NUMBER: 2008-03-08 MANUFACTURER: SAAB SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2008-03-08 SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above.

AD: ATR

AD NUMBER: 2008-03-13 MANUFACTURER: ATR SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2008-03-13 SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain ATR Model ATR42-500 series airplanes.

AD: Boeing

AD NUMBER: 2008-03-05 MANUFACTURER: Boeing SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2008-03-05 SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Boeing Model 747-100, 747-100B, 747-100B SUD, 747-200B, 747-200C, 747-200F, 747-300, 747-400, 747-400D, 747-400F, 747SR, and 747SP series airplanes; and Model 767-200 and -300 series airplanes; equipped with certain Goodrich evacuation systems. For certain airplanes, this AD requires replacing the evacuation system shear-pin restraints with new ones.

Aero-TV: Checking Out Microsoft's ESP

New Military and Defense Flight Simulations Are Being Built on Microsoft ESP

Throughout last fall's I/ITSEC convention (Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference), one sign in particular became a familiar one... adorning a number of high-tech flight simulation displays -- Microsoft ESP.

Stratford Mayor Wants Deal On Sikorsky Memorial Airport

Community Opposes Expansion, Wants Tax Money

A long-standing dispute between the Connecticut communities of Bridgeport and Stratford, over control of Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Airport (BDR), may be coming to a head. Stratford Mayor James Miron said this week he thinks the time is right to make an offer on the 800-acre property.

Pilot Sentenced To Six Months In Jail For 2004 Fatal

Mark Strub's Saga Reaches Its End

A Wisconsin pilot has been sentenced to six months in jail, with five of those months to be spent outside of prison, for an August 2004 crash that claimed the life of a passenger.

FAA Says New Tower Simulators Will Improve Controller Training

Will Deploy Sims To 19 Airports, OKC Training Center

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced Wednesday it will deploy new air traffic tower simulators to 19 locations around the country to help train thousands of new air traffic controllers in an operational environment that is interactive and provides realistic scenarios.

Bush Budget Defers F-22 Decision To Next Administration

Proposal Would Fund Last 20 Planes Due Under Current Contract

As more details of the budget plan President Bush presented this week become known, it's appears the lame-duck administration has opted to leave several decisions for the next president to make... including whether the Air Force will receive more F-22 Raptors.

MS Congressman Calls For Biometric Scans Of Armed Flyers

Wants TSA To Report On Progress By February 18

Mississippi Congressman Bennie Thompson has given the Transportation Security Administration two weeks to report to his committee what the agency is doing to positively identify police officers, before allowing them to bring their guns with them onto airliners.

EU Team Working On Hypersonic Airliner

A2 Would Hit Mach 5 Over Ocean

The European Union’s Long-Term Advanced Propulsion Concepts and Technologies (LAPCAT) project has Mach 5 flight potential within 25 years.

GE Optimistic Funding Will Be Restored For F-35 Engine

Money Eliminated From FY2009 Defense Budget Proposal

Representatives with General Electric say they "weren't entirely surprised" to learn funding for the company's proposed F-35 Lightning II powerplant was stricken from President Bush's fiscal year 2009 budget plan, announced this week. After all, they've been here before.

Boeing Wins 737-800 Order From Romanian LCC

Two Planes, Two Options For Blue Air Transport Aerian

Boeing announced this week an order from Romanian low-cost airline Blue Air Transport Aerian, for two 737-800s and purchase rights for two more.

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (02.07.08)

Aero-Linx!

Excellent repository of WWI information, including Aces, aircraft, books, and medals associated with the Great War.

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (02.07.08): Preignition

Aero-Terms!

Ignition of the fuel-air mixture inside the cylinder of an engine before the normal spark occurs. Preignition can be caused by an incandescent piece of carbon or by any other sharp edge or pint inside the cylinder that gets red-hot.

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (02.07.08)

"We have made no secret of our desire to obtain the airport so we can have more control over what happens there and also be in a position to receive taxes on the property, which we have never been able to do. I believe this is a very realistic possibility now, and that the new Stratford Town Council can do something truly great by helping to facilitate this process."

Source: James Miron, mayor of Stratford, CT. Miron plans to meet Monday with Bill Finch, mayor of nearby Bridgeport, to discuss a potential agreement for his city to purchase the Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Airport.