AD: 2004-SW-09-AD. Applicability: Model 234 helicopters, with aft vertical shaft assembly, part number (P/N) 234D3300, serial number -181 or lower with a prefix of A, installed, certificated in any category. Compliance: Required as indicated. The FAA has issued an Emergency AD on Boeing Defense And Space Group Model 234 Helicopters. The Emergency AD was "prompted by the discovery of a crack in the upper shaft extension of an aft vertical shaft assembly (assembly)."

Sikorsky was bragging a bunch as HAI's Heli-Expo wrapped up this week. Sikorsky Aircraft has sold more than 20 S-92 aircraft worth in excess of $340 million, which the company says makes this the most successful new commercial product launch in the company's history. In addition to the confirmed sales, Sikorsky also has 17 options and four deposit agreements for the S-92.

'Not About The Money'? Carnahan Family Seeks Damage Trial Here we go again. After a limited victory in a bizarre lawsuit seeking damages for a product found to have NOT contributed to the fatal crash of former Governor Mel Carnahan and his son Randy, the family has asked for a new trial on the issue of punitive damages. Last January, to the surprise of much of the aerospace industry; Jackson County (MO) jurors awarded the family $4 million in actual damages, significantly less than $100 million they requested in the suit filed over the crash. Despite the award, jurors apparently found no grounds for punitive damages against Parker-Hannifin Corp. Carnahan, as well as his son Randy and a longtime aide perished in the accident

Over Ten New 427IFR Light Twins, First 210 Sold

Las Vegas proved to be a moneymaking trip for one company, but gambling had nothing to do with it. HAI Heli-Expo 2004 has resulted in the largest number of sales orders for Bell Helicopter at a show in recent memory. Bell Helicopter Chief Executive Officer Mike Redenbaugh announced the receipt of signed sales orders and purchase agreements for new Bell helicopters totaling more than $150 million dollars for delivery over the next several years.

Resavage Points Out GA's Important Role

Helicopter Association International (HAI) President Roy Resavage submitted testimony to the House Aviation Subcommittee for the record concerning the re-opening of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to general aviation, including private and corporate aircraft. On Tuesday, Chairman John Mica (R-FL) held a field hearing at DCA's Signature Flight Support Services (general aviation terminal hangar 7). As ANN reported on Thursday, several industry groups offered their respective testimony on the subject.

Airline Bashed GA Via In-flight Magazine

AOPA President Phil Boyer and Northwest Airlines Chief Executive Officer Richard Anderson will meet in two weeks to discuss an editorial Anderson recently published for his airline's in-flight magazine, charging that airline passengers subsidize general aviation operations through fees and taxes on airline tickets. Since first learning of the editorial, AOPA has focused on setting up a meeting between Boyer and Anderson in order to clear the air. AOPA refrained from calling for a public letter-writing campaign while efforts to set up the meeting were under way. Pilots and aviation enthusiasts wrote anyway. They spontaneously began besieging Northwest Airlines with letters and e-mails protesting the tone and the misstatements in the edit

Agency Says GA Vulnerable To Terrorist Attacks

On March 5, 2004, the General Accounting Office (GAO) released a report to the Department of Homeland Security entitled Aviation Security: Factors Could Limit the Effectiveness of the Transportation Security Administration's Efforts to Secure Aerial Advertising Operations, identifying possible issues should the ban on such flights be lifted by Congress. Beginning in December 2001, the FAA and the TSA implemented processes to allow certain pilots and aircraft to operate over stadium events by waiving flight restrictions. However, in February 2003, Congress passed legislation that prevented aerial advertising pilots from flying near stadium airspace during certain sporting events by suspending the waiver process for one ye

Group Requests Comment Period Extension

In comments submitted this week to the FAA, the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) called on the agency to postpone further action on proposed restrictions on long-range aircraft operations until the industry is able to fully evaluate the proposal. In a separate letter, NATA also requested that the FAA reopen the comment period for an additional 90 days. The FAA proposal seeks to impose Extended Operations (ETOPS) regulations on Part 135 flights, requiring operators to remain within 180 minutes of an "adequate airport" on all flights outside the continental United States. If an operator meets additional ETOPS operational and equipment requirements, flights up to a maximum limitation of 240 minutes would be possible. 

All 102 Airports Visited 

Sixteen hours, nine minutes and 21 seconds after an early morning departure from Dulles International Airport on Wednesday, March 17, Lt. Col. Lindy Kirkland and Maj. Rob Krieg returned to cheering family members and friends, having touched 102 Virginia airports and raised awareness-and money-for Angel Flight East. The nonprofit organization provides free air transportation for those in need of medical treatment far from their homes through its volunteer fleet of pilots and aircraft owners. Operation Centennial Angel's "Angel 100," forced to wait a day due to bad weather on the East Coast, began at 5:10 a.m. and ended about 9:20 p.m.

Renters Enjoy New Benefits

AVEMCO Insurance Company announced this week that it has expanded its popular Aviator Series line of non-owned insurance products. These changes include a new package offering the Aviator Silver level, and options for pilots to customize liability and property insurance to meet their personal needs. It is estimated that there are as many as 300,000 pilots who currently fly in rented or borrowed airplanes without adequate insurance coverage. These pilots are flying aircraft from FBO 's and flight schools that may carry insurance on their rental fleet; however, that insurance usually covers only the interests of the FBO - not of the rental pilot.

Pilot Who Flew Near Tornado Appeals FAA Suspension   

If Mother Nature doesn't get you, the FAA surely will. That should be the lesson learned by an airline pilot who allegedly pushed his luck along with that of all the passengers aboard his jet. The Northwest Airlines pilot has been ordered suspended for 45 days for trying to land his jetliner amid high winds and an apparent tornado, federal officials said. Michael Hughes, of Collierville (TN), "was careless and endangered the lives and property of others" when he tried to land the DC-9 at Sioux Falls airport last June, according to the FAA's suspension order, issued Tuesday. Hughes ultimately landed the plane in Omaha (NE). He has appealed the suspension and can fly in the meantime.

Klyde Gets Mystical....

Team US101 Selects Kaman Aerospace For Presidential Helo

The US101 team led by Lockheed Martin and AgustaWestlandBell announced during the HAI EXpo 2004 that Kaman Aerospace Corp. has been selected to supply structures and engineering work for the US101 medium-lift executive aircraft being offered in a competition for the next presidential Marine One helicopter. Kaman is a contractor on major civil and military aviation programs, including the C-17 military transport and the SH-2G Super Seasprite naval helicopter. The agreement provides for Kaman to contribute engineering resources to the US101 program from its Connecticut facilities.

Officials at Altus Air Force Base, OK, performed a load validation on a C-17 Globemaster III for the MH-60S Knight Hawk helicopter recently with the help of Navy specialists. This is the seventh helicopter model validated on a C-17. Airmen from Altus' 58th Airlift Squadron along with 21 people from the Navy loaded the Navy helicopter onto a C-17 for the first time. The Knight Hawk is a cousin of the Air Force's HH-60G Pave Hawk.

Black Box Not Thought To Be From Rwanda   

Initial tests indicate that the flight recorder recently discovered at the United Nations is not linked to a 1994 plane crash that triggered Rwanda's genocide, a U.N. spokesman said Wednesday. In a major embarrassment for the world organization, the recorder was discovered a week ago in a filing cabinet in the U.N.'s Air Safety Unit where it apparently languished for a decade after its arrival by diplomatic pouch from the U.N. Mission in Rwanda. On Tuesday, U.N. officials took the "black box" to the National Transportation Safety Board in Washington where it was opened in the presence of experts from the International Civil Aviation Organization, a U.N. agency based in Montreal, said U.N. spokesman Fred Eckhard.

In briefings conducted this week, Honeywell opines, via its sixth annual Turbine-Powered Civil Helicopter Purchase Outlook, that deliveries of approximately 2,350 new civil use helicopters during the five-year period 2004 - 2008, driven in part by increased demand for light single and intermediate twin-engine models offering newer technology. Corporate, emergency medical services (EMS) and law enforcement helicopters combined are expected to account for almost two thirds of all new civil rotorcraft sales during the five-year forecast period.

Visit EAA's Open House On Saturday

The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is providing a first-time public view of its renowned maintenance and restoration facility on Saturday, March 20, as EAA holds an open house at its Kermit Weeks Flight Research Center hangar on 20th Avenue in Oshkosh (WI). The open house is free for EAA members and with that day's regular EAA AirVenture Museum admission. For non-EAA members, Weeks Hangar access without museum admission is $4. No shuttles will operate between the facility and the museum, but plenty of vehicle parking is available. The Weeks Hangar is located at 1145 West 20th Avenue, between the Hilton Garden Inn and the U.S. Post Office. In addition, pilots are welcome to fly in and park on the Weeks Hangar ramp.

It's All About Saving Trees

Take heart, environmentalists. U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin Corp. sees your point of view when it comes to saving trees and saving money, too. The maker of fighter planes and communication networks for the military is about to replace its paper instruction manuals for all its F-16 fighter plane with a computer-based system. Some 1.4 million pages of data will eventually appear online. When the system launches later this year, Lockheed's military plane unit will join defense contractor Boeing Co., as well as leading-edge technology companies in the Internet age.

For Sale: Stinson 108 3284 TT, 624 SMOH Franklin 165 Heavy Case. Fuselage and wings metalized. Strobe, Leather Seats, oil pre-heater.King KX-125 NAV/COM, Narco Txpndr. w/Encoder. Featured as a Sam Lyons portrait (Lou's Toy). Annual Due Sept. 2004. Exterior Quality: 10, Interior Quality: 10 Used, will sell for $35,000.00

Aero-News: Quote of the Day

"We forecast a return to pre-9/11 levels by 2006 and we are taking steps to be ready." Source: FAA Administrator Marion Blakey testifying before a congressional hearing on air traffic issues. Blakey reported congestion was not uniform but did mention that air capacity gaps are starting to shrink noticeably around traditionally busy cities. Recent Transportation Department and industry figures showed on-time performance by major U.S. airlines continues to slide with delays becoming more prevalent at some airports.