DECEMBER 19, 2008
Lone survivor of MSP heli crash tells story
DECEMBER 18, 2008
Suffolk Co. heli bill "defeated"
So says Southampton Town News.
TSA town meetings on LASP
In White Plains January 6 at 0800. Announcement (72kb pdf). AOPA; NBAA.
105 years ago Tuesday in Kitty Hawk
Something important happened. Aero-News.
DECEMBER 17, 2008
Carlisle, PA TFR today
Use of deadly force authorized as usual
FAASafety has issued an ATC notice on the upcoming restrictions for the January 20, 2009 Inauguration in D.C. Sign up for notices at faasafety.gov.
Read the SFRA for yourself; effective Feb 17 '09
Federal Register; pilots' opinions dismissed over phantom threat.
TUG yourself over to TEB meeting
From Dean Saucier, NBAA:
Teterboro Users' Group (TUG) will hold its monthly meeting on 18 December, 90 Moonachie Avenue, Teterboro, NJ, beginning at 0900. Among discussions that will ensue are the Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP), DHS and APIS, and "offload" initiative results during Thanksgiving. Members and non-members are encouraged to attend.
Voluntary airline safety reporting program dying
DECEMBER 16, 2008
DC ADIZ to become permanent, over objections
Tens of thousands of negative comments don't apparently make much difference in DC. AOPA, AeroNews, FAA, AIN. And don't forget the NOTAMs on the ADIZ that take effect tomorrow.
PA TFR extends nearly to Baltimore tomorrow
Check your usual sources for this 10/30nmr behemoth.
LGA rep to talk at GM on upcoming VFR changes
January 21, be there! General Meeting details.
HPN's interesting twist on noise complaints
New York Times reports on one complainant accounting for over a thousand complaints leads to a complaint cap!
Bolen on the TSA proposal
Inauguration TFRs: more to come this week
An advisory from NBAA.
AAAA also pushing on negative GA news
As you have seen through news reports in recent weeks, the CEO’s of the Big 3 automakers have come under tough scrutiny for their use of small, company planes to travel to Washington, DC to testify before Congress. As more and more news outlets covered the story, we wanted to make sure you were aware that the Alliance for Aviation Across America and our members worked hard to make sure that the public and the media didn’t forget the immense importance of general aviation.
Many of our members have responded to negative stories with letters to the editor (LTEs), which you can find on our website and our blog. Others have made themselves available to speak to television stations and to their local newspapers.
But we need your help – we can’t be everywhere, so please let us know if you get any calls from the media or if you see negative stories in your local newspaper, and we can help you to get out the message about the value of general aviation and the importance of GA for local economies and communities.
You Can Make The Difference
If you come across news articles or editorials that inaccurately paint general aviation as an exclusive perk for the corporate elite, please email it to us at info@aviationacrossamerica.org or call us at (202) 223-9523, and we can help you to contact the publication’s editor to remind them that GA is an essential lifeline for America’s small towns and communities.
SKYbrary on Safety Mgmt Systems
Don't know about SKYbrary? check it out!
DECEMBER 15, 2008
New DC ADIZ NOTAMs take effect Wednesday
In case you missed it earlier, back in November FDC 8/9460, 9461 and 9462 were issued, taking effect Dec. 17. The ADIZ training on FAASafety.gov has been updated in some areas, including the graphics with sectors and frequencies. Next year, pilots will have to carry proof of completion of the online training if flying within 100 nm of DCA. Even if you completed the training last fall, consider a review, for this new material.
Check out the new NOTAMs and online training; read and heed. Available at fine purveyors of NOTAM information. Stay out of the news.
FAA Safety Tip #1 for 2009
"Consider the Unique Risks Faced for Each Flight!"
By: Max Trescott, Author and 2008 National Instructor of the Year! FAASafety.gov or PDF
The FAASTeam has asked Max Trescott, the 2008 National Instructor of the Year, to write a series of safety tips. Max, a San Francisco area-based Master CFI, specializes in teaching in and publishing training materials for glass cockpit aircraft.
Helicopter to put spire on Trump Chicago tower
Foaming the hangar, doh!
Long Beach, CA Press Telegram
DECEMBER 12, 2008
Higgins' HAI award in detail
Rich Higgins of CSC Transport, wins the HAI Salute To Excellence Helicopter Maintenance Award. HAI. Congratualtions!
Phantom weather station appears in ADDS on LI
Recently some of us have noted the station "BNL" in the ADDS Metars Java tool (image) between FRG and ISP. We've sent feedback to ADDS to inquire. The station itself is South Carolina. Please don't use it in your flight planning.
Turbomeca considers engines phoning home
Wireless data transmission upon shutdown; AIN online
New AD issued
"Airworthiness and Operational Approval of Digital Flight Data Recorder Systems", #20-141A.
Nine days with no new heli accident reports
Kind of a long run, as things go nationally.
Aero-News on the aerobatic BO-105
DECEMBER 11, 2008
NBAA contacts Speaker Pelosi on auto bill
Bill proposes to ban automakers from owning or leasing private aircraft. Read the NBAA letter and consider contacting your Congressional reps.
BA 609 on Aero News tv
Interview with Don Barbour, ERHC annual meeting briefer/attendee.
Newspaper reviews HEMS accidents since '89
DECEMBER 10, 2008
Duo to lead FAA Flight Standards
Some talking points on bizav to save your bacon
Dean Saucier of NBAA sends the info below and recommends those of us in business aviation to make sure our leaders know what value we bring to the company. Many of those making millions didn't know enough about their own business, finance and insurance, to keep their companies making profit, and we've seen how quickly auto execs guillotined their flight department employees. Please make sure your bosses know what bizav brings to the table; or cross your fingers and see you in the unemployment line!
One thing that is certain, government handouts(bailout) come, not with strings, but chains attached. Consider the current situation in Washington. One of the “bailout” mandates is that there will be no use of corporate aircraft (Fox News 12/07/08) by the big 3 automakers. One of the things we need to do as individuals, is ensure that our CEO’s understand the benefits of the use of their aircraft. So, one might say, “sure, my CEO understands, that’s why we have aircraft.” Unfortunately, that may not necessarily be the case. Apparently, the US Legislature didn’t accept the response they got from the CEO’s of the big 3, thus the reason they drove to Washington for the next meeting. As this may have a ripple effect on other companies, I thought it might be prudent to re-visit why we use corporate aircraft in the conduct of our businesses and perhaps why we should remind our CEO’s of these reasons. Not all of the reasons given will apply to all of us, but suffice to say that you may tailor the rationale to best suit your needs.
1) Corporate Aircraft use is Efficient:
A) Airline connections are easily made where airline service is provided
B) Destinations not served by the airlines are easily accessible
C) In many cases, one can fly to a closer airport than that served by the airlines thus saving time and expense
D) In many instances it is less costly than airlines when more than one are traveling to the same or nearby destination(s) when lodging and meals are factored into the equation
E) Less employee fatigue due to being able to shorten the length of trips
2) Corporate Aircraft are Secure:
A) Passengers on-board the aircraft are known to the corporation
B) Flight crews are known as they are company employees
C) Maintenance is performed by known entities
D) It is generally known what passengers are carrying on-board the aircraft
E) Corporate issues and marketing concepts maybe discussed without fear of competitive eavesdropping
3) Corporate Aircraft are Safe:
A) Corporate aircraft have a safety record which rivals or exceeds the airlines
B) All safety factors are under the direct control of the corporate flight department
C) Minor maintenance items are not overlooked
D) Profitability does not come into play when determining maintenance
E) Powerful safety culture exists within all segments of the flight department
4) Corporate Aircraft Lead to greater Productivity:
A) Feasible emergency response to off-site production facilities
B) Ability to transport cargo and parts at a moment’s notice
C) Employees may continue to work while en-route
D) Flights are scheduled more conveniently thus enabling the employees to work more productively while in the office
Please feel free to use this as needed and further, should you have other rationale for the use of aircraft, please share them with me that I may forward them to others. Thank you.
Dean Saucier
NBAA- Northeast Regional Representative
DECEMBER 9, 2008
TFR West Point, NY, today
12 and 30 NM rings, midday. Check usual sources.
New JRB rate schedule posted
On the JRB info page.
Flight validation milestone for Hickok
ERHC partnership highlighted in NBAA Insider
The new NBAA Insider is available online, and notes our partnership on LI issues in the "Regional Representation" section. Dean Saucier has been at the ready and very effective in helping ERHC with our local issues.
NBAA call for speakers at their events in '09
DECEMBER 8, 2008
TFR West Point, NY, Tuesday Dec. 9
12 and 30 NM rings, midday. Check usual sources.
NJSP hoist, basket handy for dog & rescuers
Daily Record tells the tale of Parsippany swamp lift.
ERHC News in your PC, and your mailbox
The hyperlink-enhanced version of ERHC News is now available via link on the Newsletter page. The 1MB pdf features "more links than you can shake a stick at, or if you did, you'd get pretty tired" says Newsletter Chairman David Nuss. He suggests instead a comfortable chair at your computer and mouse over the newsletter to discover the links.
"From the first page, you can click on the contents list at the bottom to go to other pages in the newsletter; clicking on advertisements, text, graphics, links can take you to the internet, or a new email, for instance", he says. The Annual Meeting links take you to the page for color pictures of the event here in the Members site. Contact us with newsletter feedback.
"General Aviation Weather Encounters"
NASA ASRS Callback 347, Nov. 2008; html; pdf.
With the approach of the winter season, weather becomes a more prominent factor in aviation incidents. The following reports offer timely lessons regarding light aircraft encounters with various weather phenomena. ASRS reporters describe situations that are commonly encountered, including VFR flight into marginal visibility conditions, unexpected conditions while IFR, and weather-related surprises during landing and takeoff.
Downgrade to save Tampa fuel
Replacing a B407 with B206L4 to save $100/hour in fuel. TBO
DECEMBER 5, 2008
Big Philly TFR Saturday
NBAA letter to membership on recent press
More flight departments closing
Heli ground resonance in "How Things Work"
DECEMBER 4, 2008
FAA Safety Management System (SMS) INFO
Latest developments – No. 2, online; a brief status update in pdf.
DECEMBER 3, 2008
Aero-News interview with AOPA top lawyer
John Yodice, an active pilot and lead counsel for AOPA, video interview.
AD Final Rule, MD 900's
NJ 99s Annual Holiday Dinner tonight
See the calendar.
DECEMBER 2, 2008
Philly TFR today affects Penn's Landing heliport
HAI extends board nomination deadline
NYTimes reports on US Heli's JRB difficulties
Gov't likely to further regulate HEMS
Regs holding up bizav adoption of LPV IAPs
LASP comments reviewed
AIN; there's still time to submit your comments.
NBAA's new web site launches
And it looks rather like AOPA's!
DECEMBER 1, 2008
Welcome Back from the long weekend!
Please catch up on the news below, put the General Meeting, above, on your calendar, check out upcoming events on our calendar, check out the Sponsor ad opportunity, the employment listing, and the new feature, Time Travel.
Philly TFR tomorrow, December 2
Small but as powerful as always. Check your favorite sources, often.
DC ADIZ/FRZ NOTAMs update lookin' good
Issued November 14, two of the three notices have been reformatted from the original all caps version to the lovely outline version. And don't forget that you have until Feb 9, 2009 to complete and document ADIZ online training if you are going to fly VFR within 60 nm of DCA VOR.
November AvNews from FAA
Available online in pdf:
GA Fatalities Drop Dramatically in 2007
FAA Launches Lessons Learned Library
121.5 ELT Coverage to End
More WAAS Approaches than ILS
AD Final Rule for MD 500, 600
R-22 precautionary landing at NJ school Nov. 26
FAA preliminary report; Asbury Park Press
Sad Sag Harbor Express
Writer Karl Grossman continues to misunderstand, agitate.