Over the next 10 years, the FAA expects to hire and train air
traffic controllers more efficiently and will staff each air
traffic facility with the appropriate number of controllers to
offset an expected wave of air traffic controller
After hearing from AOPA and other users, the Department of
Defense (DOD) is going to accept comments on its proposal to stop
public distribution of Department of Defense flight information
publications (FLIP) and the digital aeronautical flight information
file (DAFIF) in October 2005.
European Space Agency's Vehicle Set To Be Dropped On Titan
The highlights of the first year of the Cassini-Huygens mission
to Saturn can be broken into two chapters: first, the arrival of
the Cassini orbiter at Saturn in June, and second, the release of
the Huygens probe on Dec. 24, 2004, on a path toward Titan.
To hear Boeing tell it, Tuesday's launch of the massive Delta 4
heavy-lift rocket was a success. But the dummy payload it carried
is in the wrong orbit, the result of a shortened first-stage burn.
Success appears to be relative.
The Boeing Company today announced that Japan Airlines
Corporation has selected the Boeing 7E7 Dreamliner as its next
generation mid-sized twin aisle aircraft. JAL's requirement for 30
firm deliveries and 20 options will be fulfilled with a combination
of 7E7-3s and 7E7-8s.
NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer has spotted what appear to be
massive "baby" galaxies in our corner of the universe. Previously,
astronomers thought the universe's birth rate had dramatically
declined and only small galaxies were forming.
Air Deccan, India’s first low-cost carrier, is to grow its
fleet by acquiring a further 30 Airbus A320s, following the
signature of a contract with Airbus. Deliveries of the aircraft are
due to begin in 2007.
Air Europa of Spain Tuesday became the first airline to commit
to the A350-800, Airbus’ new 245-seater aircraft only on
offer since 10th December, after signing a Memorandum of
Understanding for 10 aircraft and 2 further options. The airline
said its decision came after a rigorous evaluation of the
aircraft’s performance and efficiency with the aircraft due
to be delivered between 2010 and 2012.
The Bell 210 helicopter made it's first flight Saturday, at the
Bell subsidiary Edwards & Associates, located in Bristol, TN.
This successful flight marks the first in a series of qualification
flights as the Bell 210 goes thru FAA certification testing. Bell
expects to attain FAA certification during the first quarter of
2005, with deliveries following soon after.
By PATCO President Ron Taylor
The FAA has just released its 97-page report entitled "A Plan
For The Future, The FAA Ten Year Strategy For The Air Traffic
Controller Workforce." These guys are still operating in a time
warp and this brainstorm idea has all the characteristics of what
they said they were going to do, back during the PATCO strike of
1981 and the promise to rebuild the ATC system even better than
ever, so let’s try this again.
The Air Force wants Northrop Grumman to continue full-rate
production of the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)
Guidance Replacement Program (GRP). For that, the Pentagon is
willing to pay $153 million. Northrop says the program is a key
modernization effort that will upgrade the guidance-system
electronics in the Minuteman III ICBM to extend the missile's
service life through 2020.
Says Its Costs Are Going Up While Other Countries Get More
While Canada continues to force the cost of flying and landing
aircraft ever higher, Germany will drive down those costs and make
that country more competitive, the Air Transport Association said
today. The German Transport Ministry announced yesterday that
airport landing fees will drop 28% on January 1, 2005 and air
navigation overflight fees will fall about 20%.
If You Think Broadband On Commercial Flights Is Cool, Check
The Air Force and Northrop Grumman say they've successfully
demonstrated an airborne capability to collaborate real time via
Internet 'chat rooms', e-mail, and the Web, all within a secure,
With one month to go, this year already has already proven to be
the busiest in the history of Southwest Florida International
Airport. With a record-breaking November of nearly 586,000
passengers, passenger traffic year-to-date has exceeded 6 million
passengers, making 2004 the first year the airport has reached this
milestone. Passenger traffic for November increased by 16 percent,
and the year-to-date total reflects a 14 percent jump.
"We've had discussions with the military and a meeting with the
FAA last week, and the ramifications of this decision were
dramatically underestimated. While we're still analyzing all of the
impacts, we will be asking the Department of Defense to revise its
decision, and we'll offer some realistic alternatives."
Source: Melissa Rudinger, AOPA vice president of
regulatory policy, on DOD's decision to stop distribution FLIP
charts. AOPA says the most immediate impact of the decision on AOPA
members will be the loss of Department of Defense-National
Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) oceanic navigation charts
(ONC), enroute charts for the Caribbean and South America, the
supplement of Caribbean airport information, and instrument
approach charts fo
AD NUMBER: 2004-26-01
MANUFACTURER: Eagle Aircraft
SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2004-26-01
SUMMARY: The FAA adopts a new airworthiness
directive (AD) for all Eagle Aircraft (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.Model
Eagle 150B airplanes. This AD requires you to inspect the port and
starboard under carriage attach bracket for unwelded areas and
replace the attach bracket if unwelded areas are found.
AD NUMBER: 2004-25-21
SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2004-25-21
SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a new airworthiness
directive (AD), applicable to certain Model EMB-135 and -145 series
airplanes. This AD requires modification of the pitch trim system,
which includes replacing certain components of the system with new
or serviceable components, and upgrading certain software to a
AD NUMBER: 2004-26-02
MANUFACTURER: General Electric
SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2004-26-02
SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness
directive (AD) for GE CF34-3A, CF34-3A2, CF34-1A,CF34-3A1, CF34-3B,
and CF34-3B1 series turbofan engines.