The FlightTimes Our Sponsors     Sun Mar 07 2004 Warbird Alley: Privately-owned, vintage, ex-military aircraft ...Our bookstore selections (as well as other products listed on our site) are slowly but steadily being updated to make it more convenient for our British readers to order books though Amazon.co.uk. Thanks for your patience as we accomplish this extensive update. ... AOPA Online - Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association home page ...AOPA represents GA pilots at ATC summit meeting... Russell Chew Mar. 5 — AOPA influenced the nation's top airline, military, and other aviation system users' minds this week at a Washington "summit meeting." Powerful interests gathered at the invitation of FAA in an unprecedented meeting to address the growing airspace congestion problems along major routes and hub airports. AOPA was the only organization representing general aviation pilots invited to attend the three-day FAA meeting to discuss the future of FAA's new Air Traffic Organization (ATO — responsible for flight service stations, control towers, tracons, and enroute air traffic control). And because of AOPA's representation, by the end of meeting, GA's access to the system was ensured. But that wasn't the tone of the discussion at the beginning. The ATO's new leader, Russ Chew, (a former American Airlines executive) called the meeting in anticipation of the upcoming summer convective weather that annually affects an already constrained system. AOPA to pilots: Check your notams!... Mar. 4 — With the first day of spring barely two weeks away, and better flying weather either arriving or soon to arrive over much of the country, general aviation activity is going to pick up substantially, and those pilots need to make sure they're completely familiar with constantly shifting airspace restrictions. "Whether you're flying along the Eastern seaboard and have to cope with the Baltimore-Washington Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), or near one of the dozen Department of Defense temporary flight restrictions, or around any of the scores of cities Presidential candidates will visit, it's the pilot's responsibility to know where not to fly," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "At the same time, it's the government's responsibility to distribute accurate information in a timely fashion, and that's something that AOPA will continue to press for." AOPA and the Air Safety Foundation have a number of tools to help pilots stay out of trouble, including the Real-Time Flight Planner , an ADIZ tutorial , and ASF's " Know Before You Go " online airspace education course. FAA's Baltimore FSDO honors AOPA for airspace education efforts Mar. 4 — The FAA's Baltimore Flight Standards District Office has presented AOPA's Air Traffic Services department with the FSDO's "Good Friend" Award for AOPA's ongoing efforts to keep members up-to-date on airspace restrictions. AOPA working closely with Congress to preserve backcountry airstrips Idaho congressional delegation takes fight to Cabinet level Mar. 4 — AOPA and members of Congress from the western United States are working closely together to make sure millions of acres of wilderness remain accessible by air. For many of these areas, flying is the only way in or out. The entire Idaho congressional delegation has called on Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman to guarantee public access to four backcountry airstrips in the Frank Church-River of No Return Federal Wilderness Area. The department's U.S. Forest Service has issued a decision closing the Dewey Moore, Mile-Hi, Simonds, and Vines airstrips to all but emergency operations. AOPA has appealed that decision AOPA pressure helps change field approval process Mar. 4 — Bowing to pressure from AOPA and general aviation pilots to fix a broken field approval process, the FAA has issued new standards for inspectors to follow when granting approval for major aircraft alterations. While it supports the general concept of improving the FAA's field approval process, AOPA plans to monitor how new guidelines the agency issued recently really work to see if they really make the process run more smoothly. Pilots nationwide use field approvals to make major alterations or repairs to their aircraft, such as avionics or wingtip strobe installation, generator-to-alternator or drum-to-disk brake conversions, or landing gear alterations. Air Force Link ...SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- A member of the 52nd Security Forces Squadron emergency service team takes aim at a suspect who attempted to take his commander hostage during a Full Spectrum Threat Response Exercise here Feb. 26. The exercise was designed to simulate how the 52nd Fighter Wing would actually handle a real-world hostage situation, and helped ensure both the precautions and safety measures would be followed.... Camp Cunningham honors Air Force hero BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan (AFPN) A true American hero was remembered March 4 during a ceremony that officially dedicated the Air Force compound here to the memory of Senior Airman Jason D. Cunningham. F/A-22 required for deep strike against enemy threats Maintaining deep-strike capability is critical to future warfighting operations. Posthumous citizenships include family benefits WASHINGTON (AFPN) The U.S. government historically has granted posthumous citizenship to non-U.S. citizen servicemembers killed in the line of duty during wartime. Building a better Bagram BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan (AFPN) Airman 1st Class Collins Osei levels gravel before concrete is poured for a new A-10 Thunderbolt II maintenance building’s driveway. Checking the specs RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFPN) Tech. Sgt. Diane Schenk confirms contractors are building the new air freight management facility according to specifications. Flowerbeds: Root cause of tree stress EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFPN) Trees dying for attention here will soon receive some much-needed care from 796th Civil Engineer Squadron people. Team tests for weapons of mass destruction TALLIL AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) To date, no nuclear, biological or chemical agents have been found here, but a team of Airmen stands ready around the clock to check for potential NBC agents, and it now has a controlled facility to perform the tests.... Museum of Aviation: News and Events ...Georgia Annual Young Astronauts' Day... March 6, 2004 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m Registration is $10.00 and includes lunch, t-shirt, four workshops and materials. Workshops include: Newton’s Laws of Motion, Rocketry, Star Lab Portable Planetarium, Hot Air Balloons, Ham Radio, Flight Simulators 2000 and many more! For more information call 478-926-5558 or download information and registration forms here... GWEN HUGHES   Tuesday, March 16 Twice voted “Best Jazz Artist” by the readers of Creative Loafing, Gwen Hughes has been called “The Ambassador of Jazz” because of her versatility and mass appeal. Atlanta Journal said “Gwen Hughes was swinging before swinging was cool. A rising star on the local scene.” Her 1997 release Torch Life received a “Special merit” nod by the Grammys for “Best Jazz Female Recording” and “Best Jazz Performance.” Welcome to AIN Online: March 2004 ... Gulfstream II and III RVSM Package Being Developed... RVSM Mod Price Quotes Added to Online Search Site... Garrett Package Said To Slash RVSM Approval Time... Gulfstream 550 Team Wins 2003 Collier Trophy Regional Option Added to Online Aircraft Shopper... Despite mixed signals, DOT l... auds next-gen NAS... Williams closing in on pair of engine approvals... Eclipse fires BAE Systems and names new suppliers... 2003 turbine shipments topped 10-year average... Pilot blamed in Crossair crash; others implicated... House to discuss DCA access for GA... This year’s LABACE will be a watershed event... Mercury Air deal hits a speed bump... Two famous pilots introduce free bizav discount program... Embraer rolls out 190; 170 approval imminent... Is vibroacoustic disease taking a toll on aviators... Online study researches aircrew stress levels... BBJs banned at Teterboro by legislation... Report could give loran new life as GPS backup... How much more accurate can a weather forecast get?... Fairchild Dornier 328 and 728 get new leases on life... Regional turboprops hold their own in a tough market... Eurocopter dominates civil helo market... Progress being made in rotorcraft infrastructure... Civil tiltrotor designs fly in face of several challenges... SimPro USA looks to change ‘Sin City’ into a ‘Sim City’ News Releases at John Wayne Airport except Airport Statistics ...John Wayne Airport Passenger Levels Continue To Soar In January - Number Of Passengers Utilizing Airport Up 9.1% From Same Time Last Year World Airways Cargo and Passenger Flights ...WORLD AIRWAYS’ PILOTS TURN DOWN TENTATIVE AGREEMENT WSDOT Aviation Home Page ...Ground Search Begins for Missing Cessna 170... Airport Management Seminar, May 18-19, 2004 (pdf 189 kb)... Aviation agency develops business plan for funding (Snohomish County Business Journal)... Community Air Service, Grant Program Presentation Table of Contents ...First Volunteer AB-DAR Inspection Completed... March 4, 2004 - The first inspection of a homebuilt aircraft conducted under the FAA’s new volunteer amateur-built designated airworthiness representative (AB-DAR) program was completed today (March 4). Joe Gauthier, who was designated an AB-DAR under the new program, inspected an RV-6 built by David Faile, EAA and NAFI member, master flight instructor, and professional pilot from Fairfield, Connecticut ... ... EAA Retains Johnson to Lead Sport Pilot and Light-Sport Aircraft Marketing Efforts... March 4, 2004 - Dan Johnson, who is well known throughout the ultralight and light-plane communities, has been retained by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) to handle sport pilot/light-sport aircraft marketing efforts, as the rule clears its final hurdles before publication later this year. Johnson will implement programs and activities that will help people discover the opportunities available within these exciting new categories of pilots and aircraft. EAA has been preparing to assist its members and other aviation enthusiasts interested in flying within these categories. The sport pilot and light-sport aircraft initiatives have great potential to open aviation to many more people ... ... EAA Staff On the Road in Illinois, Florida... March 4, 2004 - Several EAA staff members participated in the 24th annual Illinois Ultralight Safety Seminar on Saturday, February 28, in Springfield. The seminar was co-sponsored by the Illinois Ultralight Advisory Council and the state Division of Aeronautics, and attended by more than 400 aviation enthusiasts. Meanwhile, Manager of EAA Field Relations Ron Wagner paid a visit to Lakeland, Florida to meet with Sun 'n Fun staff and EAA volunteers for next month's Sun 'n Fun EAA Fly-In ... ... NAFI Selects New Executive Director... March 3, 2004 - Former military pilot and longtime flight instructor Rusty Sachs has joined the National Association of Flight Instructors as its new Executive Director. Rusty comes to NAFI from Signal Aviation Services, Lebanon, New Hampshire, where he served as Director of Training and Chief Pilot. A certificated flight instructor (CFI) since 1968, and a Master CFI since 1997, Rusty teaches single- and multi-engine, rotorcraft-helicopter, instrument airplane and helicopter. He has more than 3,200 hours of instruction time, and over 6,000 hours of flight time ... ... EAA Staff Garner 11 'ADDY' Awards... March 3, 2004 - Advertising, promotional and support efforts by EAA staff members, led by Creative Director Kristin Baeten and Chief Photographer Jim Koepnick, were recognized with 11 awards at the recent Northeast Wisconsin Advertising Awards presentation. EAA's awards, the most given to an in-house creative department, included "Best of Show" for its "Countdown to Kitty Hawk" flight centennial program last year; and "Judges' Choice" for material promoting the "Murder in the Air" murder mystery event at the EAA AirVenture Museum. The awards, known as ADDYs, are sponsored by the American Advertising Federation and recognize the top creative talent throughout the nation ... ... EAA Members Gain Valuable New Benefit: Free Museum Admission... March 1, 2004 - March 1, 2004, marks an important milestone for EAA members and EAA’s world-class AirVenture Museum. Beginning today, EAA members who present their current membership card will be admitted free to the museum. As exhibits change throughout the year and a growing number of special events occur, EAA members can visit the museum as many times as they wish without having to pay admission. They just need to remember to bring their membership card ... ...The Wright Brothers created the single greatest cultural force since the invention of writing. The Airplane became the first World Wide Web, bringing people of differing languages, ideas and values together.  - Bill Gates, CEO, Microsoft Corp. 4 March 1998 PAMA ...PAMA Congratulates General Aviation Award Winners PAMA would like to congratulate the winners of the 2004 General Aviation Awards. The presentation of awards will take place at AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin in July of 2004.  FAA Administrator Marion Blakey will present the awards during an AirVenture "Theater in the Woods" program. Award winners include: 2004 National Aviation Maintenance Technician of the Year - Gary Stephen Goodpaster, A&P/IA from Cincinnati, OH and 2004 National Avionics Technician of the Year - Keith Bryan Lewis from Spartanburg, SC. Click here for more information... PAMA Supports:... March's spotlight is on the PAMA Symposium 2004 "Elevating Maintenance Professionals to New Heights." Mark your calendars and register now for PAMA's 33rd Annual Symposium in Las Vegas, NV from May 18-20, 2004.   Activities extend from May 16 to May 21, 2004.  Register Now! PAMA 2004 offers three training tracks to better assist you in selecting the courses you will attend: Technical Training and Development,  Maintenance Safety, and  Maintenance Management.   Choose from diverse offerings to create a class schedule that suits your interests and needs. One-hour and multi-hour sessions, presented by industry leaders, educators, and FAA representatives, are available. Most sessions are eligible for IA renewal training and AMT Awards credit. Event Highlights: Chili Cook-Off Annual Awards Luncheon PAMA Aviation Maintenance Olympics Toolbox Raffle Professional Development Workshops AED/CPR Training all this AND -- Maintenance Symposium Seminars This is the place to be if you are a(n): A&P Mechanic Avionics Technician Directors of Maintenance Line Service Professional Parts Professional A&P Student Pilot Aviation Manager Authorized Inspector Maintenance Instructor Aircraft Owner or Operator Sales & Marketing Professional   This is your best opportunity to expand your education, learn about the issues affecting our industry, get the latest on technology developments, and communicate with colleagues throughout the industry!... Would you like to see PAMA-sponsored/organized family activities planned in conjunction with the annual Symposium and AS3 trade show?... Privacy Policy http://www.bell47helicopterassociation.org/ ... AVIATION INSTRUMENT SERVICES-FL #306 GOMES FARM AIR SERVICE-CA #408 ENTERPRISE HELICOPTERS LLC-AL... 5 FUND:$1239 WE NEED $1561 BARRY CLAUSE #349 BELL PIONEER INDUCTED INTO HALL OF FAME FLYER Air Portal - FLYER Diary ...11-13: Commander Club Europe , Texel, Holland. Fly-in for all Rockwell and Commander AC11 series owners Europewide. Lunch and dinner Saturday, with more events tba. Limited to 40 aircraft David Tubby 07976 950328... PilotWeb ...... CAA Safety Evening,... Multiflight, Leeds ... 9/3... RAeS Loughborough Branch Lecture: The Development of Flight Simulators & their Role in Pilot Training... Loughborough University ... 10/3... AV8 Lecture - Phil Wilkinson “The Russian Bear”... National Weather Association A Special TORNADO WEEK with Special Storm Series 7-13 March 2004 THE WEATHER CHANNEL® will also SPOTLIGHT THE IMPACT OF WEATHER ON WAR IN IRAQ with a special "Storm Series" on March 17, 2004 at 8:00 P.M. (ET/PT). It will highlight US Air Force Weather personnel. Alan Armstrong - Flight Watch Archive ...Volume 141 - NTSB Relents in Misapplication...(292K) News on AVIA.RU ...***Sergei Ivanov Sees Good Prospects For Russia-France Aircraft-Building Cooperation [5 Mar 2004] Russian acting Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov sees good prospects for transport aircraft-building cooperation between Russia and France. ***The Kaliningrad Khrabrovo airport will be remodeled in line with cutting edge. [3 Mar 2004] The Kaliningrad Khrabrovo airport will be remodeled in line with cutting edge. The issues of the concern were discussed on Tuesday at the session on air connection problems in the Kaliningrad region (Russian exclave in the Baltic). ***Helicopter Crash Site In Kamchatka Cleaned Up [3 Mar 2004] Clean up work after a Mi-8 military helicopter crashed on the ice of Kalygir Lake, 100 kilometers northeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (the administrative center of the region), has been completed. ***Moscow Against Us Initiative Of Armed Guards Flying On Civilian Planes [3 Mar 2004] The Russian Ministry of transport has protested against the US initiative of obligatory of armed guards' presence on civilian planes. ***British Defense Corporation Negotiates With Russia On Creation Of New Generation Aircraft [1 Mar 2004] B-I-E Systems, a large British defense contractor, is negotiating with Russia on joint designing of a new generation aircraft. ***UTair to choose regional planes in March [1 Mar 2004] The results of an open tender for the right to supply 5 turboprop regional planes for the UTair airline will be announced in March 2004. STOLEN ... March 2, 2004   From The Aviation Crime Prevention Institute, Inc.   STOLEN AIRCRAFT ALERT... $2,500 REWARD   A 73, Cessna 172, N13403, sn: 172-62732, was stolen from Big Bear, CA Between   December 2003 and March 1, 2004. It is valued at $65,000    The aircraft has wheel pants and a new paint job, color is white with red   stripes. The N-numbers are large black numbers with a white shadow.   AIG Aviation Inc. is offering a $2,500 Reward for the Intact Recovery of the   plane.   If you locate this aircraft, first contact the police department with   jurisdiction at that airport,   then call....Seth Magid Claims Representative AIG Aviation 7047 E. Greenway Parkway, Suite 350 Scottsdale, AZ  85254 (480) 699-8485 Fax (480) 699-8280   or contact: ACPI 800-969-5473   This notice is a public service to the General Aviation Community. For more information contact:   The Aviation Crime Prevention Institute, Inc. 226 N. Nova Road Ormond Beach, FL 32174   or email: acpiusa@aol.com ightsim Zone- FS2004 & FS2002 Downloads, Aircraft Panels etc. ...Soaring Challenge From Microsoft Posted Wednesday, March 3, 2004 by Thousands of pilots all over the world seek the challenge of navigating through the air in the silence and serenity of a sailplane. No engine or headsets to distract them, only the hope of finding that fantastic thermal that will carry them aloft. But did you know you can do that in Microsoft's Flight Simulator 2004 too !? The developers of FS2004 have now posted a 'Soaring Challenge' on the MS website, which you can find here. http://www.microsoft.com/games/flightsimulator/fs2004_soaringchallenge.asp Russia Opposes Air Marshals Posted Wednesday, March 3, 2004 by A senior government official said Wednesday that Russia opposed US plans to put armed guards on passenger flights having tried using them with disastrous results, RIA news agency reported. "Putting armed guards on passenger flights can be more negative than positive," it quoted acting Deputy Transport Minister Gennady Moshkov as saying. The US government has ordered foreign airlines to put "air marshals" on selected flights to and from the United States as a precaution against a repeat of the suicide hijack attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001, which killed nearly 3,000 people. "Our aviation security department has prepared a letter of objections on this for the United States," Moshkov said. He said the Soviet Union used to put armed guards on passenger planes during the 1970s. But when a Tu-104 airliner was hijacked, the guard fired his weapon and hit an explosive device, causing a catastrophe. He also said terrorists might see an armed guard as a means of getting hold of a weapon on the flight. Some airlines such as Austrian Airlines and Lufthansa already use on-board plain clothes security, but others are against the US plan. Earlier this year a European Union transport spokesman said most of the 15 member countries were not in favor of the US demand. Thai Air's Second-Hand Plane Plan On Hold Posted Wednesday, March 3, 2004 by National carrier Thai Airways International said Wednesday it will put a plan to buy second-hand aircraft on hold and try to speed up the delivery of new planes on order instead. Company president Kanok Abhiradee said the airline would look at the plan to buy second-hand planes again once the bird flu outbreaks in Thailand were cleared. That could still be several months. "The committee wants to hold the plan for now," he told reporters. Last month, Thai Airways said it was looking for second-hand planes after an offer to buy seven from bankrupt United Airlines failed. It said United had rejected its offer because the offer price was too low. Thai Airways, 67.8 percent owned by the government, offered United Airlines USD$330 million for seven Boeing planes for delivery in 2004 and 2005. The search for second-hand planes is part of Thai Airways' 70 billion baht (USD$1.78 billion) plan to buy 17 aircraft over the next five years to boost its fleet. It received two new Boeing planes late last year and now has 83 aircraft and rival planemaker Airbus said in August Thai Airways had ordered eight planes. The remaining seven were to come from United Airlines. Scenery Germany's OWL For FS2004 Posted Monday, March 1, 2004 by Rainer Duda, former member of the Scenery Germany group responsible for the commercial titles Scenery Germany 1 and 2 (from Aerosoft), has released a wonderful free demo. It is part of the upcoming title "OWL – Ostwestfalen-Lippe" that will cover some 800 square kilometers in the north of Germany. OWL stands for Ostwestfalen-Lippe, situated around the city of Bielefeld in the Teutoburger Forest. Read more about it on their website and find the download at the bottom of the page. http://www.scenery-germany.de/Ostwestfalen_Lippe/ostwestfalen_lippe.html CREWS 'ECSTATIC' ABOUT TESTING THAT BRINGS LOCKHEED MARTIN C-130j NEARER TO U.S. AIR FORCE DEPLOYMENT MARIETTA, Georgia (March 2, 2004) - During an intensive series of flight tests at Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas, Air Mobility Command (AMC) took the Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] C-130J Super Hercules closer to full operational capability with the U.S. Air Force.  The highly successful trials, called Procedures Development and Evaluation (PD&E), culminated on the night of February 23 with a seven-aircraft, low level formation flight utilizing night vision goggles. "The C-130J formation PD&E met or exceeded every objective that we set out to be examined," said Lt. Col. Chris Hair, chief of operations modernization, headquarters, AMC. "The aircrew and maintainers who participated in PD&E are ecstatic.  The lessons we have learned will go a long way toward getting the C-130J into the fight." AMC assembled seven C-130Js from Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command units for the three-week trial to conduct formation flights, low altitude airdrops and night vision goggle operations. The active-duty Air Force will formally receive its first C-130J Super Hercules on April 16 at Little Rock AFB, the Air Force's largest C-130 base. "We are very excited to move the C-130J closer to full operational capability with the U.S. Air Force," said Ross Reynolds, Lockheed Martin vice president of C-130J programs.  "We have delivered C-130Js to operators around the world and it is very gratifying to see this amazing aircraft beginning the combat role for which it was designed." Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., a business area of Lockheed Martin, is a leader in the design, research and development, systems integration, production and support of advanced military aircraft and related technologies.  Its customers include the military services of the United States and allied countries throughout the world.  Products include the F-16, F/A-22, F-35 JSF, F-117, C-5, C-130, C-130J, P-3, S-3 and U-2.  The company produces major components for the F-2 fighter, and is a co-developer of the C-27J tactical transport and T-50 advanced jet trainer. Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 130,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services.  The corporation reported 2003 sales of $31.8 billion. #   #   # Media Contacts: Peter Simmons, 770-494-6208; e-mail, peter.e.simmons@lmco.com Joe Stout, 817-763-4086; joe.w.stout@lmco.com Sam Grizzle, 678-662-9162; sam.e.grizzle@lmco.com News Release is available at website below: http://www.lmaeronautics.com/news/programnews/air_mobility/c130j/c130j_04/c130jpr040302.html For additional information, visit our websites: http://www.lockheedmartin.com http://www.lmaeronautics.com Fsfreeware - Flight Simulation Files - Distribution System ...FSfreeware to Release - Argentario - National Park - Italy - Lwm Vpt Scenery - This is a Freeware release - wich completely redbuild The Argentario National Park in Italy - Located in the south west of Toscany - Part of a New Serie of Mediterraneans Scenery to be Released by Fsfreeware - wich will Fly Fsfreeware Supporters into the most beatiful Mediterraneas and European Destinations.   - The Argentario is one of the most beatiful areas in Italy - and an Ideal spot for touristic flights. The scenery also includes complete re-design of the Giglio island - and the small islet of - Isola delle formiche - Scenery also includes custom made - Roads - Hydrology - Land Class - well worth the download!! - - Argentario will be available as free download from Thursday 11 of March. Click Picture to Enlarge - and Feel the Mediterranean Sea!! Las Vegas Photomesh - Releasead - We are pleased to announce that Las Vegas Photmesh is now Fully Available at Mapserver and Fsfreeware Shareware Shop - as immediate direct download - file size: 50,5 MB >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>  Usa 38.2 Complete coverage for the West coast is expected to be completed sometimes during the 3 week of March - as usual Direct download from the Mapserver - CD version from Fsfreeware Shareware Shop. Click on Picture to View Las Vegas Screenshots. . - - - - Coming Next at FSfreeware - Boston Photomesh - - - Usa 38.2 m West Coast Terrain - - - - (Miami - San Francisco and Chicago Photomesh Version 2 - April 04 - free to all registered Customers for this scenery and Mapserver Members) - - - More Announcements of another New project to be Released in March - in the next few days. X-Plane.org ...Bogus Emails Lots of you have probably been experiencing the ever increasing bombardment of spurious email with attachments in recent days. It has come to our attention, that email is being circulated insinuating that it originates from X-Plane.Org. If you receive an email from management@x-plane.org or staff@x-plane.org delete it immediately . It was NOT generated by any of the staff here on X-Plane.Org. If you receive ANY email with an attachment from an @x-plane.org email address and you are at all unsure of its origin, delete it and contact the X-plane Staff . Thank you for your time and understanding on this matter. ... (Boeing 747-800 Heavy Metal Back good link !!! Evenblade Intro Screens United Airlines short flight Eurocopter EC145 REGA Sakura Fuji Boeing 707 U-2S Dragonlady Piper P28T Arrow IV Concorde_02 For XP 6.70 Bell P-39 Ariacobra PB-1 Air-Scene UK ...Draken dream at Zeltweg... Austrian AirPower - Zeltweg '03.. Welcome at Fabke's AIRSHOW page ...* An IL76 (UR-ZVB) from Azov Avia crashed during take off from Baku on the 4th March '04 , 4 of the 7 crewmemebers survived the crash. * 2 Turkish AF F4's have collided in mid air , only one crewmember was able to eject , the 3 others have been killed... For more CIVIL submitted galleries For more MILITARY submitted galleries ... Plane Crash Info.com ...LATEST NEWS... ACCIDENT... Date:... March 1, 2004      Time: 13:30... Location:... Maple Ridge, Canada... Operator:... Private... AC Type:... LA-4-200 Buccaneer... Reg:... C-GHJE      cn: 646... Aboard:... 1       Fatalities: 1      Ground: 0... Details:... Canadian artist Toni Onley, 75, was killed when the floatplane he was piloting crashed into Fraser River while he was practicing takeoffs and landings.... _____________________________________________________________... ACCIDENT... Date:... February 26, 2004      Time: 08:01... Location:... Bitonja, Bosnia-Herzegovina ... Operator:... Government of Macedonia  ... AC Type:... Beechcraft Super King Air 200... Reg:... Z3-BAB       cn: BB-652... Route: ... Skopje - Mostar... Aboard:... 9       Fatalities: 9      Ground: 0... Details:... The twin engine aircraft crashed in the southern mountains of Bosnia in poor weather conditions, minutes away from landing at Mostar. Macedonian president, Boris Trajkovski, 47, killed along with 6 aids and 2 pilots.... _____________________________________________________________... ACCIDENT... Date:... February 24, 2004      Time: 05:50... Location:... Cagliari, Italy... Operator:... City-Jet      ... AC Type:... Cessna Citation 500... Reg:... OE-FAN       cn: 500-0289... Route: ... Rome - Cagliari... Aboard:... 6       Fatalities: 6      Ground: 0... Details:... The aircraft was on an ambulance flight to Cagliari-Elmas Airport with 2 doctors, 2 nurses and 2 crew aboard. During its approach, the aircraft struck a mountain at 3,000 ft., a few miles from the airport. ... _____________________________________________________________... ACCIDENT... Date:... February 10, 2004      Time: 11:40... Location:... Sharjah, United Arab Emirates... Operator:... Kish Airlines       Flight: 1770... AC Type:... Fokker F-50... Reg:... EP-LCA       cn: 20273... Route: ... Kish Island - Sharjah... Aboard:... 46      Fatalities: 43      Ground: 0... Details:... The aircraft crashed on approach, 2 miles short of the runway while attempting an emergency landing at Sharjah. The plane crashed midway between two residential compounds.... _____________________________________________________________... More Recent Accidents and Incidents... There are 3,736 accidents in the database news_updates ...Russian Air Rescue Begins for Arctic Scientists after station begins to sink.  They are in trouble...... 90% of its structures on ice floe were lost in half an hour. Boeing Reaffirms Commitment to Air Traffic Management despits organizational change Boeing Warns of $310M Charge if tanker deal fails.  And now it's political.  As if it wasn't already... Airbus, Airline & Pilots All Point at Each Other for causing Queens accident.  This is nasty, very nasty Security Screeners Have Highest Injury Levels of All Feds - It's from lifting all those heavy bags Boeing Scales Back Air Traffic Initiative - A great concept, too far-reaching for current times Airbus & American Airlines Blame Each Other in wake of 2nd worst US crash in NY, 265 dead Kerry Promises Better Relationships With FAA Employees - Oh, that's nice.... Delta CEO Will be "Blunt" With Pilots as airline struggles with costs Flight Delays Slowly Increasing - Hmmmm.  Wonder if it relates to TRAFFIC increases! Wednesday  Maintenance Continues to Attract Attention from the NTSB & media... Read the NTSB Report - The recommendations are most interesting Delta Acquires 32 Regional Jets From Bombardier - The days of turboprops are about gone... Learn to Fly - A new website we just found.  Just for fun, take a look, it's interesting Maintenance Errors Grow as Safety Concern while pilot errors are reduced China West Orders 6 Embraer Model 145 Planes - Boeing, Airbus, watch out for the low end market! GE Has $5.3 Billion Exposure to Bankrupt Airlines "through loans, leases, investment securities and commitments" Most Airlines Roll Back $10 Fare Increase after Northwest wouldn't play the game US Security Inspectors May go to International Airports to screen for terrorists UPS May Look to Cancel $1.6 Billion in Airbus Orders as economic pressures mount Monday - Another slow news week.  We like that, from an aviation safety perspective! because we're now fatter than the average weights used by airlines... AircraftDealer.com - Used Aircraft and New Aircraft for Sale by Brokers and Dealers ...1977 Cessna 177B II Cardinal for sale 1977 Cessna 177B II Cardinal... 2001 Citation CJ1 for sale 2001 Citation CJ1... 1977 Cessna T207 for sale 1977 Cessna T207... 1979 PIPER CHEYENNE II for sale 1979 PIPER CHEYENNE II... 1970 CESSNA 310Q for sale 1970 CESSNA 310Q... 1978 Cessna R172K Hawk XP II for sale 1978 Cessna R172K Hawk XP II... 1987 Bonanza B36TC for sale 1987 Bonanza B36TC... 1991 Beech F33A Bonanza for sale 1991 Beech F33A Bonanza... 1982 Cessna TU206G for sale 1982 Cessna TU206G... Embraer ...EMBRAER CLARIFIES DATA ON REGIONAL JET FINANCING PRESENTED BY BOMBARDIER Dassault Falcon Aircraft ...Dassault Falcon Offers Online Registration for 2004 Worldwide M & O Strong Fourth Quarter Suggests Improved Market at Dassault Falcon New Vice President For Falcon Sales In Asia Announced at Air Show Cessna In the News ...Cessna at Asian Aerospace 2004 Sikorsky - Home ...SEAHAWK Saves Injured Diver During Counter-Narcotics Operations Air Canada - Welcome! ...Air Canada resumes service to Haiti... www.africanpilot.co.za Airworthiness of certain Russian Aircraft questioned Local operators have voiced concern over the safety of certain freight aircraft that are operating in and out of South Africa. "Many freighters, specifically of Russian origin, are not compliant with their manufacturer's operating and maintenance schedules and do not fulfil requirements of the international Freight Operator's Permit codes", says Tramon Air's Daniel Coetzer. The majority of them only have approved maintenance facilities based in Russia or the United Arab Emirates (UAE), but these services are seldom carried out, he claims. "There are some that are flying death-traps. South African authorities are aware of complaints levelled against these operations, but are reluctant to take action. We are facing a potentially disastrous situation, which will only wake up the CAA when one of these operators is involved in an accident." Daniel Coetzer, who speaks fluent Russian, continues: "I have checked on the claimed maintenance details of one particular aircraft. The log books state that it was serviced at Fujere (UAE) but the company who had supposedly undertaken the maintenance has denied any knowledge of this 'so called service.' A closer examination of the logbook showed that on the days when this particular aircraft was in 'servicing', it was actually on the ground in Johannesburg. The CAA inspectors are treating South African aviation companies unfairly, as any operator knows that flying into African countries requires the appropriate clearances and fully compliant documentation. Without all of the aforesaid the operator faces expulsion or even the imprisonment of the crew. However, the arrival of a foreign registered cargo aircraft at Johannesburg International Airport is most often ignored." African Pilot has heard several complaints of CAA officials "shutting down" local operations over alleged rumours of non-compliance. Once the inspection is over, and this may last several days, little or nothing of the allegation is proved. Who picks up the account in an instance where an inspection of this nature proves that the allegations were unfounded? ALPA Portal ...Hawaiian Airline Pilots Union Urges Bankruptcy Court to Select Winning Reorganization Offer March 5 -- Captain Jim Giddings, Chairman of the Hawaiian Airlines unit of the Air Line Pilots Association, said Friday his membership favors any action by the bankruptcy court that establishes a fair process encouraging multiple investors to submit reorganization plans, and help the company emerge from bankruptcy quickly.   ..."In the cockpit, safety isn't someone else's job" USA Today story reflects ALPA views on pilot training and human factors.   ... Feb. 26 -- The Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) applauds the findings of the National Transportation Safety Board regarding the Air Midwest Flight 5481 accident. The NTSB formally adopted its findings at the sunshine meeting in Washington D.C. today.   ... March 1, 2004: On January 5, 2004 the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) doubled the Federal Flight Deck Officer (FFDO) training capacity at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), Artesia, NM. Classes scheduled through spring 2004 will operate at maximum capacity.    - Lockheed - ... FLIGHTS TEST ELECTRO-OPTICAL SENSORS FOR LOCKHEED MARTIN F-35 FORT WORTH, Texas (March 3, 2004) - The Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] F-35 Joint Strike Fighter team successfully launched the first phase of the F-35 Electro-Optical Distributed Aperture System (EO DAS) early risk-reduction flight-test program, with recently conducted flights near Patuxent River Naval Air Warfare Center in Maryland.  The next-generation EO DAS, developed by a Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems-led team, provides the F-35 with key capabilities that include missile warning; navigation forward-looking infrared (FLIR), which provides imagery to the pilot's helmet-mounted display day or night; and infrared search and track (IRST) capability. DAS sensors also will be flown in a centerline pod on an F-16 to record data in a dynamic fighter environment. On production F-35s, the DAS sensor array will be flush-mounted at various points along the fuselage. "The DAS system holds the promise of greatly enhancing the combat effectiveness of the F-35, and I am excited to see it beginning to enter flight test," said F-35 Chief Test Pilot Jon Beesley.  "Timely detection of threats such as air-to-air missiles by DAS sensors plays a key role in the survivability of the F-35. High-resolution images from the multiple DAS sensors will provide a 360-degree spherical view around and through the aircraft, dramatically increasing the pilot's situational awareness for combat and for STOVL operations."  The objective of the tests is to reduce development risk of the F-35's DAS program by recording data from multiple DAS sensors in flight conditions. The recorded data is then replayed on the ground to evaluate imaging and target-detection algorithms in various electro-optical environmental conditions. The flight-test program uses a Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems BAC1-11 flying test bed and captures data using prototype versions of the F-35 DAS sensors. Tests include capturing infrared images of cooperative and non-cooperative airborne and ground-based targets in EO environments. "The EO DAS system is one of several transformational capabilities that are enabling the development of new combat tactics for the F-35," said Tom Burbage, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and F-35 JSF program general manager. "We're currently collecting data from two of the EO DAS sensors together on the BAC 1-11 flights, which provide real flight information to use in developing and optimizing the algorithms for the multifunction EO DAS system. A third sensor will be added later in the flight-test program." The collaborative test program is an example of Lockheed Martin partnering to help customers meet their defining moments.  The F-35 is a stealthy, supersonic multirole fighter designed to replace a wide range of aging fighter and strike aircraft. Three variants derived from a common design will ensure the F-35 meets the performance needs of the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy and allied defense forces worldwide, while staying within strict affordability targets. Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 in conjunction with its principal industrial partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE SYSTEMS. Companies worldwide are participating in the F-35's development. Among aircraft the F-35 will replace are the AV-8B Harrier, A-10, F-16, F/A-18 and United Kingdom's Harrier GR.7 and Sea Harrier. BACKGROUND INFORMATION Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., a business area of Lockheed Martin, is a leader in the design, development, systems integration, production and support of advanced military aircraft and related technologies. Its customers include the military services of the United States and allied countries throughout the world. Products include the F-16, F/A-22, F-35 JSF, F-117, C-5, C-130, C-130J, P-3, S-3 and U-2. The company produces major components for the F-2 fighter, and is a co-developer of the C-27J tactical transport and T-50 advanced jet trainer. Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin Corp. employs about 130,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2003 sales of $31.8 billion. #   #   # Media Contacts:  John R. Kent, 817-763-3980; e-mail john.r.kent@lmco.com John A. Smith, 817-763-4084; john.a1.smith@lmco.com Joe Stout, 817-763-4086; joe.w.stout@lmco.com The news release is located at the following Web site: http://www.lmaeronautics.com/news/programnews/combat_air/x35/jsf_04/jsfpr040303.html For additional information, visit our Web sites: http://www.lmaeronautics.com http://www.lockheedmartin.com U.S. Centennial of Flight Home Page ...Radar... Edward F. Beale Museum Gliding Magazine | News ...Lucy Wills Has Died... This sad news comes to us from Tom Knauff who said Lucy, Gavin’s daughter who was the star of two gliding videos made in her native New Zealand, died yesterday at the age of 28 after a six year battle against cancer. As Tom says “Although Lucy has left us we will continue to see a young Lucy for the next 15 to 20 years in the videos”.  We send our deepest sympathy to Gavin and the rest of her family. Barry’s Successor March 6 2004 Peter Stratten will be taking over from Barry Rolfe, who retires as Secretary of the British Gliding Association in May after 33 years. The news was given at the BGA Conference today. Barry really is one of those people who will be difficult to follow but this is sure to be a popular choice. Our photo of Pete (as he is known) was taken by the White Planes Picture Co.[ New IGC Chairman March 5 2004 Bob Henderson from New Zealand was elected President of the International Gliding Commission at their plenary meeting last weekend at Lausanne, Switzerland, replacing Tor Johannessen from Norway who held the position for the last six years. Tor was unanimously elected President of Honour.[ March 4 2004 Derek Piggott's teaching series goes further into training the beginner to handle stalls. See The DG-1000T’s Progress March 3 2004 The DG-1000T’s maiden flight was really just to test the new power plant as the glider has already proved itself. With the engine having an electric starter it can be used on the ground for testing. It is also considered to be safer as you don’t need to fly very fast at low altitude to start the engine. Production will begin soon and the first deliveries are possible in early autumn. FLY SOUTH AVIATION NEWS AFRICA ...Gr1-Apache-av advantage - airbp... Aviation charter talks delayed... A black ace on a roll in the blue... A Flight Into the Unknown... Airport relocation 'to create 100 000 jobs'... Airports firm opposes La Mercy land seizure... Cronje crash report due in May ... ECAAR-SA to appeal arms ruling... EgyptAir reform plans run off course... Leon blasts Mbeki over Haiti arms cargo... No SAAF aircraft in Haiti, says Lekota... SA weapons sent to Haiti... Junk Helicopter Files Sent to DPP... V-P in Helicopter Drama... KZN airport deal up in the air... Micro crash woman avoids fate of parents ... New budget airline bewails check-in budget... New face for SA pilot training... $50m Re-Capitalisation Target to Improve Services... FG to Upgrade Benin Airport's Facilities... Nigeria Loses N2bn Annually Over National Carrier, Says Minister ... Flight of the Phoenix - remake of a "masterpiece"... Quaid Helps to Start Fund for Namibian Children... SAA enters major global alliance... SAA team to finalise plans for new Nigerian airline ... Scorpions probe senior SAA manager... Soroti Set to Acquire International Airport... Stranded fliers sue World Airways ... CAA Staff Get More Skills ... Union, Equity Aviation to resume talks ... 10 fast fixes for lousy landings... $310 million charge looms for Boeing ... Cassini captures stunning view of Saturn... Confessions of a Flight Attendant... Drunken birthday ended with high-flying caper... Employees of 'fun' airline aren't amused... F/A-22 receives poor marks... Federal Flight Deck Officers lose weapons... Flying a vintage fighter jet in Australia ... German airline offers 'pick a price' seats ... High-flying plans for former Ryanair exec... Lexington man dies in fall from balloon... New Jersey airport to help restore Vietnam-era F-4 Skyhawk... NAA's Most Memorable Aviation Records of 2003... New York pilot dips below overpass, lands on highway... Pilots' anger at new airport security plan ... ‘Pit-stop’ for Polly... Scientists adrift on Arctic ice hope for air rescue... Sikorsky Black Hawk flight testing resumes... Small tiger to fight the air giants... Tall Californians come up short in airline lawsuit ... U.S. wants own inspectors at foreign airports ... U.S. Gov't settles suit with American Airlines ... U.S. pilot is Lord of Norfolk's 'ring of fire' ... When airline food is heavenly!... Wright Flyer model donated to Malta Aviation Museum... Youngest airshow pilot inspires kids... Yukos Oil boss dies in helicopter crash... 73-year-old pilot crash-lands in storm, sets up tent, awaits rescue... Canadian patent issued for breakable plane ... .http://aviation.org ..Cockpit Concepts: March 5, 2004 Pilot In Command. The need for leadership in the cockpit is formally recognized in the Federal Aviation Regulations. And, for those who have made the effort to read some of the Cockpit Leadership articles in the Library, you are aware of how the diamond image can express basic leadership concepts and serve as a pilot's personal checklist. This fundamental topic was covered in the October 25, 2003 issue. It deserves continual review and emphasis and, therefore, is recounted: The FARs state, "The pilot in command of an aircraft is directly responsible for, and is the final authority as to, the operation of that aircraft" (footnote). Credit the FAA--the underlying philosophy is beautifully conceived, and the statement itself is precisely worded and unambiguous. The full impact of this statement can be felt when visualizing the Leadership Diamond image. The pilot must: * be prepared to perform as PIC (reality) * accept the attendant responsibility (ethics) * assume the mantle of authority (courage) * fully understand that he or she is accountable (vision). The requirement for individual leadership is thereby mandated to all pilots, novice and veteran. All must demonstrate these leadership attributes and continually strive to strengthen the diamond forces (preparedness/ responsibility/ authority/ accountability) and keep them in balance. Footnote: See Cockpit Leadership article, Pilot In Command | Authority / Responsibility / Accountability Site Update: March 5, 2004 1. Caution. Aviation.Org e-mails to the list will never include attachments. A message with an attachment that purports to be from Aviation.Org should be treated with suspicion. 2. Cockpit Concepts is e-mailed three times a month. This issue is posted to Hangar 13's Library, and prior issues can be found in Archives. ... "We are proud to represent EPIC AVIATION INC of New Smyrna Beach Florida, in the U.K. and Europe.   Epic Aviation are based at New Smyrna Beach Municipal Airport about 12 miles South West of Daytona Beach, and 58 Miles East of Orlando Florida.   It offers flight training from PPL to ATP at very reasonable rates; accomodation can be arranged in a nicely appointed motel in Daytona Beach Shores, at very competitive rates for flying students.   All Epic planes are less than two years old and fitted with "state of the Art" navigation and communications features, some have anti-collision technology too,   Safety is the watch word at Epic, coupled with customer service second to none, for full details and further information visit us at www.epicflighttraining.com   There has never been a better time to fly in Florida, with the current exchange rate you can fly at about half the cost in the U.K.   We will shortly have brochures for international students and Epic have approval from the INS to arrange student M2 visas." ... Grumman Duck Compliments  www.ghosts.com AeroKnow ...    Max Conrad set several long distance records flying Pipers packed with extra fuel tanks and contributed a lot to light aircraft lore in the 50s & 60s before dying in 1979. There is a new website created by Bill Kuhl as a memorial to the far-flying Minnesoooootan. Bill wants to hear from other aviation enthusiasts who remember Max, and perhaps have pictures and anecdotes to share. This is a worthy effort for a worthy man. Visit the website   http://www.maxconrad.com March 8 - 1955 -- The USAF announced formation of the first unit of recon         fighters to be launched and recovered by bomber. The GRF-84F         Thunderflashes were with the 901st Reconnaissance Wing, flew with         B-36s based at Great Falls, Montana. Narch 9 - 1937-- The Heinkel He-111 made its combat debut when several         He-111B-1s hit Republican airfields at Alaca, Spain. March 10 -  1943 -- The legendary Norden bombsight was used operationally         for the first time. March 11 -1945 -- The greatest tonnage of bombs was dropped by the USAAF                  on a single target in Europe when 1,079 bombers pickled 4,738 tons.         Who knows the unhappy recipients of this attention? March 12 - 1912 -- The French Service de L'Aeronautique de la Marine was formed. March 13 - 1977 -- The prototype Sikorsky S-76 executive helicopter flew for the first         time on this day. March 14 - 1982 -- A Nihon YS-11A lfew itsd last revenue flight with Piedmont Airlines,          ending the airline's service with prop-driven aircraft. And yes, webmaster is     aware that technically it was a turbine-driven bird, but those four-bladed whirling thingees in front of the Darts' engine nacelles were propellers.... ESA Portal ...Galileo System Test Bed (GSTB) launch contract signed... Contract signed for launch of two experimental Galileo satellites 5 March 2004    Starsem and Arianespace have announced the signing with the European Space Agency (ESA) of the GSTB contract (Galileo System Test Bed) for the launches of two experimental Galileo satellites by two Soyuz launch vehicles.... V838 Monocerotis revisited: Space phenomenon imitates art... V838 Monocerotis revisited: Space phenomenon imitates art 4 March 2004    "Starry Night", Vincent van Gogh's famous painting, is renowned for its bold whorls of light sweeping across a raging night sky. Although this image of the heavens came only from the artist's restless imagination, a new picture from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope bears remarkable similarities to the Van Gogh work, complete with never-before-seen spirals of dust swirling across trillions of kilometres of interstellar space.... Rosetta begins its 10-year journey to the origins of the Solar System 2 March 2004    ESA PR 14-2004. Europe’s Rosetta cometary probe has been successfully launched into an orbit around the Sun, which will allow it to reach the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in 2014 after three flybys of the Earth and one of Mars. During this 10-year journey, the probe will pass close to at least one asteroid.... PATCO News Page ... ATC Union Says Democrat Would Be Better For Aviation The Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization, has endorsed John Kerry for President of the United States. President Ron Taylor says PATCO believes that as President, John Kerry will take the necessary action to "correct the problems of the air traffic control system that have been severely ignored by the Bush Administration." Earlier this week, the nation's other ATC union, NATCA, issued a statement favoring, but not quite endorsing, Kerry's presidential bid. "The Bush administration has robbed aviation funding dollars that were supposed to have been used specifically to improve aviation technology," Taylor told ANN. "I think (Bush) is anti-aviation." Chief among PATCO's beefs with the Bush administration is the fight to privatize more than 60 control towers around the country. "President Bush has led a more serious effort to do this," he said. "It's the old switch-and-bait. They promise better service, but put private contractors in the towers. Bad business has taken place there." Taylor also took potshots at Reagan's policies concerning General Aviation. "Aviation security has been in place, but I think hyped by the Bush administration. We're being penalized for things that haven't ever happened before. We had a good system in place. We know what to look for. America has awakened to security needs since 9/11. Kerry will do better." Kerry is the first candidate endorsed by PATCO since 1981. There's a good reason for that. Twenty-three years ago, the union endorsed Ronald Reagan for president. Reagan later fired PATCO controllers en masse after they went on strike demanding better pay and working conditions. "Bush wants to privatize Flight Services," Taylor said in a telephone interview on Saturday. "They need to be professionals. Taking this work out of government is not in the best interest of the air traffic system. The system is already broken. There's a lack of control and a lack of accountability. Under Bush, it will only get more complicated, more fragmented. "We have a second-class air traffic control system under Bush," Taylor continued. "Four more years of this and it'll only get worse." FMI: www.patco81.com... THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AIRSHOW PAGE Schedule updated Mar 05 2003 - reload for current issue - Apple Valley Mthly OpenHs Apple Valley CA PF 2nd Sun/Mo, antique/classic static - Whiteman AP Mthly OpenHs San Fernando CA PF 3rd Sun/Mo - Brackett AP Mthly OpenHs Laverne CA PF 3rd Sun/Mo - Zamperini AP Mthly OpenHs Torrance CA PF 4th Sun/Mo 12-3 - El Monte AP Classics Dsp El Monte CA PIL last Sunday/Mo past 2004 show dates 03/05-06 Cactus Antique AC Fly-In Casa Grande AZ FIC 03/06 PSAM Special Event Palm Springs CA PAM WWII Medical Developments 03/06 Planes of Fame Spec Event Chino CA POF Barnstormers 03/13 * NAF El Centro Airshow El Centro CA USN/BAO BA 05/08-09 Eureka Airshow Eureka NV FIC 05/10-13 EAA B-17 visit Edwards AFB CA EAB 05/13-17 EAA B-17 visit Santa Barbara CA EAB 05/14-15 Hayward Air Race Hayward CA FIC 05/14-16 Armed Forces Day Parade Torrance CA USF 05/14-16 * NASJRB Ft Worth Airshow Ft Worth TX USN 05/15 PSAM Special Event Palm Springs CA PAM Women of WWII/ Armed Forces Day - WASPS will speak 05/15 CAF Featured Aircraft Day Camarillo CA VC_Star 12/31/2003 05/15-16 Lyon County FlyIn/Air Fest Fernley NV FIC 05/15-16 Planes Of Fame AS 2004 Chino CA POF 05/17-20 EAA B-17 visit Fresno CA EAB 05/21-23 Gathering of Luscombes Columbia CA FIC 05/22 PSAM Special Event Palm Springs CA PAM Pancho Barnes; flight demo Stearman 05/28-30 Watsonville Fly-In & AS Watsonville CA ICA/FIC 05/29-30 Moffett Field Airshow Mountain View CA TB/USN TB 05/29-30 World's Smallest Air Show Llano CA FIC Ultralights 05/31 PSAM Special Event Palm Springs CA PAM Memorial Day Flower Drop - flight demo B-25 05/31 CAF Special Event Camarillo CA VC_Star 12/31/2003 06/04-05 West Coast Antique Fly-In Merced CA FIC 06/05 Planes of Fame Spec Event Chino CA POF Air Power over Normandy 06/05 Hemet-Ryan Airshow Hemet CA ICA 06/12-13 * NAS Fallon Airshow 30 mi E Reno NV TB/USN TB 06/26 Aviation Expo 2003 Van Nuys CA USF  RAF Bentwaters RAF Woodbridge Twin Bases ...4 - Moved a dozen or so Guest Book entries - from those serving in ALL 5 decades - to the GB Archives. 4 - Added one very interesting Special search, in the Find Buddies section, with a photograph. ... AVweb: March 4, 2004 GA Airport Proves An Easy Target... A Cessna 172 was stolen from its hangar about 6:30 a.m. Sunday at Brazoria County Airport , near Houston, Texas. More than a dozen hangars were broken into and at least one other airplane was taxied onto the field and abandoned. The thief finally settled into a 172 with the key in it, loaded it with ... a few six-packs of cold beer (you were more concerned?) ... opened up the pilot's operating handbook, and took off into the fog. He hit power lines less than two miles from the runway. The thief left the airplane a broken heap of metal on the ground, and disappeared. Tuesday, police arrested Louis Paul Kadlecek and charged him with the theft. Police said he had been drinking for four days to celebrate his 21st birthday and had never flown an airplane before. "This guy used up all the luck he is ever going to have," Louis Jones, county aviation director, said Monday. ...Despite Efforts To Boost Security Brazoria County Judge John Willy said Sunday's incident will trigger a reassessment of security measures at the airport. "We're going to review that and decide whether we do need more," he said. The county already is adding new gates and perimeter fencing, but while the construction work is in progress the gates were left unsecured. Surveillance cameras were operating, but were not monitored. A report last October by the GA Airport Security Working Group said: "Locking hangar doors and aircraft doors to prevent unauthorized access or tampering with the aircraft is important. ... Pilots should make it as difficult as possible for an unauthorized person to gain access to their airplane." Apparently that message has not yet overcome old habits. Are Aging And Accidents Linked?... By 2030 one in five Americans will be age 60 or older ... a statistic likely to be reflected in the pool of general aviation pilots. A study released last month by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found a link between aging and safety, concluding that drivers over age 65 are more likely to die in car crashes. Despite years of effort by pilot-advocacy groups, the FAA has remained steadfast in its rule that airline pilots must pack it in at age 60, citing study after study that it says show an age-related decline in skills. Yet no such age limit exists for GA pilots -- as long as they can pass an FAA medical exam, they can fly. ...Whether A Medical Matters Or Not... The FAA in the past has dismissed studies of automobile statistics as irrelevant to aviation safety. "Automobile drivers are allowed to drive with a variety of mental and physical conditions that would be disqualifying for pilots," the FAA said in a June 2003 report from the Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAMI) in Oklahoma City. "Pilots are required to pass periodic physical examinations to obtain their medical certificates." Flying without a medical so far has been restricted to balloons, gliders, and ultralights -- aircraft with low speeds and simple systems that are considered inherently safe. Soon, pilots may also be able to fly Light-Sport Aircraft without an FAA medical, as long as they can qualify for a driver's license. ...But Experience (Maybe) Does Count Most of the research into aging and accident rates has focused on professional pilots, driven by the debate over the Age-60 Rule, which requires retirement at that age for airline pilots, regardless of physical condition or mental ability. The scant research that has been done on private pilots (or holders of third-class medicals) has been inconclusive and sometimes contradictory. For example, a 1991 study of NTSB records from 1985 and '86 showed that private pilots age 60 and older had accident rates about twice that of pilots age 16 to 59. One problem is that many studies depend on analysis of crash statistics. "The trouble with accident data is that it's relatively rare, and it's difficult to control for all the factors that vary from case to case," Prof. Dan Morrow VATSIM.net - NOTAMS ...After the merge of the Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish vACCs, it is time to celebrate with a Grand Opening on Sunday the 14th of March 2004 from 1700UTC to 2200UTC. The three capital airports: Copenhagen – Kastrup (EKCH), Oslo - Gardermoen (ENGM) and Stockholm –Arlanda(ESSA) will be staffed with high quality controllers, which will provide pilots with excellent ATC during the event. Please visit the http://ehalvor.net/vaccsca/main.htm for more information. Bogus Emails Posted Wednesday, March 3, 2004 23:54 EST There appears to be an email virus going around that spoofs the vatsim.net domain. If you receive an email from vatsim.net that has an attachment, delete it without opening it. VATSIM has not sent any email to members with attachments. Anti-virus software appears to be catching this virus, please be sure to keep your virus software updated. Thanks! AIR HIGHWAYS,MAGAZINE OF OPEN SKIES, TRADE AND TOURISM 0........CruiseTour World - May 14,15, Fort Lauderdale, Florida... 2004 BAY AREA TRAVEL SHOW DRAWS RECORD TURNOUT Rocky Mountain High- Canada's Answer to Route 66 . by Jerry W. Bird. Imagine your auto is a time capsule, cruising down a broad ribbon of highway, in the wake of nomadic hunters, voyageurs, missionaries, traders, sodbusters, fortune-seekers and railroad builders now has North America's largest commercial runway. ... EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2004 ... 4 Months 2 Weeks 6 Days to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2004! AIRLINERS.NET - Bringing Online Aviation To New Heights "The Rule 240"... G-BZZJ, What The Hell Was That Noise?... 2003 25 Busiest US Airports... What Airliner Are You?... A380 Customers... Best Special Paint Scheme... Cheap Standby Fares NYC-London Still Around... UA 757 SFO-ORD?... Armed marshals on Irish flights     (asking for trouble?) The Boeing 737 Technical Site   ... - Mandala 737-200 skids off runway in heavy rain, no casualties. 04 Mar 2004 - Flash Airlines accident - Crew 'found fault during autopilot'" if it ain't Boeing, I ain't going....................... Boeing 737 News Reports ...Trivia - On Sept 30, 1990, Mr R. Letchemanah used his hair to pull a 32.5-tonne Boeing 737 over 16.9m at the Sultan Aziz Shah Airport in Selangor, Malaysia. This is a world record. The International Cessna 195 Club ......What makes a plane a classic? In the sky our hearts beat faster when we admire the enduring loveliness of a particular airplane, which for one reason or another achieves the status of a standard of perfection. It is the quality of enduring value that defines something as a classic, rather than being a passing fancy.... The International Cessna 195 Club was founded in 1969 by Dwight Ewing to promote the use and enjoyment of the Cessna 195 series of classic aircraft. Today, the Club has 587 members from 46 states and 12 countries. Press Releases from Environmental Tectonics Corporation ...... ETC Announces Receipt of an Order for an Environmental Chamber for a 4-Post System... 03/03/04... ETC Awarded Contract to Supply Hyperbaric Chambers to Aeromedical Center Hospital for International Customer African Pilot (africanpilot) Serious about Flying - Magazine for aviation enthusiast, aircraft / aeroplane / helicopter owner, pilot, aircraft engineer. Find aviation photography, pics of planes, aerobatic images and pictures of helicopters. Flying images taken by Athol Franz in South Africa. ...QUALITY! IS THIS IMPORTANT TO YOU, THE READER? African Pilot was launched two-and-a-half years ago with the intention of raising the standard of aviation magazine publishing in South Africa, especially in the areas of quality photography and graphic design. Our undertaking to readers was that we would fully research articles and place these in an African context. Any reader who wishes to know about aviation issues that happen in other continents can use the World Wide Web and log onto hundreds of aviation Websites, including foreign aviation magazines. We will not lift an article that has already been published in a foreign magazine for the sake of obtaining a cover picture If the furious activity experienced at the beginning of this year is an indication of how the remainder of 2004 will be played out, then African Pilot is likely to exert a significant positive influence on the aviation scene in Southern Africa. This edition has increased in size by a further eight pages and regular readers will notice certain subtle improvements in design that have been applied in order to bring you a polished monthly aviation magazine. However, in our endeavour to be the best at all times, we continually seek methods of improving your favourite monthly aviation magazine. We employ the services of the very best writers and photographers, who through their individual and varied styles bring you an entertaining magazine that is superior with the correct balance between advertising and editorial. AFRICAN PILOT WORLD SCOOP PHOTOGRAPHY TWO LEBOMBOS IN FORMATION On Tuesday morning 3rd February, a detailed briefing was held in the offices of Central Flying Academy. It involved the following SAA Historic Flight's DC-4 Lebombo pilots Pine Pienaar and Piet Viviers, SAA B-747 Lebombo Pilots: Dennis Spence and Stewart Lithgow as well as Flight Engineers: Phil Parsons and Denis McDermott, Delfin L-29 pilot, Martin van Straten, and myself as the photographer This was to become one of the most unique flights of my life with rare views of two of the greatest airliners ever built, flying in formation above the clouds to the north of Pretoria. Initially the L-29 formatted on the gigantic Boeing: on completion we followed the DC4 back to AFB Swartkop, picking off pictures at leisure. This was one of the smoothest operations I have ever witnessed with the DC4 flying fIat out whilst the Boeing 747 was throttled back to idle speed with its nose poised high. The L-29 manoeuvred around the formation allowing me to shoot pictures with my Nikon D100 until almost all possibilities had been exhausted. Some of the results of this photo sortie are published in this edition of the magazine: others are destined for SAA Historic Flight, SAA Museum Society and SAA Technical as well as the participating pilots. In addition, we will place a portfolio of pictures on our Website wwwafricanpilot.co.za that may be purchased through the ordering method provided. Thanks to all involved for a safe, unique operation.... 2 Instrument Wall Clocks from Apache Air Parts Wings around the World ...POLLY IS in Alice Springs, arriving yesterday after a flight of 8 hours and 22 minutes from Bundaberg, flying through bad weather over miles and miles of desert. She expects to move on today to Port Hedland, her final stop in Australia. Polly's diaries will now continue as she flies towards home - beginning with 4th March. Polly at Polo Flats near Canberra, meeting 2 alpacas who were named after her and husband Peter Polly's current location: Alice Springs, Australia Total hours flown to Sydney : 390hrs 04mins Completed miles: 47014 nautical miles to Sydney Polly's next leg: Alice Springs, Australia to Port Hedland, Australia Women in Aviation, International ...New Member Benefits Announced for the 15th Annual Women in Aviation, International Conference Powered paragliding school, motorized paraglider, powered paragliding, powered paraglider ...Skywalk Paragliders Events ...h 2004 - 16 March 2004 ...  Nanaimo -- 01 March 2004 - 15:00 ...  Coventry -- 16 March 2004 - 15:00 ...  Ferry flight. Arrival date provisional. Route: Nanaimo - Port Angles, Washington State - Santa Rosa - Phoenix/Mesa - Waco (provisional hereafter) - USA east coast - St John's - Shannon - Coventry (or St John's - Azores - Ireland - Coventry)... 29 July 2004 ...  Duxford -- 29 July 2004 - 00:00 ...  Lowestoft - Duxford -- 29 July 2004 - 23:59 ...  Lowestoft air display - confirmed event. Display slot awaited.... 30 July 2004 ...  Duxford -- 30 July 2004 - 00:00 ...  Lowestoft - Duxford -- 30 July 2004 - 23:59 ...  Lowestoft air display - confirmed event. Display slot awaited. Aviation Conspiracy Newsletter NASA Promotes Airport Expansion To Kids!!! As Bill Sees It: (Editorial) : NASA  TV Show Promotes Airport Expansion To Kids!!! Royal Institute of Navigation : HOME ...Young Navigators' prize-giving... Young Navigators' prize-giving Friday 5 March saw the prize-giving for the 2003 Annual Competition for Young Navigators. Around 150 of the 255 entants, plus scores of teachers and parents, attended the ceremony in the ... Freighter crashes at Baku airport... Freighter crashes at Baku airport On 4 March at 0940 local time an Ilyushin 76MD freighter en route to Kabul, Afghanistan, crashed on departure from Baku, Azerbaijan. After take-off the aircraft climbed to no more than ... Rescue attempt for Arctic scientists... Rescue attempt for Arctic scientists Russia is launching an operation to rescue 12 scientists after their North Pole research base sank. They were unhurt, but equipment and supplies disappeared when the ice beneath ... Two killed in helicopter crash... Two killed in helicopter crash An Augusta 109 helicopter, en route from Battersea to Bournemouth, crashed on farmland one mile from its destination at 1940Z on 3 March. It is believed that 2 men were on board, both of ... Did a Harrier bring down a civil aircraft?... Did a Harrier bring down a civil aircraft? The UK MoD is under new pressure to release details of its operations in northern Norway on the day a passenger plane crashed, killing all 15 people on board. A Parliamentary ... BA produces good (but distorted) figures... BA produces good (but distorted) figures British Airways' February figures, when compared to the same month last year, are distorted by the extra day of flying (as 2004 is a leap year) and by the weak base, which was ... Claud Powell dies... Those who have had anything to do with the planning and running of hyperbolic navigation systems - especially Decca Navigator - will have known Claud Powell , who died peacefully on 27 February, aged 89 years. Claud was always a strong supporter of the Institute and contributed ... Glider tug pilot killed... Glider tug pilot killed A glider tug pilot was killed on 29 February when his aircraft crashed and caught fire. The tug was being used to launch gliders from Parham Park airfield, West Sussex. Notices to Airmen T NOTICES TO AIRMEN Domestic/International... This web site is the electronic version of the printed publication, Notices to Airmen, which is published every 28 days. Information about the publication and its contents is in the Foreword . Two editions of the publication are on the web site. The next edition will be dated April 15, 2004, with effective dates of April 15, 2004, through May 13, 2004.... Edition... Effective Dates... February 19... 02/19/04 TO 03/17/04... March 18... 03/18/04 TO 04/14/04... Current NOTAMs are available from Flight Service Stations at 1-800-WX-BRIEF. Notices, restrictions, and advisories may change at any time and without notice. Do not attempt any operation in the National Airspace System without first obtaining and understanding a thorough pre-flight briefing.  FAA   Home The nearest thing to flying without leaving the ground GHOSTS 2004 Calendar ...got to have it The real true and only ALLARD. Power on Tap! 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