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Office Closures Due to Inclement Weather

Southern Region
Due to inclement weather, the FAA’s Southern Region Office in College Park, GA will be closed for normal business today, January 10, 2011.

Employees and contractors who work in that office should follow local procedures to obtain more information.

Central Region
The FAA’s Central Region office in Kansas City, MO dismissed non-emergency personnel due to inclement weather effective at 1 p.m. Central Time, today, January 10, 2011.

Central Region personnel should follow local procedures to obtain more information.

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    Phillips Service Industries Acquires Skytronics, Inc.


    LIVONIA, Mich., Feb. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Phillips Service Industries, Inc. (PSI), a global manufacturing and service corporation that serves a wide variety of industries with its diverse collection of technology-based companies, announced today that it has acquired Skytronics, Inc., a leading aircraft component manufacturer and maintenance repair organization located in El Segundo, CA.

    Skytronics specializes in the manufacturing, repair, overhaul and sales of aircraft ball screw and actuator assemblies and the transmissions that drive them. Skytronics is an OEM that also holds license parts manufacturing authority on stabilizer ball screws installed on Boeing 727/737/747/757/767 aircraft, as well as a distributor of both new and overhauled aircraft components.

    Established in 1956, Skytronics has been an FAA-approved Repair Station for over 50 years, with current FAA, EASA, CAAC and Boeing approvals. Skytronics has expanded its capabilities to include Boeing flight controls, horizontal stabilizer trim actuators (HSTAs), trim tab actuators, flap transmissions and leading-edge actuators. Skytronics also manufactures, repairs, overhauls and sells ignition harnesses, alternators, regulators and ignition lead conduits that are used in general aviation.

    The Skytronics acquisition further expands PSI’s reach into the aerospace market. Other PSI subsidiaries that serve the aerospace industry include Beaver Aerospace & Defense, Sciaky, Inc., Mountain Secure Systems, Evana Automation Specialists and PSI Repair Services.

    “The aerospace industry is very significant to PSI,” said Scott Phillips, CEO and President of Phillips Service Industries, Inc. “The Skytronics acquisition provides additional products and services to our valued customers.”

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    Dutch Safety Board (DSB) Issues Accident Report on February 25, 2009 Accident of a Boeing 737-800 at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (EHAM)

    The National Transportation Safety Board assisted in the investigation of the accident of Turkish Airlines flight 1951, a Boeing 737-800, registration TC-JGE, which occurred on February 25, 2009, while on approach to runway 18R at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (EHAM), Amsterdam, Netherlands.

    Under the provisions of ICAO Annex 13, the investigation was conducted under the authority of the Dutch Safety Board ( – DSB) as the State of Occurrence. The United States, as State of Manufacture and Design of the Boeing 737, appointed an accredited representative from the NTSB’s Major Investigations Division to participate in the investigation and lead the U.S. investigative team. The U.S. team included NTSB technical advisors in flight crew operations, systems, powerplants, flight recorders, and survival factors. In addition, technical advisors from the FAA, Boeing, Honeywell, and CFM International were part of the team.

    The accredited representative and advisors participated throughout the investigation in the Netherlands, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France. On December 16, 2009, the DSB provided a copy of the draft final report to the U.S. team for review and comment.

    In accordance with ICAO Annex 13, the U.S. accredited representative provided the team’s comments to the DSB on February 13, 2010. The U.S. comments have been appended to the final version of the DSB report and consist of 1) a brief analysis of the factual data collected during the investigation; 2) detailed comments related to specific sections of the draft report; and 3) a summary of the findings from the engineering simulator testing conducted by the investigation.

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  • THE KEDIGH REPORTS: 67 % Of FAA’s Required Data Continues To Go Unreported.

    This review and survey of 2018 SDR data was an effort to gain some understanding of under-reporting in the FAA’s Service Difficulty Reporting (SDR) system records by cross-checking media reports of “diversion/s, emergency landing/s, returns” to the FAA’s Query website (1) and is easily performed by anyone with internet access.

    * NOTE To view the full report, mouse over the bottom of the article to access navigation to all 28 pages

    The Kedigh Reports - 2018

    fine owed the FAA

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    American Airlines eyes Boeing Engine Pylons

    Cracks in the engine pylons of three American Airlines Boeing 767’s are prompting concerns over the need of more frequent inspections of Boeing 767’s. The FAA says American and Boeing are looking for the cause of the cracking, which was discovered during routine metallurgical tests. Boeing is preparing a service bulletin establishing new guidelines for inspecting this particular part, over and above the every “1500 flights” which stands now. The flight which originally caught American’s attention had developed the cracks during the last 500 flights since its last pylon inspection. Caution about underlying structural issues is being addressed.

    The preliminary conclusion is that certain maintenance practices may play in the underlying cause of the cracking. A known issue is that some of the cracks arise from holes used to install bolts, implying that the bolt holes may compromise the structural integrity, or at least affect the pylon’s longevity; and may affect “fail-safe” design.

    The FAA has not yet mandated inspection of 767 other jets operated by other carriers, nor have they determined if winglets are a contributing factor.

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  • Boeing: Press Release

    Boeing Statement on President’s Remarks and the Need for Immediate Development of a Heavy-lift Vehicle

    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla., April 16, 2010 — Speaking at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on April 15, U.S. President Barack Obama unveiled proposed changes to the administration’s fiscal year 2011 budget submission for space exploration, including a crew rescue vehicle and a decision on a heavy-lift rocket in 2015. The Boeing Company responded today with the following statement:

    “The president’s enthusiasm for space exploration was encouraging. We are pleased that the president remains committed to human spaceflight. We remain convinced that America stands at an inflection point with regard to space: If we make the right decisions today, we have the opportunity to create a new Golden Age of Space. Our national leadership’s focus on this bodes well for our country and its highly experienced space industrial base.

    “Boeing has served as a major partner in humankind’s exploration of space since the beginning. Our talented people bring a mature understanding of NASA’s enduring needs; a practical, businesslike approach to innovation; and a commitment to mission assurance and the safety and success of our astronaut corps.

    “We are encouraged by the extension of the International Space Station program and look forward to enhancing scientific research onboard, upgrading the space station, and using it as a U.S. national laboratory. Benefits to be gained from extension of the space station include international cooperation; medical and pharmaceutical advancements; its use as a test bed for demonstrating Earth-observation capabilities and future exploration technologies; and the availability of a waypoint for future exploration missions.
    “Excellence in human spaceflight is an important part of the American identity and symbolizes global leadership on the highest of technological platforms. We are greatly concerned that by backing away from the challenges of human space exploration, the United States would relinquish its leadership of a mission that has inspired generations.

    “A bold national space program also supports the United States’ security and economy by fostering a domestic work force that is educated and skilled in science, technology, engineering and math. It encourages the growth of new technologies and emerging businesses, large and small.
    “We support the president’s call for increased investment in heavy-lift launch vehicle technology, but we believe the United States should be on a clear path to accelerate the development and production of this critical system, along with a deep-space capsule. Both of these vehicles are essential to any deep-space exploration mission. We have the technology and the people to commence development of these vehicles now. A plan that includes a heavy-lift vehicle would enable space exploration supported by humans, large-array telescopes and deep-space robotic missions. It could achieve maximum benefit from American tax dollars by drawing on the cutting-edge technology already being developed for the Constellation program.

    “Remaining at the forefront of human spaceflight is the only choice worthy of this great nation and to the long line of explorers and visionaries who brought us to where we are today.”

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    FAA Asks for Public Input on UAS Test Site

    WASHINGTON– The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today asked for public input on the agency’s selection process for six unmanned aircraft system (UAS) test sites. Once the pilot program is established, the agency expects it will provide valuable data to help the FAA safely and efficiently integrate UAS into the same airspace with manned airplanes.

    “Unmanned aircraft can help us meet a number of challenges, from spotting wildfires to assessing natural disasters,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “But these test sites will help us ensure that our high safety standards are maintained as the use of these aircraft becomes more widespread.”

    Through the National Defense Authorization Act and the 2012 FAA Reauthorization bill, Congress mandated that the FAA establish UAS test sites. In order to ensure that all factors are taken into consideration when choosing the six sites, the FAA has asked for comments from the UAS user community and the public at large. Specifically, the request for comment asks for input on several important questions, such as public versus private management of the sites, research activities and capabilities of the test areas, the requirements for test site operators, and the geographic and climate factors that should influence site selection.

    The feedback obtained through this transparent process will help the FAA develop UAS test site requirements, designation standards and oversight activity. This will help the FAA design the process and criteria prior to issuing a request for proposals to select UAS test areas that will allow integration of these innovative aircraft into the National Airspace System by 2015. The FAA will accept comments for the next 60 days.

    “The FAA has a proven track record of safely introducing new technology and aircraft into the NAS, and I am confident we will successfully meet the challenges posed by UAS technology,” said FAA Acting Administrator Michael Huerta.
    The UAS pilot program mandates the FAA select six test sites to do the following:
    Safely designate airspace for integrated manned and unmanned flight operations in the national airspace system

    • Develop certification standards and air traffic requirements for unmanned flight operations at test ranges
    • Coordinate with and leverage the resources of the NASA and the Department of Defense
    • Address both civil and public unmanned aircraft systems
    • Ensure that the program is coordinated with the Next Generation Air Transportation System
    • Ensure the safety of unmanned aircraft systems and related navigation procedures before they are integrated into the national airspace system.

    As part of the process, the FAA will consult with the Defense Department and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which already operate their own test ranges. The Defense and FAA reauthorizations do not provide any funding for these test sites.

    Since 2005, the FAA has completed more than 50 research studies on UAS. The agency has access to hands-on experience with the various types of UAS and has partnerships with other government agencies, industry, and academia.

    The FAA is working toward publication of a proposed rule on small UAS this year. The agency also has convened an Aviation Rulemaking Committee that includes a number of aviation and industry experts studying a wide range of UAS integration issues.

    The request for comments, including instructions for filing comments, will be published in the Federal Register on Friday, March 9.

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