September 14–The September/October 2010 issue of FAA Safety Briefing, which focuses on proficiency and its absolute importance for pilots and aviation maintenance technicians, also includes a must-read article for pilots. FAA’s Paul Greer writes about the complicated subject of receiving compensation for your flying. He says, “Flying and getting paid for it has been a dream that most pilots have had at one time or another. It’s been done by generations of pilots, but it’s also an area ripe with opportunities for new (and even older) pilots to run afoul of the regulations.” Read all about it on page 12 of the September/October 2010 issue.
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Press Release – FAA Celebrates Recovery Act Funded First Responder Facility
For Immediate Release
January 24, 2011
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today celebrated the completion of an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting building at St. Louis Downtown Airport, East St. Louis, Ill., paid for with $4.7 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds.
“This new facility in East St. Louis is one of the many Recovery Act projects that are helping make important safety improvements at airports around the country,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.
Recovery Act funds paid the full cost of building the structure, which will house employees and a fire and rescue vehicle. FAA regulations require airports with unscheduled passenger-carrying aircraft of at least 31 passenger seats to have a fire and rescue facility on airport property. St. Louis Downtown Airport now receives charter operations by unscheduled air carriers and commuter service about three times per week and was required to build this facility.
“Airports need to be prepared for any emergency, and this facility will help ensure the safety of passengers and flight crews,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt.
The St. Louis Downtown Airport is the third-busiest Illinois airport in number of operations, behind only Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Chicago Midway Airport. In fiscal year 2010, the airport had more than 111,000 takeoffs and landings.
Nationwide, $1.3 billion in Recovery Act money has been made available for both airport improvement projects and air traffic control facility and system upgrades. Because of low construction bids for projects, more Recovery Act dollars were available for additional facilities and equipment as well as airport projects. These Recovery Act grants have been distributed to airports that serve commercial passengers, cargo and general aviation.
Global Aviation Holdings and World Airways Establish Sales Offices in Asia Pacific and Europe
PEACHTREE CITY, Ga., Feb. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Global Aviation Holdings Inc. and its subsidiary, World Airways, have established sales offices in Hong Kong and in Leipzig, Germany, expanding sales and service capabilities to better serve the company’s international customers in Asia Pacific and Europe.
Todd R. Hildreth is Director Cargo Sales for the Asia Pacific region, based in Hong Kong, and Brita Forrest-Hampson, based in Germany, is Director Cargo Sales & Service for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Steve Dix, an 11-year veteran of Global Aviation, has been named Senior Director Cargo Sales The Americas and Global Charter Sales. The team is led by Hendrik Falk, Vice President Cargo Sales, who joined the organization in 2009 after holding various global management positions at Lufthansa Cargo and Polar Air Cargo.
“By expanding the team with these experienced professionals in the field, we will be closer to our present and future customers in key markets around the world, while fueling our opportunities for growth in the global air transport industry,” said Brian Bauer, Chief Commercial Officer.
Mr. Hildreth has more than 25 years of experience in the air transportation industry. Before joining Global Aviation, he was Director Sales & Marketing for Jade Cargo International, (a Lufthansa Cargo subsidiary), based in Shenzhen, China. He also served at Lufthansa Cargo’s headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany as Manager Global Key Accounts, and held sales, marketing and operation management positions for Lufthansa Cargo in various U.S. locations.
Ms. Forrest-Hampson has worked in the air cargo industry for more than 13 years, serving most recently as Director of Marketing and Sales for Europe at EasternAirCargo (EAC), a subsidiary of the Leipzig/Halle Airport. Prior to joining EAC, she worked as a regional commercial manager with Cargolux Airlines.
Global Aviation Holdings Inc., based in Peachtree City, Ga., is the parent company of North American Airlines and World Airways. North American Airlines, founded in 1989 and based in Jamaica, N.Y., operates B757-200ER and B767-300ER aircraft. World Airways, founded in 1948 and based in Peachtree City, Ga., specializes in providing ACMI solutions using B747-400 and MD-11 aircraft.
FAA imposing Penalties for Lasers
The FAA released a legal interpretation, which finds that directing a laser beam into an aircraft cockpit could interfere with a flight crew performing its duties while operating an aircraft, a violation of Federal Aviation Regulations. In the past, the FAA has taken enforcement action under this regulation against passengers physically on-board an aircraft who interfere with crewmembers.
Today’s interpretation reflects the fact that pointing a laser at an aircraft from the ground could seriously impair a pilot’s vision and interfere with the flight crew’s ability to safely handle its responsibilities.
The maximum civil penalty the FAA can impose on an individual for violating the FAA’s regulations that prohibit interfering with a flight crew is $11,000 per violation.
This year, pilots have reported more than 1,100 incidents nationwide of lasers being pointed at aircraft. Laser event reports have steadily increased since the FAA created a formal reporting system in 2005 to collect information from pilots. Reports rose from nearly 300 in 2005 to 1,527 in 2009 and 2,836 in 2010.
FAA Controllers in Philadelphia Transition to Next Generation Air Transportation System Technology
For Immediate Release
April 26, 2010
Contact: Tammy L. Jones or Paul Takemoto
Phone: (202) 267-3883
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As part of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) plan to modernize the national airspace system, controllers in the Philadelphia area now have the capability to use a satellite-based system to more efficiently and safely track and separate aircraft.
“This new technology is a tremendous leap forward in transforming the current air traffic control system,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “The operational benefits in Philadelphia extend as far as Washington, DC, and New York, which has some of the most congested airspace in the world.”
Called Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), the new system is a core technology under the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). By using ADS-B, air traffic controllers have more precise information while separating aircraft in the sky and on the runways, leading to greater efficiency and safety benefits. Controllers who have access to ADS-B receive one-second update rates compared to four-and-a- half second update rates with radar.
Potentially, they will be able to reduce separation in the en route environment from the current five nautical miles to three, saving both time and money for the airlines while reducing the carbon footprint. Pilots flying aircraft equipped with ADS-B know precisely where they are and are able to see other properly equipped aircraft. They also have access to better information on area weather and receive flight information electronically, such as airmen notices and temporary flight restrictions.
Philadelphia is one of four key sites that the FAA selected to demonstrate ADS-B services. The other sites include Houston, Louisville, KY, and Juneau, AK. The sites were selected because of their unique airspace environments and local needs.
ADS-B coverage at Philadelphia extends 60 nautical miles out and approximately 10,000 feet up. It also covers the surface area and the approach corridors to the runways. Philadelphia was selected because of its current automation platform that is used by air traffic controllers, called the Standard Terminal Automated Replacement System. Also, UPS has equipped for ADS-B services and a large amount of their operations are conducted at Philadelphia International Airport. In addition, US Airways is in the process of equipping its aircraft to use ADS-B.
Philadelphia Airport also has Airport Surface Detection Equipment (ASDE-X), which provides detailed coverage of movement on runways and taxiways allowing controllers to detect potential conflicts. The ASDE-X at Philadelphia has been upgraded to receive ADS-B data. Additionally, the ASDE-X surveillance data will be used as a Traffic Information Service – Broadcast (TIS-B) source so pilots can see non-ADS-B targets on their cockpit displays.
FAA is installing the ground infrastructure for ADS-B. The agency has proposed that airlines and private aircraft install ADS-B avionics by 2020. Some airlines and private aircraft have already started equipping in advance of that date. ADS-B is expected to be available nationwide by 2013.
NTSB BRIEFING TODAY AT 4:00 PM (ADT) ON AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT IN ALASKA
The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a press
briefing on its investigation into last night’s airplane
crash near Dillingham, Alaska.
The briefing will take place today at 4:00 p.m. Alaska
Daylight Time (ADT) at the Signature Flight Support
Building, 2nd floor conference room, 6231 South Airpark
Place, Anchorage, Alaska.
NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman will conduct the
briefing.
Press Release: Embraer Confirms Ejet
This second EMBRAER 175 is the fifth E-Jet in the airline’s all Embraer fleet São José dos Campos, October 22, 2010 – Embraer has signed a contract with Fuji Dream Airlines (FDA) of Japan for the sale of an EMBRAER 175, which is the fifth E-Jet in the airline’s fleet. The new aircraft will be configured in a single class with 84 seats. The order also includes an option for one additional aircraft of the same model and marks the quick expansion of FDA’s fleet in a highly competitive market like Japan’s. This deal is already included in Embraer’s firm order backlog for the third quarter of 2010, as “Undisclosed” customer.
“We are honored that FDA has reaffirmed its confidence in the E-Jets family and ordered another EMBRAER 175,” said Paulo César de Souza e Silva, Embraer Executive Vice President, Airline Market. “The re-order is a sign that our E-Jets have been instrumental in the birth and growth of a new airline, and provided it with an optimal tool to develop new routes, while providing their customers with a reliable and comfortable airplane.”
As a start-up airline in Japan in 2007, FDA chose to purchase two EMBRAER 170s as its debut aircraft. The first was delivered in February 2009. In June, the airline decided to increase the fleet and ordered one EMBRAER 175, which joined the two original EMBRAER 170s in early 2010. With this agreement, FDA will end 2010 with a total of five E-Jets (three EMBRAER 170s – one pre-owned and bought this year – and two EMBRAER 175s).
“Since FDA started offering flights in July 2009, we have made significant progress in developing our network and business. This progress has been made possible partly due to the operational flexibility offered by the E-Jets family, especially the EMBRAER 170 and EMBRAER 175, which has allowed us to explore and capitalize on new routes,” said Tsuneji Sugawa, Senior Managing Director of Fuji Dream Airlines.
FDA is the only airline in Japan with an all-Embraer E-Jets fleet. The company is part of the Suzuyo Group, which owns a full-flight simulator to provide pilot and fleet engineering training for its staff. FDA has also signed a ten-year Pool Flight Hour program contract with Embraer to manage and facilitate all necessary spare parts for its E-Jets. The program gives airlines the opportunity to reduce their cost exposure related to parts inventory and storage facilities, therefore increasing their capacity to budget costs.