Mooney Echelon STC Available Only at Lycoming Service Centers

Lycoming Authorized Service Centers have been appointed the sole installers for Lycoming's newest Echelon Supplemental Type Certificate (STC), which covers Mooney M20E, M20F and M20J. The Mooney owners will be able to choose from around 50 Authorized Service Centers to upgrade their power supply more powerful. The STC includes new or rebuilt IO-390-A3A6, Slick Start System and required documentation.

Harrison Ford Recieves Award

Harrison Ford has received "Spreading Wings" award from the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum. The award recognized Harrison Ford's work in promoting aviation to youth in addition to his films. 

Carter Aviation Technologies First Licensing Deal

Carter Aviation Technologies LLC of Wichita Falls, Texas has completed negotiations with AAI Corporation. AAI Corporation is an aerospace and defense development and manufacturing firm in Hun Valley, Maryland. The 40-year deal covers all Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) using Carter's Slowed Rotor/Compound (SR/C) Aircraft Technology. 

TSA Rules Targets Repair Station

The Transportation Security Administration has prepared new regulations governing security procedures at the repair stations. It'll require stations to establish security protocols to guard against unauthorized access to the facility, aircraft and parts. Read more at http://www.tsa.gov/assets/pdf/nprm_aircraftrepair.pdf

FAA Finalizes Changes in Hudson River Airspace to Enhance Safety

For Immediate Release

November 16, 2009
Contact: Laura Brown
Phone: (202) 267-3455

FAA Finalizes Changes in Hudson River Airspace to Enhance Safety

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today finalized a federal rule, effective November 19, 2009, that will enhance safety by separating low-altitude, local aircraft flights over the Hudson River from flights transiting through the river airspace.

“Better separation of aircraft means a higher margin of safety,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “These new rules will ensure that aircraft can operate safely in the busy Hudson River airspace.”
"These changes will define separate corridors for aircraft operating locally and those flying along the Hudson River area," said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. "Separating aircraft on different missions and improving pilot situational awareness will add more layers of safety to this high-demand airspace."

The rule also now requires pilots to follow safety procedures that were previously recommended, but were not mandatory. In a new Special Flight Rules Area over the Hudson and East Rivers, pilots must:

• Maintain a speed of 140 knots or less.
• Turn on anti-collision and aircraft position/navigation lights, if equipped.
• Self-announce their position on specific radio frequencies.
• Carry current charts for the airspace and be familiar with them.

In an exclusion zone below 1,300 feet over the Hudson River, pilots must announce their aircraft type, position, direction and altitude at charted mandatory reporting points and must stay along the New Jersey shoreline when southbound and along the Manhattan shoreline when northbound.

Pilots transiting the Hudson River must fly at an altitude between 1,000 feet and 1,300 feet. Local flights will operate in the lower airspace below 1,000 feet.

The rule also will incorporate provisions of an October 2006 Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) that restricted fixed-wing aircraft in the exclusion zone over the East River to seaplanes landing or taking off on the river or those specifically approved by FAA air traffic control.

All three updated pilot charts that local fixed wing and helicopter pilots use for navigation will include these airspace changes on November 19, 2009.

The FAA will conduct seminars and coordinate with pilot groups to make pilots aware of the new requirements. The FAA also has developed an online training program that covers flight operations in the New York area.

FAA New Hudson River Rules Takes Effect on Thursday, November 19, 2010

FAA released its final version of the new flight rules for the VFR corridor for the Hudson River and it'll take effect on Thursday, November 19, 2009.

Lawsuits Filed Against Eclipse Executives

Former deposit-holders for Eclipse 500 jets recently filed four lawsuits in New Mexico district courts alleging various wrongdoing by Eclipse Aviation executive Vern Raburn, Roel Pieper, Peg Billson, Michael McConnell and Mark Borseth, as well as sales and support personnel about the company filed for bankruptcy a year ago. 

Solar Impulse First Flight

Solar Impulse is a European long-range solar-powered plane. Solar Impulse is also the first solar-powered plane.

• Wingspan 63m
• Weight 1,600 kg,
• Take-off speed 35 km/h
• Average flying speed: 70 km/h
• Motor power 4 x 10 HP electric engines
• Battery specific capacity: 220Wh/kg
• Solar cells: 11,628 (total area 200m²)
• Maximum altitude 8,500 m (27,900 ft)

The first flight was made on December 3, 2009 by the pilot named of Markus Scherdel.

From: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8393688.stm

Solar-powered plane makes first historic 'hop'

The Solar Impulse prototype plane, part of a planned solar-powered circumnavigation of the globe, has left the ground for the first time.

The maiden flight was dubbed a "flea hop" by project leaders, at 350m in length and a height of just one metre. 

The plane will now be transported to a different airfield for a flight of a few hours in March. 

The final version of the plane will attempt a transatlantic flight in 2012 prior to the round-the-world trip.

The prototype first ventured outside a hangar in November, with a range of on-the-ground tests and a run-up of the plane's motors.

Thursday's flight, with test pilot Markus Scherdel at the controls, was the first time the plane had been brought to takeoff speed.

"The airplane flew the way we have experienced it in the simulators," said Bertrand Piccard, a founder of Solar Impulse and the first person to carry out a round-the-world balloon flight.

"That's of course a very big comfort for all the engineers who've worked for six years to build this airplane."

The next flight, at the Payerne air force airfield in western Switzerland, will see the plane reach an altitude of nearly 9,000m.

Only after this flight will the plane make its first "solar flight" - that is, powered by the solar generators rather than the on-board batteries.

The team plans a flight of a full day and night in the summer of 2010, building up to a transatlantic flight in small steps as the crew ensure the plane's behaviour is well-understood.

"It's a completely new flight domain," said Dr Piccard.

"It's the first time in the history of aviation that an airplane so big and so light using so little energy gets in the air - basically everything is new."

Watch First Flight

Hawker Beechcraft AmSafe Seatbelt Airbage Available

Hawker Beechcraft has announced that AmSafe Seatbelt Airbags are now available for the pilot and co-pilot seats on its Baron and Bonanza aircraft.

Updated Blogger: Redesign

I finally heard about this and updated my blog to the latest Blogger redesign (September 2009). To read more about it visit http://www.google.com/support/blogger/bin/answer.py?answer=156829.

New Features

Improved Image Handling
Improved Raw HTML

Add your Location to your posts with geotagging
Vertical Resizing

Easy Link Editing in Compose Mode
Full Safari 3 Support

New Preview Dialog
Placeholder Image for Tags
New Residing Toolbar