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Pre-existing medical condition leads to crash

February 19, 2012 by 1 Comment

This February 2010 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.

Aircraft: Piper Cherokee. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Gatesville, Texas. Aircraft damage: Destroyed.

What reportedly happened: The pilot’s medical history included an accident that resulted in a traumatic brain injury that put him in a coma in 1993. This was accompanied with persistent cognitive deficits and frequent intermittent episodes of amnesia. In addition, he had severe chronic lung disease [Read more...]

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Death knell for LightSquared?

February 16, 2012 by 1 Comment

WASHINGTON, D.C. — After long and detailed — and often contentious — efforts to work out a safe way for LightSquared to build a network of about 40,000 land-based towers in the U.S. for high-speed wireless transmissions without interfering with GPS, the battle seems to be nearing a satisfactory conclusion for general aviation and others using GPS.

The Federal Communication System is expected to rescind a conditional waiver issued to LightSquared last year after it was informed on Feb. 14 by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) that there is no practical way to prevent interference of GPS frequencies from the planned LightSquared network. Industry observers note this could be a death knell for LightSquared’s plan.

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100 mayors denounce Obama’s attacks on GA

February 16, 2012 by 42 Comments

WASHINGTON, D.C. — General aviation is a vital part of our economy and national infrastructure, and we are concerned about the repercussions of your statements about it. That, in essence was what the mayors of 100 communities in 48 states recently sent in a letter to President Obama. [Read more...]

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Florida panhandle airport adds autogas

February 16, 2012 by 3 Comments

Pilots living in or flying through the Pensacola, Florida, area have good reason to cheer the news that autogas is now available at the Peter Prince Airport (2R4) in Milton. According to an airport spokeswoman, “We added autogas last summer. We are currently selling 93 octane fuel for $3.95 per gallon.”  That’s $1.20 less than leaded avgas at the same airport and great news for the 70%-80% of all piston engine aircraft that can burn lead-free autogas, an FAA-approved fuel since 1982.

The GAfuels Blog is written by two private pilots concerned about the future availability of fuels for piston-engine aircraft: Dean Billing, Sisters, Ore., a pilot, homebuilder and expert on autogas and ethanol, and Kent Misegades, Cary, N.C., an aerospace engineer, aviation sales rep for U-Fuel, and president of EAA1114.

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Icon A5 completes spin-resistance testing

February 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Icon Aircraft’s A5 amphibious Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) has successfully completed a regimen of spin-resistance test flights.

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Goodyear signs on to sponsor Michael Goulian

February 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Goodyear Aviation will join Whelen Engineering as co-title sponsor of Michael Goulian’s 2012 air show season.

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Gleim maintenance courses approved for AMT awards program

February 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment

All of the online courses for aviation mechanics and IAs offered by Gleim have been approved for the FAA AMT Awards Program.

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Where Warbirds Fly

February 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment

On Saturday, Feb. 18, the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino, Calif., will host a National Warbirds Operators Conference event. From 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. there will be tours at Planes of Fame and at 5 p.m. there will be a flyover of three museum aircraft — two 2 P-51s — Wee Willy and Spam Can — and the museum’s P-40. Additionally there will be visiting aircraft on display: Julie Clark’s T-34 Mentor, Mike McDougall’s TA-4J Skyhawk, and John Muszala’s AD-5 (A-1E) Skyraider.

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Fly-in fundraiser

February 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment

The Ocean City Aviation Association (OCAA) will hold a Pancake Breakfast from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. each Saturday in February and March in the Ocean City Airport (OXB) Terminal building in Maryland.

The fundraisers are designed is to help defray construction costs for the final phase of the Huey Helicopter Memorial static display. Cost: Donation.

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VFR into IMC kills two

February 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment

This February 2010 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.

Aircraft: Piper Saratoga. Injuries: 2 Fatal. Location: Groveland, Calif. Aircraft damage: Destroyed.

What reportedly happened: While he was instrument rated, the 1,083-hour pilot had never performed an approach into the airport in actual instrument conditions. He did not obtain a weather briefing or file a flight plan before departing at night in IMC.

[Read more...]

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