Avia Blog

Letter of the Week: Privacy Before JusticeThis is the state of our insane judicial system. In the story “Pilot Wins Appeal Over Health Record Disclosure,” this “disabled” pilot blatantly lies multiple times on his pilot’s certificate renewal paperwork so he can get what he wants, flying illegally, possibly jeopardizing innocent lives while he is taking medications.But, when he is caught, he sues on a claim that his privacy was violated. To one federal agency, he discloses his HIV condition so that he can milk money from SSA for being disabled; to the FAA, he lies that he is perfectly healthy so he can fly.Once you disclose info to a government agency, where is privacy? After shopping his lawsuit to enough courts, he finds one that awards him money from the government for a violation of privacy.Terry AdamsClick through to read the rest of this week’s letters.

Developer Jeff Edwards has scheduled a March 17 meeting to discuss his unsolicited plan to turn Oceano County Airport, near San Luis Obispo, California, into a non-airport property. Meanwhile, Bill Robeson, a city planner who works with the city’s Airport Land Use Commission told SanLuisObispo.com that when it comes to closing the airport, “none of the hearing bodies for the county are considering it.” But Edwards, a private land planner, sees “enormous potential” for the nearly-beach-front property that he says could translate into “significant cash flow to the county if they were to close the airport and lease it for development.” He has advertised his upcoming meeting through a press release, has invited representatives from San Luis Obispo County and candidates running for local positions, and, “the public is encouraged to attend.” Oceano operates a 2325-by-50 foot paved runway and is home to 13 aircraft (10 singles and three ultralights). The facility serves transient pilots and its land use plan estimates 12,500 operations per year.

Continental Airlines has taken a step to recognize Marlon Green, now deceased, as an aviation pioneer whose career was almost snuffed out, completely, because of prejudice. With 3,000 hours of multi-engine time earned in the Air Force, Green sought to become an airline pilot beginning in 1957, but was turned away from all prospects until a 1963 Supreme Court ruling based on Green’s case forced the airlines not to discriminate. That ruling was followed in 1964 by passage of the Civil Rights Act, and in 1965 by what would become Captain Marlon Green’s 14 -year career with Continental Airlines. In a Houston ceremony held Tuesday, Continental rolled out the airline’s latest Boeing 737 and showed Green’s name clearly painted on the aircraft’s nose. In his comments, current Continental Chief Executive Jeff Smisek lamented, “We turned him down for one reason and one reason only — because of the color of his skin.” Smisek added, “… there is part of Continental’s history of which I’m not proud. That happened over 50 years ago.” Tuesday, Smisek recognized Captain Green as “a pioneer who was willing to challenge the unacceptable status quo of the time and paved the way for the most qualified applicants to be hired, regardless of the color of their skin.” Green passed away last year, at the age of 80. But his brother was in attendance.

If you’ve been wondering what Paul Bertorelli’s up to this weekend — and really, who isn’t? — we’ve got an interesting answer. AVweb’s Editorial Director spent some time flying on G100UL, the unleaded 100LL alternative GAMI’s George Braly calls “the future fuel of general aviation.” Read about Paul’s trip and post your own comments at the AVweb Insider blog.

POSTED: Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 03:14 PM PT BY: Justin Carinci Tags: Mulino State Airport , Oregon Department of Aviation Oregon Department of Aviation officials want to update the small Mulino State Airport but don’t have the money to pay for a remodel of the aging facility.

Every market needs a good trade show, and AVweb’s Paul Bertorelli is here to tell you the light sport segment of aviation has a solid one in Sebring, Florida. Just back from the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo 2010, Paul shares his thoughts on the AVweb Insider blog. Read about his trip and share your own thoughts here.

Belite definitely is that — light. In this AVweb Product Minute, check out the company’s new product.

Certain Bendix/King KLN and KLX products have been compromised by their latest database updates and the company says those products should not be used until the problem is corrected. Bendix/King adds that “it is imperative” that the units not be used for arrival, departure or approach operations until corrected. Jeppesen apparently delivered some bad data to Bendix/King that contained incorrect Dynamic Magnetic Variations for all terminal and en route waypoint records. Affected databases include Cycle 1001 databases either downloaded from Wingman Services or delivered on programmed media and received prior to January 12, 2010. Affected units are KLN 35A, 88, 89, 89B, 90, 90A, 90B, 94 and 900 models; plus KLX 100, 135, and 135A models. To fix the problem, Bendix/King customers just need to acquire a new database that’s already available.

January 14, United States Air Force Special Tactics personnel were on the ground controlling airport operations at Toussaint L’Ouverture International, Haiti, but the ramp area was already saturated with 44 aircraft, forcing a temporary closure. The airport operates a control tower, two fuel trucks and one 9,974-foot runway. The control tower was rendered useless by the January 12 earthquake. Initial aid flights arrived using the UNICOM frequency to organize themselves, then by a U.S. Coast Guard Cutter off the coast. But two days later, the airspace was closed, turning away 11 aircraft that had been waiting for other flights to depart so they could land. Among those turned away was a C-130 from the 15th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla.. With ground damage hindering the expedient dispersion of supplies, and physical space preventing further arrivals, departures were at the same time beginning to be challenged by a dwindling fuel supply. The American aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson had by Thursday been dispatched to the region, primarily looking at providing increased helicopter capacity in the afflicted area.

Boeing’s 787-3 mid-range variant is under a final threat of extinction following the decision by All Nippon Airways (ANA), the derivative’s sole customer, to change its order to other variants.
Commenting on his blog, Randy Tinseth, VP-marketing for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said, “Simply put, getting aircraft into their hands for earlier delivery was a better solution [...]