Pilots seeks judicial review over CAL's employment practices

Two local airline pilots have filed an application for leave in the High Court to apply for judicial review against the decision of Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL) to hire and employ foreign nationals.

The claimants, Captains Anthony Hamilton and Roger Bridgeman, filed the application at the Hall of Justice on August 19. According to a press release issued yesterday by one of the claimant’s attorney, Peter Taylor, it stated that the pilots were against the decision by CAL to hire and employ foreign national.

The foreign pilots aboard its aircraft were identified as Captains Andrew Campbell, Sean Carrington Patrick de Levante, Stephen Fontinelle, Kevin Lazarus and Heather Mc Kay.

The attorney added that co-pilots Marc Coley, Neil Crooks, Peter Henry, Gina Lazarus, Chesare Paul and Stephen Plimmer were aboard CAL’s TT registered aircraft without valid work permits. This he charged was in contravention of section 10 (2) of the Immigration Regulations made under the Immigration Act Chapter 18:01 of the Laws of Trinidad and Tobago.

All of the pilots and co-pilots are Jamaican citizens with the exception of Fontinelle, who is St Lucian.

The claimants together with another pilot, Captain Ann Marie Lewis, are former pilots with the now defunct BWIA and have a combined experience of some 85 years. They are contending that they have been unfairly overlooked for employment while Caribbean Airlines insists on hiring foreign nationals in contravention of the law.

Taylor stated: “The Claimants in their joint affidavit contend among other things that having pilots employed without valid work permits puts Caribbean Airlines at risk when entering the airspace of the USA and/or of being downgraded as an airline in breach of FAA and EASA (European Aviation Safety Regulations).”

High Court judge Justice David Harris heard the application, but deemed that it was not sufficiently urgent to be heard during the court vacation period.

Taylor, who is representing the claimants, is instructing attorney Farid Scoon.

http://www.newsday.co.tt

Crop dusters in flight over Chickasaw County

There is a certain time to do certain things when it comes to farming and this past week out at the Les Parker farm, southeast of Nashua, it was time to have the crop duster come in and make the sweep that would protect Parker’s fields against fungi.

In fact, crop dusters are a familiar sight around many farms in the area this time of year, and Parker said even though the spring and early summer rain caused problems for many farmers, he was one of the lucky ones.

Parker was raised on a farm by parents who began farming in the mid-forties.

“I always knew I was going to be a farmer,” Parker said. “There wasn’t anything else on the horizon for me.”

Parker farms at least 1,300 acres and does quite a lot of it on his own.

“I have some help from my son, Lee, and my daughters and wife have all been very helpful over the years as well,” Parker said. “We are a true farming family, that’s for sure.”

Pleased about being an early bird this year, Parker said, “I was able to get my corn in and planted by May 15, and I got my beans in by May 20.”

With the season starting like it did however, he said there were many farmers that were hoping that it didn’t frost until Nov. 1 at least.

“I would be okay if it frosted on Oct. 1,” Parker said, “I was lucky how things turned out to be pretty normal this year.”

Overall, Parker said he thought things had evened out pretty much for many farmers and said they could even do with a little more rain over this next week.

Story and Photo:    http://www.nhtrib.com

Great Lakes Airlines faces shortage of pilots

CHEYENNE — A new law upping the number of hours a   person has to fly before they  can be hired as an airline pilot is causing headaches for Great Lakes Airlines.

A spokeswoman for the Cheyenne-based regional airline said the new law, which went into effect Aug. 1, has made it harder for Great Lakes and other regional airlines to hire and retain pilots. Great Lakes services four Wyoming communities: Cheyenne, Riverton, Sheridan and Worland.

Passed in 2010, the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act calls for increased minimum requirements for airline first officers, who used to only need 250 flight hours to be hired. The law was passed in response to a 2009 plane crash in Buffalo, N.Y., that killed 50 people.

Speaking to the Cheyenne Regional Airport Board on Wednesday morning, Great Lakes spokeswoman Monica Taylor-Lee said the law has forced the airline to drop 30 pilots who hadn’t yet accumulated enough flight time.

“We did start planning in  advance and only would hire guys we thought would definitely have the 1,500 hours by Aug. 1,” Taylor-Lee said. “Unfortunately, they were somewhere between 1,450 and 1,499, and July 31 didn’t matter. If they were one hour short, they could no longer fly for Great Lakes, even though they’d been doing it for a year.”

Most of those are now attempting to hit 1,500 hours on their own so they can be hired back on, and a few already have been. But as of Wednesday, Great Lakes was still 15 pilots short and is now seeing higher-than-normal attrition as larger airlines attempt to meet the same requirements.

“All the majors are trying to grab all the guys that have at least 1,500 hours, and they always pick out of the pot of Great Lakes because we have a great training program,” Taylor-Lee said. “So we are experiencing a pretty severe pilot shortage at the moment.”

If the shortage persists, Taylor-Lee said the effect of the new law could result in pre-cancellations and other issues should a pilot call in sick, for example.

“We don’t have an extra pool of pilots for sick calls or delays if they get stuck in Los Angeles due to weather and they’re supposed to finish the flight from Denver to Cheyenne,” she said. “So our operations have been pretty affected for the last couple of weeks.”

Taylor-Lee said another 10 pilots are expected to come back within the next week, which could offset some of the recent attrition. But if that trend continues, it could still pose problems for the airline.

“We’re hoping that the majors will increase their requirements for number of hours … and (stop) taking all the 1,500-hour guys off the street, which are the guys we need now too,” she said.

She added that Great Lakes’ Minneapolis hub is attempting to add “Part 135” operations, which involve planes with no more than nine passenger seats.

Under the new law, Part 135 operations aren’t subject to the 1,500-hour requirement for co-pilots. But so far, Taylor-Lee said, the FAA has been unwilling to allow Great Lakes to simply cordon off seats on its aircraft to fulfill the nine-seat requirement for Part 135.

“They’ve told us we have to actually (physically) remove those seats, which would really hamper our ability to get our airplanes from Minneapolis to our Denver hub,” she said.

Great Lakes is the largest regional carrier in the Essential Air Service program, a federal program that provides small towns across the country with connections to a regional hub airport. In other words, a large portion of Great Lakes’ flights are to and from small towns — otherwise money losing routes that other larger airlines refuse to serve.

Great Lakes isn’t the only regional airline concerned by the new flight-time requirement for pilots. Kelly Murphy, the communications manager for the Regional Airline Association, said regional airlines across the country have cause for concern.

“It used to be when you graduated from a structured aviation program, those kids came out of college with about 300, 400 maybe 500 hours,” Murphy said. “And the concern is now, of course, going through those schools, you have a lot of student loans, and now that you need a minimum of 1,500 hours to get hired with an airline, it’s going to take a while to accrue those hours.”

Some graduates are building those hours by becoming instructors themselves, while others are seeking flight work in industries like agriculture. But Murphy said the 1,500-hour requirement has presented a major roadblock to breaking into the airline industry, which is already anticipated to face significant pilot shortages in the next few decades.

She pointed to one study conducted by the University of North Dakota that predicted a deficit of more than 35,000 airline pilots by 2031, based on the anticipated rates of retirements and new hires.

Murphy noted that the career progression of airline pilots isn’t unlike that of doctors or lawyers. All three fields require a large upfront investment in both time and money, which can pay huge dividends if they stay with the job, with some senior airline captains pulling in more than $200,000 a year.

But with miniscule starting salaries and rising educational costs now being combined with even more onerous job qualifications, Murphy said it’s going to take a concerted effort to convince the next generation of pilots to come aboard.

“There will be a rising need for pilots in the very near future, and for aviation, in particular, it’s a long-term career,” she said. “That’s why we’re focusing on the fact that, as an industry, we need to be talking about the benefits and the great career incentives of being a pilot.”

And even if the major airlines are able to weather the effects of the new law, Murphy said that still doesn’t account for the important role regional airlines like Great Lakes play in the grand scheme of things.

“We actually account  for 50 percent of the air service across America today,” she said. “Half of the commercial services are from regional airlines, so it’s  very important.”

Source:   http://trib.com

Selorm Adadevoh: Ghana’s First Locally “Brewed” Commercial Pilot

 

Ghana's maiden locally trained Commercial Pilot, Selorm Kobla Santino Adadevoh looks into the future with hope and audacity

 ~

 

Selorm (in white), with mom Ophelia Kokui Adadevor (far left), Capt. Ibrahim Mshelia (in suit) and daddy, Dumegah Eric Adadevor (right)

~

Soft-spoken 24-year-old Selorm Kobla Santino Adedavoh had always wanted to be a pilot from his infancy, but he never imagined that besides achieving that life time dream, he was also going to be Ghana’s first ever locally-trained commercial pilot with instrument and multi-engine rating. 

 “I feel privileged and I feel very good that I have brought it to light that you can train in Ghana and you can attain Commercial Pilot License (CPL) right here in Ghana,” he said with pride and a touch of smile, spotting his white short-sleeve shirt with the black and gold stripes on his shoulder, marched with a black trousers and black-tie.

The six-foot-five tall maiden locally-trained Commercial Pilot is not only aware of the historic feat he has chalked; he also believes Ghana Airways will bounce back sooner than later, and he would be one of the first pilots to fly Ghana Airways aircraft again.

Selorm was among the first batch of 16 graduates from Ghana’s first privately-owned internationally and locally certified aviation school, Mish Aviation School at Tema Community 22. Some trained for the basic Private Pilot License (PPL), which means they cannot be hired and rewarded for flying; but Selorm was one of the few who went for the full CPL (Commercial Pilot License) and emerged with flying colors. This means he is ready to be hired and paid by any airline.

The training comprised a comprehensive ground school in Aeronautical Knowledge;  Skills Training involving flying with assistance for specific number of hours, flying cross-country, and flying solo for at least 10 hours for the PPL and 50 hours for the CPL. They then took internal written mock exams, internal flight skill tests and finally the external exam run by the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), which is the license issuing authority.

Selorm and all his 15 colleagues obtained 100 pass in the PPL written test, and they went on to also clock another 100 pass in the skills test for the CPL. For their reward, they each obtained the Aeronautical Knowledge Certificates from Mish Aviation, plus PPL and or CPL licenses from the GCAA.

He and two other Ghanaians had enrolled to undertake the flight training program, but Selorm was the only Ghanaian who continued the CPL program to cross the finishing line with excellence. The rest were Nigerians. The two other Ghanaians [names withheld] dropped out after the PPL program voluntarily.

DESTINY

It must have been destiny that made Selorm finish as the first and only Ghanaian currently trained locally as a full Commercial Pilot, because “at age one, Selorm was already showing signs of flying aircraft,” his proud mother, Ophelia Kokui Adadevor said.

His dad, Dumegah Eric Adadevoh also recalled “my mother of blessed memories [Selorm’s late grandmother] used to call Selorm ‘my pilot, my pilot’ when he was very young so it is not a surprise he has turned out to be one.”

Selorm attended University Primary School; moved to Ghana Atomic Energy Commission for his JHS education, then to Seven Great SHS at Dansoman for his SSCE, where he qualified to read Biological Science at the University of Ghana.

He was on Level 200 gunning for the Medical School when he got wind of Mish Aviation School through his senior sister, Senyuiedworm Adadevoh, a Photojournalist with FIFA.

Senyuiedzorm had met Mish Aviation CEO and President, Flight Captain Ibrahim Mshelia on a flight from Nigeria to Ghana, and the captain had mentioned Mish Aviation School to her in a conversation.

Selorm’s parents, Dumegah Eric Adadevoh and Ophelia Korkui Adadevoh (Mrs) did not hesitate to move Selorm from Legon to Mish Aviation because they remembered Selorm’s late grandma’s prophecy about him, and that was enough for them to commit a whopping US$90,000 to put Selorm through the 18-month CPL program at Mish Aviation.

Daddy said: “I had always wanted Selorm to be a medical doctor because I am a ‘disappointed medical doctor’. I had wanted to be a medical doctor myself but I couldn’t so I had hoped Selorm became one.”

But daddy, who is now a Statistician and dealer in Construction Equipment, said he had to give up his dream of seeing Selorm become a medical doctor to ensure that Selorm’s grandma’s prophecy came to pass.

“I encouraged him into training as a pilot and I have not regretted investing that money in him - in fact I am considering buying an aircraft for the school because they have helped me to make my son achieve his dream,” Dumegah said.

Selorm himself said he could not miss the rare opportunity to achieve his life time dream of becoming a pilot, training right here in Ghana, so he had no qualms dropping out of the university.

“Now there is no turning back for me – I am not going back to pursue medicine – I look forward to becoming an Aviation Instructor,” he said.

He said the course was not as difficult as many think, but it was different from the university where he only read his books to prepare for exams.

“At Mish Aviation I was required to be fully aware of whatever is around me and be disciplined and to take every little thing seriously because piloting requires high level of alertness at all times,” he said.

Selorm remembers his first time flying solo, and it came with mixed feelings. It was a single-engine Cessna 172, which could take four passengers at a time.

“I was excited and a little bit scared too but then I knew Capt. Mshelia wouldn’t have cleared me if he thought I was not ready because he was aware if I crashed he would be losing his plane and would also be accounting to my parents.”

Selorm also flew the six-seater twin or multi-engine Piper Aztec (PA 23) as part of his practical training.

But having completed the course with flying colors, Selorm is now super confident and audacious he can fly any aircraft on any day, provided he is rated. And he dreams of flying big commercial aircraft like the Emirates, Delta and others. But top on the list for him is Ghana Airways, which he believes will bounce back.

He and his colleagues will be formally graduated at a ceremony in weeks. But ahead of his graduation, he is already getting offers from some airlines that operate in the country, but he said his first option would be to consider the offer from the school to be a Flight Instructor. And the Director of the school, Capt. Mshelia has offered to foot Selorm’s bill to train abroad as an instructor , which is scarce in Ghana.

Selorm has opened a door for many other young Ghanaians to believe in their ability to train in Ghana and become commercial pilots, and he is advising young people like himself to believe in themselves and give it a shot.

And Captain Mshelia agreed with Selorm that the notion that one needed to have science background to go into piloting is unfounded, at least not with the benefit of modern technology.

“Now with Mathematics and English, plus three other credits in any subjects from SHS, anyone qualifies to learn how to pilot – it does not have to be science necessarily – the only other thing you need is good physical health and the right attitude,” Captain Mshelia said.

He also refuted the notion that only persons with blood genotype ‘AA’ could fly aircraft, saying that with the benefit of technology and modern medicine it is now possible for people with ‘AS’ to fly aircraft.

Capt Mshelia is overly proud of Selorm and has offered to sponsor his training as a full Certified Flight Instructor. And there is a good reason the Captain offered to do that – because not many Ghanaian pilots have trained as Ab initio Certified Civil Flight Instructors; the one or two available are engaged with commercial flying, so Mish Aviation had to fall on imported expertise to run the course at the school.

He believes the cost of Aviation training could drop drastically if government partners private institutions like his and took up some of the cost like remuneration for instructors and also ensure reduced cost of AVGas (Aviation Gasoline) by refining locally, this will be a great help for schools like his.

“AVGas takes a greater chunk of our cost so I think if government could get a refinery to produce AVGas locally it will reduce our cost drastically and we can also afford to reduce the cost of training for students,” he said.

Until then, there are 18 more parents in line to pay the full Tuition, Accommodation feeding, and general allowances and upkeep totaling about US$100,000 each to book a place for their wards in the second batch of students at Mish Aviation School yet to begin their course later this year.

Selorm is the only boy among four sisters. He comes after three girls – Senyuiedzorm, Selinam, and Sefenya; and before one girl, Setornam. He is still single but seriously attached and he tells Adom News he likes good food, but does not have any favorites. 

Story and Photos:   http://business.myjoyonline.com

Are you related to pilot John McBean Christie?

An author has appealed for Express readers’ help in tracking down the family of a heroic World War Two fighter pilot.

Danny Burt has spent eight years researching an RAF squadron and is trying to find out more about a “tough, young” Spitfire pilot from Renfrewshire who was killed in action.

Mr Burt, an RAF Forward Air Controller, has been looking into the history of the 40 pilots who served in 152 ‘Nizam of Hyderabad’ squadron.

He said: “One of its pilots was Sergeant John McBean Christie, a tough young Scottish lad from the Renfrewshire area.

“I am trying to trace any family members, where John went to school, pictures and any other information.

“I am hoping Express readers could help with this request and all of this information is going into a book which I am writing on the squadron.”

This old black and white photo – taken on a Box Brownie camera – is the only known snapshot of Sergeant Christie and shows him standing next to Spitfire UM-N at the RAF Warmwell base, in Dorset, in 1940 shortly before his death.

According to The Scottish War Graves Project, he was the son of Alex and Margaret Christie, of Oldhall, Paisley, and was known to them as Jack.

In January 1940, conversion to Spitfires began and, after a period of defensive patrols in the north-east, the squadron moved to Warmwell to help defend southern England against attacks from the Luftwaffe forces now based in northern France.

Throughout the Battle of Britain, no 152 defended this sector, which included Portland naval base.

Sergeant Christie was killed after being shot down just a month after signing up with the squadron.

Mr Burt explained: “Christie joined 152 Squadron at Warmwell in August 1940. On September 26 of that year, Christie was shoot down by a Bf 109 in combat over the Channel off Swanage, Dorset.

“His Spitfire K9882 crashed into the sea and he was picked up dead. He is buried in Arkleston Cemetery, Renfrew, and was just 22 years old.”

The squadron disbanded for the final time in 1967 and it had the motto “faithful ally”, with a badge showing the head-dress of the Nizam of Hyderabad as it had been the gift squadron of Hyderabad.

Mr Burt’s book is called Summer Of A Dappled Shade and is a full history of the squadron from July 10 to November 28, 1940.

During this time 14 men were killed and another eight lost their lives during the rest of World War Two.

● If you know anything about Sergeant Christie or have any photos of him, please phone Lynn Jolly in the Express newsroom on 0141 309 3551 or email lynn.jolly@trinitymirror.com

Story and Photo:  http://www.paisleydailyexpress.co.uk

Flexjet Hiring More Pilots As Positive Growth Trend Continues: Operations anticipates hiring in the double digits in 2013 and beyond

DALLAS, Aug. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- (www.flexjet.com) - Due to sustained growth, Flexjet - the world's second largest fractional jet ownership services provider - is intensifying its recruitment of pilots throughout the aviation community to satisfy increasing demand. Flexjet recently reported 96 percent growth of new fractional and jet card sales when comparing January to June 2013 to the same period in 2012.

"Flexjet's commitment to offering its owners exceptional private jet travel experiences starts with our dedicated pilots, who uphold the highest safety and service standards in the industry," said Jason Weiss, Vice President of Operations, Flexjet. "We are thrilled to be expanding our dedicated pilot team during this exciting growth period, and anticipate hiring in the double digits in 2013 and beyond."

Flexjet crews are trained to a higher standard than required by the FAA's FAR Part 135 regulations. First officers are all type rated in their assigned aircraft and complete the same training as required by captains. Additionally, pilots are trained and checked every six months regardless of seat assignment. Flexjet pilot training extends beyond the aircraft to make sure owners are not only safe and on time, but also receive a premium experience each and every time they fly.

Once hired, new pilots are enrolled in a comprehensive one-month training process. The initial 10-day new hire course covers everything from internal topics to FAA-required subjects. After its completion, crews move into aircraft specific ground school - ranging from seven to nine days -followed by six simulator sessions prior, to their type rating check ride. New pilots are then put through a line oriented flight training (LOFT) session in the simulator before they move on to the aircraft portion of their operating experience.

In addition to displaying a true passion for service, interested pilots should have at least 2,500 hours of total flight time, 500 hours of multi-engine flight time and 500 hours of turbine time. Additionally, all new pilots are required to have an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate and a First Class Medical.

For more information or to apply for a position, please visit www.flexjet.com/company/careers/.

About Flexjet

Richardson, Texas-based Flexjet--a division of Bombardier, the world's largest business aviation manufacturer--first entered the fractional jet ownership market in 1995. Flexjet now offers whole aircraft ownership and management, fractional jet ownership, jet cards and charter brokerage services. Flexjet's fractional aircraft program is the first in the world to be recognized as achieving the Air Charter Safety Foundation's Industry Audit Standard, and Flexjet is the first and only company to be honored with its 14th FAA Diamond Award for Excellence. Flexjet's fractional program fields an exclusive family of Bombardier business aircraft--some of the youngest in the fractional jet industry with an average age of approximately six years--including the Learjet 40 XR, Learjet 45 XR, Learjet 60 XR, Challenger 300 and Challenger 605 business jets. For more details on innovative programs and flexible offerings, visit www.flexjet.com.

Flexjet has an approved fractional ownership program pursuant 14 C.F.R. Part 91, Subpart K, and manages flights for individual aircraft owners under Part 91 whole aircraft management program.

All jet card flights are operated under Part 135 by U.S. air carriers. Flexjet acts as an agent for the air carrier or the customer in arranging transportation operated under Part 135 by the U.S. air carrier. Flexjet acts as an agent for the customer with on-demand charter broker services when arranging transportation operated under Part 135 by U.S. air carriers.

About Bombardier

Bombardier is the world's only manufacturer of both planes and trains. Looking far ahead while delivering today, Bombardier is evolving mobility worldwide by answering the call for more efficient, sustainable and enjoyable transportation everywhere. Our vehicles, services and, most of all, our employees are what make us a global leader in transportation.

Bombardier is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Our shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD) and we are listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America Indexes. In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012, we posted revenues of $16.8 billion. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier.

Bombardier, Challenger 300, Challenger 605, Flexjet, Learjet 40 XR, Learjet 45 XR, Learjet 60 XR and The Evolution of Mobility are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.

For Information Erin Portman (512) 448-0502 Erin.Portman@TeamOne-usa.com

www.flexjet.comwww.bombardier.com

SOURCE Flexjet

Source:  http://www.marketwatch.com

Aviation association calls for release of abducted pilots in Lebanon

BEIRUT: The International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations called Monday for the immediate release of two Turkish Airlines pilots who were kidnapped in Beirut last week.

“[IFALPA] condemns this action and calls for the immediate release of the two pilots,” the organization said in a statement, adding that such an attack on civil aviation constituted “a willful hazard to the safety and security of passengers and crew.

“States and operators should consider the prevention of such attacks as a high priority, and do everything in their power to ensure the security of air crews and their families, in particular during layovers,” IFALPA said.

A group of gunmen kidnapped captain Murat Akpinar and his co-pilot Murat Agca as they headed to their Beirut hotel on a bus shortly after arriving in Lebanon at the Rafik Hariri International Airport.

A local group, Zuwwar al-Imam Ali al-Reda, claimed responsibility for the kidnapping, demanding in exchange the release of nine Lebanese hostages in Syria who were abducted in May of last year by rebels.

Relatives of the Lebanese argue that Ankara, a strong supporter of the Syrian opposition, can secure the release of their loved ones.

IFALPA also said that it was constantly examining all flight crew transportation and accommodation and would continue to work alongside governments and operators to protect air crews against security threats.

“IFALPA will also raise the matter with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to ensure that international Standards and Recommended Practices provide the necessary basis for the highest security regulations worldwide,” it added.
 
Source: http://www.dailystar.com.lb

Diabetic pilot flies high for his cause: Participates in flight to raise awareness

 

Jason Harmon inspects the controls of the airplane he recently flew to and from Wisconsin to attend an airshow. 

Photo Courtesy/Credit  Bill Green

When a lifelong dream could have come to a halt, Monrovia resident Jason Harmon would not let it happen.

Harmon, now 41, wanted to be a pilot ever since he was a young child. He said he specifically hoped to be a military pilot. At age 16 he started taking lessons at Frederick Municipal Airport and he got his private pilot’s license at 17.

It was shortly after he graduated high school that the symptoms started — constant thirst, blurry vision and frequent urination. All of these led to the diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes, which at the time meant no piloting a plane under any circumstance.

“I was pretty devastated. ... You’re told, ‘You’re not a pilot anymore and you never will be,’” Harmon said.

When it came to his “plan B” career, Harmon turned to another interest: computer programming.

At young age, Harmon was able to start working for the Discovery Channel as a network engineer, where he said he stayed “until the beginning of the dot-com era.”

Harmon then moved on to the company USWeb prior to starting his own healthcare software company, Get Real Health, in 2001.

He said the company works on software to help patients manage chronic conditions including his own.

During all this time, Harmon said the thrill of flying left neither his heart nor his mind.

“I always had a longing to fly again and a hope that someday I’d be able to. It’s a bug that once you get it in your system, it’s hard to get out,” he said.

In the late ’90s, Harmon said he read an article that said pilots with well-controlled diabetes could receive a third class medical certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA.

This would allow these diabetic pilots to be able to fly recreationally or as a flight instructor, but not as a commercial pilot.

“I was surprised and very happy,” said Harmon, who received his certification in 1999.

From there, Harmon said he flew as much as possible and even received instrument ratings that allowed him to fly in inclement weather and in planes with multiple engines. Though he owned a plane at one time, Harmon said he now rents from the Frederick Flight Center.

Under his certification, Harmon said he has to follow specific procedures under the FAA. These procedures involve testing his own blood sugar no more than 30 minutes prior to take off. The results cannot be below 100 or above 300.

Once he takes off, Harmon said he has to re-test every hour while in flight and if his levels drop below 100, he has to take glucose and re-test again in 30 minutes.

“Safety is maintained because we have to test it well before it would get to a dangerous range,” Harmon said.

He said the actual test takes 10 to 15 seconds and takes place while the plane is at a stable cruise.

Harmon said compared to other piloting factors, “Diabetes really is the easiest thing to manage.”

With the success of his career in the software world, Harmon said being a career commercial pilot is no longer a personal goal. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t hope for it for those in similar positions of having well-managed Type 1 diabetes.

“I’d like to see that opportunity for those who have shown that they can [fly] safely,” said Harmon, who said he controls his disease through frequent blood sugar testing; managing his diet; getting exercise; and managing his insulin dosage.

To raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, or JDRF, and to give hope to other diabetic pilots, Harmon recently participated in the Diabetes Formation Flight for the second year in a row.

The flight involved four pilots — all with well-controlled diabetes — flying in a formation out of Omaha, Neb., to Madison, Wis.

Harmon said they met in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on July 25 and did practice flights over that weekend. The formation flight took place on July 29 and Harmon flew home the next day.

“We were trying to raise awareness of what pilots with well-controlled diabetes could do,” he said.

For the formation flight, Harmon said he had to stay only two wing-spans from the plane he was following. He said they established a speed record of about 115 nautical miles per hour — the equivalent of 131 to 132 land miles per hour.

He said donations for JDRF are still being accepted at DFFUSA.org.

Harmon said he was joined in a Diamond DA-40XLS by co-pilot Taylor Verett of New Jersey, who Harmon said was recently Type 1 diagnosed and awaiting his certification.

Harmon said he was hoping to show young pilots like Verett that “diabetes does not need to limit the scope of your dreams and ambitions.”

He said he expects to see either a cure for Type 1 diabetes or for the FAA to recognize the impeccable safety records of diabetic pilots following FAA medical certificate guidelines.

Harmon said there were about 500 pilots with this certification and many of them would be able to maintain a career as a commercial pilot.

“You can very effectively manage the condition,” he said.

Story and Photo Gallery:   http://www.fredericknewspost.com

Abduction of Turkish pilots linked to Shiite hostages in Syria

 

Turkish Airlines pilot Murat Akpinar (R) and his co-pilot Murat Agca were forced out of a shuttle bus at the Cocodi Bridge, less than a kilometer from Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport, after 3 a.m. and taken away by six gunmen

 

Turkish Airlines pilot Murat Akpinar (R), kidnapped on August 9, 2013 in Beirut, is seen in an undated file picture obtained from the Turkish Ihlas news agency posing with a woman. 

(The Daily Star)

BEIRUT: Gunmen kidnapped early Friday two Turkish Airlines pilots headed to a Beirut hotel shortly after they arrived in the country, security sources told The Daily Star, in a move apparently linked to the lingering case of Lebanese hostages being held in Syria. 

Turkish Airlines pilot Murat Akpinar and his co-pilot Murat Agca were forced out of a shuttle bus at the Cocodi Bridge, less than a kilometer from Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport, after 3 a.m. and taken away by six gunmen, the sources, who spoke on condition, said.

The sources said the gunmen drove off in a silver BMW X3 and a black KIA Picanto after kidnapping the two from the shuttle, which serves the Radisson Blu Martinez Hotel in Ain al-Mreisseh.

The driver of the bus, 72-year-old Maher Mohammad Zeaiter, told police he was unable to prevent the gunmen from taking the Turks, saying he feared his 12-year-old son, who was in the vehicle at the time, could have been harmed.

Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said the bus driver was being interrogated as part of the investigation into the incident.

Zeaiter denied any role in the abduction, telling The Daily Star he has “been a trusted employee at the hotel for 13 years.”

According to local media, a group calling itself Zuwwar al-Imam Ali al-Reda, claimed responsibility for the abduction of the two Turks and demanded the release of nine Shiite pilgrims being held by Syrian rebels.

The nine pilgrims were among 11 Lebanese kidnapped by the Syrian opposition in May 2012 in the Azaz district of Aleppo. Only two of the kidnapped Lebanese have been released.

“[The Turkish nationals] are our guests until the hostages in Azaz are released,” the group said in a statement carried by local media.

“The return of the visitors [the Lebanese hostages] will be met with the return of the pilots,” the statement said, holding Ankara directly responsible for the abduction of the Lebanese Shiites.

The group had previously threatened to target Turkish and Syrian nationals in Lebanon.

Turkish interests in Lebanon have been under threat over the case of the Lebanese hostages. Families of the kidnapped have held several protests outside the offices of Turkish Airlines in Beirut and the Turkish Embassy, arguing that Ankara bears responsibility for the abduction given its backing of the rebels.

The relatives denied Friday any involvement in the kidnapping of Akpinar and Agca.

"We have nothing to do with it and we were surprised and heard about it from the news just like everybody else,” Daniel Shoeb, a spokesperson for the relatives, told local media.

“Our steps are known and we were preparing a protest outside the Turkish Embassy and we reject kidnappings,” he added.

Sheikh Abbas Zogheib, tasked by the Higher Shiite Council to follow up on the case of the Lebanese in Syria, said the families played no role in the incident.

“The relatives have nothing to do with it ... but every Lebanese that has dignity and love for his country should do anything to end the case of the Lebanese,” Zogheib told The Daily Star.

“The only condemnation here should be toward Turkey because it is the one that made the situation reach this point and harm Turkey-Lebanon relations,” he added.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu contacted Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri over the incident, Anadolu News Agency quoted diplomatic sources as saying.

Mikati and Berri expressed their grief, saying such an incident should not affect ties with Ankara, the state-run agency said.

Earlier in the day, Turkish Ambassador to Lebanon Inan Ozyildiz contacted Charbel seeking clarifications on the abduction, reported Lebanon’s National News Agency.

Charbel also informed President Michel Sleiman of the information security forces have been able to gather thus far the agency said.

Sources at Turkish Airlines told The Daily Star that the Airbus 321 pilots had disembarked at Terminal 16 of the Beirut airport after arriving from Istanbul.

The security sources said the shuttle bus included other crew members of flight TK828 who were headed back to their hotel.

Radisson Hotel in Beirut would not comment when contacted by The Daily Star.

Read more: http://www.dailystar.com

Pilot nets 1,000 flights with Air Evac team

 

Courtesy photo 

Lewisburg Air Evac Lifeteam pilot John Lovell receives his 1,000th flight wings from Senior Director of Flight Operations Tony Bonham.

John Lovell, a pilot for the Lewisburg Air Evac Lifeteam base, recently celebrated a major milestone in his career — his 1,000th flight. 

Lovell joined Air Evac Lifeteam in 2004 after serving for 25 years in the U.S. Army. He flew in Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom.

Lovell retired out of Ft. Campbell, Ky., and heard about Air Evac Lifeteam from other military pilots.

“It sounded like an interesting job,” Lovell said. “Air Evac is a good company, and I enjoy the interaction with the patients and their families.”

Lovell and his wife, Tammy, have three children. The couple lives in Spring Hill.

Air Evac Lifeteam, an air medical service, provides rapid access to definitive health care for those who live in medically underserved areas. Flight crews, consisting of a pilot, flight nurse and flight paramedic, are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to respond to the scene of an emergency, or provide transportation between medical facilities.

Air Evac Lifeteam currently operates 114 bases in 15 states. For more information, visit http://www.lifeteam.net or search for the team on Facebook.

Story and Photo:   http://columbiadailyherald.com

Report: New York Power Authority spent $400k on pilots, aviation director

ALBANY — The New York Power Authority spent nearly $400,000 on pilots and an aviation director during the 2012 fiscal year while maintaining its own plane, according to a report Thursday from the state Comptroller’s Office.

The White Plains-based authority has three full-time pilots on staff and spent an additional $155,000 on two travel department workers last year, the report found. The authority has also “made use of chartered air services and contracted for temporary pilot services” despite owning its own plane, according to the Comptroller’s Office.

At the same time, the authority continues to subsidize New York's budget, with a $90 million payment headed from NYPA to the state's coffers this year, bringing the total to more than $1.2 billion over the last decade.

Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli on Thursday questioned whether the authority, which provides low-cost power from its 16 power plants to mostly businesses and utilities, could do more to help ratepayers by focusing on its core mission.

“New Yorkers pay some of the highest electricity rates in the country and need the rate relief that NYPA could provide if it appropriately focused its resources,” DiNapoli said in a statement.

A spokeswoman from the Power Authority declined to provide immediate comment.

In the past, the authority has defended its need to have a plane because they need to travel to power plants around the state, which includes the state's largest power-generation station -- a hydropower plant near Niagara Falls.

Aircraft owned by NYPA has received significant scrutiny over the years, including an unusual arrangement in the late 1990s and early 2000s that allowed for the shared ownership of a plane by the authority and State Police.

After a Comptroller's Office audit questioned the arrangement in 2001, the aircraft was transferred to the State Police in 2006.

In 2007, a second plane was sold to a private entity, and a new plane was purchased for a "reported contract value" of $6.4 million, according to the report. Then-Attorney General Andrew Cuomo launched an investigation in 2008 over the use of NYPA aircraft and why it was used to transport governors and top police officials.

DiNapoli's office also questioned the authority's payroll.

In all, 35 percent of the authority’s workers earn more than $100,000 annually, according to the report. Statewide, 14 percent of public authority staffers earn that much.

NYPA employs 1,636 full- and part-time employees with a total payroll of $146.3 million, according to the report.

Source:   http://www.pressconnects.com

Summer's Flight

KTBS.com - Shreveport, LA News, Weather and Sports 

By Brian Fowler 
 
You're on the runway............the airplane starts to roll......and roll....and roll.... .are we going to taxi to our destination today, you're thinking, or will we be taking off at some point?

It's like trying to spin something through molasses versus water. Its easier to do it through the water cause it's less dense.

On a typical day, a take off roll will seem like its taking longer than it should.

Aircraft have to work a little harder this time of year.  The air is thinner, or less dense, so it makes for a more difficult time.    The props and engines of an aircraft try to cut through the air and lift off the ground.  That's why you may notice that it takes just a little longer on the runway this time of year.

Flying can be a mental test - for passengers, pilots, and students alike.  Meet local flight instructor daniel lafon, of tubreaux aviation.  He'll help us clear the air, as it were.

I've been flying now for about seven years and light instructing for the past three years.

He knows all about how summer heat effects the aviation community and those of us that buzz around the country from time to time.

During the summertime, the sun is heating the ground up a lot more than what we're used to. We can feel that. As the earth gets heated, it heats the air around it and it causes that air to rise. It's just like boiling a pot. That water it starts to boil and flow up. The same thing is happening in the air. It starts to boil and the air is rising. The rising air is what we call turbulence.

Ahh yes....turbulence...Usually a factor in mountainous areas, but around here we, we can feel it too, mainly during the summertime.

That heat causes turbulence.  No matter how good a pilot you got. They're gonna get through some summertime bumps until hopefully you get up high enough where you get away from that turbulence.

The rising air causes those bumps you feel.  It's kinda like riding in a boat on a windy day.  Imagine each of those waves or swells being rising heat or turbulence. Each one you hit with the boat will give you a jolt.  That's what's happening in the air.

That air is hotter so its less dense. And the performance of the airplane is dependent on the density of the air. Whether its the amount of lift being produced by the winds, whether its the amount of horse power or thrust being produced by the engine itself.

Behind me here is a Cessna 172. This is what we're gong to be flying in today. We're going to experience that long take off roll. We're also going to experience that turbulence you feel this time of year at cruising altitude.

So here we go....Daniel checks the airplane first.  It's standard procedure so that you don't find out your plane has problems while you're in the air.

And off we go to an altitude of around twenty-five hundred feet.

We're taking off around 6:30 pm....so the air had a chance to cool down a little.  

We're experiencing a few bumps right now. As you head into the evening, the air tends to become a little more stable. But during the day, certainly a different story.

In fact....have you ever noticed that when you fly in the evening, or especially early morning....its not such a bumpy ride?

Its the coolness. You know the sun's been down all night so its about the coolest part of the day you can get. It creates the most stable-calm conditions. It makes for very smooth enjoyable flights.

Story, Video and Photo:  http://www.ktbs.com

I’m the ‘red baron’!

 

 Richard Goodwin has been revealed as the Vale’s mystery aerobatics pilot. 

 

 The fearless flyer nicknamed the ‘red baron’ after performing spectacular stunts in the skies above several Vale villages has revealed his identity. 

 Richard Goodwin, aged 51, contacted the Journal after his daredevil activities hit the headlines last week.

The pilot from Malvern saw his aerobatics called into question by residents in a number of villages including Fladbury and Throckmorton, who were unhappy with the noise his performances create and he offered them his apologies.

But he was pleased to hear that others had enjoyed the displays.

Mr Goodwin has been hitting the heights in his Pitts S2S biplane, which he stripped and rebuilt almost from scratch, to practice for his nerve-shredding displays at a string of upcoming shows including the Clacton Airshow and the Malvern Autumn Show.

As part of his routine Mr Goodwin performs a spectacular array of stunts including loop-the-loops and vertical climbs and falls.

Speaking to the Journal this week he said: “I apologize for any noise and certainly don’t want to upset anyone. It takes a lot of practice in order to perform these aerobatics. It can be very disorientating and you hit up to +7G and -5G. Your body is experiencing up to seven times its own weight The manoeuvres include the ‘tower of power’. You run in at 200 miles an hour and pull up into a vertical.

Then you roll several times and the plane comes to a stop and begins to travel backwards.”

The commercial pilot, who fought in the Gulf War with the RAF and now flies with the British Aerobatics Association, added: “I used to be in the Royal Air Force and I flew the Tornado GR1 in the first Gulf War.

During my training I had some success in aerobatics and that is where my love for it began.

“I got the Pitts S2S and I have built and developed it on my own and am now getting into some of the bigger air shows with it.

“I displayed at the Cosford Airshow, until that point I had been struggling but afterwards people have seen the plane and realised it is a bit special.

”It is a big achievement. A portion of my fee goes to SSAFA (Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association). A charity that I am proud to support.”

For more information on Mr Goodwin’s work, or to book a display visit richgoodwin-airshows.com.

Story and Photo:   http://www.cotswoldjournal.co.uk

Staten Island teen is an airhead in the truest sense

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - ANNADALE - Before Matthew Sclafani Jr. knew a thing about navigating Staten Island's roads, he was comfortable maneuvering in the sky.

The 17-year-old Annadale resident had flown a small plane by himself in October before acquiring his own driver's license a week later.

And now, the Monsignor Farrell High School graduate is in the process of becoming a commercial airline pilot. Sclafani Jr. will attend Farmingdale State College later this month, where he plans to study in the Long Island-based school's aeronautical science program.

He's been learning to fly since last March, and just two weeks ago, following countless hours of training and studying, became a certified pilot. The process wasn't simple, said Sclafani's father, Matthew Sr.

The younger Sclafani flew solo from Princeton Airport in New Jersey via a Cessna 152, a small two-seat plane, to meet a Federal Aviation Administration flight examiner for an oral exam and check ride.

Upon arriving in Old Bridge Airport, also New Jersey, he aced the oral exam, and then spent two hours in the air with the FAA official to prove his skills. The process included four successful, smooth take-offs and landings, among other difficult tasks, said Sclafani.

"After the final perfect landing," his father said, "The examiner shook his hand and congratulated him. He's now a certified pilot."

Sclafani Jr. became interested in air travel during a trip to the family's summer home in Westhampton, L.I., which was near Francis S. Gabreski Airport.

"I used to beg my dad to take me there," he said, noting planes often flew over the house. Sclafani Jr. said he loved walking around the airport.

When he was in the fifth-grade, the Annadale teen started exploring a flight simulator.

At one point, Sclafani Jr. nearly invested $1,500 to go to a baseball camp, but his father convinced him to pursue his passion for flying.

"He said, 'That's it. I'm taking lessons. And I'm going to be a pilot,' " his father recalled.

A family friend who took the Sclafanis on his own plane wound up being the teen's flight instructor.

The young pilot explained that the process of operating an airplane in comparison to a car is extremely different and requires much more preparation that could take between 15 and 30 minutes. It involves checking the weather and scratching off other checklist items, including walking the plane.

When in the air, Sclafani Jr. said sometimes stressful situations arise, such as low visibility or nearby aircraft, but on peaceful, clear days, "You say to yourself, 'Wow, I'm 2,500 feet in the air and I'm by myself. I'm seeing everything from above, and it's amazing.' "

On Friday, both father and son will occupy the cockpit together for the first time, with Sclafani Jr. manning the controls, of course.

"We're going up," said Sclafani Sr. "Him and I."

Story and Photo:  http://www.silive.com

Gustafson’s passion is flying in the skies

Photo by Ashlie Walter 

Dana Gustafson Dana Gustafson and her dad, Karl, get ready for takeoff at Fairmont Municipal Airport.

Since she was young, Dana Gustafson always knew she wanted to be up in the sky with the clouds flying in an airplane. Her father Karl, a commercial pilot for United Airlines, was the main inspiration for her passion.

“When I was younger, we would always fly to places, and my main goal is to become a commercial pilot,” Gustafson said.

She said the thrill of flying in a plane is what interests her.

While flying would scare most people, Gustafson has learned to put aside that fear and just enjoy it. For her first flight, when she was 17 years old, she said she was excited and learned to keep an open mind.

“I just like looking outside. The first time I was a little bit nervous, but I got past it,” she said.

Currently, Gustafson, 19, has her private pilot’s license, which means she can fly alone. She also is finishing her Instrument Flight Rules exam. In that exam, she has to fly a plane only by looking at her instruments. She hopes to work her way up to a license to pilot a commercial plane.

After the instrument exam, Gustafson said she will get her twin-engine ratings and then become an instructor to build enough time and experience before being able to fly a commercial plane. Commercial pilots are required to have 1,500 hours of flying time.

During her practice on a family friend’s plane, she said they have traveled far on some occasions. Gustafson and her dad took a long trip to Illinois to visit family. The two also have flown to Houston.

The farthest Gustafson has flown by herself was to Tennessee.

In her spare time, she is a member of the Civil Air Patrol, where she goes on missions to find lost planes, learn leadership skills and teach kids about aerospace.

Gerald Wedemeyer is the squadron commander of the Clarksburg Composite Squadron where Gustafson has been a cadet for several years.

He said Gustafson earned the Mitchell Award, which is quite a milestone in the Civil Air Patrol. The award moves her from cadet to cadet officer.

On their missions, Wedemeyer described their winter practice search in Elkins. They went there to learn cold weather survival, including how to camp out, stay warm and dress properly.

“Most of the time, we’re looking for practice targets, training in radio communications and training with another group of searchers,” Wedemeyer said. “Everybody has to go through it so that if something comes up, we have people with some experience.”

He said Gustafson is responsible for training new cadets, functioning as the cadet commander for a period of time and organizing the activities for all cadets.

“She’s shown the initiative,” Wedemeyer said.

David McRobie said he first met Gustafson while in the Civil Air Patrol (CAP). McRobie had not flown a plane in a while so he took a refresher course through the CAP and bought the small plane. Gustafson was just starting out at CAP, and she used McRobie’s plane for practice.

McRobie said Gustafson already had some training in smaller airplanes, but she wanted to fly something bigger.

“I think it’s a good idea for women or men to do something they like this early on so they can tell whether they like to do it or not to do,” McRobie said.

Gustafson graduated from Bridgeport High School and participated on the swim team and was a member of marching band.

She is attending Fairmont State University, studying airport management and plans to graduate in 2016.

Story and Photos:   http://www.exponent-telegram.com

Fighting fires from above: Big Bear Valley pilot fights fires around the Western U.S.

While many planes are grounded when forest fires strike, Mike Gremillion flies his directly into the path of the fire.

Gremillion, who lives and works in Big Bear Valley, has been a pilot for nearly 20 years. He became interested in aviation when he served as a crew chief for a B-52 while in the Air Force. He has served as a charter pilot, instructor and an in-flight air traffic controller during forest fires. Although he is based out of Portervilleduring the fire season, he also plans to open and operates a flight school at the Big Bear Airport.

Gremillion flies an Aero Commander 500 over forest fires, flying above the helicopters and other planes that work to put out fires with a series of coordinated water drops. Being above the traffic jam of aircraft below gives Gremillion a birds-eye view as well as the best radio signal in the area. He said the main role he plays is facilitating radio contact between the firefighters on the ground, the aircraft in the sky and the various agencies involved in the fires.

“We can put men into space, but we can’t send radio through a mountain,” Gremillion said. “Radio technology still operates on line of sight. We serve as a relay for radio contact.”

For the full story click here

Story and Photos:   http://www.bigbeargrizzly.net

Flying is a family affair for the Andersons: Culpeper Regional Airport (KCJR), Virginia

Vincent Vala 

 Whitehawk Aviation Chief Flight Instructor J.J. Quinn (left) poses with the members of the Anderson family and their planes which are hangared at the Culpeper County Airport. From left are Melissa, Darien, Zac and Brad Anderson. Melissa, Darien and Zac have their pilots licenses.

Ever since childhood, Darien Anderson wanted to learn how to fly - a dream he didn't truly believe was attainable - until a few years ago.

After he and his wife, Melissa, opened the Mt. Run Bowling Center in downtown Culpeper with the help of their two sons, Zac and Brad, Anderson decided during a visit to the Culpeper County AirFest in October of 2009 that it was finally time to go for it.

And within a few years of getting started, the Anderson family now frequently take to the skies as Darien, Melissa and Zac have all earned their pilot licenses, and the family has a pair of planes they keep hangared at the Culpeper County Airport.

"I came to the 2009 air show and I figured, if I didn't do it now, I never would," Darien said. "So I jumped into it."

By March, Anderson had his license and his first plane. His wife and older son began learning to fly soon afterward.

Melissa said she started out wanting to learn only the basics.

"I just wanted to know what to do if anything happened to him," Melissa said. "Once I started learning, I wanted to keep going."

Zac, 17, said he has introduced many of his friends to aviation since obtaining his license last January.

Like his brother, Brad has logged ample flying hours working with Whitehawk Aviation Chief Flight Instructor J.J. Quinn.

But with a busy high school junior year ahead, Brad said he is "at a crossroad" about continuing to work toward his license right now.   

Quinn said it is unusual to see an entire family of flying enthusiasts earn their pilot licenses.

Melissa said it is often women who do not fly - even in aviation-oriented families.

"A lot of the time the women are afraid of it, or they think it will be too complicated. If I can do it, they can, too," Melissa said. "You learn one thing at a time and then build on that."

In addition to being something the family can do together, Melissa said it's a great way for all of them to unwind after working hard at the bowling center. 

"It's a great stress reliever because, when you're flying, you can't think about anything else."

Darien said the family is participating in Virginia's Ambassador Program.

"It's a program where you fly to all of the airports in Virginia; we have about 11 left," he said. "When you finish you get leather flight jackets and flight bags."

Darien said they have also flown "angel missions," in which medical patients are transported by plane to receive treatment at facilities they could not otherwise access.

"I've taken plenty of my friends up for flights," Darien said. "Any excuse I can find, I go flying."

Darien said the family has a Cessna 172, which is a very popular plane for beginning pilots and those in training.

"It's very economical and easy on fuel," he said.

Darien said he bought the Cessna for about $12,000 - the price many people might pay for a decent used car.

The family also has a Piper Lance, a larger plane which Darien said can carry more weight and is better for the family's longer trips.

"It's a more complex, higher-performance plane," he said. "They're all the same systems, but the systems are a little more complicated."

Darien said the family saves money by keeping both planes in a single hangar; they bought a lift system which allows them to store one plane above the other.

Darien says they also do a lot of the maintenance themselves with guidance from certified mechanics at the local facility.

"There are ways to save money and make it more affordable," he said. "Some people might take $90 and go play golf. I take my $90 and buy gasoline and go flying. It's just a matter of priorities."

Story and Photo:  http://www.dailyprogress.com

Airline pilot returns to skies after surgery on spine

A pilot who feared his career was over after a serious spinal injury is now back in the skies thanks to life-changing surgery.

Commercial airline pilot Jonathan Parker, a former RAF fighter pilot, suffered three slipped discs in his neck after an accident in May 2012.

He feared he would lose his job as his injuries left him in agony and unable to use his left arm.

But surgeons at Leeds Spire Hospital spent two hours operating on his spine in June last year and now, after intensive physiotherapy, he has passed the flying fitness tests and returned to his job. Father-of-two Jonathan, of Allerton Bywater, near Castleford, said: “I was devastated to think that my career might be over. As an airline pilot and a father, it was crucial that I find immediate treatment so I could return to a normal life and resume my career.”

Consultant neurosurgeon Deb Pal said: “The prolapsed discs were compressing the nerves as well as his spinal cord. Left alone, it would likely have continued to deteriorate. “Jonathan’s lifestyle was hugely affected and most importantly he had stopped flying in his capacity as a pilot.”

Surgery involved reaching the slipped discs from the front of his neck. They were removed and a cage packed with bone graft was placed in the empty disc space. Mr Pal said he was delighted with the results: “I chose this particular procedure as the pressure on the nerves and spinal cord was in the front and therefore the approach needed to be from the front. I was confident that his arm pain would improve immediately following surgery.”

Jonathan said: “The combination of great surgery and physiotherapy meant I was back at work after just two months. At the age of 49 I could not have healed like that without the intervention of these two treatments.”

Story and Photo:  http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk
 

Jonathan Parker with his two children, John and Molly

New Book “Modified Flight Plan”: Triple-Amputee Pilot Brian Thomas

 

SPRINGFIELD — Lincoln residents, Lisa Kovanda and former Springfield resident Brian Thomas released a new book, “Modified Flight Plan,” chronicling Thomas’s recovery from an illness that left him a triple amputee. The authors will be signing copies of the book at Norm’s Liquor in Springfield on Saturday, Aug. 10, from 2-4 p.m. Copies of the book will be available to purchase at the event.  

Most 16-year-old kids joyride in Daddy’s pickup. Not Brian Thomas. Instead, you found him out buzzing the football team in Daddy’s airplane. Flying was his life. Both of his parents were pilots. His older brother was in the Air Force. And Brian couldn’t imagine himself as anything but an aviator.

That is, until the bleeding disorder he had battled since he was 2 years old sidelined him. After several failed chemotherapy treatments, Brian opted for a potentially disease-curing, but risky spleen removal. After more chemotherapy, he regained his flight status, but was left with an altered immune system.

In April 2009, Brian left his job at Duncan Aviation, where he is an aviation mechanic, to go home with what he thinks is the flu. Four hours later, he was comatose and on life support. His hands, feet, and face developed gangrene. Ten days later when he woke up, he faced the prospect of becoming a quadruple amputee. Surgeons saved his left hand, but he faced a long road to recovery and regaining his life.

The book is available for purchase at Amazon.com in both print and Kindle versions.

A book trailer video for “Modified Flight Plan” is posted at http://youtu.be/mp__4vSKeQc

Brian is a member of the Nebraska Writers Guild, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), Experimental Aircraft Association, (EAA), Cessna Owners Association, Pilots of America, Aircraft Maintenance Technicians Society (AMT Society), and is a Certified Peer Visitor with Amputee Empowerment Partners.

Brian is the son of Ray and Trish Thomas of Springfield. He is an graduate of Bon Homme High School of Tyndall and Lake Area Technical Institute of Watertown.

Lisa Kovanda is the current President of the Nebraska Writers Guild, Municipal Liaison for the Nebraska: Lincoln, and Nebraska: Elsewhere regions for National Novel Writing Month, NaNoWriMo, and an active member of the Nebraska Writers Workshop, Local Muse, and a charter member of the Nebraska Film Association.

Source:  http://www.yankton.net

Airline captain: God or airplane driver?

By Guwan Seeya
 
Usually there are two external pressures that all captains and crew are subjected to, by those peripheral decision-makers. The first is ‘pilot pushing’ which, simply put, is ‘go and don’t stop for any reason’. The other is ‘penny pinching’. That means, save money at all costs (pun intended) whatever the result. It must be remembered that once the captain sits in his/her seat to operate a flight, his/her priorities are quite different to that at the planning stage. Safety is the number one priority. Comfort of passengers is number two. Schedule is number three; and economy is the last factor. The Buck stops with the Captain.

In almost all airlines there is a ‘punctuality improvement committee’ that goes into the reason for a flight delay. It constitutes of representatives from all frontline departments, and ideally should rely on the captain, the ‘team leader, to apportion the reason for the delay, as he/she and his/her passengers see it. Unfortunately this results in a protracted ‘blame game’, and the committee members are distracted from their primary task of improving the on-time performance, as they may focus only on who should take the blame for a delay! As employees, do they know their ‘on-time’ performance as against the same day last year? The committee should really concentrate on those lines and educate all, so that all employees work toward the same goal.

Many years ago, this writer was pleasantly surprised when on the first flight he operated for a high-profile Southeast Asian carrier, he was told by his flight instructor that he could rest assured that all doors will close on time as there was a collective motivation, by all concerned, to do so. That was the prevalent ‘company culture’, which is unfortunately not usually observed or experienced in the airline we know so well, which is unable to even give a stable flight schedule to its employees.

Continued ... Read more here:   http://www.island.lk