briefs

A New Zealand pilot was in court this week on fraud charges related to lying about having ditched his Cessna 185 in July 2004, according to the New Zealand Herald. Howard Jamison, 46, had reported that he took off from Timaru Airport and was flying offshore when the airplane’s engine surged and stopped. He said […]

U. S. Rep Tom Reynolds, of New York, called last week for an investigation into pilot fatigue and a fresh look at rules regarding duty time. “Not since 1940 have flight-and-duty-time rules for pilots been updated,” said Reynolds. “That simply is unacceptable.” Reynolds cited a recent NTSB report on a fatal crash in Kirksville, Mo., […]

Meanwhile, in the U.K., a documentary on Ryanair by Channel Four accuses the airline of requiring pilots to work excessive hours, even when they are fatigued. Ryanair has denied and disputed all of the filmmakers’ allegations. The program, Dispatches, aired Monday night. Two undercover reporters posed as cabin crew and spent five months secretly filming […]

Under new rules to be introduced later this year by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the minimum flight time for commercial pilots in Europe would be cut from 145 hours to 70, while simulator time would increase from 90 to 170 hours. The British Air Line Pilots Association (BALPA) is protesting the change. “Simulators […]

Virgin America, the U.S. stepchild of Richard Branson’s Virgin brand, has started hiring pilots for its base in San Francisco. The new airline is looking for six experienced pilots right now to help with starting up, then will hire more than 100 pilots later this year to staff its fleet of 33 Airbus 320-family jets. […]

https://avweb.com/avmail/ Reader mail this week about night rescues, landing on a highway, crashing on the centerline and much more.

COLUMNS CEO of the Cockpit #54: BaggageAnybody else notice that right about the time wheeled suitcases started coming onto airplanes, airline profits started dropping? AVweb’s CEO of the Cockpit didn’t notice, but his Marine buddy did and pines for those earlier, testosterone-filled days. __________AUDIO CLIPNon-towered pattern entry. Dick Taylor explains the not-so-common knowledge that keeps […]

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Imagine flying above a scenic landscape, but instead of being strapped into a cramped, noisy seat, you’re relaxing in a spacious lounge, with huge picture windows, room to walk around, overnight cabins, and sit-down meals. That’s the concept behind the Aeroscraft, a huge airship more than 600 feet long, now under development at Aeros, a […]