Cost Cuts are a Stabilizer for U.S. Airlines
from The Los Angeles Times
They couldn't have known it at the time, but United Airlines and other U.S. carriers were dealt a lucky break last year when an oil shock made it appear they were headed for bankruptcy. Overseas rivals, who were shielded from stratospheric fuel costs and the collapse of the U.S. dollar at the time, are now months behind the U.S. airline industry in dealing with the aftereffects of the global economic crisis that started as fuel prices fell, analysts said. More

West Virginia Regional Airport Now Offering Charter Flights
from WBOY-TV
Mountain Air Services says it has installed two new engines in its charter plane, and says it is ready to go. It says it can seat up to seven people and costs $650 per hour. Mountain Air Services says chartering a plane is more convenient because it cuts down on flight time. More

AP INVESTIGATION: South Carolina Governor Used European Charters
from Associated Press
South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, already facing scrutiny for expensive taxpayer-funded flights, relied on charter jet services costing more than $63,000 when traveling in Europe on two state business trips, an Associated Press investigation has found. More

Former FAA Inspector Predicts: Next 9/11 Attack Could be With Booby-trapped Planes
from the Washington Examiner
A former Federal Aviation Administration inspector from Long Island, who says he was fired in 2002 for refusing to cover up glaring safety issues, predicts that the next major terrorist attack will involve airplanes blown up simultaneously in the air. More

FAA Requires Inspections for Some TCM Cylinders
from AVweb
The FAA issued an airworthiness directive that affects certain Teledyne Continental Motors reciprocating engines with TCM EQ3 cylinders installed. The AD applies to engines in the O-470, IO-470, TSIO-470, IO-520, TSIO-520, IO-550, and IOF-550 series, which are found in a variety of GA airplanes, including many Beech and Cessna models. More

United's Final 737 Flight Set for Oct. 28
from USA Today
United Airlines will retire the last Boeing 737 jet from its fleet on Oct. 28. In a message issued to employees, United says its "last Boeing 737 -- the beloved 'guppy' that served our airline and millions of customers well for more than 41 years -- will retire from revenue service at the end of Oct., in line with the fleet retirement plans announced in the fall of 2008." More

Columbia Helicopters Receives FAA Production Certificate
from Vertical Magazine
Columbia Helicopters Inc. is pleased to announce that the Federal Aviation Administration has completed its evaluation process, and has awarded the company a Production Certificate for the Columbia Model 234 and Columbia 107-II helicopters. This step follows Columbia's acquisition of the Type Certificates for both aircraft in December 2006. More

Commentary: Charting a New Path for FAA
from the Federal Times
GPS has introduced some remarkable improvements in aviation and, in fact, is one of the cornerstones of the Federal Aviation Administration's next generation air traffic control system, code-named "NextGen." NextGen, however, uses GPS improvements that you don't get in your car. One is Wide Area Augmentation, which provides an additional degree of accuracy and reliability, both desirable when functioning in a critical environment such as U.S. airspace. More

Reveal Imaging Wins $30 Million TSA Deal
from Washington Technology
Passengers will see a smoother baggage process at the new Panama City-Bay County International Airport in Florida, thanks to a $4,054,600 grant, airport officials said. "This will allow us to have the latest, state-of-the-art equipment," said airport executive director Randy Curtis. More

Upcoming Meetings

Oct. 7 & 8, 2009 - Safety/Security Councils
Oct. 23, 2009 - Maintenance Council (Las Vegas, Nevada)
Nov. 18, 2009 - Board of Directors
Dec. 23, 2009 - Operations Council
Dec. 9 & 10, 2009 - Safety/Security Council