Week in brief July 15 2011

The Wings of Life fleet of seven aircraft that are currently flying around Australia to raise funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service dropped into Broken Hill yesterday and offered local children the chance to experience the thrill of flight. As we’ve previously reported, the Wings of Life organisation was formed in June 2010 by Douglas Field and its purposes are two-fold – the 19-year-old Queenslander started it as part of his Bachelor of Aviation at Griffith University, but he also started it to express his gratitude towards the RFDS, for which it raises funds and awareness. Field hopes to raise $30,000 for the RFDS, and he and his team have so far secured $7000 through donations and selling merchandise. To follow Field and the Wings of Life team and find out when they’ll be in your neck of the woods, or to donate to their noble cause, click here.


As far as aviation goes, the fallout from the Government’s carbon tax has focussed on how it’ll push the cost of fuel up and thereby affect the bottom line for Australia’s airlines, which in most cases have suggested that they'll pass the additional costs on to customers by jacking up air fares, and how it’ll seriously mess with regional aviation and smaller airlines like Rex. But Regional Aviation Association of Australia CEO Paul Tyrell has reminded the mainstream media that the new tax will also impact on the Royal Flying Doctor Service and other aero-medical services once it’s introduced next July. For what it’s worth, our PM Julia Gillard has told the press that the government, “will work with [the RFDS] to deal with any impacts they feel from pricing carbon…if the Royal Flying Doctor Service needs further direct assistance then we will provide it”, adding that the carbon pricing package had a special fund to help not-for-profit organisations adjust. As increasing financial pressures such as the carbon tax increasingly impinge on noble operations such as the RFDS, it’s great to see the likes of Douglas Field pitching in to help gather funds.


Chen Wei, a Chinese citizen living in the US, is currently completing a circumnavigation in his Socata TBM-700 single engine turboprop. Attempting to become the first Chinese citizen to fly a private plane around the world, 40-year-old Wei was inspired to make the 40,000km, 10-week voyage to share the joy and inspiration of flight with his countrymen. His flight began in Memphis on May 22 and will cover more than 40 cities in 21 countries. While an amazing feat, Wei’s flight is also symbolic of China’s current rapid growth into a major player on the international General Aviation scene. Teledyne Continental Motors and Cirrus Aircraft are the first major Western GA entities that China has acquired, and we hear there’ll likely be more before too long… .


And while on the subject of China, the South China Morning Post has reported that Cessna is in talks with Aviation Industry Corp. of China (AVIC), the state-owned conglomerate that recently bought Teledyne Continental Motors and Cirrus Aircraft, to collaborate on a new business jet aimed squarely at the burgeoning Chines market. Cessna vice president for international sales, Trevor Esling, told the publication that the preliminary talks were around jointly designing and producing the jets. And AVIC is also in similar discussions with other biz jet manufacturers, including Hawker Beechcraft, whose CEO Bill Boisture has suggested a preliminary decision on the potential partnership could be made before the end of the year. And for the record, Gulfstream (31) has the most biz jets in mainland China, followed by Cessna (27), Bombardier Aerospace and Hawker Beechcraft with 12 each, and Dassault Falcon with five.


Avweb reports that Diamond Aircraft is reigning in its spending and pulling out of exhibiting at the major aviation consumer shows, such as this month’s EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, in favour of smaller, more specialised venues that offer a more targeted market for some of its products. The funds that Diamond will save in this move will be injected into the manufacturer’s recently reignited DJET personal jet program. It’s interesting to note that when Australian Flying spoke with Hawker Pacific staff at their Diamond Open Day at Bankstown Airport last week, they more or less said the same thing – the Diamond distributor will forego major events like the forthcoming Wide Bay Australia International Airshow in Bundaberg in favour of more open days and demonstration tours. Although, Hawker Pacific did bring a total of eight aircraft to this year’s Avalon Airshow… .


How’s this for a hairy situation for a pilot? In Alaska this week, a Piper Navajo with nine people on board and a float-equipped Cessna 206 were flying in opposite directions through a narrow pass near Anchorage when a float on the 206 contacted the vertical stabiliser of the Navajo. Both aircraft suffered minimal damage and landed safety, but this one could’ve gone completely pear-shaped if not for sheer luck.


The National Transportation Safety Board in the US has included General Aviation Safety on its most wanted list for 2011. The NTSB annually puts 10 sectors/areas of the US transport world on the list to increase public awareness of, and support for, action to adopt steps that can help improve safety and decrease the fatal accident rate. If you’re curious, the fill list also includes Addressing Human Fatigue, Safety Management Systems, Runway Safety, Bus Occupant Safety, Pilot & Air Traffic Controller Professionalism, (Flight) Recorders, Teen Driver Safety, Addressing Alcohol-Impaired Driving, and Motorcycle Safety.
 

How’s this for innovative? High Alpha Media, a new Melbourne company having its launch party tonight, plans to use radio controlled helicopters to conduct close-range aerial video and photography. And these aren’t radio controlled toys you’ll pick up at a department store or Cash Converters – they actually look incredibly sophisticated (see image at top of this story). For more info on the company and their awesome-looking little machines click here.


If you’re a Commercial Pilot, Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineer or Air Traffic Controller and are in between jobs, then the ATSB wants you. The ATSB has an opening for a Technical Officer (Level 5 Short Investigation Team). In addition to one of these qualifications, applicants must have an established industry based safety awareness and proven communication, analytical and technical written skills. The job is based in Canberra and closing date for applications is July 29. For more info, including how to apply, click here.


And while we’re on the ATSB, the Bureau has this week lurched in the frantic world of Twitter. The ATSB will use Twitter to provide information on transport safety activities and initiatives including new safety investigations, investigation updates, investigation and research report releases, and new safety awareness products. If you’re keen to follow the ATSB on Twitter, you’ll find their account at http://twitter.com/#!/atsbinfo. 


The Aeromedical Society of Australasia is reminding people that its 23rd Scientific Meeting will be held in Perth from August 31 to September 3. Keynote speakers include Dr Jonathan Aleck, the associate director of Aviation Safety at CASA, and Cr Len Notaris, director of the Darwin National Trauma Centre. For more details on the event click here.