Pirates free Yemeni cargo ship Dec 3, 2008
That mission is expected to involve five to six ships at any given time, plus maritime surveillance aircraft. Egypt is willing to take part in a U.N. force to tackle piracy "at any time," a cabinet spokesman said. (International Herald Tribune -- Business)
UN chopper crash in Sierra Leone Dec 3, 2008
The aircraft fell in a remote area covered in dense forest ... "I saw this aircraft coming down and it hit a tree and it burst into flames," he said ... UT Air, the Russian charter company which owned the helicopter, is a major player in the air charter industry with 301 available aircraft. (Yahoo News -- Sierra Leone)
Ottawa's inaction frustrates stranded tourists Dec 3, 2008
"To date, three of these groups have either been offered seats on departing aircraft or have already departed," he said. "The Embassy has spoken with up to 200 Canadians per day by phone and has responded to more than 400 email enquiries. Our best estimate is that upward of 2,000 Canadians have been affected by the shutdown of the airports.". (Globe and Mail)
Interrogator Says Bin Laden Driver Heard Sept. 11 Briefing Dec 3, 2008
The courtroom is in a light-brown former aircraft operations center that overlooks an old runway. Uniformed guards are just behind Hamdan, and the six jurors -- all military officers -- sit beneath the insignias of the branches of the armed forces. (Yahoo News -- Terrorism & 9/11)
Cruise ship passengers surprised by pirate attack Dec 3, 2008
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said six EU and three maritime reconnaissance aircraft will replace a NATO naval force that has been patrolling the region and escorting cargo ships carrying relief aid to Somalia since the end of October. Though NATO ships have successfully delivered humanitarian supplies to Somalia, they have not been able to stem the upsurge in pirate attacks on foreign shipping in one of the most important shipping lanes in the world. (Yahoo News)
U.S. official: We warned India about plot Dec 3, 2008
Also included is Masood Azhar, a terror suspect freed from an Indian prison in exchange for the release of hostages aboard an Indian Airlines aircraft hijacked on Christmas Day 1999. In the past, Pakistan has denied harboring the men. (USA Today)
UN for action against Somali pirates Dec 3, 2008
NEW YORK: The Security Council on Tuesday called on all countries and regional organizations with the necessary capacity to deploy naval ships and military aircraft off the Somali coast to fight rampant piracy that is impeding United Nations efforts to feed millions of hungry civilians in the strife-torn country. In a unanimously adopted resolution, the Council asked Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to report within three months on ways to ensure long-term security off the coast of Somalia, notably... (India Times, India)
Rwanda: France in a Real Fix On the Kabuye Issue Dec 2, 2008
To begin with no independent investigation offers a lead as to who the real culprit in the shooting down of the aircraft carrying Juvenal Habyarimana and his friends was or were. Secondly Mrs. Kabuye never was anywhere near Mr. Kagame when the latter allegedly planned the assassination. (allAfrica.com)
Boeing engineers, tech workers ratify contracts Dec 2, 2008
As in the machinists' strike, the bulk of the employees covered by the SPEEA contracts work on Boeing commercial aircraft, with the rest in military and other government work. SPEEA also has been negotiating with Boeing since Nov. 17 on a contract covering about 700 engineers in Wichita, Kan. (Anchorage Daily News)
Hua Hin Airport Aids Bangkok Airpor... Dec 2, 2008
It now services 8 domestic destinations and 13 international, with its fleet of 17 aircraft ... However, due to its limited capacity to cope with aircraft and passenger volume (there is a single runway, one security scanner and no announcement boards) progress is understandably slow. (Suite101.com)
Local general to direct U.S. Air Guard Dec 2, 2008
In 1978, he joined National Airlines as a pilot but also flew F-106s and C-131 cargo aircraft. He steadily moved up in rank until he made brigadier general in 1997 and now has more than 17,000 flying hours and 26 years as a commercial pilot. (The St. Augustine Record)
Endeavour returns to Brevard next week Dec 2, 2008
Weather and other conditions permitting, the Boeing aircraft -- with Endeavour bolted atop it -- would fly over Space Coast beaches between Patrick Air Force Base and KSC late next Tuesday morning. "That's part of the plan," KSC spokesman George Diller said Monday. (Florida Today)
Boeing engineers ratify contract Dec 2, 2008
Boeing Co. engineers and technical workers have voted to ratify new contracts, ensuring four years of labor peace at the company's commercial airplane operations (International Herald Tribune -- Business)
Boeing Engineers Approve New Contract, Avoid Strike Dec 2, 2008
Boeing commercial airplane production workers approved a new four-year contract on Nov. 1, ending a strike by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers that halted commercial aircraft production for eight weeks ... As in the machinists' strike, the bulk of the employees covered by the SPEEA contracts work on Boeing commercial aircraft, with the rest in military and other government work. (KIRO TV, WA)
Hillary, yes; Bill, no Dec 2, 2008
Neither he nor the Vice President was observed leaving their respective ranches, nor even re-boarding their aircraft for use of the command-and-control centers onboard. During that period it fell to Secretary of Defense and former CIA Director Robert Gates to guide us safely out of the mess. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Nations prepare for cluster bomb accord Dec 2, 2008
Cluster bomblets are packed into artillery shells or into bombs to be dropped from aircraft. Each container which might be used to destroy an airfield or to attack massed infantry and tanks typically scatters some 200 to 600 of mini-explosives over an area the size of a football field. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Science)
Bomb attack at Thai airport kills protester Dec 2, 2008
Protesters allowed the aircraft to be flown out amid fears they would be vandalized ... As many as 300,000 foreign visitors were stranded in Thailand, and some of the aircraft were being used to ferry them out of the country on Monday. (International Herald Tribune)
• Mumbai attack puts focus on Pakistan militant link Dec 2, 2008
Masood Azhar, the group's leader, was one of three prisoners released by India to put an end to the December 1999 hijacking of an Indian Airlines aircraft in Kandahar, Afghanistan. In the U.S., one of the largest terror prosecutions since 2001 involved a group of young Muslim men from the Washington, D.C., area who trained at Lashkar camps in Pakistan, and who used paintball games in the Virginia woods as a way of preparing for global holy war. (Burley South Idaho Press, ID)
Iran Says It Tested New Missile Dec 2, 2008
Brigadier General Hassan Shahsafi said military specialists are now building a small model of the aircraft, and will produce a real version after testing the model. Iran's navy commander, Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, also announced that a navy drill will be held this month in and around the Strait of Hormuz. (Newsmax)
FBI in town to help Dec 1, 2008
The team flew on a military transport aircraft, which will also be used to fly bod 00004000 ies back to Israel for burial. The Chabad attack claimed the lives rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his wife Rivka who ran the Chabad House; supervisors Rabbi Leibish Teitelbaum, a US citizen who lived in Jerusalem; Bentzion Chroman, an American-Israeli from Bat-Yam and Yocheved Orpaz of Givatayim, who had arrived in India to visit her daughter and two grandchildren. (India Times)
...and sportswriters still dream of playing center field Dec 1, 2008
Just one example - if someone had gone to Congress six months before and said we have intelligence that terrorists are going to hijack aircraft and fly them into buildings and we need 5,000 U.S. Air Marshals up and running. well, the would have been laughed out of the room. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Opinion)
Systemic failure seen in India's response to attacks Dec 1, 2008
The capital is three hours away by air, but no military aircraft were available and the unit evidently lacked authority to requisition a commercial plane. Military transport was flown in from elsewhere. (Los Angeles Times)
No order to suspend ceasefire, says Army Dec 1, 2008
After the Parliament attack, the then NDA government had ordered the armed forces to mobilize against Pakistan in a big way, which saw over 500,000 soldiers, armoured and mechanised columns, fighter aircraft and warships being moved to the western theatre in the largest build-up since the 1971 war. Pakistan had responded with similar moves. (India Times, India -- Community News)
* Tourists crowd little-used Thai base to flee country Dec 1, 2008
Meanwhile Spain will reportedly send three planes, two military aircraft and a chartered plane. This story has been viewed 267 times. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
MILITARY: Marines face 'profound' differences in Afghanistan (777) Dec 1, 2008
"The Marines in Anbar have performed magnificently," Helland said last week aboard a military aircraft as he returned to his Camp Pendleton home after a two-week swing through Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait and Bahrain. "What was once a volatile, brutal environment is now changing, as Iraqis are determined to defeat their enemies and bring stability to the country," he said. (North County Times)
Attackers expose luxury hotels' vulnerabilities Dec 1, 2008
Just as the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks have had a lasting effect on aircraft cockpit security, with reinforced doors separating pilots from passengers, the deadly terrorist attacks that started Wednesday at the Oberoi and Taj Mahal Palace and Tower hotels here could leave an enduring imprint on the design and procedures of luxury hotels. With the death toll approaching 200, and with more bodies still being found at the Taj, the attacks have underlined the vulnerability of five-star hotels to... (International Herald Tribune)
Stranded planes begin to leave Thai airport, but protesters remain Dec 1, 2008
Thousands of protesters continued to occupy Bangkok's airports Monday, although the demonstrators agreed to allow pilots to fly away 90 stranded aircraft ... After prolonged negotiations between protest leaders and Thai airport authorities, 37 aircraft were flown out of Suvarnabhumi airport on Monday morning ... Among those stranded were aircraft from China Eastern Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Singapore Airlines and Saudi Arabian Airlines. (International Herald Tribune)
Interrogator Says Bin Laden Driver Heard Sept. 11 Briefing Dec 1, 2008
The courtroom is in a light-brown former aircraft operations center that overlooks an old runway. Uniformed guards are just behind Hamdan, and the six jurors -- all military officers -- sit beneath the insignias of the branches of the armed forces. (Yahoo News -- Terrorism & 9/11)
Northrop Grumman Showcases Training and Simulation Technology At I/ITSEC 2008 Dec 1, 2008
The Weightless Flights of Discovery program uses hands-on science workshops and parabolic or ``zero-gravity'' aircraft flights to help educators teach students how math, science and engineering principles apply to weightless space environments. Northrop Grumman employees will present several papers at the conference. (Primezone Releases)
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Awarded Intelligence Agency and Other Tasking Valued At Approximately $8.2 Million Dec 1, 2008
Under the first task order, Kratos' subsidiary will provide subject matter expertise in materials and manufacturing research for Air Force aircraft systems. The second task order provides expertise to the 303 AESW/XR (Reconnaissance Systems Wing Capability and Requirements Integration Division) and the 659 AESS (Technology Squadron). (Primezone Releases)
Planes Evacuated From Thai Airport Dec 1, 2008
" The spokeswoman said that of the original 88 planes, 29 belong to flag carrier Thai Airways, 16 to Thai AirAsia and 15 to private-run Bangkok Airways. The remaining 28 aircraft are from various other airlines, 12 of them belonging to the airlines of foreign countries. No passengers were however allowed to leave through Suvarnabhumi, officials said. The People's Alliance for Democracy protest movement has refused to leave the airport, and the smaller Don Mueang domestic hub in Bangkok which it... (Channelnewsasia.com)
Thai protesters leave PM's office after attacks Dec 1, 2008
In another apparent climbdown, the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) allowed 37 empty aircraft to fly out of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi international airport in the past two days. "It's too risky to stay at Government House because of repeated attacks against us," PAD spokeswoman Anchalee Paireerak said. (Yahoo! Asia News)
Thai security forces clash with protesters at airport Nov 30, 2008
Dozens of aircraft are also stranded on the tarmacs at both Bangkok airports, Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang. "I am most concerned about the aircraft, especially the foreign ones," said Sereerat Prasutanon, director of airport authority ... He said the protesters should allow security guards into the airport so the guards could protect the aircraft. (International Herald Tribune)
NASA hopes to land space shuttle on Sunday Nov 30, 2008
But NASA officials said that shouldn't be a problem since Endeavour commander Christopher Ferguson and pilot Eric Boe have made extensive practice landings on the runway in training aircraft. The weather at Edwards for both days looks favorable. (Yahoo News)
Thai police surround defiant airport protesters Nov 30, 2008
They will not fly their aircraft in or allow their citizens to travel here," Somchai told reporters. Police in the morning were forced by angry demonstrators to abandon five large trucks near a checkpoint, which were left with their tyres deflated, and another security post at the airport. Late Saturday 2,000 police officers were deployed to set up four more checkpoints on the road to Suvarnabhumi, airport security commander Major General Rarshane Reunkomol told AFP. That came after police... (Channelnewsasia.com)
Thai Police Cordon Bangkok's Main Airport Nov 30, 2008
Several groups around the world have canceled planned tours, and 88 aircraft, many of them belonging to foreign airlines, are parked at Suvarnabhumi unable to take off. The Federation of Thai Industries estimates the cost of lost trade due to the airport shutdowns at $57 million to $85 million a day. (Newsmax)
Aircraft carriers: Learn from history Nov 30, 2008
Some have suggested that politics may have played a role in the Navy's proposal that an aircraft carrier be homeported at Mayport Naval Station. History, however, suggests something different. (Florida Times-Union)
Simply Dior-able Nov 29, 2008
This was wartime fashion still chic in its minimal way but unremarkable, stripped to its elements by calamity and the roughness of women's new roles as bomb and aircraft factory workers, by the rationing of everything from eggs to pleasure and, not least, by the absence of so many men. It was practical, affordable, sensible fashion; neither deliberately seductive nor overly feminine. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Somali pirates seize chemical tanker Nov 29, 2008
France and Germany, which have ships in the area as part of an international antipiracy coalition, sent the aircraft after receiving a distress call just after dawn, said Commander Christophe Prazuck, a French military spokesman. But in the 15 minutes it took to get to the site, the pirates had already boarded and had taken the crew of 25 Indians and two Bangladeshis hostage. (Boston Globe)
Kayaker pulled from bay near Falmouth Nov 29, 2008
BRUNSWICK, Maine Plane's flight marks start of base closing The first patrol plane in the first squadron to permanently depart Brunswick Naval Air Station has taken off, marking the start of a yearlong aircraft exodus in advance of the closing of New England's last active-duty military airfield. Commander Eric Wiese, the commanding officer of Patrol Squadron 8, piloted the P-3 Orion yesterday as part of his unit's seven-month deployment in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. (Boston Globe)
A look at some Virginia Tech victims Nov 29, 2008
"His research has enabled better aircraft, superior composite materials, and more robust aerospace structures," said Ishwar K. Puri, the head of the engineering science and mechanics department. After surviving the Nazi killings, Librescu escaped from Communist Romania and made his way to the United States before he was killed in Monday's massacre, which coincided with Israel's Holocaust Remembrance Day. (FOX 11, AZ)
Somalia: Anti-Piracy Flotillas Rattle Arab Security Nov 29, 2008
The operation, which will reportedly include frigates, patrol aircraft and helicopters, will have an initial deployment period of 12 months. Even before the recent rash of piracy, foreign naval forces have had a significant presence in the area. (allAfrica.com)
British and Irish anti-piracy experts rescued - after pirates attack Nov 29, 2008
Get aircraft carriers into the area. Watch via satellite the sea area. (Times Online)
Seas scoured after Airbus crash Nov 29, 2008
A piece of the aircraft was spotted from the air by the French navy. Some of it has been found lying on a sandy bank at a depth of 35m (115ft feet), according to officials. (BBC News -- Europe)
New flight path will not cover Augusta Nov 29, 2008
Augusta aviation officials say they have made their peace with a proposal to allow military aircraft training at low altitudes over the region ... Military officials maintain the drop is necessary to accommodate training for modern fighter aircraft ... Critics, however, contend that the change would make it difficult for civilian aircraft to make instrument landings because they would be required to get clearance from air traffic controllers in Atlanta -- leading to traffic jams in the skies... (The Augusta Chronicle)
59-hour Mumbai siege ends, death toll 148 Nov 29, 2008
In addition, destroy all hangers and visible miitary aircraft. (this entire op should last 20 minutes). (Express Buzz)
Piracy needs tougher action Nov 29, 2008
Droans do not require an aircraft carrier either. Even if the pirating continued, seeing a few of their craft go boom would be worth it. (Albany Democrat-Herald, OR)
UN chopper crash in Sierra Leone Nov 29, 2008
The aircraft fell in a remote area covered in dense forest ... "I saw this aircraft coming down and it hit a tree and it burst into flames," he said ... UT Air, the Russian charter company which owned the helicopter, is a major player in the air charter industry with 301 available aircraft. (Yahoo News -- Sierra Leone)
Another arrest, rain and Dooley's statue Nov 29, 2008
A 4 x 8 sign Danger Low Flying Aircraft was implanted in the middle of campus, several dorms experienced panty raids egged on by some of your mothers, 4 palm trees went up in flames, numerous cars were misplaced by the next morning and found unharmed over the next few days. All that I was doing was leading a pep rally that got out of hand. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Sports)
Dazed hostages walk free from Mumbai hotel inferno Nov 29, 2008
Qantas says today's flight from Mumbai will be upgraded to an A30-300 aircraft with an extra 50 seats. Five Israelis killed. (The Age, Australia -- World)
French locate black boxes after Airbus A320 crash Nov 29, 2008
French authorities deployed 15 boats, 14 divers, a helicopter, a navy aircraft, and a ship equipped to sweep for mines and other metal objects at the crash site about 20 kilometers (12 ... The crew included two German pilots, as well as a pilot and three engineers working for Air New Zealand and an aircraft inspector from the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority, the officials added. (Yahoo News)
Spectacular Sky Scene Monday Evening Nov 29, 2008
During World War II, aircraft spotters sometimes mistook Venus for an enemy airplane. There were even cases in which Venus drew antiaircraft fire. (Yahoo News)
China's first home-made jet flies Nov 29, 2008
The ARJ-21's maiden flight lasted one hour and the aircraft did not rise above 900 metres in altitude due to safety reasons ... The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China say they have secured over 200 orders and last month gained five firm orders from GE Commercial Aviation Services who have an option for a further 20 jets ... It's general manager Jin Zhuanglong said: "With less fuel consumption and longer flight hours, the ARJ-21 will reduce air fares by 8% to 10% for Chinese airlines, most... (BBC News -- Business)
India's Patil begins RI tour in Bali despite chaos at home Nov 29, 2008
She exited the aircraft, greeted her hosts, and proceeded directly to a heavily guarded convoy that took her to the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Jimbaran, where she will stay before departing for Jakarta on Sunday. In a phone interview, Andi said President Pratibha's schedule in Indonesia -- which will see her sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on trade with her Indonesian counterpart President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono -- would remain largely intact despite the terrorist attack in Mumbai. (Jakarta Post, Indonesia)
P-3 flight heralds end for Maine base Nov 29, 2008
BRUNSWICK, Maine - The first patrol plane in the first squadron to permanently depart Brunswick Naval Air Station has taken off, marking the start of a yearlong aircraft exodus in advance of the closing of New England's last active-duty military airfield. Cmdr. (Seacoast New Hampshire)
Timeline: Ethiopia and Somalia Nov 29, 2008
Ethiopian aircraft bomb Mogadishu airport. 24 December. (BBC News -- Africa)
* Book Review: The thin red line in the Taiwan Strait Nov 29, 2008
With Beijing perhaps working under the assumption that Washington would be unprepared to suffer mass casualties to defend Taiwan (the so-called imbalance of fervor), the PLA could target a few US Navy ships, or an aircraft carrier and hope that a few thousand US casualties would be enough to deter further US action. Bush and OHanlon, however, argue that rather than break Washingtons will, such a limited option would spark retaliation and widen the war to Chinas shores X including... (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World Business)
COMMENT: Save Pakistan To Save All Nov 29, 2008
But the answer can't be a military one, except in the very limited sense by which sporadic raids are carried out by outside forces and unmanned aircraft or missiles into the badlands on Pakistan's border with Afghanistan, where the Taliban and al-Qaeda leadership run free. US president-elect Barack Obama perhaps sees the problem of Pakistan in stark outline, more so than the Bush administration for most of its tenure had cared to see. (India Times, India)
Graves of 139 anonymous Marines are found on Pacific Ocean atoll Nov 28, 2008
raised money for the expedition through his nonprofit, History Flight, by selling vintage military aircraft rides at air shows. He hopes the government will investigate further after research is given to the Defense Department in January. (Boston Globe)
Family thankful for community support Nov 28, 2008
He is a loadmaster and rides in a C-130 plane which refuels other aircraft. He is expected home in February or March. (Chippewa Falls Chippewa Herald, WI)
* Chinas carrier plans worry region Nov 28, 2008
In a recent interview with the Financial Times, Chinese Major General Qian Lihua (Q), director of the Defense Ministrys Foreign Affairs Office, said China has every right to build aircraft carriers, without confirming whether it had decided to do so ... Chinas intention to build up its own aircraft carriers, viewed as an essential component of building the blue water navy able to deploy beyond its coastal waters, has not surprised China watchers ... In 1975 Admiral Liu Huaqing... (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
* FILM REVIEW: Art designer aims high with ambitious film plan Nov 28, 2008
In response, the Japanese sent more than 2,000 troops into the mountains and used poison gas bombs dropped from aircraft to quell the revolt, which ultimately lasted 50 days. In 2004 Wei, then 35, spent NT$2. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
President Bush Makes Thanksgiving Day Telephone Calls to Members of the Armed Forces Nov 28, 2008
Staff Sergeant Everett trains incoming soldiers on tactical operations and coordinates and establishes deconfliction measures for airspace between all artillery units and aircraft operating in RC-E Afghanistan ... Senior Airman Drefs distributes aircraft fuel to airframes providing direct support to aerial refueling operations ... She also ensures aircraft fuel is tested and meets proper specifications. (White House News Releases)
Interrogator Says Bin Laden Driver Heard Sept. 11 Briefing Nov 28, 2008
The courtroom is in a light-brown former aircraft operations center that overlooks an old runway. Uniformed guards are just behind Hamdan, and the six jurors -- all military officers -- sit beneath the insignias of the branches of the armed forces. (Yahoo News -- Terrorism & 9/11)
Trapped crew 'in good health' Nov 28, 2008
On Thursday, SAA sent an aircraft to Mumbai to pick up its crew and the South Africans. Meanwhile, SA President Kgalema Motlanthe joined world leaders in extending South Africa's heartfelt condolences to the government and people of India, in particular to those families who lost loved ones. (iAfrica.com)
