Aviation Conspiracy Newsletter #452.............................................................................October 28, 2007 Past newsletters can be accessed at: http://pages.prodigy.net/rockaway/ACNewsmenu.htm The PASSUR airport flight tracking system at many major U.S. airports http://www.passur.com/sites.htm (you must have Java installed to view it). If you want to get the newsletter sent to you every week, sign up to AviationWatch. Bill Mulcahy rockaway@prodigy.net
Quote of the Week: "My concern is that at some point towns back out, the towns might think even without spending the money they still get the benefit of this.” Connecticut town board of finance member commenting in a story this week on fear that some towns may not help pay for legal suit opposing FAA airspace redesign scheme.
Town Drops Out Of Anti-Airspace Redesign Lawsuit!!!
As
Bill Sees It (Editorial):
Connecticut Town Drops Out Of Airspace Redesign Coalition!!! Last week I
posted a quote from a Connecticut politician who repeated a Benjamin Franklin
quote "if we don't hang together most assuredly we will hang
separately." Apparently one of the coalition towns has backed out
preferring to have other communities pay for the lawsuit against the FAA while
they reap the benefits. This is the kind of thing is what the federal
government, the FAA and the airlines hope for. What is needed now is for the
coalition to get MORE communities involved. Why isn't the STATE OF CONNECTICUT
concerned, or involved? Where are their
so-called political 
leaders?
I hope the people in the impacted towns remember them in future elections.
Titanic Airbus 380 Still A Question
Mark? With all the hype and public relation's effort behind the Airbus
380 I can't help wonder if something is being hid. I wonder how quiet this
plane really is when it is fully loaded with air cargo. How good is its
protection against a terrorist attack. There are not many buildings that could
stand after an airbus 380 crashed into it. I wonder if this plane will be
flying over densely populated areas? A fully loaded (with aviation fuel and
people) crashing into a crowded community must be tempting target for
terrorists.
Connecticut Town Drops Out Of Anti-Airspace
Redesign Coalition!!! Even as First Selectman
William Brennan remarked on the importance of the coming legal and political
fight with the FAA, one town in the newly formed alliance — Weston — has
already backed out of the battle. On Tuesday night, Mr. Brennan reviewed the
plans and potential costs of the lawsuit against the FAA’s airspace redesign
with the Board of Finance, getting an informal but strong indication from the
financiers that they would back a future request for spending. The selectmen
have already appropriated $30,000 out of the board’s charter authority to
cover the legal retainer fees, and Mr. Brennan told the financiers he would be
coming to them to ask for between $39,000 and $43,000 in the near future,
bringing the town’s expected share of the cost to roughly $73,000 over the
next six months. “We will need a supplemental appropriation to pay Wilton’s
fair share down the stream, and I will be coming to another meeting with my
hat,” said Mr. Brennan. A cost-sharing formula was arrived at with the other
10 towns in the Alliance for Sensible Airspace Planning, which Mr. Brennan said
involved each town kicking in an even share of the first 50% of the $1-million
advance expenses, with the second 50% being divided based on population. On
Monday night, however, in a 4-1 vote, the Board of Finance in Weston rejected
the request presented by First Selectman Woody Bliss for an appropriation of up
to $58,000. It is unclear what impact that decision will have on the costs for
the other towns, and Mr. Bliss said the financiers said if more information was
brought forward they would consider the request again. Financier Robert Kelso,
who was apparently unaware of the Weston decision the night before, almost
predicted the outcome of that meeting. “My concern is that at some point towns
back out,” said Mr. Kelso, adding the towns might think even without spending
the money “they still get the benefit of this.” http://www.acorn-online.com/news/publish/wilton/24396.shtml Editor's
Note: How about getting MORE towns to share the cost. Why not thing outside the
box and expand the coalition to other impacted states. That is what the FAA and
their airline industry bosses are afraid of.
Bush
Pushing For Foreign Control Of America's Airlines!!! The second
stage of open-skies negotiations between the U.S. and the European Union could
be complicated by the issue of foreign ownership of U.S. carriers, House
Transportation Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-Minn.) said yesterday in
Washington. The Bush Administration "tried to pull an end run"
around Congress by easing foreign ownership rules in negotiating the first phase
of the agreement earlier this year, Oberstar said at an International Aviation
Club luncheon. DOT earlier this year said it will evaluate ownership on a
case-by-case basis, he noted. This was unacceptable to congressional leadership,
Oberstar said, and so the House FAA reauthorization bill contains language that
more strictly limits ownership -- "actual control" to U.S. citizens.
Moreover, two-thirds of the board of an airline must be U.S. citizens, he added.
This issue came to a head in the summer, when EU leaders raised concerns and
hinted that the question of actual control could sabotage the second stage of
talks (DAILY, July 18). The proposed changes to the U.S. Code in the FAA
reauthorization bill don't change the essence of the existing ownership rules,
Oberstar said; rather, the changes clarify the definition. http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=comm&id=news/OBER10247.xml&headline=Oberstar%20Reaffirms%20Importance%20Of%20''Actual%20Control''
Bush Nominates A New Faa Administrator: WASHINGTON - President Bush will
nominate acting Federal Aviation Administrator Bobby Sturgell, a former United
Airlines jet pilot, to be the permanent administrator of the FAA. "Bobby
has worked tirelessly to modernize our nation's air-traffic control
system," White House press secretary Dana Perino said Tuesday. "He has
over three decades of real world experience in the field." Before entering
government at the National Transportation Safety Board, Sturgell was a flight
operations superviser and a line pilot for United Airlines. He flew Boeing 757s
and 767s in domestic and international operations. Earlier, he served as a Navy
jet pilot and was an instructor at its Topgun school for pilots. "He shares
the president's strong commitment to contining to preserve the safest period of
aviation on record," Perino said. She called on Congress to swiftly confirm
him to a full five-year term. Sturgell moved up from deputy FAA administrator to
acting administrator when Marion C. Blakey's term ended on Sept. 13. Editor's
Note: At least President Moronic Polluter didn't nominate another witch (maybe I
should spell it with a "b") for the job. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jV7bjRrfSZK9cP4A5xftQ9hHE5IQ
Titanic
Airbus A380 "Not As Green As It's Painted: " Airbus says that
the aircraft, the biggest passenger jet in the world, is also one of the most
environmentally friendly ever built, with carbon emissions of just 75g per
passenger per km – 17 per cent less than is emitted by the old Boeing 747s. But
those calculations assume that the aircraft will have 525 seats and fly full. In
theory, the A380 can hold 853 economy seats. In reality, airlines are
adapting the design to expand profitable first- and business-class sections,
leaving fewer economy seats. As they do so, the passengers' environmental
footprint will grow. Another key selling point of the Airbus was that it would
bring down fares on long-haul flights. "The A380's efficiency and advanced
technology will result in a 15 to 20 per cent lower seat-mile cost for the
airlines," said an Airbus spokesman. "Ticket fares should be
equivalent or possibly less expensive than on any other aircraft." However,
no savings have yet materialised. Singapore Airlines confirmed this week that
those using its first class suites would pay 20-25 per cent more (and business
class passengers 20 per cent more) than they have on previous aircraft. Economy
fares, the airline said, would depend on sales. The airline claims that the
price increases reflect the higher standard of service and better facilities on
board the A380. Qantas and Emirates have yet to announce their fares. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/main.jhtml?xml=/travel/2007/10/27/et-airbus-green-127.xml
Editor's Note: I wonder about it noise "footprint" when fully
loaded with cargo.
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