Tag Archives: CBP

491 Igor Sikorsky III

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:41:23 — 46.4MB)

Igor Sikorsky III joins us and talks about the history of his grandfather, aviation pioneer Igor Sikorsky. Our airplane of the week is the Sikorsky VS-300. We also look at Boeing’s belief that the industry has put its cyclic business nature in the past, new fees proposed for air travelers, and the International Trade Commission report denying Boeing’s claim against Bombardier.

Igor Sikorsky’s plane in front of the Bradford Camps lodge.

Guest

Igor Sikorsky III gassing up at Munsungan Lake.

Igor Sikorsky III is the grandson of aviation pioneer Igor Sikorsky and he conducts the annual “Sikorsky Weekend” at The Bradford Camps in the North Maine woods. It’s an opportunity to immerse yourself in the history of Igor’s grandfather with family memorabilia, stories, and videos.

Igor gives us a few slices of the Sikorsky history, including how his grandfather was inspired at age 12 by a dream he had of flying over an ocean. We talk about the early days in Russia when the family entrusted their savings to him and then his time in Paris. That was the hub of early aviation where designers and other dreamers congregated to try and build flying machines. We learn about Sikorsky’s emigration from Russia to the U.S. where other Russian immigrants worked with him, sometimes without pay, to develop early aircraft.

Igor is a pilot himself and owns a Skyhawk on floats, which he uses regularly to ferry visitors to his camp and to fishing spots in Maine. We talk about the unique aspects of flying in the North Maine woods, and how having an airplane is critical to the life Igor and his wife Karen lead.

Igor tells us how he thinks his grandfather would have felt about the 2015 sale of Sikorsky Aircraft by United Technologies Corporation. We also learn about the Russian Imperial Stout that Two Roads Brewing Company produces each year to honor Sikorsky and Stratford, Connecticut.

Learn more about the annual Sikorsky Weekend at The Bradford Camps website, and be sure to visit the Igor I. Sikorsky Historical Archives.

Igor Sikorsky III plane at Munsungan Lake, Maine.

Does it get any better than this?

News

Boeing CEO: Aerospace now viewed as an industry with ‘long-term sustained growth’

Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg says the industry has gone “from being a high-cycle business in the past” to now becoming “a long-term sustained growth business.”

New Aviation Fees Could Cost Travelers $3 Billion

The proposed 2019 Federal budget released on February 12, 2018, increases Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) fees, which could potentially cost consumers up to an additional $3 billion. Industry trade group Airlines for America (A4A) urged Congress to reject all TSA and CBP fee increases and instead return the billions of dollars now collected by the TSA and CBP and used for non-aviation related purposes.

U.S. ITC details why it rejected CSeries duties, says Boeing not hurt

The International Trade Commission published their 194-page ruling that rejected Boeing’s claim against Bombardier, saying “Boeing lost no sales or revenues.”

The Airplane of the Week

David tells us the history of the Vought Sikorsky VS-300 (Sikorsky S-42), the first practical helicopter in the United States and the model for most helicopters that were to come.

The Sikorsky VS-300. Credit: unknown (Smithsonian Institution)

Mentioned

New England Air Museum

Xtended Episode 79

The Fighter Pilot Podcast

Imperial notifies Transport Canada of potential aviation fuel quality issue

Accident: Spirit A20N near Fort Lauderdale on Jan 28th 2018, fumes on board, crew feeling increasingly incapacitated

Air Force Special OPS plane carrying US Commandos makes “surprise” landing in Libya

Leaping elk crashes low-flying research helicopter in Utah

North Korea Military Parade 2018: Best Moments – Parada Militar na Coreia do Norte 2018

Credit

Outtro by Bruno Misonne from The Sound of Flaps.

443 Heli-Expo 2017

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:40:31 — 46.0MB)

Interviews from Heli-Expo 2017, a Boeing 797 might be in our future, a hybrid/electric powered vertical takeoff airplane is taking shape, companies attend the 2017 International Women in Aviation Conference looking to hire, some post-merger developments for Alaska and Virgin America, and a flight instructor who really was not. Also, a report on EAA at SXSW, and another memorable flight from a listener.

An MI-24 was displayed at the 2017 Heli-Expo. Courtesy Cold War Air Museum.

Heli-Expo 2017

Helicopter Association International says over 17,000 people attended Heli-Expo 2017 in Dallas, Texas, with 731 exhibiting businesses and organizations, and 62 aircraft on display. Our Airplane Geeks Reporter-at-Large “Launchpad” Marzari attended the event and recorded a number of interviews.

Mat Noble, U.S. Customs and Border Protection. CBP is looking to hire pilots. Apply at USAJOBS.gov and search for agency 1881. See also CBP Frontline Careers.

Charles Schneider, CEO of MyGoFlight. This company offers iPad flight apps and accessories, and introduced a HUD concept product.

Emmanuel Davidson, President of AOPA France, talks about bringing medical certification reform to Europe for light planes, and the role of IAOPA, the International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations.

Bill Thompson from Embry-Riddle was at the show to support their graduates.

John Batey from the Cold War Air Museum (CWAM) brought one of their Mi-24 helicopter gunships. The museum is located on Lancaster Airport, 20 minutes south of Dallas.

Giovanni Mazzoni, AW609 program manager, describes the twin-engined tiltrotor VTOL aircraft with a configuration similar to the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey, and aimed at the civil aviation market.

And then Launchpad ran into an aviation journalist named Rob Mark.

Aviation News

Boeing’s talking with airlines about a ‘797,’ and they like what they hear

There has been talk of a so-called “B757 replacement.” Something between the single-aisle 737 and the widebody 787. It’s been called the MOM airplane (Middle of the Market) and the NMA (either New Mid-sized Airplane or New Market Airplane). Now Steven Udvar-Hazy, chairman of Air Lease Corporation, says, “Call it a 797. That’s what it’s going to be.”

Companies form alliance for hybrid aircraft

XTI Aircraft Company is teaming up with Bye Aerospace to develop a hybrid/electric powered prototype of their TriFan vertical takeoff airplane. XTI says that because of cost and weight reductions, the first TriFan prototype will be a full-size rather than the 65% scale version that had been planned.

Women in Aviation 2017: We’re Hiring

The 2017 International Women in Aviation Conference was held March 2-4, 2017 and Dr. Peggy Chabrian, president and co-founder of WAI noted that, “Major airlines have been coming to WAI for the past four years and hiring WAI members in significant numbers, but this year the companies accepting résumés seem to be more diverse.

If You Thought the Alaska/Virgin America Merger Was Anti-Competitive, Take a Look at San Francisco

Since its merger with Alaska, Virgin America has added a number of new destinations from San Francisco. It looks like a strategy shift with Virgin America now adding mid-sized markets (as Alaska was successful doing) instead of the large-market approach that characterized Virgin America.

Fake flying instructor convicted

A 25 year old man represented himself to North Weald Airfield (EGSX) in Essex, England as a pilot and flight instructor. Suspicious work colleagues investigated and found he was not. After the man plead guilty to several counts, he was sentenced to an eight-month jail sentence suspended for 14 months, 140 hours of unpaid work, and costs.

Listener Recording

Listener John tells us about his most memorable flight.

Mentioned

Visit AvGeekFests.com for a calendar of aviation events where AvGeeks can meet up and participate in aviation events.

Episode 186 of The UAV Digest features the AOPA Senior Director for UAS Programs Kat Swain talking about why AOPA is welcoming drone pilots to the organization.

After Heli-Expo, Launchpad Marzari travelled to SXSW, visited the EAA Spirit of Aviation Mobile Experience, and spoke with Trisha Rothermel. This mobile unit is sponsored by NATCA and is touring throughout the United States in 2017. See Catch the Spirit of Aviation During EAA’s Mobile Unit National Tour.

Applications now being accepted for AOPA scholarships

Titan Missile Museum

96-year-old WWII pilot takes flight again in Tampa

Credit

Intro music courtesy Brother Love from his Album Of The Year CD. Outtro by Bruno Misonne from The Sound of Flaps.

AirplaneGeeks 372 Flying the Seabee

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:30:15 — 41.3MB)

Seabee N713ET

Flying a seaplane, the “right” to airline seat space, stacked passenger seats, a KC-46A Pegasus milestone, an A330 faceplant, U.S. Customs and Border Protection drones in the National Airspace, and The Air League.

Guest

Ed and his planes Edgar “E.T.” Tello owns and flys a Seabee, and he is also a United Airlines Captain with experience in DC-8s, B-737, B-747, B-757, B-767, and B-777. He flew T-37s and T-38s at Williams AFB and went on to C-141s at Norton AFB, and T-41s (Cessna 172s) instructing Air Force Academy cadets in Colorado Springs. Currently, Ed and his family live in Long Island Airpark, at Lake Norman, North Carolina (NC26).

Ed tells us how he was impressed by seaplanes at an early age. Years later when he saw his dream at AirVenture Oshkosh, he bought it. Seaplanes offer a unique unique flying experience, with the ability to land on water and pull up to the dock or a boat. Ed brings his Seabee to Oshkosh, Sun ‘n Fun, seaplane splash-ins, and other events.

N713ET on the water The Seabee’s high wing at the rear of the cockpit affords great visibility, and the plane is unique in that it can be reversed, but it does have heavy maintenance requirements. Ed tells us about the Seaplane Pilots Association and advocating for the type. Some organizations think flying a seaplane into a lake is dangerous, and the Association takes on the task of making them aware that such flights are actually safer than a lot of other recreational activities taking place on the water.

Ed also tells us about life in a residential airpark, the freedoms it brings, and he offers some advice for people considering moving to an airpark. LivingWithYourPlane.com is a helpful resource.

The Beast at home. Does it get any better than this?

News

Airline space wars are shifting to the human rights front

This article by Chris Elliott asks the question, “Do you have the right to room on a plane?” As Chris points out, most people probably think the answer is “no, you don’t have a right.”

But as we know, seat space (width and legroom) have been shrinking as airlines look to increase profitability by increasing seat density. Now, the consumer groups Travelers United and FlyersRights want to see that change.

Travelers United has lobbied a government advisory committee to address the amount of space given to air travelers. FlyersRights wants minimum seat width and seat pitch regulations for commercial airlines.

Are stacked seats the new plan to pack in airline passengers?

Airbus has a patent application for an interior design where passengers are placed above in a sort of mezzanine. That would allow the upper and lower passengers to fully recline for sleep during flight. Is this a good idea or something crazy?

(Max joins Mary Kirby and John Walton in a discussion of this topic in #PaxEx Podcast Episode 28.)

Pegasus drogue, hose, boom systems deployed

KC-46A Pegasus November 462 Kilo Charlie reached a program milestone when it deployed its boom and wing mounted pods using a hose and drogue. The Boeing tanker will test the ability to successfully pass gas before meeting the requirement for 18 of the aircraft to be operational by August 2017.

Singapore Airlines jet ‘faceplants’ as landing gear retracts

A Singapore Airlines A330-300 undergoing a landing gear check at Changi Airport had its nose gear retract unexpectedly, dropping the airplane to the ground.

Unmanned Aircraft Systems

We play two clips from theUAVdigest.com interview with John Murphy, Jr., Deputy Director, National Air Security Operations for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Office of Air and Marine Operations (AMO). John talks about how CBP operates unmanned aircraft in the National Air Space, and where CBP gets UAV pilots.

The Australia News Desk

Grant is back on deck (and so is Nykolai) but he’s struggling to remember how to do the AusDesk. Not to worry, Steve helps him get back in the groove and the guys report on:

CASA warning drone operators to stay clear of bush fires

Alan Joyce awarded Airline CEO of the Year by CAPA

Alan is also talking about non-stop flights from London to Perth when their new 787-9s come on line.

Across the Pond

The Air League

Pieter brings Scott Pendry onto the show to talk about The Air League, a charitable organisation partnering organisations across the sector to help people get into aviation and aerospace. The Air League particularly helps youngsters as well as those who can not normally access aviation to get involved. If you are in the UK and want to get into the sector, you really should be involved with The Air League. They help with scholarships and bursaries too, contributing to the £1m awarded in aviation scholarships over the past decade. Follow The Air League on Twitter and Instagram.

Mentioned

DUDE, WHERE’S YOUR GEAR?! FedEx MD-10-10F N559FE – gear-up on KORD approach into RWY 28 – Rob points out a video that suggests the pilots of a FedEx MD-10 forgot to lower the landing gear, until close to the last minute.

Charles F Blair Jr.Seaplane Terminal Dedication Ceremony [PDF] – August 27, 2013, St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands.

The flying fanatic who helped babies breathe – “Dr Forrest Bird died in August at the age of 96. He was still flying in his 90s and was the oldest helicopter pilot in the world – and he never stopped inventing.”

From listener Matthew:

Probe of 777 engine’s explosive failure pinpoints its origin

The ICON A5 – The Only Stall/Spin Resistant Production Airplane?

Watch an iPad Land an Airplane

Michigan teens building airplane from scratch

Austin to be first U.S. City to receive British Airways’ new 787-9 Dreamliner

Credit

Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at brotherloverocks.com.

AirplaneGeeks 301 – The House of (Ron) Rapp

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (48.1MB)

Bombardier CS100

We talk with Ron Rapp about being a contract pilot, General Aviation user fees, the market for a supersonic business jet, GA intercepts by the Feds, a GTF engine failure, Airbus A320neo EIS, and an FAA Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aerial Systems.

Guest Ron Rapp blogs at House of Rapp. He’s also a professional charter pilot with over 7000 hours. He’s flown flown more than 60 aircraft types, including tailwheel aircraft, aerobatics, formation flying, gliders, seaplanes, turboprops, biz jets, warbirds, experimentals, radials, and more.

Ron has volunteered with Angel Flight, he’s written messages in the air as a SkyTyper, he’s crop-dusted with ex-military King Airs, and flown across oceans in a Gulfstream IV. Ron writes for AOPA’s Opinion Leaders blog, and his work has appeared in Sport Aviation, Sport Aerobatics, Airscape, and others.

The week’s aviation news

After Private Pilots Complain, Customs Rethinks Intercept Policy

Armed U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents have been approaching GA airplanes to detain and question pilots. NPR reports that the CBP has told them this is going to change so that law-abiding pilots are not needlessly detained for warrantless searches.

C-Series Flight Testing Halted After GTF Engine Failure

The GTF engine on Bombardier CSeries test aircraft FTV1 experienced an engine failure during stationary maintenance testing. Reportedly, the failure damaged the engine nacelle and fuselage. No apparent damage to the wing Bombardier has suspended flight testing, ground testing continues, and the engine has gone to Pratt & Whitney for disassembly.

Airbus CEO: A320 intro must be flawless

A few days prior to the CSeries incident, at the annual shareholders meeting in Amsterdam, Airbus CEO Tom Enders said the A320neo introduction need to be perfect so the company can meet its profitability and cash flow targets.

FAA to Establish UAS Center of Excellence

The FAA wants to create a Center of Excellence to support their research program for Unmanned Aircraft Systems. The FAA intends that the COE study detect-and-avoid technology, control and communications, compatibility with air traffic control operations, and training and certification of UAS pilots and crewmembers.

David Vanderhoof’s Aircraft of the Week

David tells us about the VCS-7, the US Navy Spitfires that flew over the Beaches of Normandy 70 years ago this week. And he brings up one of his biggest pet peeves.

Rob Mark’s Aviation Minute

Rob talks about veterans and aviation.

Across the Pond

Air Algerie Boeing 737-8D6 Copyright Konstantin von Wedelstaedt

As a result of listener feedback, this week Pieter asks Oussama Salah to give us an update on the state of the airlines in North Africa. Is the tide turning and the airline business improving? Or, is it too early to see any “airline shoots of spring.”

Find Pieter on Twitter as @Nascothornet, on Facebook at XTPMedia, and at the Aviation Xtended podcast.