Good luck Starky ! We have to get a recording of the first "Good morning dis julle captein Starky wat praat"   

So I start the Q400 upgrade class tomorrow. When I finish, if I make the cut, I will be typed on the Dash 8, have an ATP, and be a Captain here at Colgan Air. Wish me luck!! 

NEWS.COM.AU AFP September 03, 2010
BRITISH border officials have stopped dozens of weird animals being snuck into the country - including a boa constrictor wrapped round a man's leg.

The UK Border Agency said it stopped a passenger travelling through London Heathrow Airport with his pet snake concealed as part of its crackdown on smugglers bringing in animals illegally.

They said they regularly come across efforts such attempts, as they lifted the lid on their “weirdest finds''.

One was a briefcase full of dead, plucked pigeons, leading to suspicions they may have been bound for a restaurant.

Officials at London Gatwick Airport were equally puzzled by the pair of old boots they found alongside them. The briefcase remains unclaimed.

Another discovery involved what looked at first like a tiger skin, but turned out to be that of a domestic dog that had been painted.

Other finds include: two highly venomous snakes - a puff adder and a gaboon viper - in a parcel from Tanzania; 1,000 live spiders, individually boxed, in a suitcase; and 26 rare birds of prey stuffed into plastic pipes flown in from Thailand.

At Gatwick, three rare Copes Alligator lizards were discovered inside a video tape.

Meanwhile at Heathrow, one passenger tried to smuggle in 40 rare and endangered parrot eggs, in a specially-made vest under his shirt.

And a sniffer dog found 42 dried seahorses, destined to be ground up and used as Chinese traditional medicine, on a passenger from Shanghai.

Hiya Dean
MD of Court Helicopters and left the RAF as Squadron Leader, based in Odiham. I dont remember much of the UK, but Sal and I are planing to go barging some time next year (UK summer), have been told its a aquatic pub crawl

Well Im sure you must have mentioned your dad was an RAF pilot but I just cannot remember that I think I only ever remember that he was a Chief Pilot at Court helicopters?! - And the funny story about the diver finding his ashes !!! , I do remember you saying you were born in Ilfracombe (!) then at the age of 2 or 8 or something you left for SA. Now I understand the Hunter pics on your wall in the office (if their still there) anyway you learn something everday! - fancy that

NEWS24 2010-09-02 14:46

Brussels - The European Union says it has added two Ghanaian-registered cargo companies to its list of airlines whose aircraft are barred from flying to Europe.

One is Meridian Airways, which operates five Douglas DC-8s from Belgium's Ostende-Brugge Airport. The EU statement on Thursday says Meridian was listed "as a consequence of a series of very poor results from inspections".

Another freight operator, Airlift International, will be allowed to use only one of its fleet of five DC-8 aircraft on flights to Europe.

The EU's list includes 278 banned airlines from 17 countries - mostly small carriers from Africa and Asia. The list was established in 2006 and is updated regularly.



- AP

NEWS24 2010-09-02 09:42

http://www.news24.com/World/News/Obama-declares-hurricane-emergency-20100902

Washington – US President Barack Obama says an emergency exists in North Carolina and has ordered federal agencies to help state and local officials with handling any problems caused by Hurricane Earl.

The president's action on Wednesday authorises the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) to co-ordinate all disaster relief efforts.

Specifically, Fema can mobilise equipment and other resources.

Forecasters say Hurricane Earl's winds gusted to about 225km/h as it steamed toward the eastern seaboard.

Communities all along the East Coast are keeping a close eye on the storm and several states have already declared emergencies

NEWS24 2010-08-31 22:42
Johannesburg - A helicopter with a covered registration reportedly dropped off four suspected rhino poachers in the Roedtan area in Limpopo on Tuesday.

André Snyman of the crime fighting initiative eBlockwatch said the red-and-white helicopter circled over various game farms in the area.

It was seen over the Morgenson farm in particular.

According to Snyman, the helicopter landed at some stage and dropped off four suspects.

A rhino cow was shot dead and her horns sawn off in the area about two weeks ago.

The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) met with farmers in the Roedtan area on Friday to establish a network to catch rhino poachers.

Farmers and trackers fine-combed the area on Tuesday.

During the EWT meeting, farmers and owners of game farms said they have a huge problem with helicopters flying over their farms in search of rhinos. Such helicopters have also been spotted in the Thabazimbi area.

Riaan de Jager of Limpopo's department of environmental affairs said they are working closely with the Civil Aviation Authority to catch the guilty parties.

Faan Coetzee of the EWT said the poaching syndicates use GPS devices to determine where on the farms the rhinos are.

Five suspected poachers were arrested in the Lephalale (Ellisras) area at the weekend.

They were caught after a large-scale search operation by farmers, police and trackers. The four men and a woman will appear in the Lephalale magistrate's court again on Monday.



WE NEED TO STOP THESE PILOTS!!

NEWS24 2010-08-31 13:30
Los Angeles - An Alaska Airlines flight has returned to Los Angeles International Airport after the pilot reported a bird had struck the plane.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson Mike Fergus says the Flight 707 plane took off from LAX on Monday night and was about a mile and a half west of the airport when the pilot reported the strike.

The pilot returned to the airport so the plane could be checked for damage.

Fergus says the plane landed safely at 21:21 local time. There were no reports of injuries or damage to the plane.



- SAPA

BBC NEWS 27 August 2010 Last updated at 08:08 GMT
Boeing is delaying delivery of its first new-generation 787 Dreamliner aircraft until early 2011.

Japan's All Nippon Airways was due to take delivery of the aircraft at the end of this year.

The 787 project has already been delayed for more than two years, following a series of hitches.

Boeing said on Friday the setback was due to the availability of a Rolls-Royce engine needed for the final phases of flight testing.

The US company said that it now expected All Nippon to take delivery of the aircraft in the middle of the first quarter of 2011.

The 787, being built in Seattle, is Boeing's most sophisticated plane yet. The company claims the carbon-composite aircraft will be lighter, faster and emit less CO2 than similar-sized planes currently flying.

ANA has ordered 55 Dreamliners, eight of which Boeing had promised to deliver by the end of March.

"Given the success of the flight test programme so far, it is regrettable to hear of the delay," said an All Nippon spokeswoman.

A spokesman for Rolls-Royce told the AFP news agency: "We have been informed by Boeing that the currently planned dates for Trent 1000 engine deliveries will now not support their latest flight test programme requirements.

"We are working closely with Boeing to expedite delivery in support of their programme schedule."

'Seeking clarification'
 
It was unclear if the delay would mean Boeing having to reschedule deliveries to other airlines.

In July, Australia's Qantas brought forward its 787 delivery schedule, saying it would receive the first 50 of the aircraft it has on order in mid-2012.

A spokesman said on Friday: "We are seeking more clarification from Boeing."

The 787 made its maiden flight in December 2009 and was a star feature at July's international airshow at Farnborough in the UK.