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Off the Radar: Private Planes Hidden From Public View – ProPublica
Posted by: | CommentsTelevangelist Kenneth Copeland faced a congressional inquiry after flying his ministry’s tax-exempt jet to Maui and the Fiji Islands.
South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds has been questioned about his use of state planes for political and personal trips.
And after getting a $180 billion federal bailout, the insurance giant AIG caught flak for its fleet of corporate jets.
To prevent the public from seeing where they fly, all have over the years turned to a little-known program that lets private plane owners block their flights from view in the government’s system for tracking air traffic.
via Off the Radar: Private Planes Hidden From Public View – ProPublica.
Woods’s Return Spurs First Flight Advisory at Masters Update3 – BusinessWeek
Posted by: | CommentsApril 9 Bloomberg — Tiger Woods’s return to professional golf spurred U.S. regulators to suggest that pilots make the Masters Tournament a no-fly zone.Small planes should stay at least two nautical miles 3.7 kilometers from the center of the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia and at least 2,500 feet above the ground to “avoid unnecessary distraction,” the Federal Aviation Administration said in an April 5 advisory. It is a recommendation, not a rule.“Because of the increased attention because of the Tiger Woods scandal, the FAA thought it was prudent to issue this advisory,” said Kathleen Bergen, an agency spokeswoman in Atlanta. Woods is making his season debut after an almost five- month layoff and the admission that he cheated on his wife.
via Woods’s Return Spurs First Flight Advisory at Masters Update3 – BusinessWeek.
April First Friday in Downtown Lakeland Tied to Fly-In | TheLedger.com
Posted by: | CommentsApril First Friday in Downtown Lakeland Tied to Fly-In
Published: Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 11:42 p.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 11:42 p.m.
April’s First Friday in Downtown Lakeland will be much more than dining, strolling and shopping.
On April 2, First Friday will take on an aviation theme, with a fly-by evening formation by Ye Mystic Krewe, hot-air balloon rides, music by the U.S. Air Force rock band Reserve Generation, a hot-air balloon glow and night air show over Lake Mirror.
The events are a tie-in to Sun 'n' Fun, which is April 13 to 18. Admission to First Friday is free.
Events begin at 6 p.m., with balloon glow at 8:15 p.m. and air show at 8:45 p.m.
via April First Friday in Downtown Lakeland Tied to Fly-In | TheLedger.com.
Aviation experts predict biofuel-powered flights within 10 years – USATODAY.com
Posted by: | CommentsAviation experts predict biofuel-powered flights within 10 years
By Arthur Max, Associated Press Writer
AMSTERDAM — Within a decade, passenger planes will be flying on jet fuel largely made from plants — flax, marsh grass, even food waste — as airlines seek to break away from the volatile oil market and do their part to fight climate change, aviation experts said Wednesday.
Though biofuels are still in the experimental stage, the projected shift has stoked concern among environmentalists that the possible insatiable appetite of airlines for plant oil will hasten the destruction of tropical forests and the conversion of cropland from food to fuel.
Dependency on agrofuels “will lead to faster deforestation and climate change and spells disaster for indigenous peoples, other forest-dependent communities and small farmers,” said a statement from the Global Forest Coalition, an alliance of environmental groups.
But aviation experts told a global biofuels conference the industry is focusing on fuels that cause minimal environmental destruction.
A Swiss-based organization, the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels, has drawn up standards for certifying the entire chain of production. “Not all biofuels are created equal,” said Victoria Junquera.
via Aviation experts predict biofuel-powered flights within 10 years – USATODAY.com.
