AirCentre Aviation News Digest - November 2003, Week Four

Week Four
2003

New National Airspace System Operational on November 27
Trouble Free Introduction Indicates Acceptance from all Aviators

New National Airspace System Operational

November 30
As reported as far back as March 2002 the National Airspace System - NAS - is now operational

The OZ air traffic controllers union - Civil Air - continued to stir up the media prior to the introduction by making false claims about safety suggesting that passenger jets would collide with light aircraft under the new system

Since the successful introduction 3 days ago the media remains unusually quite on the issue!

The News Desk congratulates Dick Smith on his efforts to have the airspace reformed and upgraded to an international standard particularly for VFR flights that have been a bone-of-contention for private pilots flying under visual flight rules and who have been requesting for more than 20 years a better service from those in control of the airspace system in OZ

Started - or perhaps re-started - in February 2002 after a previous unsuccessful attempt - Dick was able to prove that the airspace model he proposed was far superior to any other put forward by the controllers union

Concorde Retirement Home

November 22
The British Concorde G-BOAD - built in 1976 - returned to New York early November to begin a new life in retirement at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum based on the Hudson River

After spending most of it's life - that's around 27 years - travelling at more than twice the speed of sound, this darling of the jet-setters was loaded aboard a barge and moved slowly seaward to it's last and final resting place so that it can be admired by all who care to visit the world's only supersonic passenger aircraft that was in regular service for 3 decades

Media Source:- Aero-News

A300 Airliner Hit by Missile

November 22
A shoulder launched missile has hit a civilian air freighter departing Baghdad airport in war-torn Iraq

The German based DHL Airbus A300 with a crew of 3 on board took a hit on the port wing and immediately returned for an emergency landing

It's the first time a civvy aircraft has been hit by a missile of this type - there were no reported injuries

For a previous report (August 2003) on terrorist activity aimed at taking down an airliner click HERE

Media Source:- Aero-News

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