Chris Hart Now NTSB Vice Chair

President Barack Obama has designated National Transportation Safety Board Member Christopher A. Hart as the agency's vice chairman. Hart was sworn in as a member of the NTSB on August 12 to a term that ends December 31, 2012. His term as vice chairman will run for two years. Hart comes to the Safety Board after a long career in transportation safety, including a previous stint as a member of the NTSB during the 1990s. He most recently was deputy director for air traffic safety oversight at the FAA. He is an aerospace engineer, attorney, and a licensed pilot with commercial, multi-engine and instrument ratings.

New FAA Government Affairs Advisor

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Randy Babbitt has announced the appointment of Roderick D. Hall as the new FAA assistant administrator for government affairs. As the agency's chief congressional liaison, Hall will serve as the advisor to the administrator and agency representative on matters concerning Congress and other government organizations. Hall spent the last nine years as a congressional staffer, most recently as deputy chief of staff and associate professional staff member to Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-TX, a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Prior to coming to Washington, Hall was the district director for Johnson.

New Tools & Techniques Against Bogus Parts

Three defense systems experts from ARINC will explore a range of new ideas for the sustainment of military systems, from detecting counterfeit electronics to reducing the effects of obsolescence, at the Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages (DMSMS) & Standardization Conference 2009, September 21-24 in Orlando, FL. ARINC's Charles Marshall and Robin Brown will discuss a new training course, "Counterfeiting Awareness," developed for the Defense Acquisition University and NAVAIR. At the DMSMS Program Support technical session Thursday, Sept. 24, Robin Brown will present her paper "Proactive Obsolescence Management Throughout the Acquisition Process." More information about the Conference is available at http://www.dmsms2009.com

ARINC Holds Air Cargo Conference

ARINC's Cargo Airlines Communications Workshop 2009 will be held Wednesday September 23 in Miami, FL. Cargo airlines already use ARINC's HF Voice radio service. The firm wants to share with them the many benefits of other communications solutions in its portfolio, such as HF Datalink, Iridium Voice and Data services, and Global Cargo Tracking, The workshop will feature presentations on eight technologies by ARINC staff and representatives from other firms. One featured topic will be ARINC's new PASSage system, which extends the reach of portable ground radio systems. "PASSage is an interoperability network solution that enables all ground operations personnel to freely communicate, whether using radio, phone, Voice over IP (VoIP), or Push-To-Talk (PTT)--either locally or remote. That can streamline communications, save a lot of time and reduce mistakes.n An agenda for the Workshop can be found at: http://www.arinc.com/customers/meetings/miami_cargo/conference_agenda.html The event will take place at the Sofitel Miami Hotel, 5800 Blue Lagoon Drive, Miami FL 33126. There is no fee. Attendees must register in advance by Monday, Sept. 21 at http://www.arinc.com/cf/forms/miami_cargo_workshop.cfm

Airbus: EASA Certifies A380 Autopilot/Flight Director TCAS

Airbus says a new Auto-Pilot/Flight-Director Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System mode for the A380 jetliner has been approved and certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency. The main benefit of the system is that it could further enhance safety during a traffic avoidance situation because the pilot can now fly the aircraft without switching out of one mode and into another. Thus, by simplifying the actions required by the pilot during a TCAS maneuver, this enhanced TCAS mode minimizes potential overreactions or inverse reactions while preserving his or her concentration at a critical time. In addition to now being certified on the A380, the AP/FD TCAS mode will also become available for retrofit on other Airbus Fly-By-Wire aircraft in the coming years.

Boeing Completes RNP Milestone in Panama

Boeing recently completed a critical design review for Required Navigation Performance procedures (RNP) in work at Panama's Tocumen International Airport and Howard Airport. The critical design review, which took place at the Copa Airlines training center in Panama City, assesses the "fly-ability" of the procedures and ensures compatibility with airline crew procedures. RNP uses global-positioning satellites and onboard flight-management systems to guide airplanes accurately along precise flight paths. Boeing, along with its wholly owned subsidiary, Jeppesen, will provide RNP procedures under contract with the Autoridad Aeronautica Civil (AAC), Panama's Civil Aviation Authority. These procedures will support flights into the Panamanian airports for any airline, with Panama's Copa Airlines taking the lead in testing the RNP procedures.

Frequentis Supports Slovenia ATC

Slovenia's Ministry of Defence has asked Frequentis to modernize its existing communication systems for air traffic control and air defense. The new order includes new VHF and UHF radios and state-of-the-art communication facilities for an Air Surveillance Operations Centre (ASOC) and an airbase. The communication system will be completed in 2010 and will also support the transfer of sensitive and classified information. The supply contract also includes a recording system: DIVOSlog by Frequentis, which records and stores all voice and radio messages. The data is then available for analyzing any flight safety incidents that might occur. This order is an important step for Frequentis as the company moves into military air traffic markets in southern and southeastern Europe. Frequentis guides today's data and voice communication solution platforms towards a future network centric concept in which secure information sharing is essential. Frequentis communication solutions represent a safe investment into current and future communication requirements.