http://www.aviationtoday.com Aviation Today en-us 2013 Thu, 23 May 2013 7:34:12 EDT Air medical transport operator Air Methods Corp. has achieved the highest level (Level 4) of FAA's voluntary Safety Management System (SMS) program. FAA created the SMS program to provide guidance and recognition of safety efforts implemented by commercial air operators. Level 4 of the program is the... http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/public-service/FAA/Air-Methods-Reaches-Level-4-of-SMS-Program_79305.html Wed, 22 May 2013 0:00:00 EDT The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has published a total of nine new recommendations following the investigation of an August 2011 Eurocopter AS350 B2 crash in Mosby, Mo. Four people died in the accident. NTSB determined that four factors contributed to the crash—training, fatigue... http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/public-service/FAA/NTSB-Issues-PED-Safety-Guidelines-to-FAA-Air-Methods_79188.html Tue, 7 May 2013 0:00:00 EDT FAA has issued a group of four airworthiness directives (ADs) related to the Eurocopter AS350/355, 365 and the MBB/Eurocopter BK117. One of the ADs requires inspections of the Aerazur emergency flotation gear, including the attachment brackets on the AS350 (models B, BA, B1... http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/public-service/FAA/FAA-Requires-New-Inspections-for-AS350-BK117_79132.html Fri, 3 May 2013 0:00:00 EDT The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has determined that a private text conversation was one of the factors that contributed to a series of poor decisions resulting in the August 2011 crash of an Air Methods Eurocopter AS350 B2 in Mosby, Mo. Four people died as a result of the accident... http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/public-service/FAA/Safety-Board-Texting-Distracted-Multitasking-Factors-in-2011-EMS-Crash_79164.html Wed, 1 May 2013 0:00:00 EDT In 1998 at the Heli Japan Conference held in Gifu, Japan, I attended a presentation by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on what they thought future heliport design criteria should include. For instance, at that time the FAA was pushing a 4,800-foot straight line approach at a 3-degree slope... http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/public-service/FAA/Heliport-Standards-Where-the-Bears-Live_79172.html Wed, 1 May 2013 0:00:00 EDT First of all, I hate partisan politics. There are too many times when it gets in the way of the nation’s—any nation’s—best interest. Second, while I knew the recent budget battle that raged on Capitol Hill was going to go down to the wire, I had good money that said a resolution was... http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/public-service/FAA/Law-Enforcement-Notebook-Sequestration-Reservations_79175.html Wed, 1 May 2013 0:00:00 EDT Santa Rosa, Calif.-based air medical transport provider REACH Air Medical Services has obtained FAA approval to begin using its own GPS approaches and routes in Western Oregon.      REACH AgustaWestland AW109. Photo courtesy of REACH.   The authorization allows REACH to begin flying... http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/public-service/FAA/FAA-Approves-REACH-for-Air-Medical-GPS-Routes_79043.html Wed, 24 Apr 2013 0:00:00 EDT Three years after entering FAA's voluntary Safety Management Systems (SMS) pilot project, Metro Aviation has entered Level III of the program.   SMS is recognized by the U.S. Joint Planning... http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/public-service/FAA/Metro-Achieves-Level-III-of-SMS-Project_79022.html Mon, 22 Apr 2013 0:00:00 EDT Bell Helicopter has earned Indonesian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) approval to increase the maximum gross weight of the 429 to 7,500 lbs. The 500-lb increase is based on Transport Canada’s certification of the weight boost tracing back to December 2011. Indonesia becomes the 17th... http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/public-service/FAA/Indonesia-Joins-Bell-429-Weight-Club-FAA-Re-Examines-Regs_78991.html Tue, 16 Apr 2013 0:00:00 EDT The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has determined that a private text conversation was one of the factors that contributed to a series of poor decisions resulting in the August 2011 crash of an Air Methods Eurocopter AS350 B2 in Mosby, Mo. Four people died as a result of the accident... http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/public-service/FAA/NTSB-Texting-Distracted-Multitasking-Factors-in-2011-EMS-Helicopter-Crash_78962.html Wed, 10 Apr 2013 0:00:00 EDT