A RAILROAD BRIDGE CAPTURED EARLY THIS MORNING AT MARINETTE, WISCONSIN.
Friday, July 31, 2009
ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
MUSIC/PEAS SET BILLBOARD RECORD: The Black Eyed Peas have set a new record for the longest successive stay at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart by a duo or group. Having spent 12 weeks at the top of the chart with "Boom Boom Pow," the group are now celebrating their 5th week at #1 with "I Gotta Feeling". The 17-week run beats the 2 16-week spells Boyz II Men spent at the top, first in 1994 and then in 1995/96. Usher holds the overall record, having enjoyed 19 weeks at the top in 2004. On each of these occasions, the run was achieved by having one chart-topping song replaced by another. Usher's was achieved when his track "Burn" knocked "Yeah," another of his own tracks, off the top spot after 12 weeks, remaining there for another 7 weeks. The Black Eyed Peas are currently at #3 in the UK singles chart, also with "I Gotta Feeling".
FILM/"ALIEN" PREQUEL PLANNED: Director Ridley Scott is to direct a prequel to seminal sci-fi horror film "Alien". The director would return to the franchise he began in 1979 with actors Sigourney Weaver and John Hurt. Scott, who is currently directing "Robin Hood," has not made a sci-fi movie since "Blade Runner" in 1982. He was not involved in the 3 "Alien" sequels or the 2 "Alien vs Predator" spin-offs. It is thought the prequel will tell the story of the events leading up to the original film, in which the crew of a commercial towing ship respond to a distress signal, only to discover it was generated by an empty ship that was meant to warn them. The film will be written by Jon Spaihts, who has also wrote Keanu Reeves' space film project "Passengers". "Alien," which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, won an Oscar for best visual effects in 1980. WORLD NEWS/ GAY MARRIAGE IN ALBANIA?
Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha has announced his party will propose a law legalising same-sex marriage. It is an unexpected move in a country that is still one of the most conservative in Europe and where homosexuality was illegal until 1995. Berisha acknowledged the proposed law might provoke debate but maintained that discrimination in modern Albania had to end. The bill was drawn up by a group of non-governmental organisations. It has been accepted by Berisha's Democratic Party and will now come before parliament in the autumn. In a predominantly Muslim country with almost no open homosexual community, the announcement by a conservative PM has taken people by surprise. Goran Miletic, a Belgrade-based human rights lawyer, working partly on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues said it was an important step forward for the country. "It is encouraging for the LGBT community in Albania, bearing in mind that they are not visible comparing to some other Balkan states like Serbia, like Macedonia or Croatia." But he said he did not think the law would be passed easily in the face of immediate opposition from religious communities The reaction by Islamic and Catholic leaders has been vehement. Under the isolationist rule of Enver Hoxha, Albania was officially an atheist state. But since the fall of Communism almost 2 decades ago, religion has once again grown and its leaders' voices are influential. Albania, though, has set its sights firmly on the goal of European Union membership, and it seems this proposed law is aimed at showing Brussels a progressive new image. If it is passed in the autumn, it could move the country 1 step further on its European path.
AVIATION/ EASA ORDERS SENSORS CHANGE
European air safety regulators told world Airlines today they will have to replace hundreds of air speed sensors of the type that may have contributed to the crash of Air France Flight 447, an Airbus A330, in the Atlantic Ocean on June 1. The order comes after 3 other incidents involving the sensors on Airbus aircraft in the last 3 months, the latest of which occurred on July 13. Details of that incident were released earlier this week. The announcement also comes after Airbus recommended that Airlines flying its planes exchange some of the speed sensors manufactured by Thales Corp. for the Goordrich model. AF Flight 447 investigators have focused on the possibility that the external monitors on the A330, known as pitot tubes, iced over and gave false speed readings to the Air France plane's computers as it ran into a turbulent thunderstorm. Each modern jet airliner carries at least 3 of the L-shaped metal pitot tubes that jut from the forward fuselage. "The European Aviation Safety Agency plans to propose an airworthiness directive mandating that all A330 and A340 currently fitted with Thales pitot probes must be fitted with at least two Goodrich probes, allowing a maximum of one Thales to remain fitted to the aircraft," said a statement by the agency based in Cologne, Germany. The statement said the airworthiness directive, effectively an order to the planes' operators, would be issued within the next 14 days. It described the move as precautionary, based on pitot tube data the agency had analyzed in recent weeks.
AVIATION NEWS BRIEFS
SOUTHWEST BIDS FOR FRONTIER: SOUTHWEST AIRLINES has launched a surprise bid to buy FRONTIER AIRLINES, a move that would make the carrier a powerful competitor to UNITED AIRILNES in Denver, and could speed Southwest's 1st expansion outside of the US. Southwest said yesterday that it proposed to acquire Frontier for at least $113.6 million through an auction conducted by the US Bankruptcy Court. The bid is higher than the $108.8 million offered earlier by Indianapolis-based REPUBLIC AIRLINES to acquire Denver-based Frontier after it emerges from bankruptcy protection. If the bid succeeds, Southwest will become about 10% larger overnight. It would control 33% of capacity in Denver, Frontier's hub, to United's 45% market share. Southwest also would gain entrance to Washington's Reagan National Airport and to Atlanta, where DELTA AIRLINES and AIRTRAN operate their largest hubs. And it could add international flights for the 1st time by acquiring Frontier's routes to Mexico and Costa Rica. Although Frontier accepted Republic's terms, it agreed to establish an auction on August 11 with its creditors committee to determine if better offers were available. Republic refused to say whether they would up their bid for Frontier.
LIGHTNING STRIKES BMI ERJ: BMI Flight 341 was on Scheduled Domestic ERJ145 Service from Manchester, England, to Edinburgh, Scotland, when it had to make an emergency return to Manchester, yesterday, July 30. Flight 341, with 17 passengers and crew onboard, declared an emergency after being struck by lightning shortly after takeoff. The ERJ landed back at Manchester without incident. The aircraft was inspected and no damage was found, thus it returned to service late yesterday.
HAZE FORCES AF A330 RETURN: AIR FRANCE Flight 946 was on Scheduled International A330 Service from Paris, France, to Douala, Cameroon, when it had to make an emergency return to Paris, yesterday, July 30. Flight 946, with 184 passengers and crew onboard, declared an emergency after a light haze began to fill the passenger cabin shortly after takeoff. The crew believed that the haze was coming from an unspecified problem with the air conditioning system. The A330 landed back at Paris without incident, about 30 minutes later. The aircraft was removed from service for inspection and repairs.
AIR FRANCE 777 IN EMERGENCY LANDING: AIR FRANCE Flight 348 was on Scheduled International Boeing 777 Service from Paris, France, to Montreal, Canada, when it had to make an emergency landing at Montreal, on Wednesday, July 29. Flight 348 declared an emergency while on approach to Montreal with the crew reporting an unspecified problem with its hydraulic systems. The 777 landed without incident about 20 minutes later, and was the removed from service for inspection and possible repairs.
DELTA 767 SUFFERS BIRD STRIKES: DELTA AIRLINES Flight 72 was on Scheduled International Boeing 767 Service from New York JFK to Istanbul, Turkey, when it had to reject its takeoff at JFK, on Wednesday, July 29. Flight 72, with 202 passengers and 11 crew members onboard, rejected takeoff after suffering muliple bird strikes after rolling down about 3000 feet on the runway. A number of tires deflated while the crew brought the aircraft to a safe stop. The 767 was able to return to the gate to offload the passengers, and then was removed from service for a full damage assessment and repairs.
KLM FOKKER RETURNS FOR UNKNOWN REASONS: KLM CITYHOPPER Flight 1263 was on Scheduled International Fokker 100 Service from Amsterdam, The Netherlands, to Nice, France, when it had to return to Amsterdam, on Wednesday, July 29. Flight 1263 was about 1 hour into its flight and flying at 34000 feet, when the crew requested return to Amsterdam for unspecified reasons. The Fokker turned around, descended to 32000 feet, and returned to Amsterdam. The aircraft was removed from service and the passengers were put on another aircraft for the flight to Nice. According to a media report, a passenger onboard Flight 1263 said they were told that the aircraft had a problem with its left hand engine. KLM has thus far refused to comment on the incident.
AIR FRANCE A330 DAMAGED AFTER ARRIVAL: AIR FRANCE Flight 896 was on Scheduled International A330 Service from Paris, France, to Brazzaville, Congo, when it was damaged after landing at Brazzaville, on Wednesday, July 29. Flight 896 landed without incident, and was taxiing into the parking position. While taxiing, the right wing tip/winglet touched a hangar wall and received a few scratches. No one onboard the aircraft was injured in the incident. The A330 was ferried back to Paris for repairs.
BOMB HOAX TO SAUDI 747: SAUDI ARABIAN Flight 311 was on Scheduled International Boeing 747 Service from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to Cairo, Egypt, when it had to make an emergency landing at Cairo, Wednesday, July 29. Flight 311 declared an emergency while on approach to Cairo, with the crew reporting that a Flight Attendant had found a written bomb threat in a passenger lavatory. The 747 landed without incident, and passengers were quickly offloaded. A search of the aircraft by the Bomb Squad and sniffer dogs failed to find any trace of explosives. In a statement, officials said that they believed the note to be a hoax. The aircraft was ordered to ferry back to Riyadh by Egyptian officials.
DANGEROUS GOODS FOUND ON EGYPTAIR ERJ: EGYPTAIR Flight 355 was on Scheduled Domestic ERJ170 Service from Cario to Luxor, Egypt, when it was found to be carrying unauthorized dangerous goods, on Tuesday, July 21. The incident was just disclosed yesterday. Flight 355, with 72 passengers and crew onboard, completed its flight to Luxor without incident. While unloading the aircraft, a security officer noted a piece of cargo without a proper label. The package could not be matched with any of the passengers of the flight. The security officer then opened the package and found 5 inflammable gas cylinders inside, despite a ban of such hazardeous cargo. The shipper was later identifed as a subsidiary for Egyptair. According to Airline officials, heightened security measures have been put in place to prevent another similar incident. Thursday, July 30, 2009
SNAPSHOTS
KRAKATOA VOLCANO, IN INDONESIA, IS SHOWING SIGNS OF LIFE ONCE AGAIN, AS SEEN IN THESE NEWLY RELEASED PHOTOGRAPHS FROM LAST MONTH. KRAKATOA IS MOST FAMOUS FOR 1883 ERUPTION WHICH CLAIMED MORE THAN 36,000 LIVES. 
MEDIA/ DNA #115 HITS THE STREETS
DNA issue #115 hit the newstands this week in Australia. The magazine has a feature on the brutal murder in the US by 2 porn stars who wanted to hit big. Also this month, features on Mika, The Black Eyed Peas, Michael Jackson, True Blood, and more. As always, the best in men, fashion, nightlife, and more. Issue #115 should arrive stateside in about 3 weeks.
AVIATION/ AEROFLOT PLANS IMAGE MAKEOVER
AEROFLOT, the Russian Airline often ridiculed for its rickety planes, inedible food and indifferent service, has announced plans to make its Flight Attendants more attractive. In a bid to tackle the negative image, Vitaly Savelyev the new CEO of Aeroflot, said yesterday that all "new stewardesses would be very striking, very eye-catching girls". According to media reports, the move is a risky one, with the potential to anger some passengers due to equal opportunity practices and political correctness. Savelyev said only women who would not exceed Russian size 48, roughly a size 12, would now be employed by the Airline. Savelyev also announced a change to the blue-and-orange uniforms. "Psychologists have told us that the current colour evokes revulsion in passengers," he said. "My son sent me a wonderful video clip of VIRGIN ATLANTIC, all of their stewardesses are in bright red uniforms and look like professional models". A competition has been held among 40 design agencies to decide on a new uniform. Also, a number of Aeroflot Flight Attendants have been sent to Singapore to receive training from SINGAPORE AIRLINES. "The passenger is always right!" Savelyev said, voicing a concept that may have taken some Russian flight crews by surprise. "We have fired a lot of stewardesses for being rude to passengers". Aeroflot also plans to scrap almost all its Russian-made aircraft, which are mostly used on routes within Russia and to non-European destinations. The planes, many of which are old, also suffer from design faults. Aeroflot insists it is changing Tupolevs, as pictured above, for Boeings and Airbuses not because of safety concerns, but because the Russian planes are less fuel-efficient. AVIATION/ BIRD STRIKES CONCERN NTSB
This week, the NTSB voted to recommend to the FAA, that they revise the aircraft design standards so that the aircraft are better able to withstand bird strikes. The NTSB proposed the airframes be designed to withstand a strike from an 8lb bird, up from the current standard of a 4lb bird. The recommendation does not cover engines. The airframe standards were established in the 1970s, but because of environmental protections, populations of most large bird species in North American have been increasing. Many of the species of greatest concern have average weights double or triple the current standards. The NTSB recommendation came from their hearing into the crash of a private Cessna Citation near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on March 4, 2008. The Cessna collided with a flock of white pelicans, some of which can weigh up to 30lbs. Investigators said that striking the pelicans severely damaged a wing of the Cessna and knocked out the power in 1 engine. They said the plane could have continued to fly using its other engine, but not with the wing damage. The collision took place about 2 minutes after takeoff from Wiley Post Airport, as the plane passed over Oklahoma City's Lake Overholser. Witnesses told investigators they heard a noise that sounded like an engine stall, and then saw a plane plunge nose down trailed by a plume of gray smoke. The 3 passengers and 2 Pilots onboard the aircraft were killed in the crash, which is pictured above. Since 1988, 53 people have been killed and 81 commercial aircraft have been destroyed in bird or other wildlife collisions in the United States. The recommendation also comes on the heels of the US AIRWAYS downing of 1 of its jets in the Hudson River in January. That aircraft also came down after striking a flock of large, migratory Canadian geese. There is no word on when a response will come from the FAA.
AVIATION NEWS BRIEFS
AA MD83 SUFFERS BIRD STRIKE: AMERICAN AIRLINES Flight 449 was on Scheduled Domestic MD83 Service from St Louis, Missouri, to Los Angeles, California, when it suffered a bird strike, yesterday, July 29. Flight 449, with 149 passengers and 5 crew members onboard, ingested a bird into its right hand engine on takeoff from St Louis. The crew declared an emergency, leveled off at 3000 feet, and shut the engine down. The MD83 landed back at St Louis without incident, only minutes after its initial departure. The aircraft was removed from service for inspection and repairs.
FLAP PROBLEMS ON LUFTHANSA CRJ: LUFTHANSA CITYLINE Flight 1368 was on Scheduled Domestic CRJ100 Service from Munich to Stuttgart, Germany, when it had a difficult landing at Stuttgart, yesterday, July 29. Flight 1368 was on approach to Stuttgart, when the crew notified ATC of unspecified problems with its flaps. The CRJ had to perform a landing at a higher than normal speed, with the flaps not in landing position. The aircraft landed without incident, and was able to vacate the runway without problem, as seen in photo at left. The CRJ was removed from service for inspection and possible repair.
IBERIA A320 SUFFERS BIRD STRIKE: IBERIA Flight 3534 was on Scheduled International A320 Service from Madrida, Spain, to Munich, Germany, when it suffered a bird strike, yesterday, July 29. Flight 3534, with 134 passengers and crew onboard, ingested a bird into an engine while climbing thru 3000 feet after taking off from Madrid. The A320 landed back at Madrid without incident, about 30 minutes after its initial departure. The aircraft was removed from service for a damage assessment and repairs.
HYRDRAULICS LEAK ON ANA 737: ANA Flight 575 was on Scheduled Domestic Boeing 737 Service from Tokyo to Iwami, Japan, when it was damaged upon landing at Iwami, on Sunday, July 26. Flight 575, with 133 passengers and crew onboard, when when a hydraulics tube cracked after it landed, causing hydraulics fluid to be spilled onto the runway. The crew lost nose wheel steering as a result, however they were able to stop the aircraft on the runway. The 737 was towed off the runway, and later removed from service for inspection and repairs.
PRIVATE PILOT DISRUPTS EVA 747 LANDING: EVA AIRWAYS Flight 638 was on Scheduled Domestic Boeing 747 Cargo Service from Atlanta, Georgia, to New York JFK, had to perform a go-around while on approach to JFK, on Saturday, July 25. Flight 638 was on final approach for runway 22L at 2000 feet, when it was ordered to go-around due to a private pilot intruding on the flight path of the 747. The Eva 747 remained at 2000 feet, and was vectored in for a safe landing on its 2nd approach. According to media reports, the private experimental plane was being flown by a retired Navy Pilot, was headed for Farmingdale on Long Island. The Pilot had failed to establish communication with ATC as required and then lost positional awareness. The Pilot then spotted JFK and made a couple of 360s (full turns) E of the Airport to identify his position, then turned N and maneouvered as if he wanted to land on runway 22L. A police helicopter was dispatched to guide the lost Pilot to his destination. As of now, no charges have been filed against the private Pilot, however the FAA is investigating the incident. Wednesday, July 29, 2009
SNAPSHOTS
THE FIRST BABY ELEPHANT BORN IN AUSTRALIA, LUK CHAI, MAKES HIS FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCE WITH HIS MOTHER, EARLIER THIS WEEK AT THE TARONGA ZOO IN SYDNEY.
MUSIC/ TOP 20 SINGLES 7-29-09
1. I GOTTA FEELING--THE BLACK EYED PEAS2. INDIETRO--TIZIANO FERRO
3. NOTION--KINGS OF LEON
4. INFIDELITY (remix)--EVELYN THOMAS
5. RELEASE ME--AGNES
6. CAUSA Y EFECTO--PAULINA RUBIO
7. HEAVY CROSS--GOSSIP
8. PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME (remix)--PINK
9. KNOCK YOU DOWN--KERI HILSON w/ KANYE WEST & NE-YO
10. MAGNIFICENT (remix)--U2
11. WHEN LOVE TAKES OVER (remix)--DAVID GUETTA w/ KELLY ROWLAND
12. NOTHING EVER HURT LIKE YOU--JAMES MORRISON
13. 21 GUNS--GREEN DAY
14. PARLA CON ME--EROS RAMAZZOTTI
15. POPPIHOLLA (remix)--CHICANE
16. RABBIT HEART (RAISE IT UP)--FLORENCE & THE MACHINE
17. HEARTBREAK (remix)--FREEMASONS w/ SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR
18. SOS (LET THE MUSIC PLAY)--JORDIN SPARKS
19. SWEET DREAMS--BEYONCE
20. A DUSTLAND FAIRYTALE--THE KILLERS
NEW ENTRIES IN BOLD BLUE TYPE
CHARTBOUND
* 22--LILY ALLEN
* CAN'T STOP FEELING--FRANZ FERDINAND
* CRYING LIGHTNING--ARCTIC MONKEYS
* FUNHOUSE--PINK
* HEARTBEAT--NNEKA
* IMMA BE--THE BLACK EYED PEAS
* LITTLE BRIBES--DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE
* MANOS AL AIRE--NELLY FURTADO
* NEVER LEAVE YOU--TINCHY STRYDER w/ AMELLE
* OBSESSED--MARIAH CAREY
* PAPARAZZI--LADY GAGA
* RAINDROPS--BASEMENT JAXX
* THE ONE--MARY J BLIGE w/ DRAKE
* UPRISING--MUSE
* WE ARE GOLDEN--MIKA
* WHERE DID ALL THE LOVE GO--KASABIAN
MUSIC/ TOP 20 ALBUMS 7-29-09
1. LEAVE THIS TOWN--DAUGHTRY2. GRAN CITY POP--PAULINA RUBIO
3. ROCK OF AGES--BROADWAY CAST
4. ALI E RADICI--EROS RAMAZZOTTI
5. NOW THATS WHAT I CALL MUSIC 73--VARIOUS ARTISTS
6. ONLY BY THE NIGHT--KINGS OF LEON
7. GLASVEGAS--GLASVEGAS
8. 21ST CENTURY BREAKDOWN--GREEN DAY
9. CRADLESONG--ROB THOMAS
10. NUMBER ONES--MICHAEL JACKSON
11. SONGS FOR YOU, TRUTHS FOR ME--JAMES MORRISON
12. THE E.N.D.--THE BLACK EYED PEAS
13. ITS NOT ME, ITS YOU--LILY ALLEN
14. WEST RYDER PAUPER LUNATIC ASYLUM--KASABIAN
15. IN A PERFECT WORLD--KERI HILSON
16. JOURNAL FOR PLAGUE LOVERS--MANIC STREET PREACHERS
17. THE STEADY RHYTHM--IVRI LIDER
18. THE SCRIPT--THE SCRIPT
19. A HUNDRED MILLION SUNS--SNOW PATROL
20. DE NOCHE--ALEJANDRO FERNANDEZ
NEW ENTRIES IN BOLD BLUE TYPE
RE-ENTRIES IN BOLD RED TYPE
BOOKS/ TOP 20 BOOKS 7-29-09
1. DEAD TOMORROW--PETER JAMESFiction/Inspector Grace investigates murder in Sussex.
2. THE STRAIN--DEL TORO & HOGAN
Fiction/Book I of III in a new vampire series.
3. THE BEST OF TIMES--PENNY VINCENZI
Fiction/An interstate crash changes the lives of all involved.
4. GO DOWN TOGETHER--JEFF GUINN
NonFiction/The untold story of Bonnie & Clyde.
5. FIRST YOU FALL--SCOTT SHERMAN
Fiction/Male Escort Keven Connor investigates his friends murder.
6. THE WATER'S EDGE--KARIN FOSSUM
Fiction/Inspector Sejer investigates a childs murder in Norway.
7. FAR CRY--JOHN HARVEY
Fiction/Grayson & Walker investigate a double tragedy for a family.
8. TARGET--SIMON KERNICK
Fiction/No one believes a man who reports a horrorific crime.
9. FRAGMENT--WARREN FAHY
Fiction/A new discovery on a remote island leads to terror and chaos.
10. WICKED PREY--JOHN SANDFORD
Fiction/Davenport tackles crime during the Republican Convention in St Paul.
11. RELENTLESS--DEAN KOONTZ
Fiction/An author & family man faces a sociopath.
12. ARDENT SPIRITS--REYNOLDS PRICE
NonFiction/The authors 3rd volume of memoirs takes place in the late 50s.
13. MAHU VICE-- NEIL S PLAKEY
Fiction/Hawaiian gay detective Kimo Kanapa'aka investigates arson
14. THE KILL CALL--STEPHEN BOOTH.
Fiction/Fry & Cooper investigate murder in Derbyshire
15. THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE--STIEG LARSSON
Fiction/Salander & Blomkvist reunite in Book 2 of the mystery trilogy.
16. DEWEY--VICKY MYRON
NonFiction/The small town library cat that touched the world.
17. TWO OF THE DEADLIEST--VARIOUS AUTHORS
Fiction/23 tales of lust, greed, and murder, from female mystery authors.
18. DOWN AROUND MIDNIGHT--ROBERT SABBAG
NonFiction/A survivor of the 1979 crash of Air New England Flight 248 and its aftermath.
19. COLUMBINE--DAVE CULLEN
NonFiction/A definitive account of the 1999 school shooting in Columbine.
20. 35 MILES FROM SHORE--EMILIO CORSETTI III
NonFiction/The story of the 1970 ditching of ALM Flight 980 in the Atlantic.
NEW ENTRIES IN BOLD BLUE TYPE
TV/ TOP 10 PROGRAMS 7-29-09
1. TORCHWOOD: CHILDREN OF EARTH (BBC America) ***2. TRUE BLOOD (HBO)
3. NURSE JACKIE (Showtime)
4. THE CLOSER (TNT)
5. BEING HUMAN (BBC America) *
6. KATHY GRIFFIN:MY LIFE ON THE D LIST (Bravo)
7. BIG BROTHER 11 (CBS)
8. MIAMI SOCIAL (Bravo)
9. SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (FOX)
10. THE FASHION SHOW (Bravo) **
*--Series Premiere
**--Season Finale
***--5 Part Limited Run Series (concluded last week)
ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
THEATRE/"9 to 5" TO CLOSE IN SEPTEMBER: Producers announced today, that the Dolly Parton penned Broadway musical, "9 to 5," will shutter on September 6. By the time "9 to 5" closes, it will have played 148 performances and 24 previews. The show, based on the hit Hollywood film, was mostly panned by the critics, but the audiences who saw the show, reportedly loved it. According to New York Media, it was the opening number, the title track, that always got the audience in the mood for what was to come. In the roles created by Parton, Tomlin and Fonda on film, the Broadway trio of secretaries included Megan Hilty, Allison Janney and Stephanie J. Block. Their work is preserved on a cast album released by Dolly Records yesterday. Although the producers say that they have lost money on the show, they plan to launch a national tour of the show on September 20, 2010 in Nashville, Tennessee.
TV/SHAKEUP AT "CSI": When "CSI" returns for its 10th season this fall, , Lauren Lee Smith will not return as a series regular. According to producers, her character, Riley, pictured at left, got lost in the shuffle of Sara, Warrick, and Grissom leaving the lab. The producers felt her character never caught on. Her absence is going to open up a slot for Sara Sidle, who is now ready to return to work after her severe burnout in Season 8. The producers said that he shows up because the team is understaffed, and the undersheriff reaches out for a recommendation and Sara volunteers herself. Jorja Fox, who plays Sara, will return for at least 5 episodes and will will address what has been going on with Sara and Grissom and why she is able to work again as a CSI. Producers refused to say on whether Sara's return will be permanant. AVIATION/ QANTAS MARKS PACIFIC SERVICE
Today, QANTAS marks 50 years since it operated the world's 1st commercial passenger jet service across the Pacific. Flight EM774, the 1st to be operated by Qantas' new Boeing 707 aircraft, departed Sydney Airport at 3.35pm on July 29, 1959, bound for San Francisco, via Nadi and Honolulu. The flight reached San Franciso in 14 hours and 57 minutes. Qantas marked the 50th anniversary with a special ceremony at Sydney International Terminal prior to the departure of the QF73 Sydney-San Francisco flight. The Qantas Senior Executive Vice President, The Americas and Pacific, said the anniversary was a timely reminder of the Airline's longevity on the US-Australia route. "Qantas has a proud history on the Pacific route, having flown uninterrupted services between the United States and Australia for 55 years," he said. "It's a long and challenging route. Other airlines have come and gone, but our commitment to providing air links between the 2 countries has never wavered". Qantas remains the largest carrier on the Pacific, operating 43 roundtrip flights every week between the US cities of Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco and eastern Australia and also Auckland, New Zealand.
AVIATION/ AF A320 INVOLVED IN SERIOUS EVENT
The French BEA and the US NTSB are investigating a potentially serious incident involving an AIR FRANCE A320 that bears similarity to what took place prior to the crash of Air France Flight 447, overhead the Atlantic on June 1. The incident also has some similar characteristics with 2 incidents that the NTSB is currently investigating, involving a TAM A330 on May 30, and a NORTHWEST AIRLINES A330 on June 23. The latest incident occurred on July 13, 2009, and involved AF Flight 1905 on Scheduled International Service from Rome, Italy, to Paris, France. According to investigators, Flight 1905 was enroute when all airspeed information, as well other air data related indications were lost in the cockpit. The autopilot and autothrust systems dropped offline. The crew continued manually until the indications returned about 1 minute later. The flight continued without further incident and landed safely in Paris. The maintenance ACARS messages received by Air France from Flight 1905 are similar to the ACARS messages that Flight 447 sent before crashing. The investigation into the crash of Flight 447 has centered on the pitot tubes. After the crash, Air France replaced all of its Airbus aircraft with modified pitot tubes, Thales BA type instead of the standard AA type. This has led the French Pilots Union to state that if similiarities do exist between these events, then the pitot sensors must be changed to the rival products of Goodrich rather than Thales. Investigators are looking into the weather, to see what role that may have played. At the time of the incident with Flight 1905, a well developed frontal system was overhead France, as seen in picture above. Investigators note that Flight 447 crashed after encountering heavy thunderstorms enroute, while both the Tam and NWA incidents occurred during weather events. This has led to speculation that the weather, including the temperature, may play a role in the performance of the pitot tubes. No word on how long the investigation will take to complete. AVIATION/ JTSB INVESTIGATES OSAKA INCIDENT
The Japanese Transportation Safety Board has opened an investigation involving 2 airliners at Osaka, Japan, last Thursday, July 23. On that date, JAL Flight 2200 was on Scheduled Domestic MD81 Service from Sendai to Osaka, on behalf of JAL EXPRESS, with 74 passengers and crew onboard. Flight 2200 had just landed on Osaka Itami's longer runway 14R/32L (also known as runway B) and was taxiing towards the terminal, when the crew crossed the shorter runway 14L/32R (also known as runway A) without ATC authorization. Flight 2200 crossed the shorter runway just as JAPAN AIR COMMUTER Flight 2400, on Dash 8-400 service from Kagoshima, Japan, with 52 passengers and crew onboard, was about to land on that short runway. The crew of JAC Flight 2400 performed an immediate go-around, and landed without incident about 5 minutes later. According to the JTSB, JAL Flight 2200 crew had been ordered to hold short of runway A, but read back "cleared to cross" and continued to move onto the runway. The JTSB said in a statement that a team of investigators was dispatched to Osaka to investigate what it called a "serious incident".AVIATION/ NTSB REPORTS ON SW FL2809
The NTSB has issued its final report into an incident involving a SOUTHWEST AIRLINES Boeing 737 near Las Vegas, Nevada, on February 24, 2008. On that date, SW Flight 2809 was on Scheduled Domestic Service from Ontario, California, to Las Vegas, with 137 passengers and 5 crew members onboard. About 20 miles from Las Vegas, the 737 encountered severe clear air turbulence without warning. The aircraft landed without incident in Las Vegas, however 5 passengers and 1 Flight Attendant were treated for minor injuries received. The NTSB report states that while the 737 was descending through 11400 feet, with the fasten seat belt signs illuminated, the aircraft encountered turbulence causing an acceleration of -0.761 in the 1st jolt and +1.762G in a 2nd jolt 2 seconds later. 2 passenger seat belts failed and became unhooked releasing 2 adult passengers and 1 lap child, who subsequently collided with the overhead baggage compartments. Another lap child escaped the holding hands of his mother and received a gash on his head. A 5th passenger collided roughly with the airframe. A Flight Attendant attempting to open her jump seat struck her head against the cabin ceiling following another jolt. All 6 people received minor injuries. The NTSB noted that the seat belts were equipped with D-ring shackles, that had failed on previous turbulence encounters. A Special Airworthines Information Bulletin (SAIB) had been released in the year 2003 requiring air transport operators to replace D-ring seat belt anchors with the improved design fitting. The SAIB is an advisory, compliance with it is not mandatory. The NTSB concluded that the probable cause of the incident was: "An inadvertent encounter with severe turbulence during descent and the failure of 2 passenger seat belt attach fittings. Contributing to the incident was the failure of the operator to comply with the SAIB." The full report can be found on the NTSB website.
AVIATION/ ATSB REPORTS ON QANTAS FL574
The Australian Transportation Safety Board, ATSB, has released its final report into an incident involving a QANTAS Boeing 737 near Swan Hill, Australia, on August 11, 2007. On that date, Qantas Flight 574 was on Scheduled Domestic Service from Perth to Sydney, with a flying time of 3.5 hours. About 2 hours and 40 minutes into the flight, the 737 was flying near Swan Hill, when the crew received a master caution because of low fuel output pressure of the main wing tank fuel pumps. The crew noted that both main wing tanks held only about 100kg of fuel, the center tank however had still 4700 kg of fuel with both center fuel pumps turned off. The Captain immediately turned the center fuel pumps on and the 737 continued to Sydney without incident. The 737 landed with 2950 kg of fuel remaining, 2750kg in the center, 100kg in each wing tank. At the time, the incident was not reported. The ATSB was made aware of the incident through a confidential REPCON report submitted on August 16, 2007. In their final report, the ATSB noted that the "serious incident" was caused by multiple errors made by the flight crew, in particular the Captain, made pre-departure and while inflight. The lengthy report into the incident can be found on the ATSB website.
AVIATION NEWS BRIEFS
BA AXES SOME SHORT-HAUL MEALS: BRITISH AIRWAYS said today that it is to scrap all meals, except breakfast, on its short-haul flights in a bid to save £22m a year. The measure, which begins next week, comes as the Airline slashes costs to help weather the recession. Passengers on flights after 10am, which last less than 2.5 hours, will only be served drinks and snacks. They will not have the option to buy food. Currently passengers on short-haul flights typically get a sandwich. This will be replaced by a bag of nuts or other snack. BA insisted it was still a "full service" Airline, with those flying before 10am continuing to be served with breakfast. "When you fly with British Airways, the in-flight catering is top-class and, unlike some other airlines, it is free," a BA spokesman said. "It is not unusual to make small changes to avoid waste and save money where it makes sense and it meets customers' changing tastes." Its research suggested that it was only after 2.5 hours in the air that passengers require more substantial refreshments.
SMOKE DIVERTS LUFTHANSA 747: LUFTHANSA Flight 431 was on Scheduled International Boeing 747 Service from Chicago OHare to Frankfurt, Germany, when it had to divert while enroute, on Monday, July 27. Flight 431 declared an emergency reporting smoke in the cockpit, while inflight at 36000 feet near Gander, Newfoundland. The 747 was diverted to Gander, where it landed without incident. There is no word on what may have caused the smoke, however the aircraft was inspected and cleared to resume its flight to Frankfurt after 3 hours on the ground. The 747 landed without incident in Frankfurt.
PAX ATTEMPTS SUICIDE ON ARMAVIA A319: ARMAVIA Flight 992 was on Scheduled International A319 Service from Novosibirsk, Russia, to Yerevan, Armenia, when a passenger attempted suicide while inflight, on Sunday, July 25. While inflight, the cabin crew noted that a lavatory in the passenger cabin had been occupied for an unusually long period of time. After receiving no reply to their verbal queries, the crew unlocked the lavatory to gain entrance. A young male passenger was found unresponsive with either an artery or vein slashed open. A doctor onboard was able to stablize the passenger, who was near death. The A319 landed in Yerevan, and the passenger was transported to a local hospital. There was no word on his current condition.
CANADIAN NORTH DASH DAMAGED ON LANDING: CANADIAN NORTH Flight 605 was on Scheduled Domestic Dash 8-100 Service from Broughton Island to Pangnirtung, Canada, when it was damaged on landing at Pangnirtung, on Friday, July 24. Flight 605 blew both left main gear tires upon touchdown on the runway, however the crew was able to stop the aircraft without problem. Inital reports suggested that a rock may have pierced the tires, however upon inspection the damage was revealed to be much more severe. In a statement, the Airline said that it was now investigating that a hard landing may have occurred. The Dash remains out of service.
ENGINE FORCES BUFFALO DC3 RETURN: BUFFALO AIRWAYS Flight 422 was on Scheduled Domestic DC3 Service from Edmonton to Har River, Canada, when they had to make an emergency return to Edmonton, last Wednesday, July 22. Flight 422 declared an emergency requesting immediate return, moments after taking off. ATC advised 2 other aircraft on approach to cancel their approaches, which allowed the Flight 422 to land back at Edmonton 5 minutes later without incident. In a statement, the Airline said that the right engine had to be shut down after takeoff due to low oil pressure and high oil temperatures of the engine. The oil screen was found to be contaminated. According to the Airline, the right engine now needs to be overhauled. The aircraft remains out of service.
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