Latest news with #ADSB
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Yahoo
Pilot's Message Revealed Before Plane Crash Killed 6 amid Heavy Fog: 'Doesn't Sound Great'
An National Transportation Safety Board official said that the runway lights and weather alert system at San Diego's Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport were out of order when a Cessna plane crashed on May 22 Six people aboard the plane, including music talent agent Dave Shapiro and ex-Devil Wears Prada drummer Daniel Williams, were killed The NTSB official said that the plane was not equipped with a flight data recorderInvestigators looking into the Thursday, May 22, small plane crash in a San Diego neighborhood that killed six people on board — including ex-Devil Wears Prada drummer Daniel Williams and music talent agent Dave Shapiro — said the airport's runway lights and weather alert system were not working amid heavy fog when the incident occurred, as reported to the Associated Press. At a Friday, May 23, press conference about the crash, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB} senior investigator Dan Baker stated that authorities recovered ADSB (automatic dependent surveillance–broadcast) data, fight track data and air traffic control audio from the accident flight. He said that the pilot of the doomed Cessna 550 did not report any problems to air traffic control and did not declare an emergency. Baker said investigators determined that the automated surface observing system, which provides airport weather conditions to pilots, was inoperative at San Diego's Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport due to an unrelated power surge. He added that air traffic controllers provided the pilot with the weather conditions from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, located 4 miles north of the airport. 'The weather at Miramar was briefed as 'wind calm, one-half mile visibility and 200-foot ceiling,' ' he said. Baker also noted that the runway lights at Montgomery Airport were out of service at the time. He also said the plane was not equipped with a flight data recorder and authorities are investigating whether it was equipped with a cockpit voice record. According to the AP, based on an audio conversation between the pilot and an air traffic controller, the Cessna pilot understood the weather conditions were not suitable for landing the aircraft at the airport and also discussed the visibility. The outlet added that it is uncertain whether the pilot had checked the FAA's official notice that the runway lights were out but was aware of Montgomery Airport's inoperable weather system. He could be heard on the audio saying that he'll proceed to land the plane at the airport. 'Doesn't sound great but we'll give it a go,' the pilot could be heard saying to the air traffic controller. The Cessna 550 later crashed near the airport at approximately 3:45 a.m., local time. Hours after the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) verified that there were six people onboard. The six people killed from the plane were later identified by authorities and media outlets as Shapiro, Williams; Emma L. Huke; Celina Marie Rose Kenyon; Kendall Fortner; and Dominic Damian. The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) said about 100 people had to be evacuated in the aftermath. At least 10 homes were damaged, NBC affiliate KNSD reported. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Baker said at the press conference that there were no ground fatalities or serious injuries. A preliminary report into the investigation is expected within 30 days from the date of the crash, said Baker, adding that a final report will be issued 12-24 months after the accident. Read the original article on People
Al Etihad
22-05-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
EDGE companies drive precision, autonomy in aerospace and maritime manufacturing
23 May 2025 00:20 SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)EDGE Group took the lead in the AI, advanced manufacturing and Industry 4.0 segments at this year's Make it in the Emirates forum, highlighting the UAE's commitment to local production and technology-driven industrial to Aletihad on the sidelines of the conference, Michael Deshaies, CEO of EPI - part of EDGE - said EPI stands apart as a pure manufacturing firm. "We are unique because we are purely a manufacturing company - 100% build-to-print," he said. "Around 80% of our turnover is tied to business with Airbus and Boeing. The parts we produce in Abu Dhabi go into aircraft flying around the world."EPI is the only accredited commercial airframer in the UAE and plays a key role in the global aerospace supply chain. It also serves the oil and gas and defence sectors with high-precision machined parts and maintenance, repair and overhaul services."This is the first time we are delivering a full, recognisable subsystem for a major aircraft programme, complete with jig-controlled builds and floor-mounted assemblies," Deshaies the forum, EPI showcased live demonstrations of its automated production lines, including a numerically controlled turret lathe used for precision turning of circular components. "It is one of over 60 automated tools in our factory, used for precision turning of circular components," he also pointed to EPI's expansion into propulsion system development, with a new R&D lab planned to support the UAE's aerospace goals. EPI also contributed components to the UAE's HOPE Probe and is involved in Airbus's C295 fuel tank programme. "We are creating a research and development lab to support propulsion systems - key to the UAE's ambitions… We believe precision manufacturing can move a country's GDP." 100% Made-in-UAE Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB), another EDGE company, used the forum's platform to spotlight its capabilities in locally designed and manufactured naval platforms."We are here to showcase what the UAE is capable of - especially in the maritime industry," Francesco Lomonaco, Technical Officer at ADSB, told Aletihad on the sidelines of the presented two UAE-designed vessels already in service: a 16-metre modular patrol boat and the FA-400, a scalable multi-mission platform that ranges from 40 to 50 metres, depending on operational needs."These vessels are not just designed locally, they're already in operation with both local and international clients," Lomonaco said. He said the defining aspect of ADSB is that the design is made locally."One of our mandates is to own the IP of our designs. That gives us control and allows us to produce not just for the UAE, but also for export markets," Lomonaco added. He explained that the FA-400 was developed entirely in-house with components from EDGE's defence ecosystem, including radar systems from Pulse and electro-optics from the Centre of Excellence."Our goal is a 100% Made-in-UAE platform," he ahead, Lomonaco said automation and AI will shape the company's next phase. "We want to reduce crew size, minimise human error, and ensure platforms can function in critical scenarios with advanced decision-making tools."
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Army adjusts tracker policy following fatal DC Black Hawk collision
The Army has made changes to how its helicopters use a safety system that broadcasts aircraft location and has reduced the number of flights over Washington following a collision with a passenger jet that killed 67 people, the head of Army aviation told The Associated Press on Tuesday. Investigators are still determining why the Army helicopter and the American Airlines jet collided near Ronald Reagan National Airport on Jan. 29, but the Federal Aviation Administration has data showing an alarming number of close calls around the airport. The safety system, called ADSB, short for Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, has become a flashpoint as some have pointed to the likely lack of use by the Black Hawk helicopter that night as a potential cause of the crash. DC helicopter route permanently closed after fatal Black Hawk crash The ADSB-out part of the system is designed to help air traffic controllers and nearby planes better track an aircraft's location with position updates every second. But it can also allow anyone — including a plane enthusiast on the ground — know precisely where a helicopter or airplane is located. Army helicopters in the past have turned off the system for many missions because they were deemed sensitive. The Army's head of aviation, Brig. Gen. Matthew Braman, said there now will be fewer flights with the ADSB-out data turned off. In the months since the crash, the Army has halted the vast majority of flights it was conducting for general officers ranked three stars and above, to ferry them from the Pentagon's helipad to regional locations. It has only resumed limited flights for the defense secretary, deputy defense secretary and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, while a limited number of other senior military leaders can fly from Virginia's Fort Belvoir, Braman said. The Army's 12th Battalion is one of 28 agencies that used the low-altitude helicopter routes around Ronald Reagan National Airport. That includes the Department of Defense, individual military services, local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, emergency medical services, the National Guard, Coast Guard and others. Before the collision, the Army was exempt from broadcasting ADSB-out data during sensitive missions, according to an August 2024 memo obtained by the AP. Those missions could include ferrying a senior leader or training for an emergency where transmitting a landing location could expose sensitive tactical information on reaction plans. The Army still has that exemption, but is making changes to how it flies so the exemption won't be used as often, Braman said. In past training and evaluation flights — such as on the night of the crash — crews combined normal flight routes with practice landings at sensitive locations. That meant they had to fly with ADSB-out switched off for the whole flight, according to the memo. Now crews are separating normal training and evaluation flights from flights that rehearse the classified continuity of government mission, Braman said. That reduces the number of flights where ADSB-out data will be turned off. 'If they are not going to one of those sensitive locations it should 100% be on,' Braman said. It's assumed the three Army crew who were killed in the crash were flying with ADSB-out turned off, but crash investigators have not concluded that yet, he said. The other part of the system, ADSB-in, pulls in location data from nearby planes and helicopters. Few Army aircraft had ADSB-in, due to the cost, and were not required to have it. The Army has now authorized the purchase of 1,600 ADSB-in systems for its helicopter fleet. Even if ADSB-out was off, the Black Hawk's transponder was in use and transmitting its position, Braman said. The FAA says ADSB-out data is more precise than the radar data communicated by a transponder, which, depending on the mode in use, can shield some aircraft information. The night of the crash, the Black Hawk was transmitting in three transponder modes — A, C and S — which combined gave the helicopter's identity, location and altitude. 'There was no question where that aircraft was,' Braman said. There was 'no point' during the flight where the jet and the airport control tower could not see the Black Hawk, he said. 'I think there's still a perception out there — I know there is — that the aircraft with ADBS-out in that segment around DCA were invisible. And that is so far from the truth,' Braman said. As a result of the crash, the FAA has permanently closed a route along the Potomac River that directly intersected the flight path for the runway where January's collision took place.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Army adjusts tracker policy and flight training following January collision with passenger jet
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Army has made changes to how its helicopters use a safety system that broadcasts aircraft location and has reduced the number of flights over Washington following a collision with a passenger jet that killed 67 people, the head of Army aviation told The Associated Press on Tuesday. Investigators are still determining why the Army helicopter and the American Airlines jet collided near Ronald Reagan National Airport on Jan. 29, but the Federal Aviation Administration has data showing an alarming number of close calls around the airport. The safety system, called ADSB, short for Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, has become a flashpoint as some have pointed to the likely lack of use by the Black Hawk helicopter that night as a potential cause of the crash. The ADSB-out part of the system is designed to help air traffic controllers and nearby planes better track an aircraft's location with position updates every second. But it can also allow anyone — including a plane enthusiast on the ground — know precisely where a helicopter or airplane is located. Army helicopters in the past have turned off the system for many missions because they were deemed sensitive. The Army's head of aviation, Brig. Gen. Matthew Braman, said there now will be fewer flights with the ADSB-out data turned off. And also fewer VIP flights In the months since the crash, the Army has halted the vast majority of flights it was conducting for general officers ranked three stars and above, to ferry them from the Pentagon's helipad to regional locations. It has only resumed limited flights for the defense secretary, deputy defense secretary and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, while a limited number of other senior military leaders can fly from Virginia's Fort Belvoir, Braman said. The Army's 12th Battalion is one of 28 agencies that used the low-altitude helicopter routes around Ronald Reagan National Airport. That includes the Department of Defense, individual military services, local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, emergency medical services, the National Guard, Coast Guard and others. Changes to ADSB-out policy Before the collision, the Army was exempt from broadcasting ADSB-out data during sensitive missions, according to an August 2024 memo obtained by the AP. Those missions could include ferrying a senior leader or training for an emergency where transmitting a landing location could expose sensitive tactical information on reaction plans. The Army still has that exemption, but is making changes to how it flies so the exemption won't be used as often, Braman said. In past training and evaluation flights — such as on the night of the crash — crews combined normal flight routes with practice landings at sensitive locations. That meant they had to fly with ADSB-out switched off for the whole flight, according to the memo. Now crews are separating normal training and evaluation flights from flights that rehearse the classified continuity of government mission, Braman said. That reduces the number of flights where ADSB-out data will be turned off. 'If they are not going to one of those sensitive locations it should 100% be on,' Braman said. It's assumed the three Army crew who were killed in the crash were flying with ADSB-out turned off, but crash investigators have not concluded that yet, he said. The other part of the system, ADSB-in, pulls in location data from nearby planes and helicopters. Few Army aircraft had ADSB-in, due to the cost, and were not required to have it. The Army has now authorized the purchase of 1,600 ADSB-in systems for its helicopter fleet. Army says the helicopter's location was still known Even if ADSB-out was off, the Black Hawk's transponder was in use and transmitting its position, Braman said. The FAA says ADSB-out data is more precise than the radar data communicated by a transponder, which depending on the mode in use can shield some aircraft information. The night of the crash, the Black Hawk was transmitting in three transponder modes — A, C, and S — which combined gave the helicopter's identity, location and altitude. 'There was no question where that aircraft was,' Braman said. There was 'no point' during the flight where the jet and the airport control tower could not see the Black Hawk, he said. 'I think there's still a perception out there — I know there is — that the aircraft with ADBS-out in that segment around DCA were invisible. And that is so far from the truth,' Braman said. As a result of the crash, the FAA has permanently closed a route along the Potomac River that directly intersected the flight path for the runway where January's collision took place.
Associated Press
08-04-2025
- General
- Associated Press
Army adjusts tracker policy and flight training following January collision with passenger jet
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Army has made changes to how its helicopters use a safety system that broadcasts aircraft location and has reduced the number of flights over Washington following a collision with a passenger jet that killed 67 people, the head of Army aviation told The Associated Press on Tuesday. Investigators are still determining why the Army helicopter and the American Airlines jet collided near Ronald Reagan National Airport on Jan. 29, but the Federal Aviation Administration has data showing an alarming number of close calls around the airport. The safety system, called ADSB, short for Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, has become a flashpoint as some have pointed to the likely lack of use by the Black Hawk helicopter that night as a potential cause of the crash. The ADSB-out part of the system is designed to help air traffic controllers and nearby planes better track an aircraft's location with position updates every second. But it can also allow anyone — including a plane enthusiast on the ground — know precisely where a helicopter or airplane is located. Army helicopters in the past have turned off the system for many missions because they were deemed sensitive. The Army's head of aviation, Brig. Gen. Matthew Braman, said there now will be fewer flights with the ADSB-out data turned off. And also fewer VIP flights In the months since the crash, the Army has halted the vast majority of flights it was conducting for general officers ranked three stars and above, to ferry them from the Pentagon's helipad to regional locations. It has only resumed limited flights for the defense secretary, deputy defense secretary and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, while a limited number of other senior military leaders can fly from Virginia's Fort Belvoir, Braman said. The Army's 12th Battalion is one of 28 agencies that used the low-altitude helicopter routes around Ronald Reagan National Airport. That includes the Department of Defense, individual military services, local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, emergency medical services, the National Guard, Coast Guard and others. Changes to ADSB-out policy Before the collision, the Army was exempt from broadcasting ADSB-out data during sensitive missions, according to an August 2024 memo obtained by the AP. Those missions could include ferrying a senior leader or training for an emergency where transmitting a landing location could expose sensitive tactical information on reaction plans. The Army still has that exemption, but is making changes to how it flies so the exemption won't be used as often, Braman said. In past training and evaluation flights — such as on the night of the crash — crews combined normal flight routes with practice landings at sensitive locations. That meant they had to fly with ADSB-out switched off for the whole flight, according to the memo. Now crews are separating normal training and evaluation flights from flights that rehearse the classified continuity of government mission, Braman said. That reduces the number of flights where ADSB-out data will be turned off. 'If they are not going to one of those sensitive locations it should 100% be on,' Braman said. It's assumed the three Army crew who were killed in the crash were flying with ADSB-out turned off, but crash investigators have not concluded that yet, he said. The other part of the system, ADSB-in, pulls in location data from nearby planes and helicopters. Few Army aircraft had ADSB-in, due to the cost, and were not required to have it. The Army has now authorized the purchase of 1,600 ADSB-in systems for its helicopter fleet. Army says the helicopter's location was still known Even if ADSB-out was off, the Black Hawk's transponder was in use and transmitting its position, Braman said. The FAA says ADSB-out data is more precise than the radar data communicated by a transponder, which depending on the mode in use can shield some aircraft information. The night of the crash, the Black Hawk was transmitting in three transponder modes — A, C, and S — which combined gave the helicopter's identity, location and altitude. 'There was no question where that aircraft was,' Braman said. There was 'no point' during the flight where the jet and the airport control tower could not see the Black Hawk, he said. 'I think there's still a perception out there — I know there is — that the aircraft with ADBS-out in that segment around DCA were invisible. And that is so far from the truth,' Braman said.
