U.S. air freight carrier Evergreen has received a penalty letter from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) levying a $4.85 million civil penalty against the airline. The FAA accuses Evergreen of allegedly using improperly trained cockpit personnel on 232 commercial flights conducted between February 19 and July 9 of last year. The FAA claims the pilots had not been trained in accordance with an FAA-approved training program.
     The aircraft had received a new flight management system (FMS) that differs from the former system.      Consequently, a specific training program for the pilots flying these freighters was mandatory. The FAA alleges Evergreen did not complete its FAA-approved training for cockpit crews before assigning them to fly revenue trips using the new FMS. U.S. Transportation Secretary, Ray LaHood, said, “We put rules and regulations in place to keep air transportation safe and we expect airlines to comply.”
     The FAA concedes Evergreen pilots received ground training, instructions and check rides on the new flight management system, but the airline did not provide sufficient familiarization flights supervised by the company’s check pilots, despite being officially advised to do so. Further, the FAA alleges Evergreen failed to distribute copied manuals of the required system to crews who would be using FMS.
     Evergreen has maintained that its pilots are trained in accordance with its FAA-approved training program and continues to operate under an FAA-certified training program.
      “Although the carrier now complies with the mandated training program, this penalty is appropriate because requiring operators to complete required, approved training is the only way to make sure crews are fully qualified to operate the equipment and systems to manage flights safely,” stated FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt.
     Evergreen has been given exactly a month from the receipt of the allegations to respond to the FAA.
Heiner Siegmund/Flossie

     It seems air cargo price fixing had its real origins one hundred years ago. The idea was initially sparked when a Columbus, Ohio merchant by the name of Max Morehouse recognized the public interest in “flying machines” and struck a deal with the brothers Orville and Wilber Wright to transport 200 pounds of silk from Dayton to his dry goods store in Columbus.
     Recognizing the value of their invention, the Wright brothers charged Morehouse $5,000 to deliver the cloth.
Today’s equivalent value of the air cargo charge would exceed $120,000. Morehouse more than recovered his money for the flight by selling small pieces of the legendary silk attached to a postcard celebrating the world’s first cargo delivered by airplane.
     A young man named Phil Parmelee (above and inset) piloted the Wright B. Flyer on November 7, 1910.
     He made the historic, 62-mile flight in 62 minutes, flying from Dayton to Columbus, his speedy arrival exceeding the expectations of all those who waited for him – as a result, only about 1,000 people saw him land.
Shortly thereafter, the crowd grew to around 4,000.
     Those 200 pounds of silk cloth, traveling less than 100 miles, launched an industry that spans the globe, moving millions of tons of air freight each year.
     Mitch Cary, President of Wright B. Flyer Inc., will pilot a replica Wright B. Flyer on Saturday, October 2, with the flight retracing that epic first air cargo journey.
     “We intended to celebrate the significant accomplishments of the world’s first air cargo pilot Phil Parmelee, in addition to the start of the air cargo business.
     “Phil Parmelee flew this historic flight with little experience and training, having flown for the first time just two months prior to making the flight,” explained Cary.
     “He was responsible for a number of firsts and endurance flights in those early days of aviation.
     And unlike our planned flight, where we will have two pilots to share flying duties, Phil flew his flight alone.”
     A descendant of the Wright brothers, Amanda Wright Lane will attend the reception in Columbus on October 2. She explained:
     “The flight was just one part of Uncles Orv and Wilbur’s effort to promote aviation,”
     “While they recognized their airplane might not be able to carry heavy loads, they knew the speed of flying was important in delivering certain types of cargo.”
     Parmelee family members Philip McKeatchie and his sister Lecia Lamphere have preserved the story of their great uncle’s famous flight.
     “Uncle Phil was told by Orville Wright, as he tacked a map to the wing strut just prior to take-off, ‘watch the map and do your best.
     “In spite of cold temperatures and flying solo, he did his best, and made history with what was not just the first air cargo flight, but also the first commercial flight in the world of aviation.”
Geoffrey/Flossie

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     One of the effects of large windows overlooking airplanes at airports is that it is kind of tough to find empty space to tell a story—especially when the tale is a forever non-revenue venture.
     But in the U.S.A., Dallas/Fort Worth International may have found the answer with an installation of six granite sidewalk medallions saluting aviation and Texas flight pioneers at the airports’ Founders Plaza.
     Founders Plaza is an observation area set aside near Hangar 114, where picnic tables and a great view bring the world’s third busiest airport down to earth for everyone.
     The public can support the plaza with the purchase of a personalized brick for $125.
More: www.dfwairport.com/founders.
Geoffrey

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