Aerial waterfowl surveys contract in California

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has a requirement for aerial waterfowl surveys on the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Tule Lake, Calif.

The contractor shall provide a fixed wing aircraft, pilot and trained observer to conduct up to 19 flight surveys in designated months.

The government anticipates awarding a one year base period with four one-year option periods not to exceed five years total contract duration. The anticipated start date is immediately after awarding contract.

Receive DCNewsroom email alerts, subscribe here.

DCNewsroom most popular posts from 2013

1.) First production units of Cessna TTx aircraft delivered – In July, the Cessna Aircraft Company delivered the first production units of the Cessna TTx to customers following a ceremony at the company's facility in Independence, Kan. [Full story]

2.) First KC-46A tanker aircraft taking shape at Boeing – In June, Boeing workers in Everett, Wash. loaded a wing spar for the first U.S. Air Force KC-46A aerial refueling tanker, starting production of that aircraft and achieving another milestone toward delivering 179 tankers during the next 14 years. [Full story]

3.) Last DC-9 flight for Delta Air Lines - On Jan. 6, Delta Air Lines will retire its remaining Douglas DC-9 aircraft following Flight 2014 scheduled to depart Minneapolis/St. Paul for Atlanta at 5:20 p.m. (EST), the last scheduled commercial flight of the DC-9 by a major U.S. airline. [Full story]

4.) Video: X-47B makes history, lands on deck of aircraft carrier - Northrop Grumman Corp. and the U.S. Navy have completed the first arrested landing of the X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) carrier demonstration aircraft on the deck of the USS George H.W. Bush. [Full story]

5.) Video: Flying a brand new F/A-18 Super Hornet - Go behind the scenes with Boeing test pilot, Steve "Bull" Schmidt, as he takes a new F/A-18 Super Hornet up for the plane's first flight. [Full story]

Receive DCNewsroom email alerts, subscribe here.

DCNewsroom most popular posts December 2013

1.) Last DC-9 flight for Delta Air Lines - On Jan. 6, Delta Air Lines will retire its remaining Douglas DC-9 aircraft following Flight 2014 scheduled to depart Minneapolis/St. Paul for Atlanta at 5:20 p.m. (EST), the last scheduled commercial flight of the DC-9 by a major U.S. airline. [Full story]

2.) Atmospheric effects on satellite V and W radio frequencies - The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Space Vehicles Directorate, in collaboration with the Space and Missile Systems Center, Military Satellite Communications Directorate, and NASA Glenn Research Center, plan to conduct fundamental research to increase knowledge and understanding of atmospheric effects on radio frequency signal propagation in the V and W bands. [Full story]

3.) Air Force releases B-1B crash investigation report - A displaced fold-down baffle in the left overwing fairing of a B-1B Lancer led to a fuel leak and a series of detonations that disabled the aircraft prior to it crashing Aug. 19 near Broadus, Mont., according to an Air Combat Command Accident Investigation Board report released Monday. [Full story]

4.) UAV chase plane services needed at Southern California Logistics Airport - The Air National Guard is seeking a contractor capable of providing chase plane services in support of unmanned aerial vehicle flight operation at the Southern California Logistics Airport in Victorville. [Full story]

5.) US seeks helicopters for Colombian National Police - The Department of State’s Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia, is seeking potential sources capable of providing five Bell 206B3 helicopters for the Colombian National Police. [Full story]

Receive DCNewsroom email alerts, subscribe here.

US seeks helicopters for Colombian National Police

The Department of State’s Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia, is seeking potential sources capable of providing five Bell 206B3 helicopters for the Colombian National Police (CNP).

All aircraft will be delivered to, assembled (if required), and test flown, by the contractor, in Bogota, Colombia, at the CNP Aviation Base in Guaymaral, Santa Fe de Bogota, Cundimarca (approximately 12 kilometers north of Bogota).

"The U.S. government recognizes that the Bell 206B3 is no longer in production; therefore this will be a procurement of helicopters that are not in a new condition,” the State Department said in contract documents released Monday.

Companies interested in supplying the helicopters are requested to respond to the State Department by Jan. 17.

Receive DCNewsroom email alerts, subscribe here.

Survey: Being 'naughty' on New Year's Eve

Don't be shy on Dec. 31.

• Nearly 50 percent of men and women have had a one night stand on New Year's Eve.
• It's women who are most likely to shed their inhibitions on New Year's Eve; 62 percent of them believe it's the best night to experiment.
• 70 percent of men would be up for having group sex on what they believe to be the wildest night of the year. Only 38 percent women would be up for making several new friends at once.
• 83 percent of us would use the countdown as an excuse to finally lock lips with someone we've wanted all year.
• 63 percent of us would most like to be in bed with someone when the clock strikes midnight.
• 85 percent of us would welcome waking up to a new year with a stranger.

Source: BeNaughty.com

2014: One birth every 8 seconds and one death every 12 seconds in US

As each nation prepares to begin the new year, the U.S. Census Bureau on Monday projected that on Jan. 1 the United States population will be 317,297,938. This represents an increase of 2,218,622, or 0.7 percent, from New Year's Day 2013.

In January, one birth is expected to occur every eight seconds in the United States and one death every 12 seconds.

World population

The projected world population is set at 7,137,577,750, an increase of 77,630,563, or 1.1 percent from New Year's Day 2013. An estimated 4.3 births and 1.8 deaths are expected worldwide every second, the Census Bureau says.

India added 15.6 million people over the one-year period, which led all countries, followed by China, Nigeria, Pakistan and Ethiopia.

Receive DCNewsroom email alerts, subscribe here.

Air Force releases B-1B crash investigation report

A displaced fold-down baffle in the left overwing fairing of a B-1B Lancer led to a fuel leak and a series of detonations that disabled the aircraft prior to it crashing Aug. 19 near Broadus, Mont., according to an Air Combat Command Accident Investigation Board report released Monday.

The four crewmembers ejected safely and sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The aircraft was destroyed, with the government loss valued at approximately $317.7 million. There were no injuries to civilians, and damage to private property consisted of burnt pasture land.

Both aircraft and crew were assigned to the 34th Bomb Squadron, 28th Bomb Wing, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. When the accident occurred, the pilots were participating in a post-deployment training flight allowing them to become current on combat-mission readiness training items.

The wings of the B-1B move from a forward position to an aft position to increase the aircraft's performance at different speeds. During a training mission, the pilot leveled the aircraft off at an altitude of roughly 20,000 feet. While on a descent to 10,000 feet, he swept the wings from the forward to the aft position. During the sweep, the aircraft developed an undetectable fuel leak in the main fuel line. Unbeknownst to the crew, approximately 7,000 pounds of fuel leaked into the aircraft during the training mission.

Eventually, the fuel contacted exposed portions of the hot precooler duct, ignited, and caused an explosion that separated the left overwing fairing from the aircraft.

Ignited fuel streamed from the exposed left overwing fairing cavity, heated one of the aircraft's fuel tanks, and ignited the fuel vapors inside the tank. This detonation spread through the fuel venting system that connects the fuel tanks in the aircraft, and resulted in a cascade of detonations that caused a complete and permanent loss of power to the crew compartment.

According to the results of the investigation, at some time prior to pilot's initiation of the wing sweep, the left fold down baffle became detached at one or more points, preventing it from folding as the wing swept aft. Because the baffle was detached, the wing pushed the baffle into the overwing fairing cavity where the tapered edge of the baffle cut a v-shaped hole in the main fuel line.

Receive DCNewsroom email alerts, subscribe here.