HORIZON TIMES

Horizon Int'l Flight Academy based in Al Ain International Airport will graduate 22 stu-dents today, this will be the first time the Academy will be graduating students from both the Helicopter and Airplane program. The graduates in-clude 13 Commercial Pilot License students, 7 Flight In-structor course pilots and 2 Private Pilot license holders.

Captain Kanwar Hayat in his introductory speech said, “I am sure you are well aware of another graduation which happened at Zayed University graced by His Highness sh Nahyan Bin Mubrak Al Na-hyan where our GM, Moham-med Humiadan Al Zaabi was awarded Executive MBA. This is in addition to his BS from the USA and Mater’s degree from the prestigious Com-mand & Staff College at Brack-nell. At one time and even 20

Horizon International Flight academy Newsletter Date

Volume 1, Issue 1

Captain Mohammed Humaidan Al Zaabi is the determined and results oriented General Man-ager of the UAE’s (And the Middle East’s) only commercial rotary wing training academy. His expansion into fixed wing training has attracted further interest and business from the local air-line industry.

MEF: How long have you been flying?

GM: I have been flying for the last 27 years.

MEF: Where did you learn to fly?

GM: Most of my flying was done in the UAE with consolidation in the UK after graduation.

MEF: How many hours do you have?

GM: I have over 3500 hours.

MEF: What types have you flown?

GM: Many types, including the gazelle, Bell Jet Ranger, Bell 212, Sikorsky S76, Schweizer 300, and Robinson R44. I also have flown different type of heli-copter

MEF: What sparked your interest in flying?

GM: My mother says even when I was very young; I showed a special interest in aero planes. As I grew up I developed the interest and joined the Air Force at the first opportunity.

MEF: What has been your most memo-rable moment in flying so far?

GM: Flying is a discipline with a constant safety and excellence effort. My most memorable moment was in 1990, when I graduated from the Air Force as a Category A2 Instructor. It was a great achievement for an Emirati in the UK environment.

MEF: And what has been your biggest scare?

GM: I have been very fortunate during my career and have not experienced any safety incidents.

MEF: What do you do for a living?

GM: I am General Manager of Horizon In-ternational Flight Academy and a Pilot.

Exclusive Interview with

Captain Mohammed Humaidan Al Zaabi

HORIZON TIMES: A publication of Horizon International Flight Academy, UAE Chief Editor: Mohammed Humaidan Al Zaabi Editor: Kanwar Hayat Sub Editor: Catherine Makau Artwork and Graphics: Abdullah Akbar Khan www.horizonuae.ae P.O. Box 59059 Al Ain United Arab Emirates Toll Free: 800 5355 Tel: +971-3-785 5550 Fax: + 971-3-785 5880 Email:info@horizonacademy.ae

Today marked the arrival of Horizon’s D-SIM-42 Flight Simulation Training Device (simulator). The Diamond 42 Synthetic Flight Trainer, was assembled by engineers from the Diamond company at the academy’s new building extension.

The D-SIM-42 flight simula-tion training device is an exact replica of the twin engine aircraft Diamond DA42 Twin Star, the acad-

emy’s choice for twin engine training aircraft. The simula-tor will feature accurate aerodynamics, systems repli-cation and complex aircraft instruments simu-lation including a sophisticated ex-ternal visual sys-tem (EVS).

The aerodynamic model is based on aircraft data and flight tests per-

formed by test pilots from the Diamond flight test de-partment. The new simula-tor joins another synthetic training device already in use

Thabet Talal a pharmacist by profession made the bold leap to the cockpit. Enrolled for the Frozen ATPL course Thabet is the Academy’s highest performing student.

What made you decide to become a pilot?

Its been my dream since I

was child and I finally de-cided to go ahead with it.

Was it easy to go back to “school” after already establishing a career for yourself?

At the beginning it was a little hard but I have now settled into the routine.

Horizon Receives Fixed Wing Simulator

Student spotlight—Thabet Talal

Page 2 Horizon Times Vo lume 2, Issue 1

It gives me great pleasure to announce Mr. Salam Sanal, ‘Purchase Officer’ as the ‘Employee of the Month’ for June 2008. He has been awarded with this honor for his outstanding performance, can do mentality, contribution to the business, entrepre-neurship, commitment and above all his excellent ability to be a Team Player.

I would like to thank him for his continued contri-bution and enthusiasm as we address the exciting challenges ahead.

Thanks and Regards Mohammed Humaidan Al-Zaabi

Employee of the Month

Page 3 Horizon Times Vo lume 2, Issue 1

MEF: Where do you live? GM: I live in Al Ain with my family. My children especially

love the area and we all enjoy the open air. MEF: What does your wife thing about your flying? GM: My family has always supported me in all the ventures I

undertake. MEF: Does anyone else in your family fly? GM: With my background in education, my children have all

concentrated on academics and soon they will hold degrees in medicine, business and arts. My youngest son, who is in 11th grade and is turning 15 years, may fly.

MEF: Who or what has been your biggest influence in

your flying? GM: The biggest influence has been my family, who has sup-

ported me at every stage of my life. My instructors encouraged me at every stage of my career.

MEF: What has been your biggest aviation achieve-

ment? GM: Until now, to have set up Horizon as an aviation

school. However, my ambitions in this field have just started and I have a vision of seeing my country excel in the aviation industry.

MEF: Was there a time when you looked out of the

cockpit and thought – this is what flying is all about?

GM: Often. Flying is a challenge and each mission a test. MEF: What is your favorite aircraft? GM: I don’t have a particular favorite. Every aircraft has a

different mission and there is a task for every helicop-ter, whether it is military, transport, tourism or train-ing.

MEF: What aircraft in history would you most like to

have flown? GM: Well, I like the Sikorsky S76 and AW 139 but it would

be nice to try a Boeing Chinook and Blackhawk. MEF: What aircraft in history would you most like to

have flown? GM: Well, I like the Sikorsky S76 and AW 139 but it would

be nice to try a Boeing Chinook and Blackhawk. MEF: Do you have any unfulfilled ambitions in flying GM: As I mentioned, my vision is to see the UAE excel in

the aviation industry.

MEF: What would you like to change in UAE Avia-

tion? GM: We must create a passion for aviation in the UAE.

At a recent presentation in Dubai I was asked to talk to industry representatives about pilot training. I discussed the industry’s weaknesses and shortage of worldwide skills. I also urged we establish a join ef-fort to resolve airspace issues and to take greater strides in educating our citizens about aviation.

MEF: Do you think the aviation industry in the UAE

is healthy? GM: The Aviation industry in the UAE is developing at a

fast rate. Dubai aerospace enterprise and Mubadala aerospace and technology will be at the forefront.

MEF: And lastly; please describe yourself in about

fifty words. GM: I am very achievement oriented and enjoy chal-

lenges. I displayed qualities to excel in all spheres in very early in my pilot career. In UK, as a lieutenant, I topped the flight instructor course, graduating with A2 category. My appetite for education took me to UK again and to the USA. I have been able to earn a Master’s Degree in Military studies from the UK’s Joint Command and Staff College at Bracknell after graduating from the USA’s Northwood University in Business Administration. Eager to further my knowl-edge, I also graduated with an Executive MBA from Zayed University in the UAE. My sights are set on starting my PHD programme. I have especially en-joyed setting up Horizon Flight Academy from scratch and expanding operations with a fixed wing element within two years. We are now training UAE nationals to fly Etihad’s modern fleet of aircraft like the A380 and we are preparing them for this goal.. God Willing, Horizon will continue to achieve greater heights and be known for its world class standards.

Exclusive Interview with Captain Mohammed Humaidan Al Zaabi

Page 4 HORIZON TIMES Vo lume 2, Issue 1

What it means to be a pilot courtesy of beapilot.com Flying is – a freedom well regulated for safety and secu-rity but abundant in options and benefits.

You take-off to wide-open skies in any direction on the compass. While there are some restricted areas for mili-tary or security purposes, and air traffic areas requiring a call to air traffic control, non-scheduled General Aviation can take you where you want to go. It's truly "random-access" transportation.

But more than that, it's free-dom as you've never known it, far from the commonplace: the crowded highways, busy termi-nals, mass public transporta-tion, or even the line at the movies – you can rise above it as a pilot.

You can choose your route, your destination … your ad-venture – for the day, the weekend, even the hour. You are your own pilot. Here, you really are the captain of your own soul.

Along with the freedom, pilots love the challenge and accom-plishment that comes with every flight. They also accept the personal responsibility to fly professionally and safely.

You may notice a difference in yourself. More confidence. More self-esteem. A wider perspective on your world, and on life itself. Pilots believe they enjoy wider personal ho-rizons and a fuller life.

Finally, being a pilot symbolizes individualism and self-reliance. You are in control and you make the choices. There's nothing like it.

What does a License Get You?

Be prepared for new destina-tions, new experiences, a wider world and a fuller life.

Like most, you'll probably start by giving family and friends a first flight with you. Imagine the thrill and pride of being their pilot!

You'll move on to short trips with family and friends. There's always the proverbial "$100 hamburger" trip to interesting nearby airports -- and their restaurants!

The custom of sharing flight expenses with others can cut your cost of flying in half or more! (Your flying could cost you just a $1,000 or $2,000 a year… probably what you spend now on skiing, golf, or other pursuits.)

Flying offers busy people "a whole golf course-worth" of relaxation in just a short one or two-hour flight "away from it all." Leave your problems, and your stress, on the ground.

That special place will soon be just an easy weekend trip. You'll choose good weather for the trip, of course, but by now you're probably thinking of continued training towards an instrument rating to fly in a wider range of weather condi-tions.

Then, there's always "The Big Trip." Many pilots look for-ward to a once-a-year adven-ture to Florida, Mexico, the Caribbean… or an escape to a cool northern resort. As your own pilot, you won't battle the crowds… unless you want to,

when…

You join thousands of your fellow aviators at weekend fly-ins and aviation events, includ-ing the "Woodstock" of avia-tion, the week-long EAA Airventure Fly-In in summer-time Wisconsin, or the AOPA EXPO convention on alternat-ing coasts each autumn. There are myriad local events coast-to-coast every weekend. There's always something to do.

Or perhaps, take that "trip of a lifetime." Across the USA, across Canada, up to Alaska, even (for a few) South Amer-ica or Europe. Your pilot li-cense is the ticket to wider horizons and a fuller life.

You can put your pilot license to work. With Korean- and Viet Nam-era aviators now leaving airline flying, the tradi-tional 60/40 military/civilian mix of pilots is reversed. To-day, 60% of new airline hires

Finally, being a

pilot symbolizes

individualism and

self-reliance. You

are in control and

you make the

choices. There's

nothing like it.

The key to our growth and our continued success is our commitment to our staff and stu-dents. We are searching for individuals that are result oriented and customer focused. Hori-zon has a lot to offer. Flight Instructor – Helicopter / R44 Interested applicants should meet the following requirements

§ License: ATPL (H) with unrestricted FI (H), class 1 medical, CPL (H) / IR consid-ered

§ Minimum 5 years experience as commercial helicopter pilot. § Minimum 2,000 hours with 1000 hours as Pilot in Command. Must have 500

hours as FI (H) preferably in a JAR environment.

Flight Instructor – Helicopter B 206 Interested applicants should meet the following requirements:

§ License: ATPL (H) with unrestricted FI (H), Class 1 medical. CPL (H) /IR considered § Minimum Five years experience as commercial helicopter pilot. § Minimum 3,000 hours Rotary with 2,000 hours turbine, 1,000 hours as Helicopter

Pilot in command and 500 hours as FI (H). JAA experience preferred Flight Instructor ( FW ) Interested applicants should meet the following requirements:

§ License: ATPL, Unrestricted FI (A) MEL, current IR. Class 1 medical. Additional ex-aminer qualifications an advantage. CPL/IR considered.

§ Minimum Five years experience as commercial fixed wing pilot. § Minimum 2,000 flight hours and 500 hours as FI (A). § JAA experience preferred.

Ground Instructor: single status /touring contract As a professional you will be expected to deliver JAA curriculum ground training across a broad spectrum of subjects, to CPL and ATPL level, for both rotary and fixed wing students. Interested applicants:

§ should have extensive instructional experience particularly within the JAA sylla-bus.

§ Aeronautical background preferable Attractive tax free remuneration package offered with accommodation allowance, medical, schooling, insurance benefits, furniture allowance and End of Service Gratuity.

CVs to be sent to : hrhifa@horizonacademy.ae

Vacancy Bulletin

Page 5 Horizon Times Vo lume 2, Issue 1

Attractive tax free

remuneration package

offered with

accommodation

allowance,

medical, schooling,

insurance benefits,

furniture allowance

and End of Service

Gratuity.

By Jim Trusty

Continued from last issue

Personal minimums are something that we as pilots in command set for our-selves. It is generally based on some scale or formula that we devise to rank or rate our previous perform-ances. Personal minimums should be improved on or at least added to on each and every flight. Don’t mistak-enly set your personal mini-mums too low in order to minimize the importance of the task on your shoulders. Write down what you feel are acceptable minimums that you have set for your-self and then discuss them with another pilot you trust or your personal flight trainer.

Get a second opinion. It just may be that you are capable of doing a lot more than you have been doing. Even worse, you may have over-rated yourself to a level that you are unable to achieve on a regular basis. That can be very dangerous, and it is most easily spotted by you. No one knows you better than you.

Avionics changes over the years and survived. What we need to remember and use is the proven systems that have taken care of us for a lot of years, VORs, NDBs, Loran, time and dis-tance, speed, wind correc-

tion, and certainly, “Prior planning prevents ---- poor performance.”

The cockpit is no place to start planning your flight. After the engines fire up, you need to be on your way and on the instruments, not head down in the low alti-tude charts or the approach plates. Fly the airplane!

They let uncontrollable out-side influences get them be-hind the power curve. Love life or lack of one, problems at home with spouse or kids, sickness, personal health problems, money, job, death, age—you simply cannot al-low yourself to be anywhere but in that seat with all your thoughts on the job at hand or you are about to get into some serious trouble. “Can’t chew gum and fly an airplane,” is really a true statement.

I personally think that flying an airplane requires every bit of attention that you have to offer. Others may notice before you do that the power curve has not only caught up to you but is slowly passing you on the wrong side of the flight. If you are not mentally ready to devote your entire mind to taking this flight, don’t go.

They think of themselves as the “Ace of the Base.” In some instances they may really be the best pilot in the

fleet, know an awful lot about aviation and airplanes, and along the way received the best aviation education. In reality, this can be the ticking bomb of the entire operation and if they go down they could take you with them. If something serious ever did happen to “Hot Shot,” many times they crumble under pressure.

They take unnecessary chances, stress the other team members and the equipment, and in the end cost the company much more than they could ever have been worth. They also make it hard on all the other players as they try to do their jobs. You’ll be able to recognize this person very quickly. They can fly any-thing better than anyone else, have been everywhere and done everything, and deep down know that this show-off attitude can some-day hurt them or someone else. Be very wary of “Hot Shot.” The smiles they see when walking by a group of pilots may not be happiness at their arrival but joy that they are leaving.

Sometimes the very worst mistake pilots make is simply never learning that the airplane is really flying them. All they are doing is simply setting the knobs and going for a ride in a beautiful cabin-class aircraft. It is the

Worst mistakes that pilots make… my experience with high time cabin-class pilots

The key to solving

any problem,

aviation or

otherwise, is to first

admit you have one

and then identify it!

Page 6 Horizon Times Vo lume 2, Issue 1

Murphy's Law

Inside Story Headline

Worst mistakes that pilots make… Cont.

• Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.

• You will always find something in the last place you look.

• No matter how long or how hard you shop for an item, after you've bought it, it will be on sale somewhere cheaper.

• The other line always moves faster.

• In order to get a loan, you must first prove you don't need it.

• Anything you try to fix will take longer and cost you more than you thought.

• If you fool around with a thing for very long you will screw it up.

• If it jams - force it. If it breaks, it needed replacing anyway.

• When a broken appliance is demonstrated for the repairman, it will work perfectly.

There are certainly a lot of great flight instruc-tors out there to help you stay at maximum perform-ance. Try to find that cer-tain one that exceeds your needs and is not afraid to tell you what has to be done. Learning and re-learning how to fly is a constant bat-tle; at least it’s supposed to be. How is your flying? Are you completely satisfied with it? Remember, I said com-pletely. If you can afford to fly that aircraft you are in, you can also afford good training. In fact, you have to. If you are unable to find that certain someone who will work with you on a regular basis, call me. I might know someone in your area.

I’ll see you at the airport. Come up and say “hi.”

.Continued from page 4

It is the most beautiful ex-perience anyone can ever undergo (if aviation is your life and love). Prepare well for this experience and there will be many more trips for you. Do it wrong and you might get stuck with the tab.

So most of the mistakes listed above occur when pilots display the following five distinctive attitudes identified by the Federal Aviation Administration: (1) invulnerability; (2) anti-authority; (3) impulsivity; (4) Mr. Macho; and (5) resigna-tion. Don’t let yourself fall into these traps by simply being aware of them. Know your enemy! And remem-ber—“If all else fails, fly the airplane!”

Page 7 HORIZON TIMES Volume 2, Issue 1

Product and service are a major aspect of Emirates airlines marketing strategy. The company continues to invest in the latest generation of commercial and cargo aircraft. The newer generation of Boeing and Airbus products offer com-fort for their passengers and fuel econ-omy for an additional benefit to cus-tomers by keeping operating cost down, thus saving the company in fuel prices, this in turns allows Emirates airlines cost savings to translate into lower fares for passengers. The new engines of the latest airliners are qui-eter and the economy seating in the Boeing 777 are larger than previous commercial airliner models. Emirates airline has made aircraft purchases with its customers wants and needs in mind. Quieter cabins and comfortable seating are great ways to bring value to their customers. The airline was among the first in the commercial aviation industry to purchase the new Airbus A-380, this aircraft truly is an airliner designed for passenger comfort. Emirates airlines are having its A-380’s configured with pri-vate sleeper berths. The additional comfort for the international traveler will be readily accepted and appreci-ated. One main strategy of Emirates airlines is the customer service deliv-ered to all its passengers regardless of their seating area. From my own ex-perience traveling with Emirates airlines from Dubai to Cairo Egypt was a pleas-urable and memorable experience, be-cause of the care and special attention to detail that the cabin crew eagerly maintained. The flight destinations are plentiful; meals are very delicious and reflect the culture and culinary norms in the U.A.E.

Pricing of Emirates Airline compared to its competitors is fairly reasonable. The extra service is worth a couple hundred dollars more for an economy seat. The airfare is truly a symbol of service; you pay for what you get. Emirates airlines offer economy class, business class and first class fares, giving the consumer a variety of price selections. Emirates airlines operate on all the major conti-

nents of the world. They have direct flights from Dubai to New York and are starting a direct flight to Houston Texas. The distribution of Emirates Airlines gives them an advantage because the cen-tralized location of Arabia makes travel throughout the world easier. Their web site offers customers a way to check flights and purchase tickets any where in the world on-line. “The value of promo-tion, specifically advertising, for many services is to show the benefits of pur-chasing the service. It is valuable to stress availability, location, consistent quality, and e f f i c ient , courteous ser-vice.” (Berkowitz, Hartley, Kerin, & Rudelius, p.329)

Emirates airlines have maintained their image of quality service and passenger comfort thus keeping to their commit-ment made in their advertisements.

Emirate Airlines Financial Perform-ance

“Emirates airlines passenger revenue from 2005-2006 was 16,381 million dir-ham’s which is approximately $4,487 million dollars. In the year 2004-2005 Emirate Airlines passenger revenue was 12,991 million dirham’s approximately $3,559 million dollars. The growth of revenues in the years of 2004-2006 is approximately 3,390 million dirham’s which is equivalent to about $928 million dollars.” (Emirates Airlines Home Page, 2006)

The continued growth in Emirates Air-lines passenger revenue proves that the company has an effective and efficient marketing strategy. An effective business is one that is successful in providing goods and services demanded by custom-ers. Emirates Airlines management has thus identified the right services needed to enhance and meet and/or exceed cus-tomer demands and expectations. “An efficient business is one that keeps the costs of resources consumed on provid-ing goods and services low, relative to the selling price of these goods and ser-vices.” (Albright et al p.52) Emirates Air-

lines is a subsidiary of the Emirates Group that also includes Emirates Cargo among many other aviation re-lated companies. “Emirates Airlines has ordered 58 new wide-body aircraft worth about $15 billion dollars, despite a major slump in the global aviation business.” (BBC, News online, 2006) Emirates Airlines has branched into the maintenance areas of aviation by secur-ing a joint maintenance project with Messier Services thus continuing the process of diversifying its assets.

Conclusion

Emirates airlines customer service and quality are shining examples in the com-mercial aviation industry. The innovative marketing and management ideas are sure to lead the company into a secure and viable financial future. Emirates air-lines continue to thrive despite an esti-mated industry job loss of 200,000- due to the global economic slowdown and the 11 September attacks on the US. Emirates airline has excelled above and beyond adversity using customer service as part of their corporate culture. “Corporate culture communicates how people in an organization should behave by establishing a value system conveyed through rites, rituals, myths, legends and actions. Culture has two basic compo-nents: (1) substance, the meanings con-tained in its values, norms and beliefs; and (2) forms, the practices whereby these meanings are expressed, affirmed a n d c o m m u n i c a t e d t o m e m -bers.” (Byers, & Rue, 2005, p352) Cus-tomer satisfaction and continued finan-cial growth and development are all integrated into Emirates airlines busi-ness and marketing strategy thus, giving the company a secure niche in the com-mercial aviation industry.

Page 8 HORIZON TIMES Vo lume 2, Issue 1

Emirates Airlines: An innovative aviation industry leader By: Aaron Craig, The four P’s Emirates style

After training hundreds of students, I discov-ered a key in life. A background in Counsel-ing Psychology makes an interesting combi-nation with being a flight instructor. The result is a different approach to flight train-ing. Learning to fly is a very personal ex-pression. All your fears, hopes and dreams come out in this. And its amazing to watch people grow as pilots. The most rewarding part for me is that I'll give people a skill they'll take with them forever. Other things I've learned about pilots include:

• Pilots are risk takers. They overcome fear and anxiety to gain their skills. Then they subject themselves to an intense evaluation called a check-ride. They know how to face fear with rational thought to work through any problem.

• Pilots have a good sense of hu-mor. They subjected themselves to looking like a fool during their train-ing. They can laugh at their own avia-tion mistakes without too much self doubt.

• Pilots are confident. After all, they have a skill that less that 1% of the American population has. Compared with 6 bil-lion people, they are rare indeed. They tap skills which are required at the right moment and the right conditions.

• Pilots are good time managers. They scheduled the time to learn their craft

in the middle of life's pressures and demands.

• Pilots are self-reliant. They approach their flying with conditioned skill which wells up from deep within them. They stand up when the situation calls for someone to take responsibility.

• Pilots are team members. They know how to give up control when needed, only to become the partner in problem solving.

• Pilots know how to have fun. From watching another pilot's touch & go efforts, to becoming a flight instructor, pilots delight in their avocation and reach for the fullest life surrounding it.

• Pilots are achievers. They overcome every odd to get the job done, expect-ing the best from themselves at every turn. These are the people in life who know how to get things done.

• Pilots have faith. They put their trust in the aerodynamic engineers who built their airframe, while trusting their en-gine and fuel supply over hostile ter-rain. Pilots trust electronic devices for navigation... without which they'd surely be lost.

Pilots are always searching for self truth. They always look for ways to im-prove their skills. They know how to admit their mistakes and take steps to prevent

them. They learn from their mistakes and then teach others through theirs.

Good Pilot Being a pilot is a state of mind; a personality. A pilot's attitude, not just experience makes for excellence. Excellence is a quality stan-dard in flying sought but not often achieved. Desire must be there but unless it is accom-panied by application there will be no pro-gress.

A good pilot is able resist the temptation to do something unsafe, illegal, or stupid. The temptations will always exist.

• A good pilot will not fly in aircraft or conditions beyond his capability or cer-tification.

• A good pilot does not ignore the FARs. The FAA looks to the pilot to answer for any violations. Sometimes a magnify-ing glass is used.

• A good pilot is always a student, striving to make every maneuver a bit more precise than the one before.

• A good pilot knows his equipment, its limitations and how to handle its mal-functions.

• Follows checklists.

• Gets continuing education in the form of additional ratings, FAA "wings", time building with an instructor, and flight reviews.

Page 9 HORIZON TIMES Volume 2, Issue 1

Why Pilots are Amazing People by Darren Smith, CFII/MEI from PocketLearning, September 2003

Turbulence Risks Turbulence happens on just about every flight, but most of the time the amount of turbulence is very small, and the level of risk is very low. In those rare cases where the turbulence is severe, any passenger who is not buckled up can be seriously injured. The following insights and advice should keep you from becoming one of those statistics. Turbulence Basics You can experience turbulence for many reasons, typically due to weather conditions such as thunderstorms. Severe turbulence can happen in any phase of flight, but is it most likely to be hazardous during cruise when passengers and crew are most likely to be out of their seats and not belted in. In most cases a passenger experiencing turbulence will feel nothing more than a slight vibration. At the other extreme are those rare events that are severe enough to throw passengers around the cabin. Reducing Your Risks When the flight crew expects turbulence, they will work with the cabin crew to make sure that passengers are in their seats and belted in, and that serving carts and other loose items are properly secured. When turbulence is not expected, you should take a few basics steps before and during the flight to ensure your safety: • Follow the instructions of the flight crew and cabin crew. If the crew suggests that passengers return to their seats, do so as soon as you can.

• Wear your seat belt at all times, even during a smooth flight on a cloudless day. Turbulence is not always predictable and may arrive without warning.

• Be aware of your overhead bin. Avoid sitting under a bin that is heavily packed or that contains one or more heavy items. If you can, move to a seat that is not directly under a bin.

In the not-so-distant future, a small town south of the Strip's glittery hubbub could lay claim to the world's largest heliport.

That's a big could.

Three of the main companies offering helicopter tours of the Grand Canyon would have to fly their birds out of the heliport that would be built on 229 acres near Sloan.

If that scenario plays out, the heliport's $115 million first phase alone would boast 80 to 110 helipads as early as 2010, dwarfing most other heliports on the planet.

A Federal Aviation Administration representative looked into the seemingly grandiose claim and confirmed it was true.

"I can, in fact, tell you that the heliport Clark County wants to build would be the largest public-use heliport in the country and most likely in the world," FAA regional spokesman Ian Gregor said.

McCarran International Airport officials waved off the hype, say-ing that earning top honor for size would be beside the point.

"If, when built, this facility south of Sloan is considered the na-tion's largest commercial heliport, that size and status would be coincidental and the sole result of strong consumer interest in Las Vegas-based helicopter tours," airport spokesman Chris Jones said in a written statement. "The Department of Aviation is not setting out to build anything larger or more-elaborate than demand would warrant. That is never this organization's goal."

Also, it's too early to predict whether 80 helipads would be built at the site, Jones said, because none of the tour operators have formally agreed to lease space there.

If demand for space wanes, the heliport's plans could be scaled back, Jones said.

One reason for creating the heliport was to shift helicopters

away from the Tropicana Ave-nue and Charleston Boulevard flight paths, where residents complained of overhead noise, Jones said. Another reason was to clear airspace for jetliners bringing tourists to the valley to spend money at local restau-rants, hotels and casinos, Jones said.

The first phase is undergoing a final environmental assessment, he said. A report on the find-ings should be given to the FAA by the fall, and the agency should sign off on the report by the end of the year.

When the FAA approves the report, the Bureau of Land Management can transfer the 229 acres to the county, Jones said. Congress already ap-proved the transfer on condi-tion that the project meets federal environmental stan-dards.

The next steps would be to get final approval of the site plan and begin building the heliport, with the goal of finishing the first phase in 2010, Jones said.

The Bureau of Land Manage-ment initially balked at the pro-posed heliport because the aircraft would fly over the heart of two environmentally sensi-tive areas en route to the Grand Canyon. Agency officials worried that the aircraft would disrupt the serene outdoor experience that many visitors seek.

The flight corridor was adjusted so the helicopters would loop through the southern portion of the North McCullough Wil-derness Area, putting them a mile south of historic petro-glyphs and the most popular visitors' section.

"The amount of impact will be minimal because of the (helicopters') altitude," said Robert Taylor, an assistant BLM

field manager in Las Vegas.

Although the proposed heli-port is being billed as the big-gest in the land, it is designed to serve local tour operators and not so much to lure new ones to the area, Jones said. These businesses now lease sites scattered around the airport and have limited space.

A Maverick Helicopters repre-sentative agreed that his com-pany needs more room.

Maverick's owner ordered 22 helicopters -- expanding the fleet to 50 -- in anticipation of the heliport being built this year, and now he eagerly awaits the project being com-pleted, said John Buch, the company's marketing vice president.

"We can't get the heliport up and running fast enough," Buch said.

Although the company would prefer to stay near McCarran, the drive to Sloan isn't too bad, Buch said, estimating that it will add 10 to 15 minutes of shuttling time for clients.

To avoid having the new heli-copters sit idle, Maverick has begun storing some helicop-ters at sites near the Grand Canyon and bought two prop planes to carry people there for tours, Buch said. However, they are still waiting for the FAA to issue a permit to fly the planes.

The company's owners would like to put most of its aircraft at the new heliport's hangars, Buch said. "We want to show we're fully committed to going out there."

Page 10 HORIZON TIMES Vo lume 2, Issue 1

CLEARING THE AIRSPACE: Helicopter not yet off ground If built, site near Sloan would be largest such facility in U.S

Phoenix lands on Mars in quest for life

WASHINGTON // A Nasa probe sent back never-before seen pictures of Mars’s north pole yesterday in the most ambitious mission to date to find life-sustaining minerals on the red planet. The first pictures from the Phoenix probe provided the first glimpse of the planet’s Arctic plains – a desolate land-scape of stony, frozen ground. The images also confirmed that the so-lar arrays needed for the mission’s en-ergy supply had unfolded properly and masts for the stereo camera and weather station had swung into position.

A flat Martian valley floor shown on the pictures is expected to have water-rich permafrost within reach of the lander’s robotic arm. “Seeing these images after a successful landing reaffirmed the thorough work over the past five years by a great team,” Barry Goldstein, Phoenix project manager at the mission’s control centre at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Ca, told reporters.

After a journey of more than 10 months from Earth, the Phoenix probe touched down in a relatively flat target area, ac-cording to Mr Goldstein. Radio signals received at 7.53pm eastern

time (3.53 UAE time on Monday) on Sunday con-firmed the Phoe-nix Mars Lander had survived its difficult final de-scent and touch-down, officials said. “For the first time in 32 years, and only the third time in history, a JPL team has car-ried out a soft landing on Mars,” Michael Griffin, the head of Nasa,

said in a statement. “I couldn’t be hap-pier to be here to witness this incredi-ble achievement.”

As planned, Phoenix stopped transmit-ting signals one minute after landing and focused its limited battery power on opening its solar arrays and other criti-cal activities. But a key task still ahead was the first use of the lander’s robotic arm, which was planned for today. The arm, 2.35 metres long, is designed to dig trenches up to one metre deep for samples of soil and water ice. The arm will deliver the samples to instruments aboard the lander for de-tailed chemical and geological analysis.

The robotic arm also carries a box-shaped camera with a double Gauss lens system like that in 35mm cameras, and two lighting assemblies. This will take images of the surrounding area and of samples the arm picks up. Another camera device is the surface stereo imager, what Nasa calls Phoe-nix’s “eyes”. Sitting two metres above the ground, the SSI will produce high-definition and panoramic images of the surrounding landscape. Its stereo capa-bility will help to give scientists on Earth three-dimensional views of the

work the robotic arm does. It can also be turned vertically to take images that will provide information on atmospheric particles.

“Only five of our planet’s 11 previous attempts to land on the Red Planet have succeeded,” said Ed Weiler, Nasa associ-ate administrator. “In exploring the uni-verse, we accept some risk in exchange for the potential of great scientific re-wards.” Working in the flat circumpolar region known as Vastitas Borealis – akin to northern Canada in Earth’s latitude – Phoenix, with a panoply of high-tech equipment, will over three months dig below the surface to probe the icy ground for signs of liquid water and or-ganic, life-supporting minerals.

Given that Mars’s polar region is subject to Earth-like seasonal changes, the scien-tists think that, as on Earth, the Martian arctic might have a geological record of a warmer, habitable climate. “Our whole mission is about digging,” said Peter Smith, Phoenix principal inves-tigator at the University of Arizona, be-fore the landing. “We find that the arctic region is really sensitive to climate change on a planet … it also preserves the history of life.

“We think that organics must have ex-isted at least at one time” from meteor-ite and other impacts, he said. The presence of liquid water and or-ganic’s would signify a “habitable zone”, Mr Smith said. The team had been worried about the high risk of the project, with a roughly 50 per cent failure rate on all Mars missions since the Soviet Union launched the first one in 1960. Phoenix will not be alone. Two other Nasa robots named Spirit and Opportunity have roamed the Martian surface’s equator for three years.

* Agence France-Presse

Page 11 HORIZON TIMES Volume 2, Issue 1

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