AVIATION NEWS BRIEFS

*NetJets subsidiary Executive Jet Management has received FAA approval to use an Apple iPad App from Jeppesen as an alternative to paper aeronautical maps, in a precedent-setting move that will set the stage for this Class I portable, kneeboard electronic flight bag to be rolled out by other operators. Executive Jet is now using the solution as the sole reference for electronic charts, including during taxi, takeoff and landing, on 10 different aircraft types in the fleet. FAA authorization came after an intensive 3 month inflight evaluation, which included a successful rapid decompression test on the iPad to 51000ft (15,550m) and non-interference testing. Saying it has "an international focus", Jeppesen has already entered conversation with the European Safety Agency. Information obtained from the Executive Jet evaluation will be useful in gaining future authorization for Class 2 mounted configurations using the iPad.

*CONTINENTAL AIRLINES has stopped providing free snacks to Domestic coach passengers as of March 1. The policy is designed to better align its inflight snack and beverage service with its merger-partner UNITED AIRLINES.

*The Scottsdale, Arizona Airport was shut down briefly yesterday after 2 men tried walking across the Airport runway as a shortcut. Both of the men were arrested, said a Scottsdale police spokesman. Police are working with federal authorities on criminal charges. The men are both 19 and employees of a restaurant located on the west side of the Airport. A tower operator spotted the men about 2:45pm as they made their way across the east taxiway. That's where police arrested the men. They told police they were going to another restaurant on the east side of the Airport. According to the police spokesman, the man did not appear to have any motive other than taking what they perceived as a shortcut to their destination.

*Airbus intends to secure certification this year for a modification that will eliminate the large number of false collision-avoidance warnings generated when aircraft are about to level off from a cleared climb. False warnings are caused when TCAS assumes a climbing aircraft will not level off but continue to climb into the path of another aircraft immediately above. The TCAS in the higher aircraft makes the same assumption, leading both to generate resolution advisories that demand evasive action by the Pilots. This problem has been exacerbated since the introduction of reduced vertical separation minima, which cut the separation distance between adjacent cruise altitudes to 1000ft. Known as TCAS Alert Prevention, or TCAP, the Airbus system will eliminate many false resolution advisories. The French BEA recommended development of such a system while investigating an event in March 2003. The incident, involving an AIR FRANCE A319 and A320, occurred at 27000 feet as the jets operated opposite-direction services between Paris and Marseilles.

*AIR BERLIN has canceled 2 Boeing 737s on order. Media reports offered no reason for the cancelation.

*AFRIQIYAH AIRWAYS has ordered its 1st Airbus A321s, after converting 3 previous orders for A320s. Afriqiyah had been listed as having 11 A320s on order, with 6 delivered. The Tripoli-based carrier had placed all of these orders prior to the outbreak of civil unrest in Libya. It is not yet known what the full effect of the unrest will have on the carrier or the Airbus orders.

*ETIHAD AIRWAYS has canceled 4 of its Boeing 787 Dreamliner's on order. The Abu Dhabi based carrier still has 31 787s on order.

*A TRANSAERO Boeing 747 had to make an emergency return to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, today, March 5, due to an engine malfunction. The aircraft, which was enroute to Moscow, Russia, landed safely. No other details were released.

*ARKEFLY Flight 366, a Boeing 767, had to make an emergency diversion to Shannon, Ireland, yesterday, March 4, after a male passenger suffered cardiac arrest. The 767 was enroute from Bonaire, Netherland Antilles, to Amsterdam, The Netherlands. There was no immediate word on the fate of the passenger.