Salem-News.com Aviation articles Page 36

Remains of Air Force Captain Shot Down During Vietnam War Identified

Captain Stephen Rusch will be buried on November 30th at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The remains of a U.S. military officer missing in action from the Vietnam War have been identified. U.S. Air Force Capt. Stephen A. Rusch of Lambertville, N.J. was a was the weapons systems officer in an F-4E Phantom II aircraft that was shot down over Laos.

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office made the announcement Tuesday. Captain Stephen Rusch was the weapons systems officer in an F-4E Phantom II aircraft lost while attacking enemy targets in Salavan Province, Laos on March 7th 1972.

Pilot Survives Helicopter Crash Near Newberg`s Rex Hill (UPDATED)

The helicopter is from a Newberg company called Precision Helicopters, Inc.

(NEWBERG, Ore.) - A California helicopter pilot was injured today when his two-seat helicopter crashed in the Rex Hill area of Newberg. Sgt. Tim Weaver with Newberg-Dundee Police says it happened around 10:40 AM.

Weaver told Salem-News.com that the call over the crash came in from a motorist who watched the aircraft go down. "The 911 center in Newberg received the contact after the caller saw the crash, followed it and used his mobile phone to contact us."

US Airways Plane Headed to Vegas Diverted to Portland

Port of Portland Police have not said if the passengers will face any charges.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - A US Airways flight from Seattle to Las Vegas was diverted to Portland, Ore. Thursday afternoon.

A US Airways spokeswoman says a dispute between two passengers and flight attendants on the Airbus A320 caused the pilots of flight 1473 to divert to PDX.

Blackhawk Joins Search for Missing Oregon Professor

Oregon Army National Guard assisting in Search mission for missing U of O professor.‏

(BEND, Ore.) - An aircraft from the Oregon Army National Guard has joined the search in Central Oregon for U of O Professor Daming Xu. The military helicopter was sent to the scene after a request from the Office of Emergency Management and Lane and Deschutes County Sheriff's Office.

They departed the Redmond Airport at 8:00 AM this morning and assisted with transporting ground crews to different search areas prior to beginning their aerial search.

Air Search Launched for Missing University of Oregon Professor

The CAP has launched one aircraft from Bend that is currently on scene.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - An airplane from Oregon's Civil Air Patrol is currently assisting Sheriff authorities in the search for a missing hiker ,University of Oregon professor Daming Xu.

The CAP is providing a specially equipped communications support aircraft called a HIGHBIRD in support for the ground search teams and an Oregon Army National Guard helicopter assisting in the search efforts today.

U.S. Airways Jet in Lands With Sick Crew

The five were aboard another flight where they complained about an odor.

(BOSTON, Mass.) - Five members of a U.S. Airways plane crew are being evaluated by medical personnel after falling ill near Boston. The passengers reportedly are fine and have been removed from the plane.

Some F-15`s Grounded Over Recent Crash

The Air Force says they will ensure that mission requirements are met for worldwide operations normally accomplished by the F-15.

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The Air Force suspended non-mission critical F-15 flight operations Saturday after the crash of a Missouri Air National Guard F-15C aircraft November 2nd.

An Air Force spokesperson says the cause of the Missouri accident is still under investigation, however, preliminary findings indicate that a possible structural failure of the aircraft may have occurred.

Experimental Airplane Crashes Near Independence

The pilot was life-flighted to Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland with possible spinal injuries.

(INDEPENDENCE, Ore.) - A small experimental airplane crashed today just north of the Independence Airport. The Polk County Sheriff's Office was advised of the crash just before 4:00 PM.

Sheriff's Office Spokesman Dean Bender says the owner and pilot of the two-seater "experimental type plane" is 59-year old John "Mike" Pongracz who lives on Airport Way at the Independence Airport Airpark.

New Pilotless Aircraft Flies Itself While Saving Lives

The planes have already seen service in two combat theaters and over recent forest fires in Southern California.

(MCMINNVILLE, Ore.) - Evergreen Aviation took several local business and educational leaders to see a demonstration in Eastern Oregon that showed the remarkable capabilities of today's new generation of remote control aircraft with live video.

Hard wind and low visibility, two of any pilot's biggest obstacles, have no effect on this plane. The tracking system accounts for every degree of physics applied by mother nature.

Two Survive Plane Crash Into Columbia River

Salem-News.com will have more on this story as soon as it becomes available.

(BONNEVILLE DAM, Ore.) - Two people survived a plane crash into the Columbia River east of Beacon Rock on Sunday.

Skamania County Dispatch says that the pilot and a passenger on board the single engine Cessna swam to shore. The two are receiving medical attention, but their condition is not known at this time.