> > Pilots' 'excellent work' credited with safe landing at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International > > > > > > Passengers on a US Airways flight out of Charlotte got the ride of their lives Saturday when > the > > landing gear on their jet locked on touchdown at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International > > Airport, a fire official said. > > > > No one was injured, thanks to excellent work by the plane's pilots, said Broward County Fire > > Rescue Assistant Chief Todd LeDuc. > > > > "On landing, reportedly, the landing gear locked up, meaning the tires weren't turning," LeDuc > > said. The friction blew the US Airways commercial jetliner's main tires and the airplane > > proceeded down the runway in a zig-zag motion, wearing down the rims before coming safely to a > > stop. > > > > LeDuc said the 4:50 p.m. landing left an impression of a large snake going down the runway. > > > > At least three rescue vehicles and eight engines responded to the scene. Passengers > disembarked > > the Airbus 320 via a set of motorized stairs and were taken by bus to the terminal. > > > > "Everyone was really grateful that the pilot did such a really great job and everyone walked > > away," LeDuc said. > > > > > > > > > > Agency socks US Airways with increase in airport rent > > > > > > The Allegheny County Airport Authority Friday increased the rent charged to US Airways, at a > > time when the airline is threatening to eliminate its Pittsburgh hub because of high costs. > > > > Authority and county officials defended the increase as necessary for balancing the budget at > > Pittsburgh International Airport, which is suffering from a decline in passenger traffic. > > > > "The fees are automatic. Either you raise them or you go in the hole," county Chief Executive > > Jim Roddey said yesterday. > > > > The rent increase -- which takes effect July 1 and affects all airlines at the airport -- will > > cause the cost per passenger at Pittsburgh International to rise from $7.59 to $9.07. > > > > > > > > US Airways upgrades Charlotte systems > > > > > > US Airways Group Inc. has reached a long-term contract with Sinex Aviation Technology for > > planning, scheduling and tracking software at its Charlotte maintenance facility. > > > > "We have had the opportunity to evaluate the Sinex FleetCycle Production Manager application > > over the past two years at our Charlotte maintenance facility, " says Mark Swearingin, > managing > > director of maintenance control and planning for US Airways. > > > > "During this period, we saw improvements in labor efficiency, aircraft availability, data > > management, technical documentation and other key aspects of maintenance operations that made > a > > clear business case for full implementation of the Sinex software," he says. > > > > The software is used to plan, schedule and track execution of maintenance activities for US > > Airways' fleet of 279 jet aircraft. Heavy-maintenance facilities in Charlotte are scheduled > > start using the product in June. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month! http://sbc.yahoo.com