NewsWire Complete Issue

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GA’s Fight For Rights (Amid Self-Inflicted Wounds)

NTSB: No Flight Plan For ADIZ Crash Plane…

The NTSB this week released its preliminary report about the crash of a Cessna 172 that ran out of fuel while awaiting clearance into the Washington, D.C., ADIZ on June 29. According to the report, the pilot told the NTSB he filed two flight plans, for his outbound and return flights, but did not activate the second flight plan before heading back to Martin State Airport, which is inside the ADIZ. In early media reports of the incident, the pilot said he had filed a flight plan, but ATC couldn’t find it. In the NTSB report, the pilot said he was instructed by Potomac Approach Control to contact the Leesburg FSS to file a flight plan, and made several unsuccessful attempts to contact the FSS. He then advised Approach Control that he was not able to contact the FSS, and was told to hold for clearance. The pilot said that during the next 45 to 50 minutes, he made repeated calls to Approach Control in an attempt to obtain a clearance into the ADIZ. Finally, the pilot informed the controller that he was “concerned” about the airplane’s fuel status, and about five minutes later, was cleared to enter the ADIZ. The pilot did not declare an emergency or request priority handling. The 172 landed in a field three miles short of the runway, and collided with trees. The 75-hour private pilot and his two passengers suffered minor injuries.

…As Angst Over Restrictions Rankles…

The accident in the ADIZ had raised hackles all across GA. The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) and the National Business Aviation Association, Inc (NBAA) have long fought (with some success) to restore GA and non-scheduled carrier access to D.C.-area airports affected by TFRs, particularly DCA. AOPA, very shortly after the ADIZ fuel-exhaustion incident, made available an online form to collect stories from pilots about their real-life problems dealing with the flight restrictions, and recently used the TFR card as a rallying point at a pilot town meeting in Wichita.Complaints pile up about the administration of the D.C. ADIZ and the proliferation of presidential TFRs, which to some appear better at persecuting the inexpert than protecting the innocent. While last month’s fuel-exhaustion episode regrouped the troops, it may also have created a rather awkward (and temporary) poster boy. And the fight goes on. “It’s time for someone in the government to step back and assess whether there’s a real need for these huge flight-restriction areas, or whether they’re just ‘feel-good’ measures that only give the appearance of increased security,” said AOPA President Phil Boyer last week. “AOPA has offered suggestions that would improve operations in the ADIZ while addressing security concerns, but has been rebuffed by both the FAA and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).”

…But Michigan Takes One Step Forward

Well, maybe it’s not so much a step forward, but a step backward that’s been foiled. On Tuesday, Michigan’s state Senate voted to repeal a law that required anyone seeking flight training to undergo a criminal history background check, AOPA reported. “Lawmakers have recognized that in their haste to deal with the security lapses of September 11, 2001, they went too far,” said Boyer. “All that’s needed to close this sorry chapter is Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm‘s signature.” The background-check law will be replaced with a new law that requires flight schools to restrict access to aircraft and ignition keys for pre-solo students. Both the FAA and the TSA supported AOPA’s position, agreeing the state was in conflict with federal laws already in place.

New GA Engine: Changes In The Wind

Bombardier Lifts the Covers…

Canadian conglomerate Bombardier — maker of the popular Rotax line of aircraft engines — released details this week on its plans to take on Continental and Lycoming with a new generation of high-output piston engines. As we reported in our May 15 NewsWire, Bombardiers new designs will be six-cylinder, 120-degree V configurations, with the normally aspirated V220 delivering 220 horsepower while the turbocharged variant, the V300T, will offer 300 horsepower. Both models have single overhead cams, in the style of modern automotive engines, and both are liquid-cooled, sporting a small radiator attached to the engine mount and presumably requiring its own inlet somewhere in the cowling. As we surmised, the new engines wont carry the Rotax name but will be manufactured under a new division called either Bombardier Recreational Products or … something else. Curiously, just as Bombardier is delving into larger certified aircraft engines, its in the process of selling off its recreational products division, including the Rotax operation, which makes low-horsepower engines for both the certified and experimental/ultralight market.

…And Reveals Lots Of Tricks

As expected, the new Bombardier powerplants will be single-lever designs — just a throttle, no mixture or prop control — with full authority digital control overseeing variable advance timing, fuel injection and prop speed. Speaking of prop speed, it will be unusually low — 2000 RPM geared down through what Bombardier calls a PSRU, or propeller speed reduction unit. Bombardier claims that this will allow lower prop tip speeds and far less noise, to the extent that pilots will no longer need expensive noise-canceling headsets, a claim well believe when we hear it. With the variable timing and knock sensing, Bombardier says the engine will be capable of burning avgas or mogas or any blend. By aircraft engine standards, engine RPM will be quite high, 4000 to 6000 RPM, leading to some concern about fuel economy. The company released no information on fuel specifics for the two engines but promises that more will be revealed when the engines are placed on display at EAA AirVenture later this month. Bombardier is being equally cagey about what these things will cost but weve learned that the company will pursue a marketing plan aimed at OEM airframers, not the aftermarket conversions. Given Lycomings recent struggles with quality control on crankshafts, Bombardier just might find a sympathetic ear in the likes of Piper, Mooney and other manufacturers. The engines have accumulated about 6000 test-stand hours and more than 100 flying hours in a Piper Cherokee. See Bombardiers new products at AirVenture Booths 299, 305 and 306.

More Engine Innovations

P&W’s 6.5-Mach, 150-Pound Scramjet Success…

That’s right, 6.5 Mach from a 150-pound engine. Try that with your 300-plus-pound Lycoming … then again, don’t. Airplanes of the future could be powered with engines derived from the hypersonic scramjet that recently completed a series of successful ground tests at 6.5 Mach. “The engine performed exceptionally well,” program manager Joaquin Castro said in a news release Monday. Weighing less than 150 pounds, the P&W burned standard JP-7 hydrocarbon fuel, which it uses in an “endothermic/regeneratively cooled cycle.” Translation: the fuel cools the engines interior walls before being introduced to the combustion chamber (sounds familiar, doesn’t it?). It seems that one of the only things the workings of your engine and Pratt & Whitney‘s GDE-1 have in common is that they use fuel to help cool internal parts. During numerous runs at Mach 4.5 and Mach 6.5, the demo engine reliably produced significant net positive thrust, which demonstrates the ability to efficiently burn fuel and accelerate a vehicle at these speeds, the news release said. “Performance exceeded Mach 6.5 objectives and met Mach 4.5 requirements,” Castro said. Pratt & Whitney Space Propulsion and U.S. Air Force researchers ran the tests as part of the Hypersonic Technology (HyTech) Program. The testing will enter a new phase next year, using a new engine with fully integrated control hardware and software.

…While Plastics Mold Your Engine’s Future

New engine designs are intriguing, but sometimes it’s new materials that drive technological advances. Superior Air Parts, of Coppell, Texas, announced this week it has successfully completed testing of its new composite sump/induction system built with Ryton, a resin product made by Chevron Phillips. The new Ryton sump will reduce the weight of the XP-360 Engine (TM) by eight pounds (half the weight of the old-style aluminum sump), Superior said in a news release. Ryton is a polyphenylene sulfide resin product and provides a lighter-weight alternative to metals that are resistant to corrosion and all fluids associated with piston engines, the company said. “The new Ryton sump is another example of our commitment to bring the latest technology to the general and sport aviation market,” said Tim Archer, Superior’s senior VP. Superior Air Parts is the world’s largest manufacturer of FAA-approved replacement parts for Lycoming and Continental aircraft engines.

Briefs…

New Piper Poised For New Beginning

At a press conference in Manhattan, New Piper Aircraft Inc. President and CEO Chuck Shuma Friday announced that American Capital Strategies Ltd. (ACAS) has purchased the $137 million company’s secured bank debt, representing a roughly $95 million investment. ACAS first invested in New Piper in 1998 and details to be hammered out this week may confirm that the recent investment will make them Piper’s new majority shareholder. Re-capitalization will occur shortly and there may be other changes (watch this space). With the change in financial structure, New Piper, which has gone from 1300 to 700 employees as a result of the economic downturn, expects to bring “new products and innovations into the market” … first in the form of upgraded avionics suites and improved ergonomics for their current designs. The company also is turning a fresh eye to Light Sport Aircraft manufacturers (Liberty Aerospace, Piper’s neighbor, was mentioned by name) and may pursue partnerships of some kind if the aircraft can be produced for a price its market will bear. Shuma also told AVweb that reports of a recent $75 million to $100 million cash infusion at the company are not correct. Riding out uncertain economic conditions, the company expects to weather through at least 2004; New Piper has adjusted its production line and employment structure, under the philosophies of John Gallow, formerly of GE. According to Shuma, Gallow took one production line at GE from 15 days to 15 hours, relying on part-time help to level out the peaks and valleys of production. Shuma said this year his company will produce 232 aircraft.

Ex-FAA Staffer Pleads Guilty In Bogus-Parts Scam

On the heels of a federal agency’s report critical of the FAA’s oversight of maintenance and repair stations, a former 20-year FAA airworthiness representative pleaded guilty last week to selling bogus aircraft parts. The court said the sales caused losses of $2.2 million to the FAA and the airlines. Daniel Booker, 63, of California, bought used or surplus parts and falsified the serial numbers, data plates, and documentation to make it appear that the parts met the airlines’ specifications, the Associated Press reported. No accidents have been traced to the falsified parts. Booker will be sentenced in January, and could get life in prison.

Wake-Vortex Detector To Be Tested In Denver

Flight Safety Technologies (FST), of Mystic, Conn., said this week it will test its Socrates Wake Vortex Detection and Tracking technology at the Denver International Airport this summer. The patented detection system projects low-power laser beams across a given space onto a reflector device, which reflects the beams back to a receiver. The Socrates system then measures changes in the laser beams, which reveal the existence of turbulence. The Socrates test is scheduled to start on August 18, and testing is planned to continue through mid-September. FST says the system has the potential to provide pilots with advance warning of the nature and location of wake vortices. The system also could increase runway capacity, FST says, because air traffic controllers could monitor wake dissipation and sequence aircraft more efficiently. Partners and participants in the technology and its testing include Lockheed/Martin, NASA, the DOT Volpe National Transportation Systems Center and the German Aerospace Center.

There Once Were Two Irish-Born Flyers….

…who flew round the world in a Piper. They landed in Limerick, and yelled, “Hey! We did it! And we raised a few bucks to fight cancer.” OK, they landed at Shannon Airport, not Limerick, but pilot Paul Ryan hails from there, and we couldn’t resist a rhyme in his honor. Last Thursday, Ryan, 33, and Alan MacMahon, 29, returned to Ireland in their Cherokee Six, well ahead of schedule, after 10 weeks of flying. The circumnavigation was the first by Irish pilots in a single-engine airplane, and raised money for the Marie Keating Foundation, which provides support for breast-cancer patients. “It was great to be back home again, but we both felt a little sad to know the flight was now over,” the pilots wrote in their online diary. The two braved a number of adventures — they had to extend one 14-hour-leg over water, after being denied permission to land in Saudi Arabia; the engine chose to run rough as they looked down upon miles of dense jungle over Burma; and on their final leg homeward they faced rough weather over the North Atlantic.

Wind Company Appeals Decision To Nix Turbines Near Airport

In April, the Zoning Board in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, sided with local pilots and said they were uncomfortable with a plan to install eight 387-foot-tall wind turbines within two miles of a runway at Somerset County Airport. But last week, the issue was being argued again in a county courtroom, as the wind-power developer began its appeal. The Johnstown Tribune-Democrat reported that Stonycreek Windpower said that because the FAA did not object to the turbines, that should put to rest any local safety concerns. The other side argued that the zoning board is entitled to consider a wide array of facts, and not to simply confirm the FAA’s opinion. Attorneys against the project also argued that the FAA failed to solicit local opinions and also may have neglected to take into consideration the impact on a turf runway that is directly in line with the proposed turbines.

Ups And Downs For Dayton’s Centennial Event

Inventing Flight, Dayton’s 17-day celebration of the Wright brothers, has run into some disappointments since its grand opening over the July 4 weekend. Several events, including a gas-balloon race, were cancelled due to rain and thunderstorms, and crowds at Celebration Central have been disappointing, the Dayton Daily News reported this week. At least three vendors have pulled out because of the sparse attendance, according to the Daily News. But attendance improved after the weather got nicer and ticket prices were slashed from $20 to $10. Local newspapers also carried free admission coupons. The Vectren Dayton Air Show, featuring three military jet teams, begins today and runs through Sunday at Dayton International Airport.

For The Pilot Who Has Everything

If you’ve ever admired a vintage aircraft and declared it a work of art, a Los Angeles company shares that view — and has found a way to create new works of art from old airplane parts destined for the scrap heap. MotoArt recycles vintage propellers, cowlings, and more to build unique household furnishings and sculptures. Among the products for sale: desks built from a DC-9 wing or DC-6 cowling, chairs recycled from DC-3s and B-29s, tables fashioned from various nose and jet spinners, and DC-9 service carts modified into portable bars. A new limited-edition product line is debuted every month. Artist Donovan Fell III says that one morning he found some old B-17 propellers in a pile of metal scrap, and a concept was born. “What beautiful shapes they were,” Fell wrote on the MotoArt Web site, “and what countless memories of engineering, combat and freedom they contained. It was love at first sight, and I vowed to save these unique forms of metal from the smelter’s furnace.” From those first propeller sculptures, MotoArt was born.

On The Fly…

Garmin announced this week it will unveil its G1000 integrated avionics system during EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh…

The TSA is now accepting online applications from airline pilots who want to volunteer for training to carry weapons…

Hartzell Propeller has received FAA and Transport Canada STCs for installation of its new blended airfoil two-blade metal constant-speed prop on Diamond’s four-seat DA40 Diamond Star…

The FAA on Tuesday unveiled its restored DC-3, N34, which will participate in various Centennial of Flight events, including the National Air Tour…

EAA Chapter One announced this week it will open a new facility at Flabob Airport, in Riverside, Calif., when it celebrates its 50th anniversary in September…

The Bellanca-Champion Club has posted online its schedule of events for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.

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AVweb’s AVscoop Award…

Congratulations and an AVweb hat go out to Brett Marks, this week’s AVscoop winner. Submit news tips via email to [email protected]. Rules and information are at https://www.avweb.com/contact/newstips.html.

AVweb’s Picture Of The Week…

*** PREVIOUS RESULTS ***

We received over 100 pictures last week. Congratulations to this week’s winner, Chuck Forsberg, of Portland, Ore. His photo, captures the serene atmsophere as another day dawns at the Arlington Fly-In. This event is one of the most popular in the country and certainly boasts one of the scenic settings to have such an event. Great picture, Chuck! Your AVweb hat is on the way.

To check out the winning picture, or to enter next week’s contest, go to https://www.avweb.com/potw.

**Due to privacy issues, AVweb does not publish e-mail addresses of readers who submit photos.

AVweb’s Question Of The Week…

*** PREVIOUS RESULTS ***

We received over 300 responses to our question last week on flying during the July 4th holiday weekend. Nearly a third (31 percent) of those responding indicated they did fly during the holiday weekend but strictly within their local area. Following behind, 28 percent did not fly due to money, time and other personal issues, while only 2 percent did not fly due to TFRs and other flight restrictions.

To check out the complete results, including comments, go to https://www.avweb.com/qotw.

*** THIS WEEK’S QUESTION ***

This week, we would like to know your thoughts on WAAS. Please go to https://www.avweb.com/qotw to respond.

Have an idea for a new QOTW? Send your suggestions to [email protected]. Note, this address is ONLY for suggested QOTW questions, and NOT for QOTW answers.

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New Articles and Features on AVweb

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BRAINTEASERS
Quiz #70 — Mommy, Where Do Controllers Come From?
The art and science of air traffic control (ATC) began life in humble surroundings without exerting much control. Let’s peak behind the FAA’s historical curtain to see who pulled the early levers of aviation power.

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NEWS FEATURES
Renewed Hope: The Search For Captain Scott Speicher
Shot down over Iraq during the first Gulf War, Navy Captain Scott Speicher was never found, nor was his body recovered. Recent evidence suggests he may have survived, however, thus beginning an ongoing fight to convince the U.S. government to step up efforts to find him.

v1

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SPONSOR NEWS

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We Welcome Your Feedback!

AVflash is a twice-weekly summary of the latest aviation news, articles, products, features and events featured on AVweb, the Internet’s Aviation Magazine and News Service. https://www.avweb.com

Letters to the editor intended for publication in AVmail should be sent to mailto:[email protected].com. Have a comment or question? Send it to mailto:[email protected].

Today’s issue written by News Writer Mary Grady
https://www.avweb.com/contact/authors.html#mgrady
AVweb’s editorial team: https://www.avweb.com/contact/authors.html.

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Let’s all be careful out there, okay?

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