In its weekly perusal of developments in aviation, AVweb’s staff turned up news of an expansion of SocialFlight, insurance benefits for customers of Crosswind Concepts, the annual convention of the Silver Wings Fraternity and certification of Piper’s M-Class airplanes in China. SocialFlight, a web and mobile app for finding events and interesting places to fly, is expanding worldwide. This includes international aviation events, airports and Points-of-Interest (POIs) within walking distance of airports and aviation events. Local aviation METAR weather is also provided for most airports. Following this latest expansion, SocialFlight now contains nearly 30,000 airports around the globe and 300,000 restaurants, hotels, attractions, transportation options, campgrounds and aviation businesses, all within walking distance of an airport or aviation event. Crosswind Concepts Ltd. students who complete the Maximum Demonstrated Crosswind (MDC) training session now qualify for a 5-percent premium credit on aviation insurance policies under Avemco’s Safety Rewards Program, CC manager Taylor Albrecht announced Wednesday. Crosswind’s MDC training course helps pilots develop “stick and rudder” skills that are particularly necessary during challenging crosswind-landing situations. The course includes a discussion of weather, wind, aerodynamics and decision-making, and then uses the Xwind trainer to simulate realistic flight experiences that develop the visual and coordination skills necessary for proper control of an aircraft.
The Silver Wings Fraternity will hold its 2014 Annual Convention Oct. 2-4 in Pensacola, Florida. NASA astronaut Nicole Stott will be the featured speaker. Most of the activities will take place on Naval Air Station Pensacola with tours scheduled at the National Naval Aviation Museum, selected areas of the Naval Survival Training Institute, and other venues. Members will enjoy lunch at the world-famous Cubi Bar and the latest IMAX wide-screen movies. Silver Wings Fraternity is a charitable and educational membership organization founded in 1958 by aviation pioneers. Its membership consists of pilots and others with a genuine interest in aviation, who provide educational opportunities in aviation to young people, and who seek fellowship and camaraderie with aviators worldwide. Finally, Piper Aircraft Inc. announced that it has received a Validation of Type Certificate issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) for its top-of-the-line M-Class single-engine aircraft. The Piper M-Class series consists of the turboprop Piper Meridian, the pressurized piston-powered Piper Mirage and the unpressurized piston-powered Piper Matrix. “CAAC’s approval of the Piper M-Class series is excellent news for Piper and prospective customers in China,” said Piper President and CEO Simon Caldecott. “There is certainly a large potential market for personal and training aircraft in the world’s most populous country, and our Chinese dealers can now offer economical flight operations for a wide range of customers, all featuring advanced Garmin avionics.”
