CESSNA UNVEILS NEW CITATION LONGITUDE
Cessna introduced a full-size cabin mockup of it newest, biggest jet, the Citation Longitude, at EBACE in Geneva on Monday morning. The swept-wing Longitude will have the roomiest cabin and the longest range of any Citation jet. "It does a lot of things well and will appeal to customers in all corners of the world," said Cessna director of marketing Mike Pierce. In a first for Cessna, the jet will be driven by engines from Snecma, a French manufacturer. Snecma's new-generation Silvercrest design, still in development, will provide up to 11,000 pounds of thrust on takeoff, Cessna said. Longitude will have a range of 4,000 nm at Mach .82 and sell for $25.9 million, with first deliveries scheduled for late in 2017. More...

VIDEO: CESSNA'S LARGEST JET YET, THE LONGITUDE
On the first day of the European Business Aviation Convention and Expo in Geneva, Switzerland, Cessna Aircraft announced its largest jet yet — a new version of the Citation dubbed "Longitude." More...

VIDEO: HOW AUSTRO ENGINES ARE MADE
Daimler-Benz makes about 1,500 OM640 diesel engines a day, and Austro diverts about 15 minutes worth of production to its factory in Wiener Neustadt, Austria, where it forms the core of the AE300 aerodiesel. In this video, Austro's Peter Lietz takes us through how the company turns a car engine into an airplane engine. More...

AVWEB INSIDER BLOG: DOING THE NUMBERS -- DIESEL VS. MOGAS
And avgas need not apply. Although they're heavy and expensive, diesel engine economics bear up to at least short-term scrutiny because of their efficiency, which adds up over the life an engine. But if the mogas/Jet A fuel price spread gets to be around $3, mogas engines hold their own. Long-term, diesels' longer TBOs may tip the balance. Read more and join the conversation. More...

CANADIAN MIDAIR KILLS FIVE, BEAVER ALSO DOWN
As more details become clear the mystery of how two airplanes could collide in the middle of rural Saskatchewan has Canadian officials puzzled. We also received word late that a DeHavilland Beaver on floats went down with five aboard on a highway in southern British Columbia with near Peachland. Meanwhile, police, Transport Canada and the Transportation Safety Board are investigating how a Lake Buccaneer and a Piper Cherokee came together near the tiny town of St. Brieux, Saskatchewan (population 492) on Saturday, killing both occupants of the Buc and all three on the Cherokee. St. Brieux is a small rural community about 125 miles northeast of the nearest large town, Saskatoon. St. Brieux has an airport, however, and that's where the Cherokee was headed from Nanton, near Calgary in the adjacent province of Alberta. Initial reports said the collision occurred near the airport. More...

BABBITT CLEARED OF DUI CHARGES
A judge has dismissed drunk-driving charges against former FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt, ruling the Fairfax, Va., police didn't have a good enough reason to pull him over. Although a police statement after his arrest said Babbitt had been observed driving on the wrong side of the road the night of Dec. 3, 2011, WJLA reported that dashboard video from the police cruiser showed what Judge Ian O'Flaherty described as a "normal" left turn, even though it does not appear Babbitt used his turn signal. Nevertheless, the judge called the traffic stop "a hunch" and ended the proceedings there without hearing evidence that Babbitt wasn't legally impaired when he was pulled over. More...

GAMA FIRST QUARTER REPORT
The first three months of 2012 saw total billings for aircraft fall 8 percent, according to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), but piston-powered airplane shipments dropped by a smaller margin. Piston aircraft shipments totaled 184 units for the first three months of 2012, versus 188 shipments over the same period last year. The figures account for a 2.1 percent decrease that matched the decrease in total worldwide general aviation shipments. GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce offered a theory and some legislative advice. More...

NAVY'S GREAT GREEN FLEET
The U.S. Navy's participation in a 22-nation exercise this summer will include a two-day demonstration of the "Great Green Fleet" carrier strike group, operating in part on alternative non-fossil fuels. The demonstration group will operate aircraft and non-carrier ships on 50/50 blends of biofuel and conventional fuels. The Navy has set a goal of 2020 to meet half of its energy needs with non-fossil fuels. The Great Green Fleet's two-day demonstration during the Rim of Pacific exercise is meant to precipitate a larger months-long deployment of a similarly fueled group set to deploy in 2016. Increases in fuel costs have pushed Defense Department spending $3 billion over budget in 2012 due to rising fuel costs. More...

VOLUNTEER PILOTS HELP SAVE WHALES, TURTLES
Marine scientists in Belize conducted a count of offshore marine animals for the first time recently, thanks to help from volunteer pilots flying with LightHawk. Government fisheries staff have surveyed marine mammals along the shore for 18 years, but in April, they were able to extend those efforts up to 50 miles off the coast. The aerial surveys found two sperm whales and 33 dolphins, as well as 11 turtles and 4 crocodiles. The sperm whales were seen at the southern end of Belize's barrier reef, swimming south towards Honduras. "This was not the first recording of sperm whales in Belize, but very little is known of their ecology here," said LightHawk's news release. Eclipse Aerospace also pitched in recently to help out when eight sea turtles needed a lift. More...

LAST FLIGHT FOR BOEING 720
We're not sure, but this might be the first "last flight" of an aircraft type that helped usher in the modern jet age of airliners. The last flying Boeing 720 took off from Saint-Hubert, Quebec, Canada for its presumably long-term stay at the National Air Force Museum of Canada at Royal Canadian Air Force Base Trenton, Ontario, on Wednesday. The airplane spent more than two decades as a test bed for Pratt & Whitney Canada, which mounted turboprops on the elongated nose, making it effectively the only five-engine four-engine aircraft flying. Pratt & Whitney moved to more modern Boeing 747SPs as test aircraft last year. They're primarily engaged in testing the company's new PurePower ultra-efficient turbofan engines. More...

P-40 DISCOVERED AFTER 70 YEARS
An early model RAF Curtis P-40 Kittyhawk (Warhawk) wearing markings from the 260 Squadron and likely lost in 1942 was found last month largely intact in western Egypt's Al Wadi al Jadid desert, and researchers may now have identified its last pilot. The aircraft has been photographed sitting on its belly with the canopy nearly closed. It is suspected to be that of Flight Sergeant Dennis Copping, who went missing while ferrying a damaged Kittyhawk with markings "HS-B." If so, it could be associated also with Canadian ace James Francis "Stocky" Edwards. The aircraft's resting place is 200 miles from the nearest town and no evidence of the pilot's remains have been found. A museum may now attempt to recover the aircraft, but there are complications. Video after the jump. More...

EAA STATEMENT SPARKS CONCERNS
AirVenture Cup race organizers are seeking to clarify a communication they received Thursday from EAA that they say could put the future of the race in question. An email sent Thursday from Chad Jensen, EAA homebuilt community manager, to Eric Whyte, chairman of the race's contest committee, reads in part, "EAA will no longer be associated with air racing in any form going forward." However, Kandi Spangler, who handles public relations for race organizers, told >i>AVweb Friday that "EAA wants us to have the race and we want to have the race." She added, "If EAA is pulling out and not giving us the support we need, the race will likely be cancelled. But as it sits now, I feel good about the direction we're heading and the possible outcome." As of late Friday, the official public position from all parties was that the 2012 race had not yet been cancelled, as EAA officials and race organizers sought to clarify the nature of their relationship. More...

AVIATION LEGENDS GATHER FOR LINDBERGH FOUNDATION
The Lindbergh Foundation marks its 35th anniversary on Friday, May 18, with a gala event at the Explorers Club in New York, featuring special guest speakers Apollo astronauts Neil Armstrong, Jim Lovell, and Gene Cernan, and airshow legend Bob Hoover. "I can't think of a more compelling roster of speakers to help us celebrate our anniversary," said Larry Williams, chairman. "All of them encourage us to remember the significance of the contributions made by Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh to our lives today, 85 years after the historic New York-to-Paris flight." A few tickets are still available for the black-tie event, Williams told AVweb this week, at a suggested donation of $1,000 each. More...

PODCAST: EBACE BEGINS WITH EUROPE IN TURMOIL
Teal Group analyst Richard Aboulafia offers his thoughts on the show, Hawker Beechcraft's many options and how Cessna and Embraer are matching up. He spoke with AVweb's Russ Niles.

This podcast is brought to you by Bose Corporation. More...

PODCAST: OPENAIRPLANE REINVENTS AIRCRAFT RENTALS
AVweb speaks to OpenAirplane's Rod Rakic for more details about his company's plan to make renting aircraft easier and more affordable for pilots — and more profitable for aircraft owners.

This podcast is brought to you by Bose Corporation. More...

FORTY-SEVEN YEARS IN AVIATION: A MEMOIR; CHAPTER 13: TANKERS REVISITED, OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, AND 'THE BARGE'
Returning with his family to Ohio, Richard Taylor gets back into KC-97s in the Ohio Air National Guard ... this time the KC-97L, with two jet engines added to the four piston engines. After losing a major client in his non-aviation job, Richard fortuitously finds an opening as a faculty member in the Department of Aviation at Ohio State University. Click here to read the 13th chapter. More...

FBO OF THE WEEK: MAVERICK AIR CENTER (FSB, SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA)

AVweb's latest "FBO of the Week" is Maverick Air Center at Sioux Falls Regional Air Center (FSB) in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

AVweb reader Lynn Erickson recommended the FBO:

My wife and I were traveling from Madison, Wisconsin to Sioux Falls for our godson's confirmation and had decided on Maverick because of the rental car avialablility. The weather was a challenge, and after dodging around a line of storms and landing ahead of another, we were greeted by a very accomodating, experienced line crew who hustled our 182 into their brand-new hangar. The entire facility is new, with obvious attention to what makes a full-service FBO without the pretense. The people working there are an outstanding compliment to the surroundings. Bruce and his crew kept our airplane in for two nights, charged us for one, and gave us a very good price on fuel. This is definitely a GA-of-all-sizes-friendly stop.

Keep those nominations coming. For complete contest rules, click here.

AVweb is actively seeking out the best FBOs in the country and another one, submitted by you, will be spotlighted here next Monday!

AVWEB'S NEWSTIPS ADDRESS ...
Our best stories start with you. If you've heard something 255,000 pilots might want to know about, tell us. Submit news tips via email to newstips@avweb.com. What have you heard? More...

SHORT FINAL

Flying an Army OH58 in the early '80s, we determined that we would not have the fuel to make our planned destination. Passing Kessler Air Force Base, we called the tower for landing instructions.

Kessler Tower:
"Do you have PPR?" [PPR = "prior permission"]

OH58 (not knowing what "PPR" stood for) :
"No. [pause] All we have is a transponder and an ADF."

Kessler Tower:
"Clear to land."

Mike Friel
via e-mail

HEARD ANYTHING FUNNY ON THE RADIO?
Heard anything funny, unusual, or downright shocking on the radio lately? If you've been flying any length of time, you're sure to have eavesdropped on a few memorable exchanges. The ones that gave you a chuckle may do the same for your fellow AVweb readers. Share your radio funny with us, and, if we use it in a future "Short Final," we'll send you a sharp-looking AVweb hat to sport around your local airport. No joke. Click here to submit your original, true, and previously unpublished story. More...

MEET THE AVWEBFLASH TEAM

AVwebFlash is a twice-weekly summary of the latest news, articles, products, features, and events featured on AVweb, the world's premier independent aviation news resource.

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