AVGAS COMMITTEE REPORT RELEASED
The Unleaded Avgas Transition-Advanced Rulemaking Committee (ARC)'s report on its recommended path to a suitable replacement for 100LL has been released to the public by the FAA (two months after the stakeholders committee completed the report) and as we reported in May it will be, under the committee's recommendations, at least 11 years before such a fuel (or fuels) is approved and the committee is also warning it could take longer than that. Total cost could reach $73 million with $60 million having to be approved by Congress. Despite the many pitfalls outlined in the report, the authors try to strike a hopeful tone. "We are in fact very encouraged that a satisfactory solution will be deployed in a timely manner and none of us will see our aircraft or our operations significantly compromised. The summary of the report is here (PDF). The full report is here (large PDF) and the appendices are here (PDF). More...

NATIONAL GUARD JOINS THE FIREFIGHT
As the wildfire begins in earnest in 2012, the Forest Service is operating with roughly half of the aircraft it had only a decade ago, stirring some controversy about aviation firefighting resources. Earlier this month, President Obama signed a bill to add larger tankers to the Forest Service's aerial firefighting fleet and, separately, four Air Force C-130s have now been scheduled to join the fight against an active blaze in Colorado. Aside from those aircraft, at least four more Air National Guard aircraft are equipped and ready to go. But, as the Forest Service told Philly.com this week, it can't request Guard aircraft unless all private tankers are already engaged or otherwise unavailable. More...

AIR INDIA PILOTS LAUNCH HUNGER STRIKE
Eleven Air India pilots started a hunger strike this week to protest disparities in pay and career advancement for former union members. About 400 pilots have been on strike since May. They were members of the India Pilots Guild, which has been de-recognized by the government. The airline has refused to reinstate about 100 pilots who held offices in the union. "They have the right to go on hunger strike. It will be good for their health," Aviation Minister Ajit Singh told IBNLive. More...

FAA REVERSES COURSE ON OXYGEN
Last year, the FAA ordered airlines to disable emergency oxygen generators that supply decompression masks in lavatories, citing terrorism concerns. This week, the FAA reversed that order, and gave the airlines three years to restore the systems. The change affects about 5,500 airplanes, the FAA said, and will cost about $45 million. The FAA noted that while "no specific designs" are currently available that would meet the FAA's safety criteria, "airframe manufacturers and aftermarket modifiers are working on acceptable designs, and we expect that there will be more than one solution available." More...

SUKHOI, POST SUPERJET CRASH
Fallout from the May 9 crash of Russia's first completely new post-Soviet era passenger jet may bring changes to how Sukhoi pilots are prepared for display flights, RiaNovosti reported, Wednesday. Last month's crash destroyed a Sukhoi Superjet SSJ100 airliner, killing all 44 passengers aboard when the demo flight impacted a mountain slope near its departure point at Jakarta, Indonesia. Mikhail Pogosyan, head of Russia's United Aircraft Corporation, announced last week that the investigation has yet found no faults with the aircraft. And Sukhoi has now said it will consider the recommendations of Indonesia's National Transport Security Committee (NTSC) regarding flight operations. More...

SKYCATCHER TAKES A SUMMER TOUR
Nine lucky young flight instructors have scored a pretty great summer job, thanks to a tour Cessna is sponsoring to promote its Skycatcher light sport aircraft. The CFIs left Cessna's facility in Independence, Kan., on Saturday, flying Skycatchers with identical custom paint jobs. For five weeks, they'll take part in fly-ins, airshows and Cessna events around the country, giving rides and blogging as they go, and promoting the brand via Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. The strategy aims to "introduce [the airplane] to the flying public," said Tracy Leopold, Cessna business leader for the Skycatcher. "We have found that once people experience flight in a Skycatcher, their interest in the product increases." More...

AIRVENTURE ON THE HORIZON
EAA AirVenture is coming up fast, with opening day set for Monday, July 23, and EAA said this week visitors already have started to arrive in the camping areas. The current Notam, essential reading for pilots who are flying in, has been posted on the Airventure web site. The website also offers discounts on advance ticket sales, through this Saturday. AirVenture provides the usual packed schedule, with top airshow performers flying every afternoon plus Saturday night, and entertainment every evening. Programs for teachers and families aim to draw new enthusiasts into the fold. Up to 200 Piper Cubs are expected to fly in to the show, creating a "field of yellow" to celebrate the iconic airplane's 75th anniversary. And of course, everyone with a new product or upgrade or idea will be there to share it with the aviation world. More...

PODCAST: COMING UP AT AIRVENTURE
EAA spokesman Dick Knapinski, veteran of a quarter-century's worth of AirVenture extravaganzas, updates AVweb's Mary Grady with a look at what to expect from the 2012 edition, just a few weeks away. More...

EMBRAER TO BUILD JETS IN CHINA
In Rio de Janeiro last week, political leaders from Brazil and China signed an agreement that will allow Embraer to start building business jets in China. The deal creates a partnership between Embraer and the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) to build Legacy 600 and 650 jets using a facility already in place in Harbin, China. The new operation is expected to produce about 20 jets a year for the Chinese market. The first Embraer jet to be built in China is scheduled to be completed by the end of next year. More...

AUSTRALIA RELAXES MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS
Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has announced liberalized flight medical standards for private and recreational pilots that include a 3,200-pound maximum weight for aircraft and allow pilots to register their medical fitness online. In a newsletter to Australian pilots, John McCormick, CASA's director of aviation safety, said the idea is to make it easier for pilots to maintain medicals without sacrificing safety. "Having robust medical standards is a key element of aviation safety and this initiative ensures safety standards remain high while making the system simpler," McCormick said. Pilots will still have to get regular medical assessments (every two year for those 65 or younger, every year after that) but they're based mostly on driver's license standards and can be done by their family doctor. Australia requires all drivers to self-declare medical fitness to maintain their licenses. After being signed off by the GP, the pilot registers his or her medical fitness online and keeps the printed copy with him or her while flying. Australia's new rules have some significant differences from those being considered by the FAA. By the way, the deadline for comments on the joint EAA/AOPA third-class medical exemption proposal is July 2. To find out how to comment, look here (PDF). More...

AVWEBBIZ: AVWEB'S BUSINESS AVIATION NEWSLETTER

Have you signed up yet for AVweb's no-cost weekly business aviation newsletter, AVwebBiz?

Delivered every Wednesday morning, AVwebBiz focuses on the companies, the products and the industry leaders that make headlines in the business aviation industry, making it a must-read.

Add AVwebBiz to your AVweb subscriptions today by clicking here and choosing "Update E-mail Subscriptions."

AVWEB INSIDER BLOG: THE FAA KNOWLEDGE TEST UNDER REVIEW
Changes to the FAA knowledge test are in the wind, but on the AVweb Insider blog, contributing editor Mary Grady explains why we need a discussion that goes beyond the simple issue of whether or not to make the questions public. Read more and join the conversation. More...

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR PILOT'S LICENSE?
A while back, AVweb reader Marc Santacroce suggested a great poll question. "I can't find any recent survey ... that asked how pilots got their licenses," he wrote. With flight training on our brain, that's our questio to you this week. (Military pilots, you get the week off; for this poll, we're interested in folks who learned to fly as civilians.)

Plus: Last week, we asked AVweb readers how their last commercial airline experience was; click through to view the breakdown of results. More...

SURVEY: WHAT'S THAT LSA COSTING YOU? 'AVIATION CONSUMER' WANTS TO KNOW
If you're operating a light sport aircraft -- either a legacy or late-model new airplane, our sister publication, Aviation Consumer, would like to know what it costs. Click on this link to take the survey and leave comments. We're interested in all kinds of light sports, but we especially want to know what costs are like when the airplanes are in partnerships. More...

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...

VIDEO: 'AVIATION CONSUMER' TAKES THE SHOW ON THE ROAD WITH FIVE FOLDING BICYCLE REVIEWS

The July issue of our sister publication, Aviation Consumer, features a blow-by-blow comparison of some of the best folding bikes for pilots we could find. See them in action in these five video reviews by Consumer's Jeff Van West.

VIDEO: ANA 767 HARD LANDING CREASES FUSELAGE
An All Nippon Airways Boeing 767-300 carrying 193 passengers was damaged during a hard landing at Tokyo Narita airport, Wednesday, June 20, 2012. The ANA jet touched down on Runway 16R. Airport weather reports show winds at 230 and 16 knots gusting to 29 at that time, suggesting a potential crosswind component of more than 27 knots. However that may have affected the pilots and aircraft, security camera footage shows the airliner came down first on the right main, then on the nosewheel alone, before porpoising into a second impact that appears to impart visible flex on the airliner's forward fuselage. No injuries were reported, but an early post-flight inspection clearly showed buckling and creases in the fuselage skin forward of the wing root. Japan's transportation safety board is investigating. Click the image at right for video. More...

FBO OF THE WEEK: LAREDO AERO CENTER (KLRD, LAREDO, TEXAS)

Summer is here, local air shows are in full swing, and AVweb readers are logging some serious flying time. At least, that's the way it looks from the number of great FBOs we've heard about in the last seven days. It was tough choosing one nomination, but our latest "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to Laredo Aero Center at Laredo International Airport (KLRD) in (you guessed it) Laredo, Texas.

Jimmy Harrison brought Aero Center to our attention with his praise:

The people who operate Aero Center are absolutely fabulous. This includes the line handlers, the refuelers and the ops desk personnel. I have stopped here several times and am always delighted with their excellent service and can-do attitude.

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!

PICTURE OF THE WEEK: AVWEB'S FLYING PHOTOGRAPHY SHOWCASE
Our latest winning photo comes from Zane Jacobson of Lake Oswego, OR. Click here for the rest of this week's submissions. 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.

The AVwebFlash team is:

Publisher
Tom Bliss

Editorial Director, Aviation Publications
Paul Bertorelli

Editor-in-Chief
Russ Niles

Webmaster
Scott Simmons

Contributing Editors
Mary Grady
Glenn Pew

Contributors
Kevin Lane-Cummings
Jeff Van West

Ad Coordinator
Karen Lund

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