AIRSPACE CHANGES CONCERN PILOTS
Just about everyone involved in aviation in the adjoining cities of Portland, Ore., and Vancouver, Wash., is urging the FAA to put the brakes on a surprise airspace change that would give aircraft using Portland International priority over those using Vancouver's Pearson Field. They're also wondering about the uncharacteristic speed with which the FAA is bringing in the changes. Local officials found out about the change last Thursday and it takes effect Oct. 1. "This is a sudden rules change," Vancouver's Communications Manager Barbara Ayers told the Columbian. "It's going to have significant impacts on our community, and we're concerned about it." More...

PILOT, PASSENGER SURVIVE OPEN OCEAN DITCHING
The pilot of a Beech Baron that successfully ditched in the Gulf of Mexico Thursday is praising the response of rescue personnel after he and his passenger spent more than three hours in the open ocean 28 miles south of the tip of Louisiana. Theodore Wright said if the crews hadn't persevered until just before dark to spot him and his passenger Raymond Fosdick bobbing in their life jackets they might have faced a different outcome. "I said we have about 25 more minutes of daylight. If they find us in 20 minutes, we're going home tonight. If not, we're staying the night our here," Wright told reporters in Houston. More...

FAA REQUIRES 787 INSPECTIONS BEFORE FURTHER FLIGHT
The FAA has issued an Airworthiness Directive, effective immediately, seeking to prevent failure of a critical component found on GE GEnx-series engines after one failed on a B787 Dreamliner during ground testing. The failure was contained and the engine threw debris out of its tailpipe. The source of the failure was determined to be the engine's fan mid shaft, which fractured. Less than one month later, in August, an ultrasonic inspection found the same part in another 787's engine  exhibited cracking. The FAA has determined that cracks are likely to exist or develop in fan mid shaft within other engines of the same design. The new AD, published Friday, supersedes an earlier Service Bulletin (SB) and requires inspection before further flight, but does not resolve the problem. Further action is expected. More...

SENSE AND AVOID FLIES AT UND
The University of North Dakota's (UND) Aerospace Sciences department Thursday showed off "sense and avoid" software fitted to a piloted NASA Cirrus SR-22 as it flew courses that conflicted with a stock Cessna 172. The effort is a collaboration that involves UND, NASA and MITRE Corp. In the test, the Cirrus served as the surrogate unmanned aerial system (UAS) flown with a safety pilot but directed automatically by ADS-B data and MITRE's algorithms. The test showed that the specially equipped SR-22 could detect the potential conflict posed by the converging 172, and maneuvered the Cirrus away. That has been repeated, but researchers say there's more work to be done. More...

BUGATTI AIRCRAFT TO FLY, SOON
The Bugatti 100P was a purpose-built aircraft designed to set world speed records, but in more than 70 years since its conception it has never flown -- now, a project based in Tulsa, Okla., aims to change that this year. Enthusiast Scotty Wilson is the self-described "guy at the pointy end of the Bugatti 100P project," and he spoke with AVweb Thursday. Wilson has invested his time, money, sweat, and nearly all other available resources into creating a faithful reproduction of the aircraft. And he's found help along the way. The result is a now nearly complete aircraft that Wilson says is "externally, dimensionally, and aerodynamically accurate to within a few millimeters" of the original. The airframe is complete, engine installation is coming soon, and first flight, Wilson hopes, will come by year-end. Then the aircraft will set out on tour ... but maybe not in the U.S.  More...

PILOT IMPOSTER NABBED IN ITALY
An unidentified man who apparently bluffed his way into the jump seat of at least one airline flight was arrested in Turin, Italy, Saturday wearing a pilot's uniform and carrying fake ID. The man, a 32-year-old Italian, is alleged to have concocted an elaborate alter ego as Andrea Sirlo, a Lufthansa captain, that got him a ride as "third pilot" on a flight from Munich to Turin on Oct. 23, 2011. It's not clear if he has any flying credentials or whether he has helped out on any other flights. Lufthansa isn't commenting and the Italian police are looking into it. He was arrested in the check-in area of the Turin Airport after some cyber sleuthing by the police. More...

IMC CLUB ANNOUNCES ELITE GROUP
The IMC Club International has announced creation of a "Special Membership Group" as an instrument pilot safety initiative targeting "elite" pilots "dedicated to the consistent and constant improvement of their instrument flying skill." The new group will operate within the IMC Club as the "Inner Marker Circle." Current, proficient IFR pilots are invited to join provided they meet "the more demanding standards of the IMC Club." IMC Club intends to form the group from a collection of pilots dedicated to continuous improvement in the arena of instrument flying skills. IMC Club International president Radek Wyrzykowski says he hopes the group will become an "aviation safety cult." Membership will also come with the potential for some financial reward. More...

AVWEB INSIDER BLOG: GETTING OUT THE VOTE
Does the pilot community have something to teach us about how democracy works? AVweb contributing editor Mary Grady looks for signs of hope in her latest post to the AVweb Insider blog. Read more and join the conversation. More...

AVMAIL: SEPTEMBER 24, 2012

Letter of the Week: Secret Shopper

I've always heard the aviation industry isn't welcoming to newcomers. Let me tell you a story, and see if you agree.

Recently, I walked into the local flight school. I had briefly instructed there a few years and changes of ownership ago. No one knew me.

I waited patiently for the three employees to finish their conversation. No one greeted me. Finally, I asked if they gave introductory rides. I also asked if there were any restrictions, because I thought having an ATP might be disqualifying. I was told there were no restrictions, and no questions were asked.

I booked a flight for the next day, because no one seemed interested in going then.

I arrived on time and was told: "The instructor isn't here yet."

After 45 minutes, I gave up and walked out.

And we wonder why student starts are slow.

Roy Adams

Click here to read the rest of this week's letters.

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: SUPER LEGEND FLIGHT TRIAL
American Legend gained success with its popular Legend Cub, and now it's followed up with a new Lycoming-powered version of the airplane. If you like the Super Cub, you'll like the Super Legend, too, because its performance is quite similar. AVweb ventured to Legend's Sulphur Spring, Texas, homebase to fly the airplane, and here's a video report on the flight. More...

VIDEO: THE LAST FLYING B-24 BOMBER (COLLINGS FOUNDATION)
The B-24 was the most widely produced bomber in world history. This video shows the sole surviving regularly flown example, from roughly 18,000 B-24 Liberator bombers produced. This is the Collings Foundation's B-24, Witchcraft. More...

FBO OF THE WEEK: BERG AIR (S33, MADRAS, OREGON)

AVweb's "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to Berg Air at Madras Municipal Airport (S33) in Madras, Oregon.

AVweb reader Charlotte Echelberger explains how Berg has taken care of her traveling party on different occasions this year:

As part of the Oregon Air Tour, in May we stopped in. It felt like they could not do enough for us! Tracy even took time to go through the newspaper to find us a coupon for a free root beer float, and Rob helped us hand-tow our 182 to the gas pump so we didn't have to start the engine. We returned to Madras in August for the Air Show of the Cascades and camped at the FBO. Excellent facilities! (Even though I lost the pool game.) They even have a little yellow rubber duck in the shower. With all the comotion and large crowds [from the air show], Rob and Tracy were calm, cool, and wonderful. Can't say enough about them.

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!

SHORT FINAL

Back in the 1970s, while flying an MU-2 into El Paso, Texas, I heard the following exchange between approach and an airline crew after repeated attempts to get the crew to reduce speed:

Approach:
"Flight 123, I must have you at 120 knots right now."

Captain of Flight 123:
"Son, do you have any idea of the stalling speed of this thing?"

Approach:
"No sir, but I bet if you ask your co-pilot he can tell you."

Larry Bartlett
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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Tom Bliss

Editorial Director, Aviation Publications
Paul Bertorelli

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Glenn Pew

Contributors
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Avionics Editor
Larry Anglisano

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