FAA POLICY CAUSES CHECKRIDE COSTS TO RISE
Obtaining a pilot certificate in popular training areas of the Southwest may get more expensive thanks to a decision by the FAA to limit the number flight tests designated pilot examiners (DPEs) can administer. FAA spokesman Ian Gregor confirmed to AVweb that the agency has capped flight tests for DPEs under the authority of the Scottsdale and Las Vegas flight service district office (FSDO). "The FAA routinely reviews procedures, policies and programs to ensure they are operating safely, efficiently and properly," Gregor said. "A review of our Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) program identified potential issues with DPEs who conduct a high number of pilot flight checks. As a result, the FAA's Western Pacific Region is limiting DPEs in two locations -- Las Vegas and Scottsdale -- to conducting 50 flight checks per quarter, or 200 per year." Gregor declined to specify what led to the action but Fred Gibbs, a flight instructor in Flagstaff, said the result will come right out of the pockets of his students. "The examiner intends to raise the rate from $450 to $700 to make up the lost income he will incur as a result of the fewer number of flight tests he is allowed to administer," Gibbs said. More...

HAWKER BEECHCRAFT BANKRUPTCY TAKES A TURN
Talks between Hawker Beechcraft and Superior Aviation Beijing Co. have ended without agreement and the company has now announced plans to emerge from Chapter 11 protection as the standalone company, Beechcraft Corporation. A letter to customers signed by Hawker Beechcraft chairman Bill Boisture and executive vice president Shawn Vick said the company's main goal is to ensure the company completes reorganization "in a strong operational and financial position." That may leave it without Hawker product lines "or a closure of the entire jet business," as a result of strategic or financial considerations. The company says it will focus on other holdings, including piston lines and refurbishments, which are seen to "have high growth potential." More...

BRANSON LEVERAGES BAUMGARTNER'S RECORD JUMP
The ever adventurous and publicity-savvy Sir Richard Branson Thursday recognized Felix Baumgartner's Red Bull-sponsored record freefall by also telling the world his company once considered a jump from 400,000 feet -- and might consider it, again. In a blog post at Virgin.com Branson says his people were approached in 2005 by an individual who wanted to use SpaceShipOne for such a jump. The craft would carry the jumper to its apogee at 400,000 feet where the parachutist, clad in a fully pressurized spacesuit, would simply exit. The jumper would return via freefall and parachute. Meanwhile, a pilot (also wearing a spacesuit) would remain with the craft and its life support systems to guide their safe return. Branson says the trip "is theoretically possible" but the attempt was preempted by other factors. More...

PODCAST: THE RESTORERS AIMS FOR TV
Documentary films about aviation are a labor of love, but filmmaker Adam White of Hemlock Films has created several and now is working to raise money to bring a new aviation series to TV. AVweb's Mary Grady talks with White about the project and how you can get involved.

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

'AIR INTO PETROL' ACHIEVED, AND WHY IT STILL DOESN'T WORK
A small British company claims to have done it, and hopes to use similar processes to produce aviation fuel, but there are still some reasons we probably won't be creating vast quantities of fuel from air anytime soon. Since August, the systems and processes developed by Air Fuel Synthesis in Stockton-on-Tees has produced "five litres of petrol" from carbon dioxide and water vapor, the Independent.co.uk reported Friday. The company reportedly says it hopes to within two years build a commercial-scale plant that will turn out one ton of petrol per day from the conversion. Researchers have long been aware of the science behind the processes -- and the inefficiencies and costs that likely explain why no one other than Air Fuel Synthesis is attempting it now. More...

SPITFIRE EXCAVATION DEAL SIGNED
British farmer and aviation enthusiast David Cundall Tuesday signed an agreement with Burma's government to unearth a cache of what he expects will be dozens of Spitfires carefully stored and buried in that country at the end of World War II. Roughly 35 Spitfires are still flown in the world, today. Cundall and his Burmese business partner Htoo Htoo Zaw estimate there may be at least 60 Spitfires, all of the rare Mark XIV model, at a location Cundall discovered in February after a 16-year search. Cundall will get 30 percent of the aircraft. He's spent about $200,000 locating them and arranging the deal. It's believed the aircraft were greased and wrapped prior to being buried in crates, and may be recovered in good condition. Some 20,000 Spitfires were built during the war, but the Mark XIV model represents a much smaller segment of that group. More...

MYWINGMAN APP NOW AVAILABLE
Bendix/King has announced that its myWingMan application is now available for download from iTunes. The app is an all-in-one navigation, weather and flight information tool that combines moving map, weather and synthetic vision in one package with a simple user interface that does not use multiple menus for on-screen navigation. "We didn't set out to simply design another application for the GA marketplace," said Kevin Gould, president of Bendix/King. "The myWingMan app sets a new standard for what pilots can expect from future mobile flight planning and navigation tools." Bendix/King's Jeff Simon took us through the app in this video. More...

FLYABLE HURRICANE FOR SALE
One of about a dozen flyable Hawker Hurricane fighters will go on the auction block in England in December. The Hurricane Mk. X11a is now owned by the Historic Aircraft Collection in Duxford and is expected to fetch about $2.7 million when prestigious auction house Bonhams puts it on the block. "This Hurricane is one of only a handful of these iconic aircraft still flying today, and is presented for sale in highly original condition. We expect it will be a lot that will generate much interest among buyers at our December sale," Bonhams said in a release. It's not clear why the Duxford group is selling the aircraft. It also owns a Spitfire, Nimrod and Hawker Fury. More...

AVWEB INSIDER BLOG: FLYING CLUBS VS. RENTING
Flying clubs are hardly the ideal option for all of us. On the other hand, they do offer affordable access to an airplane for people who can't afford ownership on their own or in partnerships. On the AVweb Insider blog, Paul Bertorelli tries to look into the future of AOPA's new initiative to link clubs into a network. It may or may not work, but it at least gives the flying club idea some deserved attention. Read more and join the conversation. 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...

FBO OF THE WEEK: EAGLES OF AMERICA (KABY, ALBANY, GEORGIA)

AVweb's "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to Eagles of America at Southwest Georgia Regional Airport (KABY) in Albany, Georgia.

AVweb reader Matthew Hevey recommended the FBO, writing:

While flying with my family to Atlanta from Orlando Sunday evening before Labor Day, I experienced an alternator failure which required a diversion to KABY (the nearest airport). On very short notice late on a Sunday before a holiday, they arranged for a rental car in a matter of minutes. Ron (maintenance) kept in contact with me and updated me regularly on the status of repairs. I understand that they are a relatively new FBO at Albany, and they did a fantastic job with assisting my family and me. Kudos!

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

Frederick Municipal Airport (FDK, elevation 303 feet) with a long-standing glider club on the field, recently began tower operations. After the tower had been operating for about one week, on a relatively busy Saturday afternoon I heard this exchange:

Glider:
"Frederick Tower, Glider XXX at 1,600 feet inbound for a right downwind for landing runway 12, with information Sierra ... ."

Tower:
"Glider XXX, Frederick Tower. Hold your altitude. I have a few ahead of you."

Glider:
"Frederick Tower, I'm a glider."

Tower:
"Glider XXX, cleared to land, runway 12."

Lance Nuckolls
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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