EAA ADDRESSES SAFETY BOARD CONCERNS
The EAA this week published a list of CFIs authorized to offer training in experimental aircraft, as the NTSB requested in a study released in May. The study showed that experimental amateur-built aircraft have a fatal accident rate 3 to 4 times higher than the rest of the general aviation fleet, and four recommendations were made to EAA, in addition to 12 directed at the FAA. EAA's CFI list is categorized by state and lists each instructor with contact information, location, and the types of experimental aircraft they can instruct in. "Proper transition training is an essential first step toward safe operation of experimental aircraft," EAA said. More...

SIX NJ GAS STATIONS MISTAKENLY FED 100LL
The state of New Jersey confirmed Wednesday that six automotive gas stations received and sold leaded aviation fuel to drivers before the mistake was discovered and the sales were shut down. The fuel was delivered by eight tankers between Dec. 5 and Dec. 7 to six gas stations owned by the same company. In a statement from the Division of Consumer Affairs, the fuel was not directly identified as 100LL. The agency said the fuel was "rated at 104.7 octane compared to 93 octane for super unleaded," and contained "a small amount of lead." It was mistakenly sold to motorists as super unleaded. According to the agency, it "should not cause damage to vehicles engines." Click through for a link to the release from Consumer Affairs and a list of affected stations. More...

JETS CAUSING ICE CAP MELT: CLIMATOLOGIST
A California climatologist says the Arctic Circle should be off limits to high-flying jets because their emissions are likely a major factor in the rapid melting of the polar ice cap. Mark Jacobson, a professor of civil engineering at Stanford University, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation he believes black soot particles from jet engines are creating an unnaturally warm layer in the atmosphere over the Arctic and that might be causing the ice to melt below. Arctic icepack levels were at their lowest ever this past summer and global warming has been getting the blame, but Jacobsen's theory suggests it's more localized. "One of the effects of the aircraft is they emit a lot of soot into the upper atmosphere and the sunlight is absorbed by that soot, and the air heats up, so you get this kind of elevated, heated air layer where the aircraft fly," Jacobson said. Jacobson also says he doesn't expect the skies to empty over the Arctic anytime soon. More...

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: HOW BIG IS YOUR FOOTPRINT?
A California climatologist thinks polar air traffic might be behind the accelerating melting of the Arctic ice cap, and most light aircraft use leaded fuel. Does the environmental impact of your flying concern you?

Plus: Last week, we asked AVweb readers about the role of volunteerism in their holiday season; click through to see the breakdown of responses. More...

FUEL CONTROL MALFUNCTION CAUSED F-18 CRASH

click for photos and video

Military investigators say a sticky piston in the fuel control mechanism of a Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 was likely the root cause of a spectacular crash of the jet during rehearsal for an airshow in Lethbridge, Alberta, in July of 2010. The pilot, Capt. Brian Bews, ejected from the aircraft less than 300 feet above the ground and suffered three compressed vertebrae, but has since gone back to work. The crash was caught from multiple angles by video and still photographers. Bews was practicing the high alpha maneuver in which the aircraft flies at its lowest possible forward speed using a combination of engine power and an extreme angle of attack. To resume normal flight, the pilot applies full power and afterburner to climb out and that's when things went wrong. More...

VIDEO CATCHES F-18 CRASH FROM FEET AWAY
Newly released footage of the non-fatal F-18 crash at a Virginia Beach apartment complex last April captures the jet's last moments as an instantaneous grey streak on film, but the camera's proximity conveys much more. The video was collected from a security camera at Mayfair Mews Apartments where the jet crashed through two buildings on April 6 after a malfunction led the crew to eject. The footage shows the fighter, the explosion on impact and the aftermath, sometimes indirectly and literally from feet away, with debris blowing past. This will, hopefully, be the closest you'll ever get to a jet crash. Click through for video. More...

HAWKER 4000 SELL-OFF OKed
A bankruptcy court on Tuesday reversed an earlier decision and said Hawker Beechcraft can go ahead and sell the last 20 of its Hawker 4000 business jets, the Wichita Eagle has reported. Current owners of the jets have protested the sell-off, asking the court to slow down the process to help preserve the value of the fleet. Three weeks ago, the court said the company shouldn't rush to sell off the airplanes at deep discounts. The judge now says the sales can proceed, but Hawker must report each sale and the purchase price to the court, according to the Eagle. More...

NEW FORECASTS HELP PILOTS AVOID STORMS
New aviation weather forecasts are helping pilots to avoid storms over remote regions of the world's oceans, NASA said this week. A prototype system developed by the National Center for Atmospheric Research, in Boulder, Colo., and funded by NASA, combines satellite data and computer weather models to produce eight-hour forecast maps, which are updated every three hours. NASA said development of the forecasts was spurred in part by the 2009 crash of Air France Flight 447, which encountered a complex of thunderstorms over the Atlantic Ocean. More...

EPIC EXPANDING FOR CERTIFICATION EFFORT
Epic Aircraft is planning to expand its Bend, Ore., operation as it goes for certification of the LT single-engine turboprop. The Associated Press reported the kit builder is negotiating with Cessna to buy the building Cessna abandoned two years ago when it consolidated manufacturing of its Corvalis high-performance singles in Wichita. The Bend City Council has approved transfer of the land lease from Cessna to Epic. Epic CEO Doug King said the expansion is needed because of growth in the kit business and because of the certification effort. "We expect to hire 40 to 80 new staff in 2013," he said in an email to the Bend Bulletin. "Our commitment to Bend continues." More...

FLORIDA OKS PIPER DEAL
Piper Aircraft has not attained all the benchmarks that were set when the state of Florida invested $6.6 million in the company's expansion four years ago, but given the state of the economy since then, the state has agreed to not seek payback from the company. As long as Piper stays in Florida and meets certain employment obligations for the next four years, the debt will be forgiven, Piper said this week. The company also received $4 million from the county, but a similar compromise to avoid repayment is expected to be finalized by next week. More...

AVWEBBIZ: AVWEB'S BUSINESS AVIATION NEWSLETTER

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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.

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AVWEB INSIDER BLOG: FCC TO FAA -- LET MY PEOPLE TEXT
Last week, in a nod to downtrodden cell phone users everywhere, the FCC asked the FAA to allow phone use on take-off and landing. But hold the phone, so to speak, says Paul Bertorelli on the AVweb Insider blog. We don't want a bunch of chatting Kathies larding up the cabin with inane blather about their miserable, meaningless lives. How about we limit it to tablet and e-reader use? Read more and join the conversation. More...

VIDEO: IPAD MINI -- AVWEB'S FLIGHT TRIAL
The iPad, and tablets in general, have gained wide acceptance among pilots. But if you find the iPad a tad too large for the cockpit, the new iPad Mini may address that complaint. It's 2/3 the size of the full iPad but otherwise has the same features and performance as an iPad 2. In this video, AVweb and Aviation Consumer wrung out the Mini for both cockpit and pre-flight use. Other than screen glare, we found it had few warts worth mentioning, and it just might become the perfect cockpit accessory. More...

SURVEY: ARE YOU FLYING WITH A GARMIN GTN NAVIGATOR?
If so, the staff of Aviation Consumer would like to know what you think of it. Almost two years ago, Garmin introduced the GTN-series navigators to update its mega-popular GNS products. If you've been flying behind one, tell us what you think of it by taking this survey. It'll only take five minutes. 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: ROBERT LAFLEUR AIRPORT (KWVL, WATERVILLE, ME)

AVweb's latest "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to a location that, according to reader John Brier, has had a fresh infusion of inspiration recently — the city-run FBO at Robert LaFleur Airport (KWVL) in Waterville, Maine:

This airport was on the verge of being closed. The city of Waterville took over the operation and with a dedicated crew and turned it into a very pilot-friendly place. Fuel prices are some of the lowest in the [area].

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!

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