COLLIER TROPHY NOMINEES ANNOUNCED
Seven aviation and aerospace projects have been named as contenders for the 2012 Robert J. Collier Trophy, the National Aeronautic Association announced this week. The nominees are: the Gulfstream G650; Felix Baumgartner and the Red Bull Stratos team; Lockheed Martin's autonomous K-Max helicopter; the NASA/JPL Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity project; the NASA/JPL Voyager Interstellar Mission project; the U.S. Air Force MC-12 Project Liberty, which converted a King Air to military use as a crewed surveillance aircraft; and the NASA/JPL Dawn mission, which sent a spacecraft to investigate two dwarf planets to learn about the early history of our solar system. More...

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: WHAT'S YOUR PICK FOR THE COLLIER TROPHY?
There are seven nominees this year, but we'll also give you a write-in opportunity. Remember that the award criteria stipulates that the winner goes to "the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America, with respect to improving the performance, efficiency, and safety of air or space vehicles, the value of which has been thoroughly demonstrated by actual use during the preceding year." Who or what should win this year's Collier?

Plus: Last week, we asked AVweb readers about the state of their safety equipage; click through for a breakdown of their answers. More...

STRATOS TEAM UPDATES MISSION NUMBERS
The Red Bull Stratos team this week released its final analysis of the data collected from Felix Baumgartner's supersonic freefall last October. Baumgartner, the team said, experienced 25.2 seconds of weightlessness during his free fall, and reached a speed of Mach 1.25, or 843.6 mph, even faster than originally estimated. His jump altitude was revised slightly, down to 127,852.4 feet from the previous estimate of 128,100 feet. His heartbeat reached a maximum of 185 beats per minute when he exited the capsule, and ranged from 155 to 175 beats per minute during freefall. The data was reviewed last month by a team that included NASA astronauts, U.S. Air Force officers, and representatives from commercial aerospace companies. More...

EASYJET TO RUN DRY FOR EFFICIENCY
Over the next 12 months, UK carrier easyJet plans to find out if they can improve the efficiency of their operations by removing moisture weight from their aircraft, the airline announced Wednesday. The carrier's yearlong test involves installation of 66-pound "Zonal Dryer" systems in four Airbus A320 aircraft. It is hoped that the system, provided by CTT Systems of Sweden, will remove up to 550 pounds of moisture per flight from the jets. The carrier says the weight is equivalent to removing 12 bags from the cargo hold and that could save nearly 10 million pounds of fuel, per year. The company also claims passengers will see a benefit. More...

GROUP OFFERS FLYING CLUB START-UP SCHOLARSHIP
Some Chicago pilots are hoping to foster the creation of at least one new flying club in a place that needs and will support one through the offer of a "scholarship" and some practical advice. Ground Effects Advisors is offering the award, which includes about $3,500 worth of supplies and tools, to the group that rises to the top of a nationwide competition. Applications are being accepted here until May 1. In a podcast interview with AVweb, spokesman Todd McClamroch said there are plenty of scholarships for pilot training but none for mentoring those who want to keep certificated pilots engaged and interested in improving their skills. More...

PODCAST: GROUP OFFERS FLYING CLUB SCHOLARSHIP
A new organization called Ground Effect Advisors is awarding a scholarship that includes advice, materials, and supplies worth more than $3,500 to a group that wants to start a flying club. AVweb's Russ Niles spoke with Todd McClamroch about the initiative and how worthy groups should apply to StartAFlyingClub.com by May 1.

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

BLIMPS TO HOVER IN DC AIRSPACE
Two large tethered helium blimps carrying surveillance gear will be deployed for testing by the North American Aerospace Defense Command, known as NORAD, somewhere near Washington, D.C.'s airspace by the end of September, Reuters reported this week. The blimps, each of them about 243 feet long, can reach altitudes up to 10,000 feet and stay aloft for up to 30 days at a time. They will carry radar and other surveillance gear that enables them to detect ground targets, manned and unmanned aircraft, boats, and cruise missiles at distances up to 340 miles. They cost about $450 million for the pair. More...

PILOTWORKSHOPS ACQUIRES ZD PUBLISHING
PilotWorkshops has purchased the assets of ZD Publishing, and its line of "pilot-friendly" GPS manuals, the company announced Wednesday. ZD Publishing's founder John Dittmer created the line of GPS manuals covering 21 Garmin and Bendix/King panel-mount and handheld GPS units. PilotWorkshops says Dittmer will continue to update the manuals and will add to the list of offerings in the future. More...

STUBBORN SMOKERS CAUSE AIRLINE DIVERSION
A Sunwing Airlines flight had to divert to Bermuda after a family of smokers found lighting up in the lavatory refused to cooperate with the cabin crew and became verbally abusive. The flight was en route from Halifax to the Dominican Republic on Friday night when a mother, father and two sons ages 16 and 22 were caught smoking by a passenger. They were "very uncooperative," Sunwing spokesman Daryl McWilliams told CBC News, and they refused to tell the crew if they had left other cigarettes on the aircraft. After diverting to Bermuda, the airline sent a mechanic to thoroughly check the airplane, and 170 passengers and crew had to spend the night. "This was a very expensive exercise for Sunwing," McWilliams said. More...

CITIES, STATES, INDUSTRY PILE ON DRONE DEBATE
Charlottesville, Va., says it's the first civic jurisdiction to pass a resolution opposing the use of unmanned aerial systems based on the "serious threat to the privacy and constitutional rights of the American people" it believes the widespread use of drones presents. The resolution by the Charlottesville city council calls for a two-year moratorium on the use of drones in Virginia and urges the state and the federal government to ban drones from being equipped with weapons in domestic airspace. The resolution came as Obama administration officials were defending drone strike policies against suspected terrorists abroad. The American Civil Liberties Union says nine states are considering legislation to restrict the use of drones. Meanwhile, those who want to use drones for commercial purposes continue to press for laws that will accommodate pilotless aircraft in the National Airspace System. More...

GA GROUPS WORK TO EXPAND CAUCUSES
With a new Congress now in session in Washington, NBAA this week said now is the time for pilots around the country to contact their elected representatives and ask them to join the general aviation caucuses in the House and Senate. NBAA President Ed Bolen said the bipartisan groups "inform legislative debates by highlighting the value of general aviation in creating jobs, helping companies succeed, connecting communities and supporting humanitarian endeavors." Bolen said the groups helped to pass FAA reauthorization, the pilot's bill of rights, and bonus depreciation for airplane buyers. 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: SCRAPING THE RUST OFF WITH GLASS
In a moment of sheer lunacy, resident blogger Paul Bertorelli decided to renew his instrument currency, both in a Redbird sim and an actual airplane. (Imagine that.) On the AVweb Insider blog, he offers some observations on how an old-school guy flies a glass panel and whether it makes any difference if you're scanning a PFD or traditional steam gauges. Read more and join the conversation. More...

BRAINTEASERS QUIZ #180: REGULATION OSCURA
Before flight, every pilot must plow through a spaghetti bog of regulations designed to enhance safety by potentially scaring the flyer to stay on the ground. But you won't scare easily once you ace this quiz.

Take the quiz. 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: PARDO'S PUSH -- MCDONNELL F4 PHANTOM
"Pardo's push" of March 10, 1967 was preceded by a similar event. In 1952, fighter ace Robbie Risner pushed fellow flyer Joe Logan 60 miles. The two men were flying F-86 Sabre jets and successfully cleared hostile territory, but Logan bailed out over water, was tangled in his canopy lines, and drowned. Risner was deemed a hero, but by Pardo's account, pilots were not encouraged to partake in similar activities. More...

FBO OF THE WEEK: PORT CITY AIR (KPSM, PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE)

AVweb's latest "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to Port City Air at Portsmouth International Airport at Pease (KPSM) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

AVweb reader Ron Weinstein has had nothing but good experiences at PCA:

Not only did they not charge to park, but [they also] had a loaner available and a print-out of how to get to a great local lobster joint. Have gone three times in last year, and not a bad thing to say about them! They always go that little bit beyond! And the gas is cheap.

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!

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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Paul Bertorelli

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Russ Niles

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Glenn Pew

Contributors
Kevin Lane-Cummings

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Karen Lund

Avionics Editor
Larry Anglisano

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