AVWEB READER SURVEY RESULTS: MIXED SUPPORT FOR TOWER CLOSINGS
Although some pilots think closing towers at small general aviation airports may negatively impact flight safety and convenience, nearly half of them -- about 45 percent -- say they support the closings anyway and not even one in five believes the towers should remain open. And by overwhelming margins, AVweb readers told us that the FAA should be expected to trim its budget to reduce federal spending and that advocacy groups like AOPA shouldn't pressure the FAA to keep towers open at low-traffic airports where they simply aren't needed. These are some of the findings from AVweb's reader survey last week on the hot-button issue of closing control towers to meet budget requirements under congressional sequestration. More...

TOWER CLOSING CRITERIA DETAILED
If the tower at the local airport was supposed to be closed but wasn't it's because someone convinced the FAA that closing it would pose a threat to national security. At least 24 towers that would normally have been closed under the mathematical limits set by the agency before sequestration took effect (fewer than 150,000 movements and fewer than 10,000 airline operations annually) were spared the budge axe and Government Executive Magazine posted a list of four main criteria that interpret national security in a variety of ways. More...

FAA TOWER CLOSURES BY THE NUMBERS
The FAA will close 149 federal contract towers beginning April 7, in response to sequestration's budget cuts, the agency announced Friday. The newly revised list is online here (PDF). The agency says closures will be phased in over a four-week period. At least 38 states are affected. Florida is one of the nation's most populous states and it also stands to hold the crown for most closures, served with 14 fewer towers unless changes are made before early May. The FAA says economic impact and threats to national security were considerations as they decided which towers to close. Some of the nation's most populous states hold top spots for the most closures, but one from that group will see very few. More...

FAA CONTROLLERS AT SNF
Although the tower at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport in Florida is on the FAA's list for closure (so is Wittman Regional's in Oshkosh) the facility will be manned as usual by FAA controllers through Sun 'n Fun. Under the sequestration closure plan, Lakeland is among 149 towers being closed due to sequestration cuts and was to be shuttered on April 7. But the big show starts April 9 and FAA controllers will be on the job the day before as traffic floods into the area. "Contrary to popular belief, the issues in Washington, D.C. will not deter the aviation community from coming together to share the thrills and excitement of the 39th Annual SUN 'n FUN International Fly-In & Expo," says a rather jubilant news release from SNF President John Leenhouts. More...

GARMIN'S BIG PUSH INTO THE EXPERIMENTAL/LSA MARKET
Although sales of avionics for certified aircraft have been in the doldrums, Garmin International seems to be bullish on the experimental and light sport markets, introducing this week no fewer than seven new products for that segment, all with sophisticated capability and eye-opening low prices. Garmin's flagship product, the G3X EFIS, will get a new low-cost and lighter ADAHRS system and a new engine indication product that will drop the price of the complete package to $4375. Sweetening the deal will be additional modules for the G3X, including an integrated autopilot with similar capabilities as the popular GFC 700 certified system, an angle-of-attack system for stall awareness and a hard-mount remote ADS-B receiver based on the GDL39 portable product. More...

BEECHCRAFT FILES LAWSUIT TO HALT USAF TUCANO CONTRACT
Thursday, Beechcraft announced that it has filed suit in Federal Claims Court "to contest the U.S. Air Force's decision" to move forward with a $427 million contract awarded to Embraer/Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC). The Air Force has twice selected the Embraer/SNC Super Tucano over Beechcraft Corporation's AT-6 for its Light Air Support program, but Beechcraft's maneuverings have so far blocked performance of the contract. Beechcraft's new lawsuit aims to halt execution of the contract "while the Government Accountability Office (GAO) continues to review Beechcraft's protest." More...

FAKE AIRLINE PILOT REMOVED FROM COCKPIT
Frenchman Philippe Jernnard is being held on $1 million bond after being found in the cockpit jump seat of a US Airways flight at Philadelphia International Airport, Wednesday, posing as an Air France pilot. Jernnard was found by the flight's crew at some point during the boarding process. When questioned, he identified himself as a 747 pilot for Air France, according to CBS news. Jernnard held a valid ticket for the flight to West Palm Beach and was wearing a white shirt with an Air France logo and a jacket with epaulets. Jernnard reportedly became irritable when asked for identification and the crew called police to the gate. More...

BAREFOOT BANDIT GAINS BOEING MENTOR
A 57-year-old Boeing project manager named Jonathan Standridge has decided to take a personal role in the rehabilitation of convicted airplane thief 21-year-old Colton Harris-Moore, aka the "Barefoot Bandit." Harris-Moore is serving a seven-year sentence for crimes related to the boats, cars and airplanes that he stole or took on joy rides. Pending charges may extend the term. Standridge told The Associated Press that his motivation in helping Harris-Moore stems from a second chance granted to him when he was young. Standridge says he believes that chance gave him a brighter future. "That is what I'm passing on to Colt," he said. More...

AVWEB INSIDER BLOG: TOWER CLOSURES -- TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBOR
We tried to forestall Paul Bertorelli from writing another blog about tower closures, but he wiggled out of the restraints and shook off the sedative. But he does make one relatively lucid point in his latest post to the AVweb Insider blog: When your neighbor or a co-worker asks about this close of control towers thing, try to inject some sanity into the conversation. Read more and join the conversation. More...

AVWEB INSIDER BLOG: BUT WHICH TOWERS?
Communities and pilots alike have always accepted the notion that the federal government has a definite role in building aviation infrastructure. But does that apply to control towers and sleepy little fields that don't really need them? The FAA is about to answer that question. On the AVweb Insider blog, Paul Bertorelli gives you a shot at offering your own opinion. 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: BAXLEY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KBHC, BAXLEY, GEORGIA)

AVweb's latest "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to Baxley Municipal Airport (KBHC) in Baxley, Georgia.

AVweb reader Robert Inman recommends adding it to your Sun 'n Fun flight plan:

This facility has been completely remodeled with an emphasis on pilot efficiency and comfort. The young manager, Tyler Beach, is as pround as can be as he gives you a tour, including two bedrooms for those who might get stranded there by weather — all at no charge. There are a brand-new ramp, self-service pumps (although Tyler helped pump the fuel, and the cheapest fuel in Georgia. This is a great place to stop on your visit to Sun 'n Fun!

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!

VIDEO: BAD ELF'S NEW GPS MODULE
Although tablets like the iPad have decent on-board GPS receivers, they aren't necessarily the most robust in hanging onto a position fix. As a result, a number of companies make portable remote GPS units that Bluetooth position fixes into the tablet. In this AVweb video, Aviation Consumer's Larry Anglisano reviews a new product from Bad Elf called the GPS Pro. Besides basic GPS, it also includes datalogging. More...

VIDEO: TOTAL ECLIPSE FLIGHT DEMO
Eclipse is touring the country with its Total Eclipse, a factory re-do of the original EA500. But the airplane is a good stand-in for new production airplanes, which will be called Eclipse 550s. AVweb recently took a flight demo in a Total Eclipse and prepared this video report. More...

PICTURE OF THE WEEK: AVWEB'S FLYING PHOTOGRAPHY SHOWCASE
Our latest winning photo comes from Jonathan Hewitt of Lynchburg, VA. Click here for the rest of this week's submissions. More...

SHORT FINAL

I don't remember the exact date, but I overheard this conversation with ATC about 35 years ago. Those were the days when we had the old surplus DGs and transponders were not required near busy terminals. Weather was clear, but a cloud layer had formed over the airport and trapped some students on top.

Lost Pilot:
"Tower, this is Cessna 123, and I am lost."

ATC:
"Roger. Can you tell me your last known position?"

Lost Pilot:
"Yes. I was just west of Ft. Lauderdale, but I can longer see the ground."

ATC:
"Do you have a transponder?"

Lost Pilot:
"No."

ATC:
"O.K. Turn to a heading of 360."

Lost Pilot:
"I don't have that number!"

ATC:
"What does your heading indicator say?"

Lost Pilot:
"It says E."

ATC:
"O.K. Turn to N."

Lost Pilot:
"O.K."

ATC:
"Roger. Now turn to W."

Lost Pilot:
"O.K."

ATC:
"Roger. Radar-identified, and now we will steer you to a VFR airport so you can land."

Lost Pilot:
"Thank you!"

Cal W. Tax
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.

The AVwebFlash team is:

Publisher
Tom Bliss

Editorial Director, Aviation Publications
Paul Bertorelli

Editor-in-Chief
Russ Niles

Webmaster
Scott Simmons

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Glenn Pew

Contributors
Kevin Lane-Cummings

Ad Coordinator
Karen Lund

Avionics Editor
Larry Anglisano

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