AIRWORTHY AUTOGAS FOR GENERAL AVIATION?
An Arizona-based company Wednesday said that it plans this year to produce and distribute a 93-octane premium unleaded, ethanol-free fuel as an avgas alternative for aircraft that do not require 100LL. Airworthy AutoGas, LLC, says its "high purity, low vapor pressure" fuel will be available beginning late this year. Bringing the fuel to market will provide, "an alternative for the majority of General Aviation aircraft without compromising airworthiness," according to Mark Ellery, the company's director of business development. The company says its decision to bring to produce and market the fuel was driven by dramatic changes in automotive gasoline in recent years and a goal "to get pilots flying more, for less." More...

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: WHAT'S GA'S FUEL OF THE FUTURE?
Everyone agrees that 100LL is or should be on the way out, but the way ahead is less clear. What type of fuel do you think you'll be buying in 10 years?

Plus: Last week, we asked AVweb readers how they'd handle a solar flare-induced GPS failure; click through to see the breakdown of responses. More...

CESSNA'S JET-A SKYLANE FLIES
Cessna's first production Turbo Skylane JT-A, running behind a Jet-A fueled diesel engine Tuesday flew for 2.3 hours, the company announced Wednesday. The Safran-made 227-hp SMA engine is expected to use up to 40 percent less fuel than a comparable avgas engine, according to Cessna, burning 11 gallons per hour at 156 knots and delivering an estimated range of 1,025 nautical miles on 87 gallons. Tuesday, it delivered the plane to 152 KTAS at 8,000 feet over Independence, Kan.. The aircraft performed as expected, according to Cessna senior test pilot, Dale Bleakney. Certification and deliveries are expected, soon. More...

AVIATION GROUP PROVIDES AID TO TORNADO VICTIMS
Sky Hope Network, a nonprofit organization, is raising money through June 1 to support members of the aviation community affected by the destructive tornado that hit near Oklahoma City on Monday. "FAA personnel, staffers, escrow agents, and airport and FBO support workers in the OKC region are victim to a range of personal losses," says the Network at their website. "They need immediate assistance from the wider aviation business community." All funds collected will go directly to the victims, the group said. Aerobridge, a nonprofit that coordinates general-aviation relief efforts, told AOPA no pilot volunteers are needed since the affected areas are accessible by road. More...

AOPA FOUNDATION OFFERS GRANTS
Under a new program called "Giving Back," the AOPA Foundation is providing a chance for nonprofit groups in general aviation and student pilots to apply for grants to support a variety of needs. The grants for nonprofit groups will be available in amounts up to $10,000, Stephanie Kenyon, a vice president of the foundation, told AVweb on Wednesday. "It can be a request for general operating support or it can be program-specific," Kenyon said. The training scholarships will be offered in amounts up to $5,000. The Foundation is also offering free AOPA memberships to teenagers and members of the armed forces.

The grant applications for nonprofit groups are due by July 1, Kenyon said, but the scholarships and membership programs are ongoing. This is the first year of the program, and depending on response, the offerings might change in subsequent years, she said. More details about the grant programs and how to apply can be found at the Foundation's website. AVweb's Mary Grady spoke with Kenyon about the program, click here to listen to the podcast.

PODCAST: AOPA FOUNDATION 'GIVING BACK'
The AOPA Foundation has launched a new initiative that aims to give away money to non-profit aviation groups and student pilots, as well as offering free AOPA memberships to teenagers and members of the armed forces. AVweb's Mary Grady spoke with Stephanie Kenyon, a vice president of the foundation, to learn more about it. More...

FIRST PH.D. IN AVIATION CONFERRED
St. Louis University's Parks College has conferred the first-ever Ph.D. in Aviation in the U.S. to Damon Lercel. The school has been working on establishing the degree for 10 years and the new doctor says it's an important milestone in aviation education. "The program offered not only an in-depth immersion in research, but also opportunities to interact with both the domestic and international aviation industries." Lercel said, "It's a victory for the advancement of aviation." The degree was also the first for the school. More...

PLANEMAKERS PROVIDE UPDATES AT EBACE
At this week's European Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition, in Geneva, Switzerland, representatives from leading business-jet companies provided updates on their newest airplanes. Honda Aircraft Co. CEO Michimasa Fujino said the HondaJet is nearly ready for the final phase of flight testing, and the production line is ready to build customer aircraft. Construction is underway on a customer-service center in Greensboro, N.C., to provide aftermarket support. "Our team is working very hard to bring the HondaJet to market as quickly as possible," Fujino said. The company said recently it expects certification in 2014. Officials from Embraer and Bombardier also provided updates. More...

PILATUS INTRODUCES PC-24 TWINJET
Pilatus, best known for its PC-12 turboprop, on Tuesday released details of the PC-24, which will be the company's first jet. At the European Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition in Geneva, Switzerland, board chairman Oscar Schwenk said the "super-versatile" jet will be able to use very short runways, paved or unpaved, and a cargo door will be standard. The cabin can be fitted with up to 10 seats, or six to eight in executive configuration. Range is up to 2,243 miles with four passengers, and maximum speed is 425 knots. The PC-24 is powered by two Williams FJ44-4A turbine engines. The jet project was launched last summer and work on the prototype "is in full swing" in Switzerland, the company said. First deliveries are expected in 2017, at a price of about $9 million. More...

VIDEO: PILATUS UNVEILS PC-24 TWINJET
At the European Business Aircraft Conference & Exhibition in Geneva this week, Pilatus unveiled its design for a new twin-engine jet that can operate from short and unpaved runways. 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."

SURVEY: HAVE YOU HAD ENGINE SHOP SURGERY?
The engine shop and overhaul market has changed dramatically in the past few years. Aviation Consumer magazine wants to know about your engine overhaul experience and the experience you had dealing with the shop. We'd appreciate you taking a couple of minutes to answer these questions. Click here to take the survey. 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...

AVWEB INSIDER BLOG: NORDO NO MORE
For months, the local pilots have been spanking Paul Bertorelli in his Cub for not having a working radio. Now, with his powerful SP400, he can fight back. And those Aunt Janes in the pattern are wondering if his NORDO days weren't preferable. Read more and join the conversation. More...

FBO OF THE WEEK: ST. CLAIR COUNTY AIRPORT (KPLR, PELL CITY, ALABAMA)

AVweb's "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to St. Clair County Airport (KPLR) in Pell City, Alabama.

AVweb reader Mike Grossberg got the royal treatment there recently:

The service is "over the top" at this beautiful country airport. The airport manager, Larry, answered my airport advisory request and offered to meet me on the ramp with the rental car as I taxied in from landing. Larry escorted us to the transient hangar, helped push the plane in, and gave us directions. This lovely airport even has a shady gazebo for watching the airplanes come and go. Real Southern hospitality at its best.

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!

PICTURE OF THE WEEK: AVWEB'S FLYING PHOTOGRAPHY SHOWCASE
Our latest winning photo comes from Dale Morris of Woodland, CA. Click here for the rest of this week's submissions. 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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