CRASHED CIRRUS DATA RECORDER TELLS AEROBATIC TALE
The NTSB has determined that two cousins age 23 and 34 were killed in the crash of a rented Cirrus SR-22T on Nov. 13, 2011, near Boynton Beach, Fla., while attempting aerobatics. There were no other occupants aboard the aircraft, which impacted in a marsh. A pilot who witnessed the crash told the NTSB that the aircraft pitched from level flight to a 30-degree nose-up attitude before rolling inverted, reversing the roll and ultimately impacting the ground in an (estimated) 80-degree nose-down condition. Information contained in the aircraft's data recorder largely coincided with that account. It also showed that roll wasn't the aircraft's first. More...

EAA WILL PAY FOR CONTROLLERS IF IT MUST
Faced with an ultimatum from the FAA, EAA Chairman Jack Pelton says his organization will pay the $500,000 fee requested by the FAA if that's the only way to guarantee that EAA's AirVenture 2013 is fully staffed regarding air traffic controllers. According to Pelton, the FAA's negotiations amounted to a demand for the funds and a signed contract to provide the controllers or the annual convention that creates the "world's busiest control tower" would be left without air traffic control. The agency must make $384 million in cuts by Sept. 30 as arranged by governmental wrangling known as the sequester. If EAA does foot the bill, it won't be the first major airshow this year to pay to have air traffic controllers on hand. Many pilots and some senators are upset by the move, which they're calling a new user fee. More...

AVWEB INSIDER BLOG: FAA TO EAA -- PAY UP
Right on cue, the choir sang this week: "No," we said, "the FAA shouldn't expect EAA to pay for controllers at AirVenture." While the FAA's decision smacks of politics and poor stewardship, it also shows that, long-term, we'll need to make some hard choices on excess services. We haven't made any yet. Read more and join the conversation. More...

CARGO PILOT FACES CHARGES OF FLYING DRUNK 
A cargo pilot whose behavior last December while flying a Cessna 210 out of Greensboro for Tampa International Airport prompted authorities to scramble fighters and (later) a blood alcohol test has entered treatment, his lawyer said Wednesday. The blood of pilot Phillip Yves Lavoie, 28, showed an alcohol content of 0.27 percent in a test administered after he'd landed and spoken with investigators for 2.5 hours, according to court documents. The FAA sets a limit for flying an aircraft at 0.04 blood alcohol content (BAC) -- a limit that can drop to 0.02 BAC under certain conditions. The trouble began when controllers noticed Lavoie had become unresponsive while flying the return leg to Tampa International Airport and the Cessna he was flying began to descend. Lavoie has been charged with operating a common carrier while under the influence of alcohol and he has submitted a plea agreement that includes details of his flight. More...

WARBIRD GATHERING OFFERS FREE FLIGHTS FOR WWII VETS
About 90 vintage military aircraft have registered to take part in the Gathering of Warbirds and Legends in Topeka, Kan. from Aug. 2-4 and in keeping with the cooperative and community service nature of the event, Second World War vets are being offered free rides on rare aircraft from the era. "We have owners lined up who are donating their airplanes and their gas to fly these vets," said organizer Dan Gryder in an interview with AVweb. He said vets and the family members of vets can go to the event Web site to register for a flight in aircraft that helped win the war. They don't have to be former pilots or aircrew. Anyone who served can get aboard. Some of the rarest aircraft still flying will be there and there will be a re-enactment of the D-Day airborne assault with aircraft that were used that day dispensing skydivers using vintage-style round parachutes. "The event itself is a departure from the usual air show format in that only warbirds are involved and all net revenue will be distributed among the aircraft owners and operators. More...

PODCAST: WWII VETERANS FLY FREE
From August 2-4 in Topeka, Kansas, more than 90 vintage military aircraft will take part in a cooperative event that will honor veterans of the Second World War with free rides in aircraft of the era. AVweb's Russ Niles spoke with organizer Dan Gryder about The Gathering of Warbirds and Legends and how veterans and family members of veterans can get aboard. More...

PERSONAL FIGHTER DESIGN GETS PRESS
A new two-seat personal aircraft program announced by a former Air Force pilot and inspired by military fighter jets is winning attention on the internet, which, so far, is the only place the aircraft, the Saker S-1, exists. In announcing the aircraft, program leader Sean Gillette said the jet will have: a 0.95 Mach cruise, a maximum altitude of 45,000 feet, a best range of 1,600 nm, operating costs estimated at $2.00 per nm, and will cost civilian owners less than $6 million to acquire. The program aims to succeed where at least three other manufacturers that produced thematically similar designs failed to see significant commercial success. Gillette has offered a timeline, and says he may soon have funding to reach his goals. More...

TECNAM'S NEW LSA ADDS OPTIONAL TECH PERKS
Tecnam has formally announced the first flight of its Astore, a low-wing metal LSA that comes standard with an iPad mini and an optional Levil AHRS G-mini, which the company plans to showcase together at AirVenture, this year. Levil's product works with the iPad by delivering information from dedicated AHRS to the iPad's display via WiFi. It uses the Apple tablet as a PFD to display digital information and EFIS-like functionality. Tecnam says the Astore's technological integration goes beyond that to include some unconventional perks, like the ability to lock the aircraft by remote control. But some of those perks arrive above the aircraft's $135,000 base price. 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...

SURVEY: 'AVIATION CONSUMER' WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR PIPER WARRIOR
Our sister publication, Aviation Consumer, is doing a Used Aircraft Guide on the Piper Warrior and is looking for input from Warrior owners and pilots. They want to know what it's like to fly and/or own a Warrior. How does it handle? How much does it cost to operate, maintain, and insure? What suggestions would you give to a person considering buying one? If you'd like your airplane to appear in the magazine, send along any photographs you'd care to share -- as high-res as possible. Comments on mods, support organizations, and anything you feel is pertinent to the Warrior are welcomed. Send your email to consumereditor@hotmail.com by June 15. More...

FBO OF THE WEEK: SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT (KRST, ROCHESTER, MN)

"FBO of the Week" readers know the smallest things can make a big difference. AVweb reader Terry L. Martin provides the case study as he tells us about a recent visit to Signature Flight Support at Rochester International Airport (KRST) in Rochester, Minnesota:

Very friendly faces and a desire to help. Prompt service and courtesy. In the little gift shop, they displayed a t-shirt that caught my eye. I asked if they had one in smaller children's sizes (grandchildren sizes). They did not. However, the gentleman behind the counter aksed if he could have my contact information and he would check with the supplier for avilability and let me know. I know it's not much, but sometimes it's the little things that cause someone to notice. I've been to this FBO numerous times over the last few years, and I receive top-notch treatment every time.

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: MAVERICK FLYING CAR CRASH
When a Maverick Flying Car crashed in Vernon, British Columbia in May of 2013, on-board cameras helped determine the causes of the accident. AVweb's Russ Niles assembled this report from the various media used in the investigation. More...

SHORT FINAL

In the early '70s in Orlando, an Aztec, N910JQ, would always ask for a straight in to Herndon. So we could say:

"Nine ten Jack Queen has a possible straight."

Jim Woolf
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

Contributing Editors
Mary Grady
Glenn Pew

Contributors
Kevin Lane-Cummings

Ad Coordinator
Karen Lund

Avionics Editor
Larry Anglisano

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