CAN HEAD-UP DISPLAYS PREVENT ACCIDENTS?
If pilots had head-up displays in the cockpit, hundreds of accidents over the last 13 years could have been prevented or at least mitigated, according to a study released on Monday. The Flight Safety Foundation analyzed 983 accidents between 1995 and 2007 involving large multi-engine aircraft (12,500 pounds and up). The study (PDF) found that overall the technology could have affected the outcome in about one-third of the accidents. About 69 percent of takeoff and landing accidents likely could have been prevented, the study found. The technology eliminates the need for the pilot to repeatedly transition between the instruments and the forward view, enhancing overall situational awareness. "Head-up guidance systems technology is a great safety tool for the prevention of runway excursions, loss of control, and approach and landing accidents," said Bob Vandel, one of the authors of the study. "This technology provides extremely useful data to the flight deck crew." More...

FAA TO PILOTS: PUT THOSE PHONES AWAY
The FAA on Monday told airline pilots they should "evaluate their personal practices" regarding the use of devices such as phones and laptops while on duty. Also, the FAA said, operators need to create a "safety culture" that reinforces the importance of controlling cockpit distractions. The FAA released its guidance in an Information for Operators memo (PDF). The memo cited several recent incidents of distracted flying -- the crew that flew past their destination while working on their laptops, a pilot who was texting after pushing back from the gate, and an FAA inspector's report that a crew member's mobile phone started to ring during the takeoff roll. The NTSB has asked the FAA to tackle the distraction problem, and will hold a three-day forum on professionalism among pilots and air traffic controllers next month. More...

CESSNA DECLINES SAP TEXTRON REVENUES
Cessna parent company Textron posted a first-quarter loss of about $8 million, and Cessna's 44-percent sales decline was a significant factor (although the company's finance arm was also off 40 percent). Cessna is usually Textron's biggest moneymaker but the continued sales drought is keeping things quiet at the Wichita planemaker. Almost half the workforce remains laid off and, as CEO Jack Pelton told AVweb in an interview earlier this month at Sun 'n Fun, the recovery is expected to be long and slow. Meanwhile, Pelton told CNN the company is trying to make the best of the current circumstances by examining every aspect of its operations for efficiencies and cost savings. More...

NAPLES TARGETS PIAGGIO NOISE
The Piaggio Avanti normally turns heads because of its unconventional configuration but now it's attracting the attention of noise-conscious Naples, Fla., for its unconventional sound. The Naples Airport Authority is working with Avantair, a fractional and charter company that operates the Italian twin turboprop pusher, to minimize the impact of the unique noise it makes. It's not that the Avanti is particularly loud. In fact, according to FAA measurements (PDF — small print, so be ready to use the "zoom" feature in your PDF reader), there are plenty of aircraft that emit more decibels. However, the configuration of the Avanti, according to a Wikipedia entry, results in the wing wake and engine exhaust hitting the props to create a square wave noise. The unscientific description offered by Alan Parker, chairman of the airport authority's technical committee, is that the Avanti is "irritating loud" with a high pitch he likens to fingernails on a chalk board. More...

SHOW CIRCUIT SHIFTS NORTH
A week after Sun 'n Fun wrapped up in Florida, the focus shifts north to Anchorage for the Alaska Airmen's Trade Show and to Hamilton, Ontario, for Canadian Aviation Expo. The annual Alaska gathering will feature 250 exhibitors and hundreds of aircraft at Ted Stevens International Airport May 1-2. Canadian Aviation Expo will be held on the same dates at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum near Hamilton, which is about 40 miles west of Toronto. The Anchorage show is Alaska's biggest and Expo is Canada's largest aviation trade show. More...

VAIL NEW AEA CHAIR

Greg Vail

Greg Vail has been named chairman of the Aircraft Electronics Association. Vail has 29 years of experience in the industry and is the general manager of Bloomington Avionics. Greg Harpster of Duncan Avionics is the new vice chair.
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SAMBIASE JOINS GAMA

Joe Sambiase

Joe Sambiase has been named the General Aviation Manufacturers' Association's manager of airworthiness and maintenance. He was formerly with Compass Airlines.
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COAST FLIGHT TRAINING APPOINTMENTS

Eric Midby	Patricio Puga

Eric Midby has joined Coast Flight Training as chief financial officer. He formerly worked in the real estate development industry. Patricio Puga is an advisor to the board of directors. He's the former treasurer of Coca Cola and was vice president of ING Bank.
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WHO'S WHERE? YOU TELL US
Get a promotion or a new job? Your colleagues want to know about it, and AVwebBiz can get the word out. Drop us a line about the staff appointment, with a nice recent photo, and we'll do our best to include it in our new section, "Who's Where." The items will be permanently archived on AVweb for future reference, too. More...

IFR MAGAZINE SHOWS YOU HOW TO GET MORE FROM A PORTABLE GPS IN IFR
That gadget you bolted to the yoke can do a lot more than show pretty moving maps. Come along with IFR magazine editor Jeff Van West to see how correct use of track (and several other features) on your portable GPS can improve all aspects of your IFR flying. More...

RIDE-ALONG WITH DALE SNODGRASS
Famed air show and fighter pilot Dale Snodgrass took an AVweb camera along on his Paris Jet afternoon air show at Sun 'n Fun. In this unique video, he gives us the details about his routine. More...

15 YEARS AND NOW 15 GRAND GIVEAWAYS ... IT'S YOUR CHANCE TO WIN SCHEYDEN FRAMES AND FLIGHT GEAR

Win Scheyden Dual RX frames and Flight Crew Ensemble flight gear as we celebrate our 15th Anniversary! All you have to do is click here to enter your name and e-mail address. (You only have to enter once, and you'll be entered in our prize drawings for the entire year — so if you've already entered, you're all set.)

And no, we're not going to rent or sell your name, ever. Tell your friends, and invite them to sign up for AVweb so they can qualify for our 15 Grand Giveaways prize drawings, too. (We won't spam them, either — but we hope they will sign up for our newsletters.)

Deadline for entries is 11:59pm Zulu time April 30, 2010.

Click here to read the contest rules and enter.

Congratulations to Jack Feiden of Wichita, Kansas, who won an XM WX Satellite Weather Receiver from WxWorx in our last drawing! (click here to get your own from WxWorx)

AVWEB'S NEWSTIPS ADDRESS ...
Our best stories start with you. If you've heard something 200,000 pilots might want to know about, tell us. Submit news tips via email to newstips@avweb.com. What have you heard? More...

MEET THE AVWEBBIZ TEAM

AVwebBiz is a weekly summary of the latest business aviation news, articles, products, features, and events featured on AVweb, the internet's aviation magazine and news service.

The AVwebBiz team is:

Publisher
Timothy Cole

Editorial Director, Aviation Publications
Paul Bertorelli

Editor-in-Chief
Russ Niles

Contributing Editors
Mary Grady
Glenn Pew

Features Editor
Kevin Lane-Cummings

Webmaster
Scott Simmons

Contributors
Jeff van West

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