FIRST LADY'S PLANE IN LOSS OF SEPARATION INCIDENT
The latest air traffic control SNAFU on Tuesday evening involved a plane carrying First Lady Michelle Obama when controllers at Andrews Air Force Base ordered a go around. The First Lady's C-40, a military version of the Boeing 737 operated by a Guard unit, was handed off by the Potomac TRACON about three miles behind a C-17, instead of the required five miles. Officials were quick to point out that there was never any danger of collision and the go around was a precaution. The FAA is interested in knowing how the loss of separation occurred and the TRACON will undoubtedly be a busy place Wednesday morning. Meanwhile, the agency is also dealing with the suspension of a controller and supervisor in Cleveland after it was reported that the controller was watching a movie while on duty. "For a little more than three minutes, the controller's microphone was inadvertently activated, transmitting the soundtrack of the movie over the radio frequency for that airspace," the FAA said in a statement. The incident occurred shortly after midnight at the Cleveland Air Route Traffic Control Center. The controller was watching the movie on a portable electronic device while working a radar position, the FAA said. The stuck-mic problem was brought to the attention of ATC by the pilot of a military aircraft using an alternate frequency. More...

DIAMOND MAY LOSE KEY WORKERS
Diamond Aircraft says other companies are snapping up engineers and other workers laid off three weeks ago when the London, Ontario, Canada planemaker suspended its D-Jet program. The company has run out of money to continue the development of the D-Jet and is waiting for a decision on a $35 million loan from the Canadian government. A total of 213 people were laid off and within a week, Piper held a job fair looking for engineers for its aggressive Altaire jet program. Piper spokeswoman Jackie Carlon told the London Free Press that as many as 25 engineers may be making the move from London to Vero Beach. Meanwhile, the Free Press is also reporting that Bombardier is rumored to have made offers to 85 workers for jobs on its Lear 85 development program in Wichita. Diamond CEO Peter Maurer said the brain drain will delay the D-Jet and add costs. "It is dire. We would lose employees. It is a difficult situation for everyone," he said. More...

"NEW" ADAM 500 IN THE WORKS
The new owner of assets of Adam Aircraft says he intends to certify an improved version of the A500 push/pull piston twin rather than resume manufacturing the aircraft under its existing certification. Thomas Hsueh, owner of Triton Aerospace, of Anacortes, Wash., told the Skagit Valley Herald he's not satisfied with the aircraft as it was certified and the new aircraft, as yet unnamed, will weigh 800 to 1,000 pounds less than the original. Hsueh said he's not happy about the recertification plan but it's the only alternative to get the airplane he wants and one he's sure has a "pent-up demand." More...

EBACE ATTRACTS MOST EXHIBITORS EVER
With the show still a month away, the organizers of the 11th European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition said this week they have signed up more than 460 exhibitors, making it the biggest EBACE ever. The event, from May 17 to 19 in Geneva, Switzerland, is still accepting more reservations for space. The previous record was set in 2008, when the show attracted 445 exhibitors. The show is jointly sponsored every year by the European Business Aviation Association and the U.S.-based National Business Aviation Association. Besides vendor exhibits and static displays at Geneva International Airport, the event features workshops about operational issues, news conferences, and educational forums. More...

HUD FOR SMALL JETS UNVEILED
Rockwell Collins has unveiled what it says is the first head-up guidance system (HGS) designed for small and medium-sized business jets. The HGS-3500 was revealed at the Corporate Aviation Safety Seminar in San Diego. The system will run off a Collins Pro-Line Fusion panel and display enhanced and synthetic vision images. Rockwell Collins spokesman Greg Irmen said the gear is a "breakthrough system that brings this advanced capability to thousands of aircraft that never before had access to the safety benefits of head-up flying." More...

BRENTZEL NEW JET SOURCE PRESIDENT

Jay Brentzel

Jay Brentzel has been promoted to President of Jet Source in Carlsbad, CA and will continue in his role as Director of Operations.

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...

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: SO, WHY CAN'T CONTROLLERS TAKE SLEEP BREAKS?
The services work their people hard, especially the Navy when doing flight ops. On a shipboard visit some years ago, Paul Bertorelli found that exhausted sailors could take sleep breaks. In this post to the AVweb Insider blog he asks, "Why not controllers?" Read more and join the conversation. More...

AVWEB INSIDER BLOG: MORE MONEY = LESS SNOOZE?
Only the U.S. government could, in response to a labor situation in which the job is so boring and low-key that workers can't stay awake to do it, double the workforce. In a post to the AVweb Insider blog, Paul Bertorelli predicts how this will affect ATC: This time next year, we'll be running a story about two controllers who fell asleep in a tower. Read more and join the conversation. More...

VIDEO: PRACTICING SLAM-DUNK APPROACHES WITH 'IFR' MAGAZINE
Eventually, every instrument pilot gets a slam-dunk approach. IFR magazine's Jeff Van West explains how to practice for the slam to remove the guesswork and even add the high-speed technique to your instrument flying toolbox. More...

ICAS FOUNDATION'S KYLE & AMANDA FRANKLIN FUND
The aviation community is coming together to help Kyle and Amanda Franklin get back on their feet and eventually back in the air after their mishap at Air Fiesta at the Brownsville/South Padre Island Airport. If you'd like to contribute, click on the banner at right to visit the ICAS Foundation web site. More...

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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.

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Paul Bertorelli

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Scott Simmons

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