REPORT: RUNWAY LIGHTS SHOULD BE DEPLOYED
The FAA should move from the testing phase and start to deploy Runway Status Light systems at airports across the country, according to a new report (PDF) from the Transportation Department's Office of Inspector General. The report concludes that the lighting systems -- which provide red and green lights at runway intersections to guide pilots -- have been tested and proved useful for reducing runway incursions. The test systems gained widespread support from user groups, including pilots, pilot union officials, and managers and staff at Air Traffic Control. "All agreed that the Runway Status Light system works as intended and has no known negative impact on capacity, communication, or safety," according to the report. NTSB officials said the system is a promising technology for addressing its longstanding recommendation to provide direct warnings to pilots of potential runway conflicts. So what's the hold-up? Several challenges need to be addressed, the OIG says, before the system can be effectively deployed. More...

RESEARCHERS IMPROVE TURBULENCE FORECASTS
Everyone who flies depends on weather reports and forecasts every day, but we seldom think about the raw science that goes into making and refining such predictions. This week, a team of weather researchers from the U.S. and U.K. say they have come up with a better way to forecast clear-air turbulence, based on "spontaneous imbalance theory." John Knox, Donald McCann, and Paul Williams said their new technique is more consistently successful than current methods, and improves on an earlier method developed by McCann. The team will present a paper about their work next week at the Aviation, Range, and Aerospace Meteorology Conference in New Orleans. More...

DOT WANTS HIGHER LANDING FEES AT BUSY AIRPORTS
Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said on Monday that airports should be allowed to charge landing fees based on congestion, instead of weight, to encourage airlines to shift schedules to less-busy times or to less-busy airports. The proposal brought immediate reaction, most of it negative. The agency that operates New York's main airports said Peters' plan is too conservative: "These small steps don't address the fundamental problem when dramatic action is needed," the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey told The New York Times. The airlines don't like it. The DOT proposal "is nothing more than congestion pricing disguised as an airport fee," said Air Transport Association President James May. He added that the proposal "does nothing to fix the primary cause of delays -- our nation's increasingly antiquated air traffic control system." One go-team response came from Airports Council International - North America. "We're pleased that Secretary Peters has recognized that airport proprietors are in the best position to manage the use of the facilities they planned, financed, built and currently operate," said ACI-NA President Greg Principato. More...

SEBRING EXPO STARTS TODAY
The fourth annual U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, Fla., starts today and runs through the weekend. The event showcases the light sport aircraft industry, with about 140 exhibitors expected to attend. Visitors are encouraged to comparison shop and try out the aircraft, which include weight-shift trikes, powered parachutes, motor-gliders, and gyroplanes as well as fixed-wing. Cessna and Cirrus will be there with their LSA designs. "The exclusive focus on sport pilot and LSA gives manufacturers and enthusiasts a chance to interact on a more intimate level," said EAA's Ron Wagner, who is coordinating the forums and workshop schedule. AVweb's Editor-in-Chief Russ Niles will be on the scene, so stay tuned to ,i>AVweb for coverage of all the show events. More...

NTSB PRELIMINARY REPORT OUT ON CIRRUS REP CRASH
The NTSB this week issued a preliminary report on the Dec. 30 crash of a Cirrus SR22 in Paso Robles, Calif., that killed Cirrus sales representative Thomas Leveque. The report echoes information that AVweb learned from an earlier interview with the NTSB investigator in charge of the accident, in that it does not provide any indication of a mechanical failure. It will be several months before the NTSB issues its final report and probable cause. According to the preliminary report, N254SR departed San Carlos Airport that morning bound for Paso Robles Municipal Airport in visual meteorological conditions. A close friend of the pilot said that Leveque called him from a cellphone while in flight approaching his house. Leveque had made low passes over the friend's house "on many occasions" to signal the friend to pick him up from the airport, which is about a 15-minute drive away. More...

ECLIPSES TO BE BUILT IN RUSSIA?
Eclipse Aviation announced on Monday that Luxembourg-based European Technology and Investment Research Center, headed by former computer magnate Roel Pieper, is looking at building its very light jets in Ulyanovsk, Russia after buying a stake in Eclipse worth "substantially in excess of $100 million." The cash injection buys Pieper the title of non-executive chairman of Eclipse and gives his company rights to sell the mini-jet in 60 countries, including Western Europe and Britain. Vern Raburn, who remains president and CEO, said the deal expands Eclipse's horizons more quickly. "Entrusting the expanded region of Europe to ETIRC in this manner represents a significant acceleration of our business plan," said Raburn. "Expanding our relationship with ETIRC will rapidly increase the impact of the Eclipse 500 in this region and position us to meet the needs of our growing number of customers outside of North America." More...

COMPANY REVIVES THE GOOSE
One of the most iconic amphibs ever produced may be back in production by the end of the year. According to The Greensboro/Winston-Salem Business Journal, a Gibsonville, N.C., company, Antilles Seaplanes, is hoping to have FAA approval to begin production of the twin-engine flying boat by the end of June. Company co-founder V.I. Manuel told the Business Journal there's major interest in the revival of the Goose, with inquiries (but no firm orders) coming from Malaysia to Alaska. Manuel said vintage Gooses are much sought after and in short supply. The new Goose will look like the old one but will benefit from 60 years of technological advancement. More...

SKYDIVERS REPORT GROWTH, SAFETY IMPROVEMENT FOR SPORT
Last year was one of the safest -- and busiest -- ever for skydivers, the U.S. Parachute Association said on Monday. Eighteen skydivers were killed, the fewest since 1962, and about 2.5 million jumps were completed around the country. "We should all take pride in the strides we have made in skydiving safety in the past half a century," said Ed Scott, executive director of the USPA. The group added that nearly 5,000 new members joined in 2007, for a total of 31,264. The industry also saw "an unprecedented upturn" in the number of skydiving licenses issued last year, the USPA said. However, safety is a relative term. "Nobody would argue that skydiving is a safe thing to do," the USPA says at its Web site. More...

CESSNA INCREASES SUPPORT OF ABLE FLIGHT
Able Flight, a nonprofit group that provides flight-training scholarships to people with disabilities, announced on Monday that Cessna Aircraft Company has signed on for its second year and increased its support to the level of major sponsor. "Cessna has made a powerful commitment to our mission of using aviation to transform the lives of people with disabilities," said Able Flight's Executive Director Charles Stites. "They have recognized the positive impact that flight training can have ... inspiring people who meet the challenge of learning to fly." Able Flight plans to award up to 15 scholarships this year. By this summer, Able Flight expects that as many as 10 scholarship winners will have completed their training. Able Flight's mission is to offer people with disabilities a unique way to challenge themselves through flight training, and by doing so, to gain greater self-confidence and self-reliance. More...

ON THE FLY ...
A Virgin Atlantic 747 will burn biofuel during a demo flight next month ...
Deliveries of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner are now delayed until 2009 ...
A Citation jet and a 152 had a close call at Palm Beach airport ...
Sporty's Foundation will sponsor four $5,000 pilot training awards ...
NASA will honor the lost crew of Columbia on Feb. 1. More...

AVWEB'S NEWSTIPS ADDRESS ...
Our best stories start with you. If you've heard something that 130,000 pilots might want to know about, tell us. Submit news tips via email to newstips@avweb.com. What have you heard? More...

Columns | Features | What's New | Calendar | Brainteasers

THE SAVVY AVIATOR #53: THE DARK SIDE OF MAINTENANCE
Maintenance has a dirty little secret: It often hurts more than it helps. More...

MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR X FOR PILOTS: CHAPTER 23 -- FLYING WITH ONE FEATHERED
Multi-engine training is all about shutting down one engine and trying to get yourself safely on the ground ... easier said than done. But some situations are too dangerous to practice in a real twin -- unless it's a twin in Microsoft Flight Simulator X. More...

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: BEHIND THE SCENES OF THAT AMAZING THUNDERBIRD EJECTION/CRASH PHOTO

Original, Exclusive Videos from AVweb |Reader-Submitted & Viral Videos

When we first saw the photo of Capt. Chris Stricklin's ejection from a doomed U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds F-16 a few years ago, most of us here at AVweb thought it was a fake. But the more we looked at it, the more it seemed possible that someone had actually snapped Stricklin's moment of truth in what must be one of the greatest aviation photos ever shot. Well, it wasn't long before we learned that Staff Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III had actually captured the drama at an air show at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho.

In this AVweb original video, Video Editor Glenn Pew looks at the circumstances surrounding the dramatic accident — combining still photos, in-cockpit and outside-of-cockpit video, and narration including the investigation's findings and changes in procedure for the T-birds.

Don't see a video screen? Try disabling ad blockers and refreshing this page. If that doesn't work, click here to download the video directly.

Related Content:
Thunderbirds Crash: Truth in Images

FBO OF THE WEEK: AVIATION TECHNOLOGY (KSDF, LOUISVILLE, KY)

AVweb's "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to Aviation Technology at KSDF in Louisville, Kentucky.

AVweb reader Don Gay tells us how the Tec team came through for him just last week:

My twin Cessna 310 had a bad case of plug fouling and clogged fuel injectors on Friday, January 4 at 4pm. Paul Atwell and his tech stayed overtime for two hours to clean and gap the plugs and clean fuel injectors to get me on my way to my destination that night. Outstanding.

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
Last week, we "POTW" headquarters were feeling a bit neglected, and we asked — some might even say begged — our readership to flood us with photo submissions and boost our spirits. Boy, did you guys ever come through! (If only everyone were as dependable as AVweb readers.) Bengt Olson of Hindås, Sweden really stepped up to the challenge. His colorful photo of "a Finnair A321 parked at Gothenburg-Landvetter Airport under the winter sky" took our breath away — and even managed capture an AVweb baseball cap in between breaths. More...

AVWEBBIZ: AVWEB'S BUSINESS AVIATION NEWSLETTER
HAVE YOU SIGNED UP yet for AVweb's NO-COST weekly business aviation newsletter, AVwebBiz? Reporting on breaking news, Business AVflash focuses on the companies, the products and the industry leaders that make headlines in the business aviation industry. Business AVflash is a must read. Sign up today at http://www.avweb.com/profile/. More...

MEET THE AVWEBFLASH TEAM

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

The AVwebFlash team is:

Publisher
Timothy Cole

Editorial Director, Aviation Publications
Paul Bertorelli

Editor-in-Chief
Russ Niles

Managing Editor
Meredith Saini

Contributing Editors
Mary Grady
Glenn Pew

Features Editor
Kevin Lane-Cummings

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